The fawning makes me sick

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

http://www.atpm.com/14.05/apple-keyboard.shtml

[Ulysses31]

I've used this keyboard (bearing in mind that I already dislike laptop keyboards).  It's crap.  Looks great, but it's crap.  The reviewer seems to think that the sudden, hard deceleration of the fingers is good for your hand, when I would have thought (as for every other body part) that slowing down over a longer distance was more healthy.  Thank goodness Apple don't design cars or seatbelts.  I'm sure it's possible to produce a slick keyboard with a reasonable amount of key travel, but this current model they've turned out feels cheap and the keys wobble.  Style over substance I reckon.

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

I've used this keyboard (bearing in mind that I already dislike laptop keyboards).  It's crap.  Looks great, but it's crap.  The reviewer seems to think that the sudden, hard deceleration of the fingers is good for your hand, when I would have thought (as for every other body part) that slowing down over a longer distance was more healthy.  Thank goodness Apple don't design cars or seatbelts.  I'm sure it's possible to produce a slick keyboard with a reasonable amount of key travel, but this current model they've turned out feels cheap and the keys wobble.  Style over substance I reckon.

Precisely my sentiments.  After not using my laptop's keyboard for a long time, which has a rather similar keyfeel - shallow key travel, stiff and with a hard landing, I do feel that, hey, this feels rather light and low travel!  I should be using it all the time!  However, the pain that emerges the next day suggests otherwise.  I don't think these keyboards are a good idea.

[xsphat]

Someone should send this guy a Filco with browns ...

The only good thing about the new Apple keyboards is that since Apple seems to be a trend setter, we should be seeing a lot more small footprint keyboards like their Bluetooth model in the near future.

[iMav]

As far as laptop keyboards go, I prefer the MacBook keyboard (which is, essentially, what this is) over pretty much any other laptop keyboard I've used.  At the very least, it is solid (no flex) and doesn't feel real mushy.  

Although I agree they are sub-optimal, I don't think there is a lot you can DO with a laptop keyboard (given the space constraints).

[JohnnyBoy]

As far as laptop keyboards go, I prefer the MacBook keyboard (which is, essentially, what this is) over pretty much any other laptop keyboard I've used.  At the very least, it is solid (no flex) and doesn't feel real mushy.

Agreed. I went to my local Mac dealer to see/try a secondhand G4 Powerbook he called me about. I compared the keyboard on the PB with that on a MacBook. Then I left the store with a brand new MacBook under my arm.

Although I agree they are sub-optimal, I don't think there is a lot you can DO with a laptop keyboard (given the space constraints).

Uhhh, how about "not attach one to your desktop"?

[madmaxmedia]

I actually like this keyboard a lot, at least compared to standard desktop keyboards.

The old Apple keyboard (mushfest) made my hands sore, because you had to expend more effort to press the keys down, even if the landing is softer due to the rubber domes.

With this new Apple keyboard, the unit itself is very stiff and the keys depress very easily with no friction. Plus the travel is so small that I'm not so much depressing the keys as much as just tapping on them. So while there is a 'hard' landing, I barely tap on the keys to type so my fingers don't get sore at all.

The MacBook keyboard is similar, but misses out on 2 aspects compared to this one IMO- the base itself is not as stiff, and the keys feel a bit looser. But otherwise its the same keyboard and same keys.

[Eclairz]

hi, i'm new to the forum but recently been lurking, well I have a macbook and the keys are fairly decent but I have tried laptops with better keyboards.

My old Sony Vaio QR20 it felt weird for a week but then I fell in love with the keyboard, it had concave keys and felt more springier than the macbook keyboard. Its very old and I don't think Sony used this keyboard anywhere else, the keys did feel a bit plasticky but once you started loving the keyboard it became a non issue, each key is still working fine and the laptop is just used as a spare net pc. I've haven't used a mac keyboard (excluding macbook) since 10 years ago, so my experience is probably biased.

Anyway the macbook keyboard is fine but it is very flat and just doesn't invite your fingers to press them, and the short travel is fine but doesn't do it any favours from reaching the hard landing, i prefer a bit more travel in them other wise apple made a decent keyboard to go with their laptop.

Still getting used to apple keyboard british layout which is a combination of pc british and US layout which takes some getting used to especially symbol keys are thrown this way and that the fact the # key is hidden behind ctrl shift 3 is messed up. One thing is for sure the keyboard looks great as it is very modern looking where each key is clearly defined and that is what Apple is looking for in order push more orders to trendy cool looking gear rather than functionality.

[rnak92a]

As far as laptop keyboards go, I prefer the MacBook keyboard (which is, essentially, what this is) over pretty much any other laptop keyboard I've used.  At the very least, it is solid (no flex) and doesn't feel real mushy.  

Although I agree they are sub-optimal, I don't think there is a lot you can DO with a laptop keyboard (given the space constraints).

iMav,

You don't prefer it over the ThinkPad keyboard, do you?

[iMav]

iMav, You don't prefer it over the ThinkPad keyboard, do you?

I absolutely prefer the MacBook keyboard over the ThinkPad keyboard.  That being said, I have passed along a MacBook and a MacBook Pro to family members and am exclusively on my ThinkPad X60s (for personal mobile computing) because of the trackpoint and lack of a trackpad.  

The ThinkPad keyboard is good (MUCH better than the current MacBook Pro keyboard)...but AFAIC, nothing beats the MacBook keyboard (as far as integrated laptop keyboards are concerned).