Apple launches new wireless Magic Keyboard for Mac with Touch ID

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 42
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,093member
    I still use a wired keyboard, because I don’t like charging basic peripherals all the time (I know, I’m a monster). Wired + backlit would have sold this for me.
    Leaving the cable plugged into the Apple keyboard and the Mac treats it as a standard wired keyboard, along with the trackpad.  The mouse, no.

    I don't understand the drama so many people have with charging them.  By the time one gets a low-battery warning, you could take a lunch break, plug them in and be good for weeks.  I plug them at night when I'm sleeping or out of the office.  Case closed.  Why people continue to complain than do something so easy and infrequently is beyond me.
    pscooter63StrangeDaysbaconstangwilliamlondonmike1watto_cobra
  • Reply 22 of 42
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    omasou said:
    it would be great if they could also add a light sensor so that I can use true tone w/my MacBook closed and connected to my external monitors.
    Now, you are joking, right?
  • Reply 23 of 42
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Hubro said:
    melgross said:
    It was thought that Apple couldn’t do touched on a separate keyboard. But it seems they solved the problem with, what else, a new chip.

    it’s hard to have a backlit wireless keyboard without making it bulkier because of bigger batteries.
    Using Logi MX Keys for Mac, chosen for typing performance AND backlight. Don´t really see the problem with that, but Apple seems a bit stubborn at times, and sticks to improvable designs no matter what.
    I bought the MX Keys a few weeks ago, it's an excellent keyboard, and not bulkier in any way that matters.
  • Reply 24 of 42
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Eric_WVGG said:
    melgross said:
    But it seems they solved the problem with, what else, a new chip.
    That doesn't make any sense though, the chip doesn't matter, what counts is the signal it's sending. But I wouldn't put it past any tech company to get sort of hand-wavey and call "a secure signal running on an obscure non-wifi/bluetooth piece of open spectrum with a custom antenna" a "new chip," especially if it happens to be on a chip that is new (even if that's the least relevant piece of the equation).
    Why doesn’t it make sense? At the present AI=tion they said that they developed a new chip for the keyboard that was encrypted, so it would send an encrypted signal to the computer.

    your post doesn’t make sense. You seem to contradict yourself. We all know Apple develops its own chips, and that they develop specialized chips for particular functions. They developed the Secure Enclave and it’s software too, remember. So here, they developed a chip to recognize your fingerprint, using their own touched technology, that then encrypts the data, and sends an encrypted signal to the computer. Seems pretty logical.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 25 of 42
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Will this work with the 2019 16” MBP?
    Not likely.
  • Reply 26 of 42
    command_fcommand_f Posts: 422member
    melgross said:
    Eric_WVGG said:
    melgross said:
    But it seems they solved the problem with, what else, a new chip.
    That doesn't make any sense though, the chip doesn't matter, what counts is the signal it's sending. But I wouldn't put it past any tech company to get sort of hand-wavey and call "a secure signal running on an obscure non-wifi/bluetooth piece of open spectrum with a custom antenna" a "new chip," especially if it happens to be on a chip that is new (even if that's the least relevant piece of the equation).
    Why doesn’t it make sense? At the present AI=tion they said that they developed a new chip for the keyboard that was encrypted, so it would send an encrypted signal to the computer.

    your post doesn’t make sense. You seem to contradict yourself. We all know Apple develops its own chips, and that they develop specialized chips for particular functions. They developed the Secure Enclave and it’s software too, remember. So here, they developed a chip to recognize your fingerprint, using their own touched technology, that then encrypts the data, and sends an encrypted signal to the computer. Seems pretty logical.
    It's the blend of hardware and software that's usually the key(!). The signal on the RF (wireless) has to be created somehow.

    Secure Enclave is both hardware and software (It has its own processor and hardware protection on its memory access). The keyboard likely needed a crypto chip because the processing load would overwhelm any processor that you would sensibly put in a keyboard - both in the computation and the drain it would place on the batteries.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 27 of 42
    Are we able to buy this (and the new magic mouse with nice colors) without a mac? To use it for the new ipad? 😁
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 28 of 42
    Ted_Lasso said:
    Are we able to buy this (and the new magic mouse with nice colors) without a mac? To use it for the new ipad? 😁
    Just spoke with an Apple Specialist and they said the magic keyboard with Touch-ID will only be available bundled with the new iMac, not available separately. 
  • Reply 29 of 42
    iadlibiadlib Posts: 95member
    melgross said:

    it’s hard to have a backlit wireless keyboard without making it bulkier because of bigger batteries.
    Having disassembled and repaired Apple laptops since the keyboard backlighting was introduced, this is just a blatantly false assumption. The actual technology required and power issues are incredibly miniscule, Apple is just stubborn. Why not add the Pro Display XDR articulating stand to the iMac, even as an option? Would make it so much more versatile, alas not because Apple is stuck in their ways.

    The real kicker is the m1 chip going into the iPad meaning what is there to stop it from running macOS?
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 30 of 42
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 968member
    melgross said:

    Why doesn’t it make sense? At the present AI=tion they said that they developed a new chip for the keyboard that was encrypted, so it would send an encrypted signal to the computer.

    your post doesn’t make sense. You seem to contradict yourself. We all know Apple develops its own chips, and that they develop specialized chips for particular functions. They developed the Secure Enclave and it’s software too, remember. So here, they developed a chip to recognize your fingerprint, using their own touched technology, that then encrypts the data, and sends an encrypted signal to the computer. Seems pretty logical.
    Because encryption is a function of software, not hardware. Any equation that can be produced by one chip can be produced by another — hell, even the old WWII "Enigma" machines can be translated to software. Maybe some custom chip can do it faster than another, but I promise you that even an Intel Pentium could perform the same calculation, albeit more slowly.

    The "secure enclave" is interesting (and quite of brilliant) because it depends on an unbroken (thus far) chain of physical communication between the FaceID and TouchID devices and SoC (or the T1 in the case of Intel Macs). That's why you can't just replace a home button on a TouchID iPhone and expect TouchID to keep working.

    Now we've got a wireless signal, and that can be intercepted and analyzed. Yeah, there's a chip in there somewhere, probably very similar to the T1, but so far there's no explanation regarding how the authentication is securely transmitted wirelessly. However that works, it's not just "a new chip." 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 31 of 42
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 968member
    slight correction — I suppose it would be very very difficult to calculate 64bit instructions on a Pentium, so let's just say "the very slowest 64bit cpu imaginable" instead
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 32 of 42
    Ted_Lasso said:
    Are we able to buy this (and the new magic mouse with nice colors) without a mac? To use it for the new ipad? 😁
    Just spoke with an Apple Specialist and they said the magic keyboard with Touch-ID will only be available bundled with the new iMac, not available separately. 
    Thanks for answering. It’s too bad we can’t buy this separately. I think the new colored magic trackpad won’t be sold separately as well? Just hoping!
  • Reply 33 of 42
    crowley said:
    I bought the MX Keys a few weeks ago, it's an excellent keyboard, and not bulkier in any way that matters.
    I've failed to observe any reviews hailing the Apple keyboards the winner in comparative tests... Same goes for the MX Master 3 for Mac Vs Apple mouses. Thus, if one is ok with the with of numerics, it's a no brainer.
  • Reply 34 of 42
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member
    Eric_WVGG said:
    Eric_WVGG said:
    lol holy shit they're still using Lightning to charge these things (and the mouse and the trackpad) whyyyyy
    I agree. USB-C would have been the logical choice. Sigh. 
    honestly I'm wondering why they don't just use the new iPhone MagSafe standard

    ditto for the new iPad Pros
    Are you kidding? Plugging in lightning once a month with the cable I already have attached to my mac is much easier than using a charging puck. That would be awkward. 
    baconstangwilliamlondonmike1watto_cobra
  • Reply 35 of 42
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,560member
    Ted_Lasso said:
    Are we able to buy this (and the new magic mouse with nice colors) without a mac? To use it for the new ipad? 😁
    Just spoke with an Apple Specialist and they said the magic keyboard with Touch-ID will only be available bundled with the new iMac, not available separately. 
    That’s disappointing. I’d imagine the keyboards are locked to the Secure Enclave in each Mac. 
    baconstang
  • Reply 36 of 42
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member
    iadlib said:
    melgross said:

    it’s hard to have a backlit wireless keyboard without making it bulkier because of bigger batteries.
    Having disassembled and repaired Apple laptops since the keyboard backlighting was introduced, this is just a blatantly false assumption. The actual technology required and power issues are incredibly miniscule, Apple is just stubborn. Why not add the Pro Display XDR articulating stand to the iMac, even as an option? Would make it so much more versatile, alas not because Apple is stuck in their ways.

    The real kicker is the m1 chip going into the iPad meaning what is there to stop it from running macOS?
    Nothing, except the form factor and use case. That’s old news - iPhone OS/iOS/iPadOS was based on OS X. 

    Also, the idea that Apple doesn’t put features you want into its products because they’re just being stubborn to spite you is...cute.
    baconstangwilliamlondonmelgrosswatto_cobra
  • Reply 37 of 42
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,876member

    Eric_WVGG said:
    melgross said:

    Why doesn’t it make sense? At the present AI=tion they said that they developed a new chip for the keyboard that was encrypted, so it would send an encrypted signal to the computer.

    your post doesn’t make sense. You seem to contradict yourself. We all know Apple develops its own chips, and that they develop specialized chips for particular functions. They developed the Secure Enclave and it’s software too, remember. So here, they developed a chip to recognize your fingerprint, using their own touched technology, that then encrypts the data, and sends an encrypted signal to the computer. Seems pretty logical.
    Because encryption is a function of software, not hardware. Any equation that can be produced by one chip can be produced by another — hell, even the old WWII "Enigma" machines can be translated to software. Maybe some custom chip can do it faster than another, but I promise you that even an Intel Pentium could perform the same calculation, albeit more slowly.

    The "secure enclave" is interesting (and quite of brilliant) because it depends on an unbroken (thus far) chain of physical communication between the FaceID and TouchID devices and SoC (or the T1 in the case of Intel Macs). That's why you can't just replace a home button on a TouchID iPhone and expect TouchID to keep working.

    Now we've got a wireless signal, and that can be intercepted and analyzed. Yeah, there's a chip in there somewhere, probably very similar to the T1, but so far there's no explanation regarding how the authentication is securely transmitted wirelessly. However that works, it's not just "a new chip." 
    What do you think hardware (chips) run? Software. That’s laid into the chip and much harder to compromise. Their solution very much likely depends on hardware E2E encryption. Thus, Mel is correct, the secret sauce is likely a new chip. 
    melgrosswatto_cobra
  • Reply 38 of 42
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,571member
    spheric said:
    Ted_Lasso said:
    Are we able to buy this (and the new magic mouse with nice colors) without a mac? To use it for the new ipad? 😁
    Just spoke with an Apple Specialist and they said the magic keyboard with Touch-ID will only be available bundled with the new iMac, not available separately. 
    That’s disappointing. I’d imagine the keyboards are locked to the Secure Enclave in each Mac. 
    That may be the reason. The unique serial number of the new iMac may be what Apple requires if you ever need a replacement.
  • Reply 39 of 42
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member
    Eric_WVGG said:
    lol holy shit they're still using Lightning to charge these things (and the mouse and the trackpad) whyyyyy

    Why the heck not?! You can still use them while they're charging and they are not easily disconnected from accidental movement. Seems like the perfect choice.
    melgrosswatto_cobra
  • Reply 40 of 42
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Eric_WVGG said:
    melgross said:

    Why doesn’t it make sense? At the present AI=tion they said that they developed a new chip for the keyboard that was encrypted, so it would send an encrypted signal to the computer.

    your post doesn’t make sense. You seem to contradict yourself. We all know Apple develops its own chips, and that they develop specialized chips for particular functions. They developed the Secure Enclave and it’s software too, remember. So here, they developed a chip to recognize your fingerprint, using their own touched technology, that then encrypts the data, and sends an encrypted signal to the computer. Seems pretty logical.
    Because encryption is a function of software, not hardware. Any equation that can be produced by one chip can be produced by another — hell, even the old WWII "Enigma" machines can be translated to software. Maybe some custom chip can do it faster than another, but I promise you that even an Intel Pentium could perform the same calculation, albeit more slowly.

    The "secure enclave" is interesting (and quite of brilliant) because it depends on an unbroken (thus far) chain of physical communication between the FaceID and TouchID devices and SoC (or the T1 in the case of Intel Macs). That's why you can't just replace a home button on a TouchID iPhone and expect TouchID to keep working.

    Now we've got a wireless signal, and that can be intercepted and analyzed. Yeah, there's a chip in there somewhere, probably very similar to the T1, but so far there's no explanation regarding how the authentication is securely transmitted wirelessly. However that works, it's not just "a new chip." 
    Thats incorrect. There is software encryption, and hardware encryption. Often both are used as in Apple’s Secure Enclave.

    obviously, it’s a new chip, because Apple said it was. And also obviously, there’s software involved. I don’t know why you’re trying to make this into something that it isn’t. It’s pretty straightforward.
    watto_cobra
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