OT - soft rant... new chicklet keyboard - a few days forward

ok, i've spent a few days with the new apple keyboard. feel is pretty nice, but admittedly, i do miss the MEAT to the keys... after a decade or three, i was pretty well trained to the key travel. i may be picky or old fashioned, but i was cool with it. it's okay though. in the spirit of progress - i can adjust...
3
problems:

- must use software update just to use the VOLUME KEYS?!??!? - PHOQ! its just a damned KEYBOARD! why do i have to UD the OS for a keyboard?!?!?? ARRGGGH!!!... ok, BREATHE... i'm still in. just wonder why?
- using flash. an app RIFE with FN key shortcut functions - now i have to use an additional FN key modifier key to access them - command+FN+f8... WHAT, THREE KEYS to add a symbol now? am i using a laptop here?
- out of nowhere, suddenly my option(toggle), command, spacebar no longer works the magnify tool in illustrator...

GRRRRR - just tossed the new keyboard and plugged in the old one and THANKFULLY, life is back to where i left it!

another apple hardware effort. another significant blunder. IBM tried this with the PC junior about 24 years ago and they quickly came back to what worked...

imac round mouse - BAD IDEA
g4 qube - horribly BAD IDEA
mighty (clitoris) mouse - all over the place BAD IDEA
chicklet keyboard - who didnt see this one coming?

i have this theory that in about 3 more years apple will have abandoned the OS game and will just be in the media player/phone biz... where there isnt 60+ years of good design to screw up -
on that note, iphone interface: nowhere near a bad v1, new device effort!!!

It's like Douglas Trumbull was saying a few years back, there will be no mor edramatic films or stories-- it's all ride films...

Thanks for being the point man on the keyboard, Wayne. I've tried it out, not bad action, but I get the feeling Steve is tring to wean us away form the keyboard and into thought control of the computer. It's a couple years off, I believe. Moshi meanwhile makes a similar keyboard with some added pizazz, look at that.

- Loren
Today's FCP keytip:
Invoke your Favorites bin with Command-6 !

Final Cut Studio 2 KeyGuide? Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

Why not just keep THIS THREAD going?

[www.lafcpug.org]

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

I dumped the Apple keyboard and "mighty mouse" and installed a LogiTech S350 Laser Wireless keyboard with 2-button mouse (able to right-click without darned Control Key+click of the Mighty M). Am much happier with this keyboard, the feel and touch of it. Just my humble opinion, of course.

Regards, Cyrus
iMac 27" Intel i7 Quad-Core; 16GB RAM; 2TB HD
Final Cut Studio, FCP X, Photoshop CS5, After Effects, etc.

Errrm yeah this new keyboard is a little strange. I only bought it because I was sick of cleaning my old one, and out of curiosity.

Thoughts:

- I actually don't mind the feeling of the new keys. Then again I've never been as particular as most about about the touch and feel of the keys. Probably because I still can't touch type.

- Looks great, matches my Apple monitor. If that's worth anything.

- Feels like it doesn't have enough tilt towards the user. Too flat.

- A software update that requires a restart for a keyboard? Not very "Apple."

- I loved the volume and eject where they were before, on F16 - F19 as I never used those function keys. Also being at the far upper right of the keyboard made them an easy-to-find target. The new Play/Pause Rewind keys are tacky. Again, not very "Apple."

- You can make the function keys act normal again in system prefs. The new "special feature" keys then are activated by using the "fn" key. Better, but now I have to use the "fn" to adjust the volume.


Overall not too bad once the normal function keys are reversed back to normal. Although I am hoping someone makes a key kit to make the layout like the previous keyboard. Or maybe Apple will make a model aimed at pros (I won't hold me breath.)

- Justin Barham -

I dumped the Apple keyboard and "mighty mouse"

The mighty mouse is great for the two or three days that it works.