How often do you use your Backlit keyboard?
When I first got my powerbook, I was totally in awe of the excellent design regarding the backlit keyboard. Not only did it turn on automatically based on ambient light, but the lights were very clear, bright, and the way that they are laid behind the cutout letters, it's a very great design.
However there was a flaw. The keyboard is a beautiful shade of aluminum, not only does it blend in perfectly with the body of the computer, but it also just looks amazing on it's own. The backlights are white, but since they are controlled by a dimmer, lower settings yields a light grayish colored light that barely permeates out the cracks of the thing.
So, after I got over the initial 'wow' I started to get annoyed by the keyboard, often times in the late afternoon, it would turn on unexpectedly, but only about halfway, creating a mixture that near perfectly blended into the color of the keys, and made it *far* more difficult to see anything at all!
On top of that, when I use my computer late at night, the brightness from the screen was always enough to clearly see the keys(which are a deep black when the light is turned off)
So, I never really used the backlight, occasionally, it'd turn on late at night, but it never really helped or hindered my typing.
However. That said, Right now I am typing this message in the perfect conditions for this backlight. I just found that if you rock the display all the way back, then the light from the display doesn't light up the keyboard, and it creates a nice viewing angle for the way I am sitting right now, so it's win-win. The backlight is helping me *tremendously* right now, and I'm really glad I have it.
So, I'm curious, how often do you alu 15" and alu 17" owners use your backlights?(if you have them)
Personally, I think apple has a really great Idea and they should incorporate this into all their keyboards some way or another. Particularly the black pro keyboard(do they even still make a black pro keyboard?) I so wish the old black keys could light up, that would have been so excellent. So often I'd find myself typing in the dark in front of my old iMac, straining to see the keyboard, wishing I had some form of lighting on it.
I doubt we'll see a backlight in the wireless keyboards, needless power drain, which is kind of lame because wireless keyboards are more likely to be away from the monitor(light source) that would light them in low light conditions.
Well, It would be neat if apple offered different color backlights, but maybe that'd be too tacky, I hear it's pretty easy to lay a piece of cellophane down to change the color, it'd affect the brightness too, probably a useless novelty.
eh? what time is it, I gotta go to bed!
However there was a flaw. The keyboard is a beautiful shade of aluminum, not only does it blend in perfectly with the body of the computer, but it also just looks amazing on it's own. The backlights are white, but since they are controlled by a dimmer, lower settings yields a light grayish colored light that barely permeates out the cracks of the thing.
So, after I got over the initial 'wow' I started to get annoyed by the keyboard, often times in the late afternoon, it would turn on unexpectedly, but only about halfway, creating a mixture that near perfectly blended into the color of the keys, and made it *far* more difficult to see anything at all!
On top of that, when I use my computer late at night, the brightness from the screen was always enough to clearly see the keys(which are a deep black when the light is turned off)
So, I never really used the backlight, occasionally, it'd turn on late at night, but it never really helped or hindered my typing.
However. That said, Right now I am typing this message in the perfect conditions for this backlight. I just found that if you rock the display all the way back, then the light from the display doesn't light up the keyboard, and it creates a nice viewing angle for the way I am sitting right now, so it's win-win. The backlight is helping me *tremendously* right now, and I'm really glad I have it.
So, I'm curious, how often do you alu 15" and alu 17" owners use your backlights?(if you have them)
Personally, I think apple has a really great Idea and they should incorporate this into all their keyboards some way or another. Particularly the black pro keyboard(do they even still make a black pro keyboard?) I so wish the old black keys could light up, that would have been so excellent. So often I'd find myself typing in the dark in front of my old iMac, straining to see the keyboard, wishing I had some form of lighting on it.
I doubt we'll see a backlight in the wireless keyboards, needless power drain, which is kind of lame because wireless keyboards are more likely to be away from the monitor(light source) that would light them in low light conditions.
Well, It would be neat if apple offered different color backlights, but maybe that'd be too tacky, I hear it's pretty easy to lay a piece of cellophane down to change the color, it'd affect the brightness too, probably a useless novelty.
eh? what time is it, I gotta go to bed!
Comments
But seriously, I recommend a PodiumPad by Contour.
http://www.roadtools.com/podium.html
It not only keeps it cooler by keeping it not flush with your desk but it also angles the keyboard at a much more comfortable angle (adjustable). You'll feel awkward without it after a while. They pack up easily so you can take it with you without much hassle unless your bag is ultra thin.
It also elevates the screen so it is more dead on.
I assume it would reduce the screen-light-turing-on-the-sensor thing too.
Oh, and it swivels so you can turn it a bit to show someone something or if you are on the phone and not near it.
I have one at work and one at home.
But when I'm sitting on the couch or someone else with the PowerBook and the lighting condition calls for it, I really enjoy the lighted keyboard (so much so that it's made me yearn for the feature I mention in the previous paragraph).
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
So, I never really used the backlight, occasionally, it'd turn on late at night, but it never really helped or hindered my typing.
Great question, Wrong Robot. Even though I was hoping for more negative answers since I am upgrading to a 12-inch PowerBook that does not have the backlit keyboard.
Anyway, I touch type quite well in the dark and the light from the LCD of my iBook is usually enough to find the occasional special character. So I will be just fine with my new 12-inch.
Escher
On top of that, This is my first laptop, and wile I think the keyboard is absolutely brilliant, It's still a little getting used to compared to a regular full sized keyboard.
and, when typing in web-forums, brackets come up a lot for me when it comes to [url= and such, and, even though they come up a lot I still am not totally fluent in their use.
Side note, has anyone noticed how sharp the edge of the speaker grille is? like, behind the keyboard, above and to the side of the speakers, at the base of the monitor, the two edges there are very sharp.
Originally posted by g3pro
Does anyone look at their keyboard anymore? I just touch-type as i go along, and it's extremely effective.
It is about orienting yourself with the keyboard, not about looking at the keys as you type.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
It is about orienting yourself with the keyboard, not about looking at the keys as you type.
Enh, for some people. My dad (62 years old) still does the hunt and peck method with the dual index fingers.
Originally posted by TWinbrook46636
Would anyone care to post a picture of the backlit keyboard in action? I am not sure whether or not to get it and have never seen it work. It was too bright to get it working at the Apple Store.
I posted a picture of it in action in this thread on page 35:
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...&pagenumber=35
I turned the automatically adjust backlit keyboard and screen off, as I want complete control.
The neat thing about the backlit keyboard though, is that someone sitting across the room, when you puss down a button, light emanates from around it, so it looks like keys are lighting up as you press them.
Originally posted by ast3r3x
The neat thing about the backlit keyboard though, is that someone sitting across the room, when you puss down a button, light emanates from around it, so it looks like keys are lighting up as you press them.
You gotta wonder what sources Steve and company drew on for inspiration...
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
[B]You gotta wonder what sources Steve and company drew on for inspiration...
Pedophile feet?
I got a PBG4 15" for one of my designers to use at home. He really likes the backlight feature. It is especially useful when doing Keynote presentations in very dark lecture halls. No more distracting halogen lamp on the podium.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
You gotta wonder what sources Steve and company drew on for inspiration...
Probably the fact that when it's dark it's hard to see the keys?