Blue Keyboards
April 16, 2009 9:51 AM Subscribe
I am looking for an alternative bluetooth mac keyboard that has the same functions keys as bog-standard mac keyboard. Any suggestions?
I'll just guess he hates the standard Mac bluetooth keyboard because it's missing the numeric keypad, the cursor keys, and so on. (I'd love a BT version of the normal one, but the Apple wireless keyboard is not that, it's a chopped mutant baby travesty.)
I have looked but found nothing good yet, wtildesley.
posted by rokusan at 10:17 AM on April 16, 2009
I have looked but found nothing good yet, wtildesley.
posted by rokusan at 10:17 AM on April 16, 2009
Ummm....I'm looking at my Mac wireless keyboard right now, and it's the same one that I have on my MacBook pro. I guess it depends on what elements you're looking for...
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 10:19 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 10:19 AM on April 16, 2009
Best answer: Maybe the old Apple Wireless Pro Keyboard? See here. I've got one and like it well enough, and feel that the number pad is nice to have. They also didn't cripple the capslock key, like they have on current models (wired and wireless). But it is a lot heavier, if that's a concern, and is probably hard to find these days.
In case you aren't aware you can re-map the keys on a standard Windows keyboard so the Command, Alt/Option, and Control keys are in the correct-for-mac places. That should open up a lot more keyboard choices. I don't know of any non-Apple Apple bluetooth keyboards.
posted by 6550 at 10:23 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
In case you aren't aware you can re-map the keys on a standard Windows keyboard so the Command, Alt/Option, and Control keys are in the correct-for-mac places. That should open up a lot more keyboard choices. I don't know of any non-Apple Apple bluetooth keyboards.
posted by 6550 at 10:23 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
The older Bluetooth Keyboard is probably what you want, but you'd have to find a shop that's still selling it, or someone selling it used. I think the newer keyboard is nicer to type on.
posted by chunking express at 10:30 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by chunking express at 10:30 AM on April 16, 2009
I did find a non-Apple keyboard. Looks kind of gimicky, though.
posted by 6550 at 10:34 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by 6550 at 10:34 AM on April 16, 2009
Wait, I've been thinking about this. Do you want the f13-15? That seems to be the difference between the current keyboard and the current BT keyboard.
C'mon, poster. Come back!
posted by unixrat at 10:40 AM on April 16, 2009
C'mon, poster. Come back!
posted by unixrat at 10:40 AM on April 16, 2009
Response by poster: unixrat no i don't much care for the extra f keys
posted by nam3d at 10:46 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by nam3d at 10:46 AM on April 16, 2009
Response by poster: for anyone thats interested, i just dont like the size of bluetooth keyboard
posted by nam3d at 10:50 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by nam3d at 10:50 AM on April 16, 2009
Use any bluetooth keyboard. I use a Dell PC kayboard with my macbook (wired though) and it works fine. The Windows key becomes the Cmd key and everything else is fine.
posted by GuyZero at 10:51 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by GuyZero at 10:51 AM on April 16, 2009
Foxy, you missed the third official option, the Apple Keyboard With Numeric Keypad, which only comes in a wired version.
(It's also the only one of the new 'thin metal' breed that I can stand, myself.)
posted by rokusan at 11:26 AM on April 16, 2009
(It's also the only one of the new 'thin metal' breed that I can stand, myself.)
posted by rokusan at 11:26 AM on April 16, 2009
Logitech has a few keyboards with Mac-specific layouts, including a few bluetooth ones.
posted by agentmunroe at 11:53 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by agentmunroe at 11:53 AM on April 16, 2009
There's a range of very inexpensive Mac keyboards out there. For the life of me I can't remember the brand name. However, my advice is to avoid them like the plague.
I bought one a year or two ago, and it was simply unable to keep up with my touch-typing speed. Weird characters would be inserted, and letters missed out. They sent me another but it was identically poor. I took it up with the company and they as much as admitted their keyboards were extremely poor quality, and that I should buy a different brand if I wanted one that actually worked. I think they aim their keyboards at people who hunt-and-peck type, so never get above, say, 60 words per minute.
posted by humblepigeon at 1:18 PM on April 16, 2009
I bought one a year or two ago, and it was simply unable to keep up with my touch-typing speed. Weird characters would be inserted, and letters missed out. They sent me another but it was identically poor. I took it up with the company and they as much as admitted their keyboards were extremely poor quality, and that I should buy a different brand if I wanted one that actually worked. I think they aim their keyboards at people who hunt-and-peck type, so never get above, say, 60 words per minute.
posted by humblepigeon at 1:18 PM on April 16, 2009
There's the MacAlly BTKey; I haven't used this model but used to use a lot of wired MacAlly keyboards and mice as replacements for lab iMacs and they always held up very well.
posted by bcwinters at 5:25 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by bcwinters at 5:25 PM on April 16, 2009
Response by poster: thanks guys looks like i just have to stick with the Apple BT keyboard.
posted by nam3d at 8:42 AM on April 17, 2009
posted by nam3d at 8:42 AM on April 17, 2009
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Can't type today - what do you want that you're not getting in the standard?
posted by unixrat at 10:13 AM on April 16, 2009