iBook keyboard devolution
Back in September of 2001 I received a spankin' new iBook G3 for my birthday. It was a great machine. While I'd admired the simplicity and form of the clamshell iBooks (and for some reason I loved that nuclear green), they were too darn big and too low-res for me. My particular unit had a 10 GB drive, 128 MB of RAM, and the DVD/CDRW drive— a stock model, but with Airport. It's name is Homer, and I still use it when I have to launch some ancient Classic-only scanner software. When the G4 iBooks were introduced, I knew I had to upgrade, so I wound up with an 800 MHz iBook, the one I'm still using. The 60GB drive and 384 MB of RAM made it a little pricey, but thankfully help keep it's little brain together. Unfortunately, it's so terrible I never gave it a name. Less than a year later, I bought my wife a 1.2 GHz G4 iBook. It's a great machine too, runs everything pretty smoothly, even with only 30 GB drive (we later bought a RAM upgrade so she's got 512 MB). One thing I noticed through these purchases: Apple's iBook keyboards get crappier every year, and I've got the pics to prove it.
Details after the jump.
The iBook G3's keyboard still has all the keys intact. I haven't popped a key off a keyboard since that Apple adjustable, split keyboard I got with my Centris 610 years ago. Remember how the first iBooks were having that issue of keys flying off the keyboard? No, we're talking paint. Something about the paint on that old iBook works great. Doesn't come off. As you can see here (click the pics for a larger version). The keys all work fine, and aside from just a little mushiness, they feel quite nice. They are very quiet as well, which was a plus when my kids were very young.
The 800 MHz iBook G4 key began rubbing off within six months of having the unit. Never mind the fact that Apple installed the Airport card incorrectly, causing the keyboard to bow upward, warping it, and creating connection issues later (no worries, it only took three OS re-installs to troubleshoot that one). No, it was simply embarrassing to have coworkers crowd around my shiny white Mac just to laugh at the missing letter-forms. I noticed the plastic has changed as well. It's less transparent, which is nice, but much more clackity that the G3. To add insult to injury, the last time Apple sent off my iBook to Memphis for repair, they lost the top center screw that keeps the keyboard from popping up. So that warping did some good, as now typing feels like bouncing on a mini trampoline.
The real winner here is my wife's iBook. Her model's keys are the thinnest plastic I've ever seen on any laptop in my entire life. Party hats probably have more plastic in them. I'd noticed the plastic gets thinner with each model, but this is ridiculous. More importantly, the spacebar's underlying mechanics have been compromised. In previous models, the spacebar has three switches under it, so no matter where you land your thumb (typically on the sides of the long button) it will depress effectively. However, the 1.2 GHz model has 2/3 less switch. Just one in the middle, as you see below (sorry for the pic quality). This, coupled with the razor-thin plastic, ensures that hitting the key with a thumb on the right side will NOT engage the key. You can sit there all day and slap that key with your thumb, but you'll get no spaces for your trouble. You have to move your hand over about a half inch to engage. Can anyone say repetitive stress injury? My wife has become a touch typist as a result of working online, and when she moved from the old G3 to G4, this was a major problem. She says she's adapted. I say she needs to watch out that she doesn't wind up injured.
Bottom line: I'm really hoping any Intel-based iBooks do not continue this downward spiral of keyboard quality, since the keyboard is somewhat necessary for a total computing experience. What's the worst keyboard (Apple or otherwise) you've ever owned?