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Apple patent application shows keyboard that doesn't require contact, blows air
We've been generally satisfied with the chiclet-style keyboards that have become omnipresent in laptops and Apple's latest generation of desktop keyboards, but Cupertino feels that these thinner, lower-profile input devices limit tactile feedback. A patent application from Apple, filed in 2009 but only now revealed, aims to improve the user experience by "expelling air from the input device proximate the key when user selection is imminent." That's right -- your keyboard could blow on your fingertips as you blow our minds in the comments. Another solution in the patent would function like a vacuum to pull keys away when a proximity sensor detects that you're about to type, providing simulated feedback. If this concept takes off in the future, your next MacBook Air could really live up to its name.
Apple's numpad-less compact wired keyboard gets discontinued, few tears are shed
The ultraslim, metallic, chiclet-styled obsession all began back in mid-2007, but a revised iMac in March of 2009 delivered something else: a chopped-down version of the Apple Keyboard. If you'll recall, that one dropped the numeric keypad and gained two peripheral USB sockets, making it one of the more compact desktop keyboards on the market. Just shy of its second birthday, it seems as if the supply chain overlords in Cupertino have seen fit to discontinue it, though a number of e-tailers still seem to have stock for the moment. If you're dead-set on snagging one (we know, stocking's aren't that long), Amazon can make your day for $46.99, but we'd probably pony up the extra $3 necessary to bring one home with a number pad on the right.
Add a number keypad to your Apple Wireless Keyboard
Still find yourself reaching for the non-existent number keypad on your Apple Wireless Keyboard? Well, it looks like you may be in luck: Wireless Goodness has uncovered some information about LMP's new 28-key Bluetooth keypad. Running off two AA batteries and made from the same anodized aluminum finish that Apple is known for, this number pad can be attached to the right-hand side of your wireless keyboard mimicking a standard-sized keyboard layout. For those of you who want a little space between your keyboard and keypad, it can also be kept separate off to either side. We've seen some interesting accessories for Apple's keyboards before like this carved wood keyboard tray, but this looks like this one could be a worthy investment for many people. No word yet on availability or price, but I imagine the LMP Keypad will be available soon as it has already gone through the FCC. I have used the Apple Wireless Keyboard for quite some time now and have never had a need for the numerical keypad -- but maybe that's because I am bad with numbers. My brother the accountant, though? He could definitely use one of these. [via Engadget]
LMP Bluetooth Keypad escapes all pretense, wants to befriend your Apple Keyboard
We've seen Apple Keyboard add-on look-alikes -- like Interlink's Bluetooth Calculator Keyboard, which has shown up for sale in some Apple stores, but has middling reviews due to connection problems -- but LMP wouldn't want its new Bluetooth Keypad to slip through the cracks of subtlety. The device, which just passed through the FCC, comes with a connector that allows you to snap the independently powered and Bluetooth-ed keypad right onto your numeric keypad-less Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. Get it? It's like they're one big magical keyboard now! Well, not now in a literal sense, because the LMP Keypad has yet to hit retail, and we don't have a word on pricing either. But in our dreams...
Bullet Train Express Platform: a $99 home for your Apple keyboard and Magic Trackpad
You're a dude (or dudette) that likes to be prepared, right? It's the Boy Scout motto, after all. To that end, we're surmising that you're already gearing up for OS X 10.7, and while that new finger exercise regimen will definitely pay off in the long run, Bullet Train's Express Keyboard Platform is what you're really in need of. For all intents and purposes, this is a $99 slab of aluminum, precisely crafted to hold an Apple Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Essentially, the trio creates the bottom portion of a MacBook Pro, albeit with a larger touchpad and a slate of keys that aren't nearly as dark. The outfit's charging quite a premium for this thing, but we're told that demand is through the roof -- in other words, if you want one, you should probably jump in line now. But really, are you having that much trouble using both in their own space?
Apple keyboard gets hacked like a ripe papaya, perp caught on video
As far as Apple is concerned, the Black Hat 2009 hackers conference didn't end soon enough. Having promptly patched the iPhone vulnerability, Cupertino is facing another security hole, this time in its keyboards. A hacker going by the pseudonym of K. Chen has come up with a way, using HIDFirmwareUpdaterTool, to inject malicious code into the keyboard's firmware. While it's not yet possible to perform this hack remotely, the fact it occurs at the firmware level means no amount of OS cleanser or anti-virals will remedy it -- which might be a bit of a bother to MacBook owners who can't simply swap to an uninfected keyboard. Panic is hardly advisable, as Chen is collaborating with Apple on a fix, but if you want to be freaked out by his simple keylogger in action, hit up the video after the break.
Apple axes the numeric keypad on iMac's standard wired keyboard
Apple almost snuck this one past us, but friendly tipster Graham spotted the change-up: Apple has swapped out the standard wired Apple Keyboard for a new model lacking a numeric keypad. It's the same design as the wireless model, which also lacks a numeric keypad, except that this one has USB plugs on each end, and a cord of its own snaking towards your otherwise immaculate desktop. The good news is that the regular keyboard hasn't gone anywhere, you just have to make sure to configure your new purchase with it when you order -- it's a free "upgrade." Inversely, the Mac Pros still ship with the regular keyboard, but you can get 'em numpad-free if you'd like, for a similar zero cost. We're not sure what game you're at, Apple, but if you're trying to make us forget all those maths we struggled so hard to comprehend back in the day... well, OK, you win. Another straight-on shot of the keyboard is after the break.[Thanks, Graham]
Apple's new keyboards not working for some
When I saw the new Apple keyboards I knew one had to be mine. I'm a huge fan of my MacBook's keyboard, and the new Apple keyboard is a MacBook keyboard you can attach to any number of Macs, what could go wrong? Once I got my new keyboard in the mail I set it up on my iMac. I downloaded the Keyboard Software Update, restarted the iMac, and plugged in the keyboard. All the special keys worked as they should, with the exception of the Exposé key and the Dashboard key (F3 and F4). Press as much as I would, these keys did nothing. I thought that it might be the iMac, so I repeated the steps on a MacBook Pro and a MacBook with the same results (I also tried using different accounts on those machines, to no avail). Luckily, this isn't a hardware issue since the buttons actually work (I assigned some shortcuts to the F3 and F4 keys to make sure they were actually working) so it would seem the devil is in the software.TUAW reader shak forwarded a link to this Apple Support Discussion in which several other people are encountering the same problem. Do not be fooled by this discussion's 'Solved' status, as reading through the discussion makes it clear that this problem is being encountered by many folks.TUAW readers, is anyone else out there seeing this behavior? As I wait for Apple to fix this issue I'll be reading the comments here hoping someone has a solution.
