Most people have the QWERTY keys shifted to the left due to the keypad and mouse. Therefore their arms are shifted left when they type. This is not good ergonomics. Meanwhile, the mouse arm and hand are stretched out too far to the right primarily due to the keypad.
Absolutely not!
Quote:
Originally Posted by visionary
Please Apple, give us an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, not some 30 year old out-of-date layout.
Actually Apple invests considerably in ergonomics as do a number of companies but there will never be a universal standard to suit all. Even with all the well-advice that Apple posts on its 'ergonomic' site, my choice or a keyboard is Moshi's Celesta, (http://www.aevoe.com/moshi/celesta_d.htm) although, I do see quite a potential for this latest Apple iteration (if real) because I suspect it will have some prebuilt functionality that will dictate it so.
For sure, I will keep my mind open until I at least see and try it in person.
Also they finally named the alt key both option and alt. Apple always called it the option key but it's marked as an alt key on a lot of their keyboards.
My Apple laptop is almost 4 years old and the keyboard says 'option' and 'alt' on the same key.
It could make some sense if the keys were aluminum too. Otherwise there's no way in hell Apple releases that ugly duck to market.
How do you clean it by the way? Suppose something gets behind the key and drops into the hole? I recall disassembling those scissor-key keyboards isn't all that trivial. No... they'll have something totally different. Also, current Apple keyboards have those lovely rounded keys that make your fingers stay in the centers, with those flat keys... we'd be better of skipping that iteration altogether and go right to the touchscreen.
I hope and pray that this isn't the final unit. It looks trashy with white keys and aluminum base. That would look hideous on an iMac!
Why do people keep saying how ugly white/aluminum would look? The Mini (white center, aluminum sides), iPod (aluminum back, white/black front), iMac (white case, aluminum stand), and even my G3 iBook (white (but not for long!) outer case, silver paint inside) have some combination of white and aluminum. Even the Cinema Displays have white/aluminum (aluminum bezel, white sides). Therefore, I don't think that this mock-up (or photo) is that far off.
I call it a controlled leak by Apple. Those pictures are WAY too good. Either Apple wanted this to happen or someone is turning in their key card and being escorted out of One Infinite Loop by a dude with a side arm.
Agreed. Apple have been very good about keeping these things under wraps recently. I think Apple leaked the images to get feedback on the proposed new keyboard. Feed back from us, the people who are perhaps most critical of change. If someone had been naughty, don't you think they would have snapped pics of the new iMac instead? Surly a prototype iMac keyboard wouldn't be too far from a prototype iMac.
It will certainly be a significant improvement over the current Mac Pro/iMac keyboard, which in my opinion, is almost as bad as the Mighty (awful) Mouse.
I'm hoping that gets replaced as well. Overall, I like the look of the thing but I can't stand the oversized iBook type keys. If this somehow turns out to be a fake, Apple needs to hire whoever did it.
I'm more curious if it will be able to hold up to a spilled cup of coffee or if cleaning will be an issue. Don't get me wrong, I'm not eating a bag of cheetos while typing on my keyboard, but they do get crap in them.
It would be great if the bottom just flipped out and you could wipe it out.
It's a step in the right direction (a touch screen keyboard). I'm looking forward to August.
I really don't see any advantage of having an extremely thin keyboard (or, while we're on the subject, for making the iMac that much smaller than it already is) - both devices already look great and don't gain any functional advantage from being slimmer (unlike, say, a portable device), so I'd rather that Apple focus on packing more functionality, or ergonomics in the case of the keyboard, into the same form factor.
At work I use a big, wide Natural keyboard with plenty of dedicated keys for launching programs and controlling media functionality - I'd probably value those things over thinness.
If I remember well, back in the days..., "not cosmetic unit" meant that the prototype was not cosmetically (or aesthetically) correct. The prototype was a functioning one, but the color, the materials, the inscriptions or else, were not the ones planned for the final/shipping version. There were also some "cosmetic unit" who were non functioning units but with real materials (at the prototype stage anyway).
Yet, I can't say if it is or not a real Apple prototype, but it looks good to me.
I really don't see any advantage of having an extremely thin keyboard (or, while we're on the subject, for making the iMac that much smaller than it already is) - both devices already look great and don't gain any functional advantage from being slimmer (unlike, say, a portable device), so I'd rather that Apple focus on packing more functionality, or ergonomics in the case of the keyboard, into the same form factor.
At work I use a big, wide Natural keyboard with plenty of dedicated keys for launching programs and controlling media functionality - I'd probably value those things over thinness.
I'm a teacher and our school actually doesn't like the newer mac design because of security reasons. Some bolt cutters and 1 person could probably walk out with 3 or 4 of these things.
I love the designs, if they can keep making them slimmer, that will be great, but I agree, I don't know if it really makes them much more functional. Pretty soon all Apple computers are going to be "PORTABLE" computers.
I understand that people are always looking to save space on their physical (not computer) desktop, so less space is good. I can't wait for August.
No way in hell would a keyboard like this fly. It's a photoshop job no doubt.
I can already see the carpel tunnel lawsuits... flat keyboard? You guys are kidding, right? There are very real, very good reasons dektop keyboards are the way they are. Angled, stepped, heavy enough to not move, etc... The necessity for them being flat on a laptop is also blindingly obvious.
Some of you guys really need to think a little before suggesting this piece of junk is actually going to make it to market, let alone a real image. I would return my Mac if it came with a keyboard like that.
No way in hell would a keyboard like this fly. It's a photoshop job no doubt.
I can already see the carpel tunnel lawsuits... flat keyboard? You guys are kidding, right? There are very real, very good reasons dektop keyboards are the way they are. Angled, stepped, heavy enough to not move, etc... The necessity for them being flat on a laptop is also blindingly obvious.
The keyboard is angled, it's just not curved. The cm step on the back ensures it would sit up at a nice angle.
Comments
Most people have the QWERTY keys shifted to the left due to the keypad and mouse. Therefore their arms are shifted left when they type. This is not good ergonomics. Meanwhile, the mouse arm and hand are stretched out too far to the right primarily due to the keypad.
Absolutely not!
Please Apple, give us an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, not some 30 year old out-of-date layout.
Actually Apple invests considerably in ergonomics as do a number of companies but there will never be a universal standard to suit all. Even with all the well-advice that Apple posts on its 'ergonomic' site, my choice or a keyboard is Moshi's Celesta, (http://www.aevoe.com/moshi/celesta_d.htm) although, I do see quite a potential for this latest Apple iteration (if real) because I suspect it will have some prebuilt functionality that will dictate it so.
For sure, I will keep my mind open until I at least see and try it in person.
Interesting, but that doesn't really explain why, 20 years later we've still got an Apple symbol on the key...
Are you a doorknob?
Also they finally named the alt key both option and alt. Apple always called it the option key but it's marked as an alt key on a lot of their keyboards.
My Apple laptop is almost 4 years old and the keyboard says 'option' and 'alt' on the same key.
How do you clean it by the way? Suppose something gets behind the key and drops into the hole? I recall disassembling those scissor-key keyboards isn't all that trivial. No... they'll have something totally different. Also, current Apple keyboards have those lovely rounded keys that make your fingers stay in the centers, with those flat keys... we'd be better of skipping that iteration altogether and go right to the touchscreen.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...nplm=M9034LL/A
I hope and pray that this isn't the final unit. It looks trashy with white keys and aluminum base. That would look hideous on an iMac!
Why do people keep saying how ugly white/aluminum would look? The Mini (white center, aluminum sides), iPod (aluminum back, white/black front), iMac (white case, aluminum stand), and even my G3 iBook (white (but not for long!
I call it a controlled leak by Apple. Those pictures are WAY too good. Either Apple wanted this to happen or someone is turning in their key card and being escorted out of One Infinite Loop by a dude with a side arm.
Agreed. Apple have been very good about keeping these things under wraps recently. I think Apple leaked the images to get feedback on the proposed new keyboard. Feed back from us, the people who are perhaps most critical of change. If someone had been naughty, don't you think they would have snapped pics of the new iMac instead? Surly a prototype iMac keyboard wouldn't be too far from a prototype iMac.
It will certainly be a significant improvement over the current Mac Pro/iMac keyboard, which in my opinion, is almost as bad as the Mighty (awful) Mouse.
I'm hoping that gets replaced as well. Overall, I like the look of the thing but I can't stand the oversized iBook type keys. If this somehow turns out to be a fake, Apple needs to hire whoever did it.
I'm more curious if it will be able to hold up to a spilled cup of coffee or if cleaning will be an issue. Don't get me wrong, I'm not eating a bag of cheetos while typing on my keyboard, but they do get crap in them.
It would be great if the bottom just flipped out and you could wipe it out.
It's a step in the right direction (a touch screen keyboard). I'm looking forward to August.
At work I use a big, wide Natural keyboard with plenty of dedicated keys for launching programs and controlling media functionality - I'd probably value those things over thinness.
Yet, I can't say if it is or not a real Apple prototype, but it looks good to me.
I really don't see any advantage of having an extremely thin keyboard (or, while we're on the subject, for making the iMac that much smaller than it already is) - both devices already look great and don't gain any functional advantage from being slimmer (unlike, say, a portable device), so I'd rather that Apple focus on packing more functionality, or ergonomics in the case of the keyboard, into the same form factor.
At work I use a big, wide Natural keyboard with plenty of dedicated keys for launching programs and controlling media functionality - I'd probably value those things over thinness.
I'm a teacher and our school actually doesn't like the newer mac design because of security reasons. Some bolt cutters and 1 person could probably walk out with 3 or 4 of these things.
I love the designs, if they can keep making them slimmer, that will be great, but I agree, I don't know if it really makes them much more functional. Pretty soon all Apple computers are going to be "PORTABLE" computers.
I understand that people are always looking to save space on their physical (not computer) desktop, so less space is good. I can't wait for August.
I don't touch type - is the keyboard being flat instead of curved front to back a problem for those who do?
Don't see why it would be.
Here is a UK keyboard:
The Option key doesn't even say option!
I can already see the carpel tunnel lawsuits... flat keyboard? You guys are kidding, right? There are very real, very good reasons dektop keyboards are the way they are. Angled, stepped, heavy enough to not move, etc... The necessity for them being flat on a laptop is also blindingly obvious.
Some of you guys really need to think a little before suggesting this piece of junk is actually going to make it to market, let alone a real image. I would return my Mac if it came with a keyboard like that.
Mark my words.. no way in hell. jeez you guys...
No way in hell would a keyboard like this fly. It's a photoshop job no doubt.
I can already see the carpel tunnel lawsuits... flat keyboard? You guys are kidding, right? There are very real, very good reasons dektop keyboards are the way they are. Angled, stepped, heavy enough to not move, etc... The necessity for them being flat on a laptop is also blindingly obvious.
The keyboard is angled, it's just not curved. The cm step on the back ensures it would sit up at a nice angle.