“Apple could make its notebook computers and keyboard accessories even thinner and lighter with a brand new take on the classic input method,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
“Apple’s interest in reinventing the keyboard was revealed in a new patent application discovered this week by AppleInsider,” Hughes reports. “Entitled ‘Single Support Lever Keyboard Mechanism,’ it describes a handful of ways that a keyboard could be shrunk in size without affecting its performance.”
Hughes reports, “Apple’s solution is a single support lever keyboard mechanism, which the proposed invention says would allow the keyboard cap to be formed of almost any material, but would also provide stability to each key.”
Much more in the full article, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz,” “Edward W.,” and “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
Two key factors determine the ease of use of a keyboard. Size and travel.
Having used Acer, HP, IBM (now Lenovo) and Dell laptops of one kind or another I can say without bias that the keyboard on my MacBook Pro feels the most natural and is the most comfortable to use.
I attribute this to the size of the keys and the tactile feel wrapped in the amount of travel and springiness. The keyboard is well nigh perfect for me. I don’t know how Apple is going to improve on this. Shrinking the keyboard size is going to make it awkward to type.
They could mean shrinking whatever internal footprint exists. Because, yes, the keyboard on my macbook pro feels just about perfect. 🙂
All other laptop keyboards have sloped edges, which are a stupid idea for keys that don’t travel far. Far, far too easy to be off just a bit and type the wrong key along with the one you actually wanted. The keyboards on the work laptops also feel too soft–nothing at all like my 2006 Macbook or the current Apple extended keyboard.
What we need is a more portable ergonomic keyboard.
I have loved my aluminum USB mac keyboard – need the keypad often, and prefer the size – since the release. I recently received a Logitech K750 solar/wireless mac keyboard (black) and I have to say it feels very similar to me in many respects – worth a try if you are interested in black or wireless but you want full size. The only feature missing is back lighting – would love an Apple aluminum with black keys and back lighting like the MacBooks have. even if it is wired USB…
All I want is backlit keys on my apple keyboard.
A wireless kb with the numpad would be nice also…
HATE the damn pc clicky keyboards that need a 17″ key press for each keystroke.