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Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
by clarkjames
You're not spoilt for choice in the mac keyboard market so the offical apple board is a logical purchase, if you want to save some money then you can get the wired option, and if you want the number pad you're forced to get the wired option.
By going wired you lose a USB port, but you also gain 2 usb ports (so a total gain of ... 1), which are slightly located either side of the board- if you plug in say a mouse then the position feels natural, but if you plug in something that requires frequent removal such as a USB stick then the position becomes slightly awkward, but it's not a deal breaker. I don't think they will power something like a usb hard drive though.
The key travel is very similar to the macbook/macbook pro keyboards, if you like that then you'll love this board, but if you're used to the chunky 'retro' keys then you might not, personally I type quicker and more accurately on this board than any other, including the dinovo edge on my other computer (a keyboard so expensive it makes the apple seem cheap).
After about 2 years of use there was no signs of key's fading and it still looked brand new, although unfortunately it suddenly stopped working and I had a permanant caps lock light on.
If you want to use a keyboard with your apple mac, definitely look for an apple specific board, otherwise the mapping will be all wrong, the official apple keyboard is worth the money and I am now looking to replace the dead board with the wireless version.
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Apple Keyboard
by jdparara
Please note that I am using this keyboard with a PC: I have owned this keyboard for about a year now, and it absolutely ticks all the boxes I wanted it to cover - it looks great on any surface, the keys give good traction, it has a very small footprint, and it acts as a USB HUB which is very useful. There are only two, relatively minor ... point, which detract from a perfect score. The first is that it is still wired - I'm pretty sure this is because it has a USB HUB, which although useful, I would've done without if they could have made the keyboard wireless (which I think would have fitted in much more nicely with its form factor). Then the second negative point is that the USB HUB is not fully powers - for instance it cannot charge an iPhone. Now - with a bit of tweaking in Windows you can force it to operate fully-powered, but it is very fiddly and took me a while to figure it out. Having said all of that, having the numeric keypad was a must for me and therefore it wins out over the similar wireless keyboard that Apple offers. Oh - and I should probably point out that some keys will need remapping when using this with a PC (but no keys that I use particularly, so personally this has not been a negative point for me).
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Apple Keyboard
by sazwah
Much like the Magic Mouse which I reviewed previously, the Apple wireless keyboard fashions a simple yet tasteful design with white plastic keys and an aluminium finish. The aluminium gives the keyboard sufficient and strong support for something so slimline, which also compliments the overall appearance of the keyboard and adds to it's ... lightweight feel.
The keyboard is a more compact size in comparison to standard keyboards which is ideal for free movement and flexibility when it comes to positioning. Again much like the Magic Mouse, it runs on two AA batteries, which ideally should be rechargeable ones as they are more beneficial in the long run and won't cause an inconvenience to you if they happen to run out. The batteries slot down the side of the keyboard which blends in with the back riser area of the keyboard featuring a power button - adding to the simplicity of it's design.
Signal hasn't been an issue for me, however I haven't distanced myself a great deal from my mac as you expect to be somewhat close to the screen, there have been no connectivity problems and no interruptions with the keyboard during use. The batteries generally last about 2-3 weeks with regular use so there isn't any need for excessive charging.
The keyboard admittedly costs a fair amount and there are always cheaper alternatives available. But if money is not an issue, then again I highly recommend this as it does the job and looks really stylish, especially along with the magic mouse.
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