Apple Aluminum Wired Keyboard MB110LL/A
by Apple Computer
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List Price: Our Price: $19.99 You Save: $30.00 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple Aluminum Wired Keyboard MB110LL/A
Customer Review: Huge improvement over last Apple keyboard
Summary: 4 Stars
One of the reasons I like my MacBook is the new keyboard, so I was pretty excited when this keyboard came out. Aesthetically, the new Apple keyboard's shell matches the Mac Pro and other aluminum-shelled Macs, and people who see it for the first time always seem to be amazed at how slim it actually is. The keys are quiet but fairly responsive (unlike the horribly spongey white "Apple Keyboard" that came before it), and you can type on it for longer periods of time without tiring because of the short distance the keys have to travel. The shell of the keyboard is rigid and doesn't act as a crud trap like the previous two clear-bodied Apple keyboards, so you don't have to worry about staples and other weird things getting trapped on display for the life of the keyboard. I'm not sure what you'd do if you accidentally spilled something on it, but the innards seem to be packed in much tighter than the previous two Apple keyboards.
If you have an Apple Pro Keyboard (adjustable height and either black or white keys) you might want to try this one out in person before buying it, but if you have the newer "Apple Keyboard" (non-adjustable stand) I'd definitely recommend upgrading.
My only suggestions for improvements would be related to the USB cable, function keys, and key color. The USB cord is still short like all other modern Apple keyboards, and it's not quite as thick as a typical keyboard cable, so if it's used with a Mac that's below the desktop you might periodically kick it loose from the USB extension cord. As far as the function keys go, Apple made a strange decision to cleave them in half like the old iMac/blue G3 PowerMac keyboard, so if you use the function keys beyond F12 (Eject) and Expose/Dashboard this could be more of an issue for you. Finally, I wish that this keyboard also came in a version with black keys, as the keys on my friends' white iBooks & MacBooks haven't stayed as "clean"-looking cosmetically as my black MacBook keyboard (and I have oily skin!).
Customer Review: This is my favorite keyboard ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
Caveat: I am a many finger hunt-and-peck typist. I resisted touch typing classes and am now so set in my ways. I am pretty fast, but that does have some bearing on this review.
+ The spacing of the keys is exquisite.
+ The placement and size of the modifier and command keys are great.
+ Easy key movement and relative quiet.
+ Fairly rugged - I spilled three ounces of bourbon into the keyboard (don't ask, please). Unplugging it immediately and turning it upside down for a few days on a t-shirt I expected nothing but the worst. Since I started using it again I have had NO ISSUES. I don't recommend this, but it's a great anecdote.
+ The slimness is really pretty cool, it's hard to get your head around, but it feels like the keyboard gets out of the way (even when I'm looking at it to type). A former roommate thought it was a piece out of the computer since it was so thin!
- Occasional missed keys. This _may_ have to do with my typing "style" but I think the keyboard doesn't register very light taps. Testing it right now by pressing a key as lightly as possible, I could get the keyboard to skip every sixth letter or so. (This might also have to do with the bourbon...)
- The two USB ports are slim so not everything can fit in them (they are directly underneath ESC and F19) (That's how thin it is!)
- The two USB ports don't have enough power for all devices (you can't charge an iPod off of one of these - this is most likely due to the keyboard being a chaining device and having no external power supply.
- White keys show dirt quickly. I'm a clean guy and clean my keyboard every month or so, but there are a few keys that always end up with dirty edges.
All the negatives are pretty minor and the positives are AWESOME, so without reservation I recommend this keyboard. I HAVE NOT USED THIS TO PLAY FPS, I don't know how the lag/response is on those. I have used it on other types of games and had no issues.
Customer Review: very different, a bit hard for me to type on
Summary: 4 Stars
This keyboard has several differences from standard keyboards.
1) The keys have a short travel (i.e. when you press them they don't go very far).
2) The keyboard is very low to the ground.
3) The keys have lots of space between them, so that the buttons are smaller than usual.
4) The tops of the keys are flat, rather than concave.
The short travel means that the keys feel more like keys on a laptop keyboard. This makes typing quieter and potentially faster. However I like this keyboard better than the MacBook Pro keyboard because it has a more solid feel.
The lower position of the keyboard supports and encourages more ergonomic typing in which the hands are held higher above the keys. If you used a wrist rest previously, you might not need it with this keyboard. If you are addicted to your wrist rest, it might not work so well with this keyboard, because it might be too high.
Unfortunately I have been finding it surprisingly hard to type on this keyboard. I think is a result of the small, flat keys. Because the keys are small, sometimes I miss them entirely, so that I type words with letters missing. Because the keys are flat, I find it harder to keep my hands in the right position. (With a standard keyboard, my fingertips rest naturally in the concavities of the keys.) If I don't get more comfortable with it soon, I am going to trade it in for a more standard keyboard.
The appearance is very stylish, as you can expect from apple products these days. However you should probably try it out in the store to see if you like the feel.
UPDATE: I don't use this keyboard anymore. I wanted to like it but after a few days I couldn't take it anymore and gave up. Fortunately I was able to get a hold of the older style apple keyboard which I have been using happily ever since. I would deduct a star from the rating but amazon won't let me.
Customer Review: Fantastic keyboard
Summary: 5 Stars
This redesigned razor-thin keyboard is a dream. The one that came with my iMac G5 was always a little stiff and I could never get my finger pressure right, especially when typing quickly. This one is more like my old iBook keyboard (and similar in design to the newer Macbooks), and the response and wider spacing of the keys really hits an ergonomic sweet spot. There are some clever additions, too, such as dedicated Exposé and Dashboard keys, and a slight delay on the Caps Lock button "stick" to make sure you don't hit it accidentally. The last has always been a problem of mine, since I regularly managed to tap it in passing AND WHOLE SENTENCES WOULD COME OUT LIKE THIS before I realized what I'd done. It's also much, much easier to clean. Hair and grime don't get caught and congeal under the plastic. If only I could say the same for the Mighty Mouse scroll ball.
Some folks have encountered software glitches with these refreshed keyboards, particularly on G5 iMacs like mine, but mine has been trouble-free since plugging it in. What does bother me is the loss of the Apple logo on the Command key. I know Apple is trying to make their documented keyboard shortcuts simpler, but that logo became the de facto reference for the key on either side of the spacebar. The fact that it's gone removes an essential visual cue for me, and it's been confusing to guests who've asked, "I want to paste some text... but where's the Apple key gone?" I'm also not thrilled that they've changed the layout to accommodate the dedicated Exposé and Dashboard keys from the left to the right of the keyboard, but that's a very minor inconvenience that will vanish in time.
As with all Apple products, this keyboard is more than just aesthetics. It's functional and ergonomic too, and I'm pleased to have picked one up. But I'd recommend trying it in-store first, as I did, to see if it suits your fingers and typing style.
Customer Review: Almost perfect for a PC too...
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this for use on my PC, not because I'm a Mac-wannabe, but because this is actually a really confortable keyboard to use. Plus it's super easy to clean, and takes up less space on my desk.
However there are a few things to note, some of which others have mentioned.
1. Missing a few key buttons, mainly a Print Screen button. This isn't a big problem for most people, but occasionally it can be an issue. It's also missing some buttons like Num Lock and Scroll Lock, but who really cares about those anyways?
2. On the Num Pad, the operators (+, -, * ,/) are in kinda odd places compared to other keyboards. The + button in particular is the size of a normal key instead of being double-sized, which, while it makes sense, is unlike every other keyboard I've used. This wouldn't be an issue if everyone had this keyboard, but trying to switch between this and the Num Pad at work can be frustrating.
3. The "Windows" key and Alt key are technically swapped (and yes I know this is an Apple keyboard, so this isn't really Apple's fault). It's not really an issue, and in fact I probably hit the Windows key less. But it just feels a little odd after dealing with them in their old spots for so many years.
4. This one is the main reason I still keep my old keyboard at hand. This keyboard doesn't seem to get power until Windows has fully loaded. So if Windows crashes (haha yeah...) and you get the prompt for booting normally or in safe mode, you can't select anything, as the keyboard doesn't yet have power. I have to plug in my old keyboard to select what I want. This also has implications if you dual-boot into another OS at startup, as you won't be able to select anything but the default OS without using another keyboard. Thankfully we have USB keyboards now that we can just hot-swap at any time.
I haven't tried this keyboard in *nix yet, so I can't comment how it works on those