On Michael’s recommendation and a few other favorable reports I looped by the Apple store today and picked up an iCurve and Apple bluetooth wireless keyboard. So far I’m loving the iCurve and getting used to the keyboard. I’m doing an unusual amount of typing these days so I should be able to give the keyboard a good test. Contrary to popular reports, the keyboard does have more than one button.
I should really switch. But… you know… The same old money story…
Damn that! I’m off! :op
That new G5 is a fine piece of kit. I wouldn’t mind one, but my flat panel iMac has served me well for the past 2.5 years, and I’m not yet ready to switch up to the G5. Maybe in 3-4 more years, which, incidentally, is why I like Macs: Staying power.
Eli, I don’t think having a Mac has made me any more patient. 🙂
I’m yet to find a bluetooth keyboard with half way decent ergonomics – unfortunately too many years at a keyboard means I have wrist issues if I try and use a normal keyboard for any period of time – at the moment, I’m using a Kinesis-ergo advantage (expensive, but worth every penny) and a Microsoft optical trackball
Maybe one day, I’ll be able to go wireless for these things (which would definitely improve the look of my desk). Then all I’d need would be some way to charge things wirelessly…
You should check out one of the keyboards with mechanical switches:
http://www.alexking.org/blog/2004/03/31/tactile-pro/
http://www.alexking.org/blog/2004/04/08/kensington-studioboard-mechanical-keyboard/
Hey, I told you it was a winning combo! 🙂 Now I just need another iCurve+keyboard setup at work and I’d be golden. While the mouse is small enough to carry around, a keyboard and monitor stand don’t quite make the cut. I really like the feel of the Apple keyboards, too.
new iMac out… and apple sure knows how to sell stuff… nice overall. even MS seems to churn out better hardware than software. But that is of course my beliefs. 🙂
Does anyone know of a mechanical “click” keyboard for a Windows based PC?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Chris, generally you can use any keyboard on any platform. It’s all USB (or bluetooth).
Matt, all the mechanical keyboards I’ve come accross have been built with the Mac in mind (Apple Keys etc)… so I wondered if there were any mechanical keyboards available for (and built for) the PC.
If not, guess I’ll go with the suggestions in the comments and give one of the Mac keyboards a whirl.
On my Mac the Windows key functions like the apple/option key, don’t know if it works the other way.
Matt, I’ve posted a few questions related to this topic on my blog.
Thanks for your help.
Matt: It sort of works both ways, but there’ll be a few issues, where keys will be in weird positions. I tried a PS2 keyboard (the console), and I had to ditch it and buy a proper one 🙂
WARNING on the iCurve combo. My poor 17″ PowerBook G4 suffered some serious injuries when it FELL from an iCurve. The system works great at first, but the stickiness of the pads that holds the PB in place dissipates with age. Once that adhesion is gone, the tilt of the iCurve is too much. I now have permanent case damage. Very scary. It would sort of slip over time, so I wouldn’t notice anything until it was too late.
For this reason, I suggest staying away from the iCurve. Feel free to contact me via email to follow up if you like — I know the guys at Griffin, too, don’t know why they haven’t addressed this.
Regarding mechanical switch keyboards for PC’s: Unicomp purchased the old IBM Model M design and custom builds them at a reasonable price. I’ve purchased several of these for customers and they feel just like the original IBM (20 years old and still hacking away!) I’m using right now.
check them out: http://www.pckeyboard.com
My 15″ powerbook also slips and slides off the icurve now – i guess the “non-slip” pads are losing grip over time – I have had it less than 1 year. Anyone know of a good way to restore the grip in the non-slip pads? Anyone at Griffin perhaps?