ThinkMac, the guys behind the NewsLife RSS reader (I used its predecessor, NewsMac, back in the day), just got Apple’s fancy new iMac keyboard and delivered onto us a short, sorta mixed reaction review. There’s no silly unboxing, no “boy it’s sexyyy¡” here, just the opinion of some hard-working Mac developers.
The keyboard itself is fine: much thinner than the old model but similar to the MacBook one, if not a little more sturdy. There is a rather large caveat, however: the keyboard is very power hungry. So those built-in USB ports will work only with the most basic devices like cheap-o thumb drives. Don’t expect to plug in your 500GB hard drive or bulky memory card reader. Hmm, sounds just like my now-old iMac keyboard.
The software for the keyboard was also problematic. Why do you need a 30MB driver to tell the F4 key to open iTunes? A minor point to be sure, but Apple is selling this keyboard as its best one yet.
So is it a good keyboard? Well yeah, it is. If you can get used to the MacBook-like keys and have no problem with having to use an additional external USB hub, then you should feel just fine plopping down $50 for it.
New keyboard [ThinkMac Software Blog]
The Keyboard [Apple]
Actually Apple says it can power an iPod and a digital camera.
Who would try to power an external hard drive from a keyboard USB port anyway?
this is a classic CG apple-hater post. a poorly written review at best. I guess they have to write something to get the traffic here…. it wont take long for people see the BS behind posts like these. “opinion of some hard-working Mac developers” – almost fell off my chair! loser!
You plug your hard drive into your keyboard?
I’ve never been a Mac fan but I toyed with an imac in a shop recently and I just fell in love with the keyboard. Just this hunk of aluminium with light little keys, that type almost silently, require very little effort to press them. And SOOOOOO THIN!
Anyway, my main PC is an HP TC4400 tablet provided by work and I have been using an MS wireless keyboard and mouse kit with it, but I just forked out NZ$69 for a used one on TradeMe (still in plastic wrap, seller already had a keyboard they liked when they upgraded their latest mac so flogged of the one that came with it) Normally available from the Apple Store for NZ$89 so I thought it was too good to pass up. So here I am on my PC, running OpenSuse Linux and using an Apple keyboard! Best of all worlds for me.
My only gripes after a couple of hours use, it that I wish it had some legs just to prop up the back edge 5mm or so, and I wish the cable was just a fraction longer. Once I work out how to map the function keys to the media player etc it will all be sweet.
Note: My wife who is a much better typist than I am, even likes it more than the MS wireless I had or Acer keyboard on her PC. There might be a fight as to which PC the KB is plugged into normally 8)
I agree with Tan the Man, if you want to run an external drive, then use a powered USB hub or an external power pack on the drive.
Nice to have two extra USB ports very close to hand for pen-drives though.
how do u disable the itunes keys?? im trying to code in apps and my hotkeys are always changing my music.. ie: f9 opens the actions panel in flash.. and it also wrecks my listening ..plz someone tell me:D 416design@gmail.com email me!!