“A fast computer with a crummy keyboard is like a Les Paul with broken strings or a Ferrari with a busted gearshift. They’re no good if you can’t use them right,” David Pierce writes for The Wall Street Journal. “A good keyboard somehow disappears, like you’re mind-melded with your PC.”
“That’s why the keyboard is what matters most to me about the new MacBook Pro. The five rows of keys look virtually identical to last year’s model, but Apple is calling this its third-generation ‘butterfly’ keyboard. Apple says the big difference is that it’s quieter,” Pierce writes. ” But my testing shows Apple likely fixed a bigger problem than noise.”
“Since each key moves so little to begin with, anything in its way — even a speck of dust—could render it useless. Apple says very few people have had problems but still offers free repairs. Three complaints seeking class-action status in California allege Apple knew the keyboard was faulty and continued to sell it anyway,” Pierce writes. “This brings us back to the new MacBook Pro keyboard. Apple’s most substantive change is a thin silicone membrane attached underneath the keys. It does dampen sound, at least a little. I’ve found the new Pro’s keyboard to be both quieter and more pleasant to listen to, without some of the high-end thwacking of the old model. It seems likely, though, that the real purpose of the membrane isn’t about decibels. It’s about dust.”
“It acts as a shield for the tiny butterfly wings and as a bellows blowing dust out every time you press a key,” Pierce writes. “If Apple were to acknowledge the membrane’s dust benefits, that would require admitting there was a dust problem with a keyboard it continues to sell in high volumes on cheaper MacBooks.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, coming soon to the keyboards of the MacBook and/or MacBook Air (if it lives).
SEE ALSO:
Teardown of MacBook Pro’s new butterfly keyboard reveals improved protection against dust and debris – July 19, 2018
Conflicting information distributed inside Apple about reason for silicone MacBook Pro keyboard membrane – July 19, 2018
Keyboard shootout: 2018 vs. 2017 MacBook Pro butterfly keyboards compared – July 17, 2018
So, about Apple’s new MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard – July 17, 2018
How Apple is fixing faulty keyboards in their new MacBook Pro models – July 16, 2018
Two things seem obvious about Apple’s MacBook Pro keyboard – July 13, 2018
Apple’s revised MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard: Quieter may not be enough – July 13, 2018
Apple says new MacBook Pro keyboard won’t fix sticky key issue – July 12, 2018
The 5 biggest changes in Apple’s new MacBook Pro – July 12, 2018
With Apple’s leap to 8th-generation Intel processors, the MacBook Pro just got a whole lot faster – July 12, 2018
Apple begins exclusively selling ‘Blackmagic eGPU’ for $699 alongside new MacBook Pros – July 12, 2018
Apple’s new 2018 MacBook Pro models now available with revised butterfly keyboards, much faster performance possible – July 12, 2018
MacBook Pro (2018): First look, listen, and feel! – July 12, 2018
What power users say about Apple’s new 2018 MacBook Pros – July 12, 2018
Apple unveils new MacBook Pro models with faster performance and new features for pros – July 12, 2018
Nuthin’ useful to say as usual, just the usual nuthin’ doggie doo. At least I beat nuthin’ dog to the punch.
It’s not a fix. It’s a band-aid. Well, it’s a condom, but it’s a band-aid.
Great analogy by WSJ in the first paragraph. Points out what is the reason for reinventing the wheel? The older keyboards work better than the new ones. Possibly the only way to rein in the out of control design highness is for the court to find Apple guilty for bad design. Imagine that, faulty design from Apple. That will not look good in the next edition of Jony’s book a tribute to himself. Pushing design to the limit for the sake of ego has consequences if not done responsibly. A lesson Apple will soon learn …