Sexy *and* functional...
Nov. 11th, 2007 06:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prusikI'd long decided that I couldn't stand my keyboard any more. (Difficult to clean. I didn't like the touch. Touch typing on the thing was not particularly joyful. For the record, it's the keyboard that came with my PowerMac G5 when I bought it three years ago.) However, keyboard shopping is a tricky business. If I care about how it feels to type on the thing, I can't really just mail order one.
Anyway, it occurred to me this week that Apple introduced a new keyboard several months ago. I could at least go try that one out. It's Apple, so all the pictures show off its sexy design. Certainly, it looks much easier to clean than their previous keyboards. If I really cared about such things, the aluminum styling matches the styling of my monitor, computer, and mouse.
I tried it out at the Apple Store, and to my surprise, I really like it. I tend to like either clicky keyboards (think IBM Selectric), or essentially flat keyboards. Mushy is right out. (Previous Apple keyboard was mushy as far as I'm concerned.) The idea is that I don't want to feel like I'm working to hit the keys. Typing into a sponge, or anything where there isn't crisp resistance feels like work to me. Sadly, there are an awful lot of keyboards like this. (The Selectric works because the resistance varies over the course of travel. It's easy, then there's a moment of sharp resistance, then it gives way.)
This keyboard doesn't have a whole lot of travel by design, but the action is crisp. You hit resistance at about the same point you would have in a Selectric. The difference is why you hit the resistance. In this case, it's because you've hit full key travel. This is definitely a keyboard for those with a light touch. (i.e., someone who wasn't so interested in the "gives way" part of Selectric key travel.) I like it, oddly, for much the reasons why I'm fine with flat keyboards. It's much more fun to touch type with this keyboard than my previous one. (Ha! Who needs full key travel?)
As a side note, I noticed something funny. Apparently, I can only attract the attention of sales people at the Apple Store only when I don't need it. The keyboards are on shelves so you can just pick one up and go. While I was doing this, an Apple sales person asked me if I needed any help. As I was waiting for my turn at the "cash register", another Apple sales person came by and processed my purchase. This is in stark contrast to the last time. I was trying to get the attention of an Apple store sales person and couldn't get one for at least ten minutes.
BTW, one more bit about the keyboard. I had read about this, and have now experienced it for myself. A quick hit on the caps lock key does not activate caps lock. You have to press and hold caps lock to activate caps lock. A quick tap will turn off caps lock though. I guess this is Apple's way of making sure that people don't accidentally turn on caps lock. (I do this on the keyboard I use for work. I've never done it at home though. Maybe I should bring the keyboard to work.)
Anyway, it occurred to me this week that Apple introduced a new keyboard several months ago. I could at least go try that one out. It's Apple, so all the pictures show off its sexy design. Certainly, it looks much easier to clean than their previous keyboards. If I really cared about such things, the aluminum styling matches the styling of my monitor, computer, and mouse.
I tried it out at the Apple Store, and to my surprise, I really like it. I tend to like either clicky keyboards (think IBM Selectric), or essentially flat keyboards. Mushy is right out. (Previous Apple keyboard was mushy as far as I'm concerned.) The idea is that I don't want to feel like I'm working to hit the keys. Typing into a sponge, or anything where there isn't crisp resistance feels like work to me. Sadly, there are an awful lot of keyboards like this. (The Selectric works because the resistance varies over the course of travel. It's easy, then there's a moment of sharp resistance, then it gives way.)
This keyboard doesn't have a whole lot of travel by design, but the action is crisp. You hit resistance at about the same point you would have in a Selectric. The difference is why you hit the resistance. In this case, it's because you've hit full key travel. This is definitely a keyboard for those with a light touch. (i.e., someone who wasn't so interested in the "gives way" part of Selectric key travel.) I like it, oddly, for much the reasons why I'm fine with flat keyboards. It's much more fun to touch type with this keyboard than my previous one. (Ha! Who needs full key travel?)
As a side note, I noticed something funny. Apparently, I can only attract the attention of sales people at the Apple Store only when I don't need it. The keyboards are on shelves so you can just pick one up and go. While I was doing this, an Apple sales person asked me if I needed any help. As I was waiting for my turn at the "cash register", another Apple sales person came by and processed my purchase. This is in stark contrast to the last time. I was trying to get the attention of an Apple store sales person and couldn't get one for at least ten minutes.
BTW, one more bit about the keyboard. I had read about this, and have now experienced it for myself. A quick hit on the caps lock key does not activate caps lock. You have to press and hold caps lock to activate caps lock. A quick tap will turn off caps lock though. I guess this is Apple's way of making sure that people don't accidentally turn on caps lock. (I do this on the keyboard I use for work. I've never done it at home though. Maybe I should bring the keyboard to work.)
