Pics of Apple's New Slim Keyboard

[jglavin]

Typingtest.com -- Man, I suck. 50 wpm.

[vbetts]

That's ugly.

 

 

I don't mind the design of the actual keyboard, but the colors...And the keys seem like they're so spread apart... I like the glass look though of Macs current keyboards though tbh.

[Soliber]

Well, Detosx already mentioned it, but the keys on a laptop keyboard have very little travel distance, and not much indication of an actual keypress. For touch typing, that generally slows you down because you have less response from the keyboard. I also tend to make many more errors on them because of the mushy feel, and the seperations between the keys are very narrow and shallow.

 

A desktop keyboard of today isn't a lot better - the keys are still "mushy", but at least there's a but more travel distance, as well as a more definate seperation between the keys. Step up to a good mechanical switch keyboard though (the old IBM ones are popular; I've got a Smith Corona one that I use on PC's but it doesn't have the keys needed for Mac use), and you get a very solid "click" on each keypress. Most of them also have a much stronger spring under each key as well, helping the speed of "coming off" the key to the next one. As a result most touch typists will type faster and with fewer errors with a good mechanical switch keyboard.

 

Personally, with a desktop keyboard I can do 80-90wpm. With a mech switch I've gotten as high as 120 on some tests, but usually am closer to around 100 or so. On a laptop keyboard I can barely get above 60-70 wpm before I'm making too many errors.

 

Detosx: the feet look about as thick as most others, they just look longer. Not sure if that same thicness can support a "leg" of that length. Luckily though, I don't ever extend the feet on my keyboards (I've always preferred that they lay flat), so it won't be a big issue for me.

I've typed with laptop-style keyboards for the last 4 years or so, I can't say there are any definite disadvantages to them

On the contrary, I prefer the softness of it

[macgirl]

Is not a keyboard, is the next iMac flat,

[Tick-Tock]

Oooh, looks nice. I definitely prefer the laptop keyboard feel, since my fingers are short the lack of space between the keys makes things much more comfortable for me. Though since this laptop is all I have, I can't say I have much need for an external keyboard.

[Dwight F]

I also tend to make many more errors on them because of the mushy feel, and the seperations between the keys are very narrow and shallow.

Judging from the pictures the later doesn't apply here since it has normal space. Also, while I agree I very much appreciate the really old-school full travel keys, you don't need full travel to have that sharp click. In fact my Tandy Color Computer (1st gen, not the CC3) had the "chicklet" keys that had not much travel but had a definate click to them. Moreso than the keyborad I have right now (but to the level of an IBM 3278 or an old electric typewriter). If those aren't Photoshopped pics I'm quite interested how they feel. It would be a sizable feat but not out of the realm of posibility for them to not be "mushy" or provide little feedback. They are flat but it isn't quite ST:NG/touchscreen flat.