View Full Version : A lot of people have asked about an aluminum keyboard for PowerBooks...
I just saw one today as I was browsing for keyboards. This one right here (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-128-021&depa=0):
http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/23-128-021-01.JPG
It has a standard USB connection, so you don't need an adapter for it to work. You can swap the Windows (seen on a Mac as the command key) and Alt (Option on a Mac) keys using uControl. I'm thinking of getting something like this to replace my big-ass wireless Elite setup. Yeah, I have a big-ass desktop system anyway, but I'd like my mouse and keyboard to be closer together. Also, the mouse eats batteries. I'm just considering it - I doubt I'll actually follow through for a while. Still, both Microsoft and Logitech have some nice looking mice available for around $25.
EDIT: Found a larger version (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-128-027&depa=0) if you need a keypad.
http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/23-128-027-01.JPG
DMBand0026
2004-10-20, 10:46
Not too bad looking, not bad at all.
I know it doesn't match my PowerBook, but man, the IceKey (http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/icekey.html) is still the best keyboard I've ever used. I love this thing.
IceKey (http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/icekey.html)
You know, I was just about to suggest the same thing. I've never used it, but I've always seen rave reviews of it.
I have a few questions for you, DMB, since you use it yourself. How does typing on it feel? I absolutely love the way the aluminum PB keyboard types. Is it really the same? Is is it softer like the iBook? Also, are the keys smooth or do they have a little bit of texture like the aluminum PB keys?
I really wish I could find a store locally that carries the IceKey so I could try it myself.
curiousuburb
2004-10-20, 12:15
I'd rather see a backlit keyboard for the 12 than an external windows alu clone keyboard.
Not going to happen, but that's what I first thought when I saw this thread.
In case DMB returns, I have another question. ;) Do you know if the IceKey feels like Kensington's Slim Type (http://www.kensington.com/html/5463.html)? They sure as heck looks a lot alike and I got to try the Slim Type tonight at CompUSA. It feels a lot like the iBook/PowerBook keys too.
DMBand0026
2004-10-21, 10:42
I've never used the Kensington, so I couldn't tell you how similar it is to the PowerBook. However, the IceKey is great, it does feel very similar to the PowerBook's keyboard. You are able to depress the keys just a little more, but it takes no additional effort to do so. The surface of the keys are textured.
I've played with the iBook and I think the IceKey gives you more of the PowerBook feel. To me, the iBooks keys were mushy, and I had a hard time getting used to them. The IceKey is nice and firm, but not any firmer than the keys on your PowerBook. It gives you a great feel, and it makes no more noise than the PB's keys.
I've had it now for about 3 weeks, bought it from NewEgg for an unbeatable price and I have 0 complaints with it. After owning the PowerBook for 6 months with no external keyboard, it took a few days to get used to it, but now I'm back typing like a pro. :)
Fry Electronics carries them, but I'm not sure if you have any in your area. Overall though, a wonderful keyboard, and as I'm finding out, a great wrist saver too.
fiddlin'man
2005-01-21, 13:17
That kbd would take some getting used to.... look at how small the delete and enter keys are. Check out that space bar. On a standard desktop keyboard, the space bar starts on left side about even to the "X" key and then goes all the way over to the "." key. That spacebar barely goes past the "M".
Looks nice, but I'd feel too cramped on that one. :no:
Frank777
2005-01-23, 15:15
I thought this thread was about finding a replacement keyboard part for the older Powerbook G4 (black keyboard) to make it look closer to today's All-Aluminium PB's
That's what I want. ;)
SonOfSylvanus
2005-01-23, 16:05
Ah, but Frank777, this topic in its intended incarnation could help me alot. I'm looking for an aluminium keyboard to go with Apple's Aluminium pro theme.
This is my favourite find so far:
http://www.sonofsylvanus.homechoice.co.uk/images/alu_kb.jpg
(http://www.circotech.com/comaalalke.html)
edit: God! I've been looking for Aluminium peripherals for a LONG TIME (http://forums.applenova.com/showthread.php?t=400&highlight=macally+mouse)! That Macally BT mouse that I talked about was never sold in England AFAICT (FFS). Plus, I decided it was too small to be comfortable for me.
Finally, my *aluminium* mouse of choice will be arriving shortly, only about 7 months after I started looking for one... :\
I never really made the connection until recently, but the Microsoft S+ARCK optical mouse also matches the PowerBooks pretty well. It was designed by this guy called Philippe Starck.
http://graphica.air-nifty.com/monograph/07-08starckmouse_lg-thumb.jpg
It's available in blue or orange and each hemisphere is an entire button. So you can click it from anywhere, kinda like the Apple mouse.
Weird... is that entire blue strip lit up with an LED? Or is it just bright blue?
An interesting concept, at least.
SonOfSylvanus
2005-01-23, 18:44
Yeah Luca, I've seen that mouse around, though I didn't know that each hemisphere was an entire button. While I've never tried one out in person, the shape doesn't look very appealing to me. I'm not sure if the coloured strip lights up or not.
Maybe this is a good opportunity to ask a question I've had for a bit.
I have been eyeing an aluminum colored mouse made by DV Forge called "The Mouse BT." It is styled to integrate with the look of Mac and has a scroll wheel. Has anyone had any experience with it?
DV Forge, MacMice, MacWhispers, MacTable... they're the same thing, run by a guy named Jack Campbell.
I've avoided his stuff based on the stories about Jack that I've read here (http://www.macintouch.com/mactable.html).
Buyer beware and all that.
BuonRotto
2005-02-03, 17:41
Re: The Starck mouse. The blue/orange strip is translucent plastic that is lit from behind by one source light. It seems to turn red when the computer is asleep or not giving it feedback, anyway. However, the mouse buttons and scroll wheel aren't any better than a cheapo mouse you get from Dell (they feel cheap to me and tend to stick at times), and the pointer tends to suddenly "reset" its location to one of the screen corners every so often with this mouse plugged in. I had to change my Expose setup so that I wouldn't reveal the desktop randomly.
It looks like that mouse violates one of apple's patents!!!
http://thinksecret.com/news/patents05jan.html
No. 6,844,872 (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=6&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='apple+computer'.ASNM.&OS=AN/%22apple+computer%22&RS=AN/%22apple+computer%22):devil:
Someone get AtAT (http://www.appleturns.com) on the case!!! ;)
Hmm, I guess I will wait to see how the trackpad scolling works on the the new PBs. May not want/need a new mouse after trying it.... :\
I love the powerbook keyboard. Best keyboard I've ever used.
I've had an icekey since about June last year, and it's a very good keyboard. It definitely has a slightly more solidy, "clicky" feel to it than the current iBook keyboards… I'm not sure how it compares to the PowerBook keyboard, though.
At any rate, I've never had any problems with this one.
nathanaaron02
2005-02-04, 11:30
Philippe Starck is a really huge designer, he does alot of (or did, not so much anymore) stuff for Target! I loved this mouse, but wish it came in a wireless version? It does not to my knowledge. Ah well!
Thread has kinda evolved into a keyboard recommendation thread. Although I have a question. What is the point of buying an external keyboard that has the same compact footprint and keys as the PowerBook itself? Not that there is anything wrong with that.
See, if I owned a PowerBook I'd hook my trusty TactilePro (http://www.matias.ca/tactilepro/index.php?refID=7) up to it. Ok, it isn't aluminum but the "common" white that "cheapens" your new prestigious machine, and sure it has a wire too (boo, no BT?) but oh man... it feels so nice. Oh so nice. At work, where I'm typing more then a bit and the noisescape is higher it stands out. When I type, others know. At home it may be too um, apparent. Well, just though I'd share.
P.s. A high-resolution image (http://halfkeyboard.com/resources/tacpro_pix/NewTactilePro_RGB.jpg) can be seen here.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/images/products/prod_icurve_ibook.jpg
I personally wouldn't want to use the built-in keyboard if the PowerBook is sitting on this thing. Small laptop-sized keyboards are fine for desktop use anyway, if you can get used to them. They don't have as many keys, but most at least use the same size keys as other keyboards so they won't feel as cramped with regular typing. The advantage is that most keyboards have a big space off to the right that is rarely used. That forces the mouse to move farther away. I've thought about getting a compact keyboard just so I can use my mouse in a more comfortable position, right next to where my keyboard hands go.
Ah ok. Outside of work or gaming I don't use the number pad. But the arrows. Man. On our iBooks and the one-button I use at work they get a workout. All web scrolling (web developers do that a lot don't they?).
So something more like the happy hacking keyboards. We have a few at work, really compact but don't sacrifice travel. Thats what its called right? The amount you can depress the key.
This thread is coming back from the dead! Again!
I just found this (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/catalog/product_deck_ice.php?cPath=0_21&products_id=30). A very nicely done LED-backlit keyboard. Each key has its own LED backlight so it's perfectly consistent. I've never used one but someone at Ars Technica recommended it. It's also available in toxic (green), gold, and fire (red).
This thread is coming back from the dead! Again!
I just found this (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/catalog/product_deck_ice.php?cPath=0_21&products_id=30). A very nicely done LED-backlit keyboard. Each key has its own LED backlight so it's perfectly consistent. I've never used one but someone at Ars Technica recommended it. It's also available in toxic (green), gold, and fire (red).
Damn, it better be friggin great for $120! :eek:
Not too sure about the typeface they're using on the keys...a little awkward looking to my eyes.
Franz Josef
2005-07-11, 14:53
I'd rather see a backlit keyboard for the 12 than an external windows alu clone keyboard.
Thought I'd travel back in time to agree with you 'burb on both counts: the Windows key just jars with me and I would love a backlit keyboard for the 12" PB for working in halflight.
On further inspection that new one I linked to has a really strange layout...
The Windows key is in the upper right corner (yay!).
The ctrl and alt keys (control and option on Macs) are only at the lower left.
The `/~ key is in the lower left...
To the right of the space bar, all you have are Fn, Ins (Help on a Mac), and Del (Forward delete on a Mac).
It will be difficult to set up this keyboard to work nicely with a Mac. By default, the only Command key will be in the upper right, where the Windows key is. You would have to use something like uControl to replace the caps lock with control, then assign the Ctrl and Alt keys with Option and Command, respectively, if you wanted any kind of usability on a Mac at all. It really looks like the keyboard is designed entirely for gaming, with the Windows key way up top to avoid an accidental press, and the tilde key near the space bar for easy access to most games' command consoles.
DMBand0026
2005-07-11, 16:02
If it wasn't $120 and didn't use a goofy font, I might be more interested in it. Granted, the font doesn't matter much as I don't ever really look at they keyboard, I just don't care for it much.
But I think that's a very cool idea overall, LEDs are the wave of the future, it probably won't be long before we see all sorts of stuff like this, and it certainly won't be long before most keyboards are lit by LED, especially in notebooks.
Yeah, it just stood out to me because each and every key has its own LED to provide illumination. A lot of "illuminated" keyboards are cheap and have a couple of really bright LEDs spaced out underneath the keys, but this one is as high quality a product as the PowerBooks are. Too bad it's so impractical.
atomicbartbeans
2005-07-11, 18:36
You know what would kick ass?
Little clear glow-in-the-dark stickers to put on top of your keys.
That would bring illumination to us iBook users...
and I would love a backlit keyboard for the 12" PB for working in halflight.
Time for me to spout off about my one gripe about the backlit keyboard in the powerbooks. *it doesn't work in half-light*
That is to say, yes, the light comes on, and the screen dims and all is well. But, this is the kicker. The backlight at half intensity comes out as mostly grayish light that actually blends the letters of the keys with the keys themselves, and if you're reclined in a chair or bed, or even at a desk. This can actually make the keys MUCH harder to read.
What's more, the screen is usually bright enough to illuminate the keyboard anyway even in very low-light conditions.
It's a great feature, and something that I think more keyboards should have(especially those with black keys) But, shrug, I've been kind of disappointed by its usefulness.
Of course, I still use it a bunch and am really glad it's there.
Franz Josef
2005-07-12, 01:43
I've had a very different experience - perhaps it's very conditions-dependent. I've used it (on my wife's 15" PB) at home in the study (converted attic with moonlight through sloping window) - halflight, in the lounge in darkness - pretty dark, outside on holiday on the balcony - halflight again - and I've found it a godsend. I would never have imagined a backlit keyboard could be as useful. Working at dusk is a great time to feel inspired :) . I would love to have it on my own (12") PowerBook.
RandyChev
2006-05-25, 13:44
I'll try to resurrect this thread again...
It's been a year. Any other brushed metal keyboards out there that work well with a Mac and look good with an aluminum Powerbook? I want a full keyboard (with number pad) because I use my PB at work entering a lot of numbers.
Right now I'm using a horrible looking Macally ikey that is half cloudy-clear and indigo to match the original iMacs. NOT the best look on a nice wooden desk next to a 6 month old 15" PB! I need something but I don't know if I can bring myself to buy a keyboard that isn't laid out like a Mac. That's all I've used for 12 years.
I would think that with all the G4 PBs out there and now Macbooks keeping the brushed metal look, that a matching keyboard would be a money maker.
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