To macbook + tbd or imac owners

[apple mac user]

Do you ever miss the backlit keyboard on your laptop when using your desktop/external display? Or is the external display bright enough to light up the keyboard in dark conditions?

Also can you change the brightness of the imac/tbd using the keyboard, like you can on notebooks?

Thanks.

 

[maflynn]

I have a backlit keyboard on my rMBP and its a nice feature when I'm typing on my laptop in my bedroom while relaxing in a recliner chair. Typically the lighting is a bit darker there.

When I'm working normally, however I use an external keyboard w/o any backlighting. I don't miss it as I make sure I have proper lighting in my office. I think its important when you spend a lot of time on the computer you consider the lighting. I work from home and so I want to be sure my office is well lit, this mitigates the issues of keyboard not having any back lighting - hope that helps

 

[xraydoc]

You can control display brightness from the keyboard, same as on a MacBook.

Logitech sells a backlit BT keyboard for the Mac (and iPad). It's virtually the same size as an Apple BT keyboard.

 

[apple mac user]

Thanks for both of the answers.

That's a very good point about the lighting. After damaging my eyes when i was younger i have learnt the hard way to keep the room well lit, i guess you are right in saying that usually, the backlit keyboard will only be needed when i am using the laptop's keyboard anyway.

I was actually debating between that logitech keyboard and apple's own one. The logitech looks nice to type on but i quite like the idea of using a magic trackpad which would go nicely apple's own keyboard using a twelve south magicwand

Also nice to know that i can change the brightness, i was expecting that to be a power-saving feature not needed on desktops but i like to have it turned down even when plugged in.