Apple "Cassie" Prototype - 1982

[msiegel]

Here's a blast from the past: a tiny prototype keyboard developed by frog design and Apple. Although it never saw the light of day, this design is still interesting to contemplate





article and links to more images:
http://www.applefritter.com/node/294

[lowpoly]

Hah, nice. :-)

[ehird]

Reminds me of the previous Apple Keyboard model. (So does lowpoly's board.)

[lowpoly]

What I like on the Cassie is how the bezel goes inside the keycaps. You can see how they had to adapt the keycap shape for this.

[itlnstln]

That looks pretty slick for a 'board from 1982.

[justin]

That looks pretty slick for a keyboard from 2009! I so wish they'd gone to production with this...

[Xuan]

I like the real curve similar to BS keyboards instead of the different shaped keys of mechanical and rubber dome ones.

[timw4mail]

I like the real curve similar to BS keyboards instead of the different shaped keys of mechanical and rubber dome ones.

I like this better too, as you can switch any letter key to any position on the keyboard, and it will fit perfectly in place.

[microsoft windows]

That's a neat design, especially for 1982!

[InSanCen]

there's a few firsts.

Tiny keyboard that I like that's not an IBM Spacesaver, and an Apple product I like.

[TWX]

There's a lot of production in that keyboard, it looks like it was taken directly from the Apple IIc, and the style was later used on some of the ADB-based Apple IIgs models.  We had several of those in Junior High...

[clickclack]

Hah, nice. :-)

I knew you would see this (yours would walk all over this one though)

What I like on the Cassie is how the bezel goes inside the keycaps. You can see how they had to adapt the keycap shape for this.

I like that too, I don't know if I like it because it looks clean or because I think it looks more solid.

That looks pretty slick for a keyboard from 2009! I so wish they'd gone to production with this...

No kiddin!!!! especially with mechanical keyswitches...DAMN!

I like this better too, as you can switch any letter key to any position on the keyboard, and it will fit perfectly in place.

I really, really think that is a good idea and not just from a "hey that would be nice to mod"... but from a manufacturing standpoint too!
I like the idea of simplicity and efficiency in manufactuing and the idea of transcending seasonal market trends. And I find the products that are slick and functional tend to stick around for a while.

I find apple to be a realatively niche market (not as much now but still...) yet I have always been perplexed as to why they never really truly embraced it (product and hardware wise, apart form their looks). I think they have missed out on many opportunities on current needs in favor of being seemingly soley dedicated to innovation. I do however think they obviously hit a market with the imac, iphone, and ipod. But I am thinking more about components, not all in one devices.

anywho back to the keyboard, I figure if the AEKII was such a hit and still has a following then this keyboard could have been iconic!

[microsoft windows]

Reminds me of the previous Apple Keyboard model. (So does lowpoly's board.)

Those are some of the crappiest keyboards ever made.

[texteur]

Here's a blast from the past: a tiny prototype keyboard developed by frog design and Apple. Although it never saw the light of day, this design is still interesting to contemplate

What a gorgeous keyboard! I'm jealous of that guy (Tom Owad) who laid his hands on one specimen of this masterpiece...

Nice find msiegel!

[itlnstln]

Unless it was a temporary kludge of some kind, the interface box looks like an inelegant solution for such an elegant keyboard.  I bet it was only used as a way to get the prototype working with existing equipment, though.

[lowpoly]

Unless it was a temporary kludge of some kind, the interface box looks like an inelegant solution for such an elegant keyboard.  I bet it was only used as a way to get the prototype working with existing equipment, though.

The Applefritter site says:

This interface box is an adapter which allows the Cassie keyboard to be used with a Mac 128k - Plus.

This sounds like the interface box was made to connect the prototype to a then current computer for testing purposes.

I wonder where they hid the controller.

[msiegel]

I wonder where they hid the controller.

good point... maybe it's under the space bar?

come to think of it, since the is whole thing is on a curve, how would the switches be mounted??

this thing just gets more and more mysterious...

[itlnstln]

The Malton and/or the Kenesis 'boards have curved PCBs.  Either that, or they went spaghetti wire.

[lowpoly]

... or rubber dome.

Edit: what's up with the cursor keys on the old Apple keyboards, there don't seem to be any.

[itlnstln]

True that.  The membrane would be flexible.