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Two Apple keyboards, 24 years apart
Here we have an Apple Lisa keyboard alongside one of the company's current offerings. There's something about those old, massive keyboards that still feels great. The massive key travel distance, the satisfying snap of a keystroke, and the fact that you could probably live through a zombie attack by using it as a weapon -- what a fantastic piece of hardware. [Photo credit: Blake Patterson]
Musicality: AirPlay popular music services to enabled speakers
Musicality (US$9.99) offers one-app access to Pandora, Last.fm, and Grooveshark streaming music services. What's more, it adds in extra features that integrate with Growl notifications (so you can immediately see what song is playing, even when the app itself is hidden) and AirPlay. It's this latter feature that had me asking to take a look at the app. With AirPlay, you can stream your music from your computer to any AirPort Express, AirPlay-enabled speaker system, or Apple TV. Musicality offers separate destination and volume controls for each AirPlay destination it finds on your local network. If you wish, you can mute your computer and send your music exclusively to your AirPlay speakers. In my testing, the app worked exactly as promised. It took just seconds for me to create a new Pandora radio station and start it playing back on the (good) speakers attached to the Apple TV. Local volume control meant I could adjust that playback without having to stand up and walk over to tweak the physical knobs. Beyond AirPlay, the app seems to be a solid player. I admit my interests were pretty much limited to choosing music and playing them remotely and Musicality ably provided those features. Musicality also offers support for the integrated keyboard media keys found on most Apple keyboards and works without need for opening a browser. You can give Musicality a free try for 10 days via a time limited demo. If you like it, it's just US$10 to purchase. We were curious how the new Mountain Lion preview and its built-in screen streaming might affect the future of Musicality. TUAW contacted Industrious One Owner Jason Perkins. He told TUAW, "I've had a chance to check it out, and I am confident that AirPlay mirroring will not negatively effect Musicality in any way. Display mirroring isn't of much benefit to us, but our built-in AirPlay support continues to work great, and the new share sheets, notifications, and other new APIs will only make it better."
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]
Breakfast Topic: Controllers R us
The Falcon controller just looks silly, doesn't it? Everything we've heard about it so far says it's pretty underwhelming -- the feedback doesn't work quite right, the controls seem a little less intuitive than a keyboard and mouse, and in general, it just looks strange. Fortunately, I'll be able to know for myself next week -- I've already got an appointment to check out the controller (and how it plays WoW) at E3 next week.But in the meantime, until I can get my firsthand impressions of the Falcon up here, what are some other strange controllers that actually do work with WoW? We've heard a lot about the Zboard, which seems like a pretty good combination of a keyboard and a custom controller for Blizzard's MMO -- anyone used it? A lot of people have posted before that they use the Logitech G15, and that's really just a keyboard, except for the extra display and macros. I've used Switchblade to play with an Xbox 360 controller (and found it not nearly as easy as playing with a mouse and keyboard). And I know some players, multiboxers usually, will even use foot pedals to supplement keyboard and certain macros.Ever played WoW with a weird controller? Is there something out there that you swear by that's not the standard mouse and keyboard? Me, I'm perfectly happy with an Apple Keyboard and my Logitech gaming mouse -- at least until I try the Falcon next week. You never know, maybe I'll fall in love with it and decide that $190 (!) is worth it.Update: I couldn't remember the name of this one, but a lot of people in the comments (and a lot of folks before this post) have mentioned the n52 Speedpad as a good controller option.
Flickr Find: Macs in the 51st century
We've all heard that Macs retain their value for far longer than equivalent PCs, but who knew Apple keyboards would still be in use in the 51st century? On the most recent episode of Dr. Who, Silence in the Library (which hasn't aired yet in the US, so I haven't seen it myself) the good Doctor finds himself in the Library, which is a planet sized library, and he must help as only he can. Scattered across the Library are numerous Apple keyboards, as seen above. They don't look too shabby for being over 3000 years old. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
New Apple Wireless Keyboard unboxed (and shipping)
Tonight is the night of new Apple product unboxing! First we had the iPod Touch unboxing and now we have Flickr user MischievousOne's pictures of her brand new Apple Wireless Keyboard (which, it would seem, is finally shipping though the one I ordered hasn't shipped yet) here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.I asked MischievousOne how she liked the new keyboard and she said, 'I also love the feel of the keys. I've got a black MacBook and I love typing on it. This is very similar to that, if not exactly the same. So far, I like it a lot.' Sounds about right to me. Any of you received your new wireless keyboard yet?
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.
