[MagSafe]

Hey,

I'm going down to the Apple Store later on today to pick up a Mac Mini to replace my iBook G4 as my main system

I'll be using a 19" CRT monitor for the time being until I can afford a fancy space saving TFT, and as for a keyboard and mouse to use with it i've still got to decide on them. Naturally I wouldn't think twice about buying an Apple product over anything else, but at £50 for the pair i've been looking at the alternatives and there are loads!

I was wondering if people could recommend me some non-wireless keyboard and mouse combo's that they use and possible some pictures if you've got them?

Cheers,

Steven.

P.S The "Best Forum in the Universe" theme is awful!

[Fahrenheit]

i personally wouldnt go for a combo. Just go for the normal apple keyboard, and then use the remainder on a good logitech mouse - one of the newer laser mouses are awesome. The apple keyboard is good cos of the USB slots, and its white!

[chucker]

Macally produces some decent Mac-styled products. So does MacMice, but don't ever make the mistake of buying from Jack Campbell.

Generally, Logitech's and Microsoft's (yes, them) keyboard and mouse hardware is excellent and always has been.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by farenheit The apple keyboard is good cos of the USB slots, and its white!

The USB ports are convenient (though only 1.1, no? that'd be quite a limitation), but it's way overpriced for that. Get some random USB hub if you care for that, or heck, even a combo USB and FireWire hub.

[MagSafe]

Yeah, extra USB slots aren't going to be a consideration, I'm just looking for some advice on buying a keyboard and mouse ... and specifically models that folk might suggest.

Thanks for the replies so far

[Luca]

Macally iceKey. Best keyboard I've ever used. A bit pricey (~$40, from a reseller like Amazon), but worth it. It has two USB ports on it as well, and they're in a more convenient location than on the Apple keyboard.

I've found Apple's keyboard to be one of the WORST I've ever used. The keys are really picky about how you hit them - the pressure required for a keypress varies greatly based on which part of the key you hit. Touch the edge, and it requires a lot of force. In fact, anywhere but the exact center requires too much force. Very cheap and shoddy. Logitech's keyboards are better.

[Fahrenheit]

I think Luca that it is like coffee- it very much depends on how you like your keyboard to be. I personally like mine to have a bit of friction and a bit of depth to the press. When I have used Logitechs (the new Multimedia ones) i have found the distance to be small, mistakes to be made more easily, and it very soft, with none of that satisfying clickety sound I get on my apple one.

But it is very much down to the individual.


edit: Im not suggesting my keyboard is anything like coffee.

[Luca]

Maybe mine was defective or something (either a fluke, or an indication that Apple's keyboards are poorly made and prone to failing, I don't know). I have used all kinds of keyboards with different key feels. The iceKey feels like a laptop keyboard with a little more travel and a little more space between keys. There are old IBM Model M keyboards and Apple Extended keyboards that have a very solid, reassuring feel to them, quite different from the iceKey but good in their own way. And there are ones like the Logitechs (and most other modern keyboards) that are somewhere in between. But the recent Apple keyboards I've used all suffer from that awful variance in pressure. I always have to hit them in the exact center. This is the case for both their new USB keyboard and the older Pro keyboard. The keys aren't attached solidly and my typing accuracy is terrible on them. It's not that I don't like the key feel, it's that they are of bad quality.

[PKIDelirium]

Funny, I type better on my recent USB keyboard and iBook keyboard than I do on anything else.

[funduk]

"...Just go for the normal apple keyboard, and then use the remainder on a good logitech mouse - one of the newer laser mouses are awesome..."

I LOVE my apple keyboard and logitech mx1000 laser mouse. So, agreed.

[Windowsrookie]

My apple keyboard has the same problem. I have to go back and hit the key again all the time. It requires you to push down all the way, if you don't it won't register the keypress.

[CreativeSherpa]

Does anyone have any recommendations on compact keyboards.

The basic mac keyboard is layed out in three sections (letters, directions, numeric) but I could do without the last two columns. I always feel like the keyboard is out of balance when I line up the keyboard with the monitor and myself.

[Luca]

A lot of people swear by the Happy Hacking keyboard. I've never used one myself but it looks like what you're looking for. In particular, you'd want the Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite 2, which has the same basic layout as well as a set of arrow keys that don't add anything to the width.

Another plus is that they have Mac compatibility (well, all USB keyboards should be Mac compatible but these ones have the Mac symbols in addition to the Windows ones) and a built in USB hub.

[CreativeSherpa]

Thanks!

I'm somewhat surprised that Apple hasn't come up with thier own version of the mini-keyboard.

[Luca]

They did, twice, and both attempts were pretty sucky.

Attempt 1: Apple ADB Keyboard. Back in the 80s and early 90s, keyboards were super expensive. This was the "cheap" version, which cost over $100. The Extended was far better but it cost over $200. And those were 80s dollars, remember.



Attempt 2: When the iMac was introduced, Apple didn't just create a... *ahem*... "unique" mouse for it. They also made a sucky keyboard to go along with it. This new keyboard lacked several of the keys that were present on the old Extended and Design keyboards, and for a couple of years it was the standard issue keyboard for all desktop Macs, before being mercifully killed off in favor of the Apple Pro Keyboard.



The market for compact keyboards is rather small. Like two button mice (until the Mighty Mouse became standard equipment), Apple leaves it up to the consumer to decide for themselves whether to keep the bundled keyboard or to replace it with a third party alternative that better suits their needs. They haven't done an awesome job of making compact keyboards in the past so I don't see why they would try it again now.

[Windowsrookie]

That second keyboard I own, And the puck mouse. Came with my G3 imac. I never thought the puck mouse was that bad. Alot of people just didn't know how to hold it right I think.

[frizz]

Originally Posted by windowsrookie That second keyboard I own, And the puck mouse. Came with my G3 imac. I never thought the puck mouse was that bad. Alot of people just didn't know how to hold it right I think.

Yeah, I was fine with that mouse. It was it great after you got use to it.

[PB PM]

Indeed. Between my folks B&W G3 and my early G4, I used that style of keyboard and mouse for about six years, and never had any problems with them. If anything it was hard to adjust back to a full sized mouse and keyboard after getting new ones last summer.

[Kraetos]

I use this slim keyboard. It feels similar to the keyboard on my PB G4, because of the scissor-switch keys. I have a black one to go with my PC and black Dell montior. I got it a few days ago to replace my Logitech wireless multimedia monstrosity that I hated. This one is far more compact and good looking, and the backlight is cool too.

For a mouse, I use a gaming mouse. Its very ergonomic, which I like, corded, which I like, (no batteries, cordless mice are overrated anyway) and very high res, and moves very smoothly across my wooden desk or matte-mousepad.

Together, their $90, so I guess you've only saved $10 over the Apple stuff, but I like this stuff much better anyway.

[MagSafe]

Originally Posted by Luca Attempt 2: When the iMac was introduced, Apple didn't just create a... *ahem*... "unique" mouse for it. They also made a sucky keyboard to go along with it. This new keyboard lacked several of the keys that were present on the old Extended and Design keyboards, and for a couple of years it was the standard issue keyboard for all desktop Macs, before being mercifully killed off in favor of the Apple Pro Keyboard.

I can remember using that keyboard in school and it was fine , I quite enjoyed it offer the massive thing that came with out Windows computer back home.

By the way ... I decided to go for the apple keyboard and mighty mouse in the end. I was using them in the Apple store the other day and they seemed really nice to use, especially the mouse for some reason, it looks weird without any visible buttons but once your hand is cupped round it seems perfect