Ok that’s it. My almost two year old Apple Bluetooth Keyboard officially sucks.
Bigtime. It has sucked for a long time now, but I always kept postponing changing it. This is kind of weird, as I recall the thrill I got after using it for the first time, in May 2005. Back then it definitely felt much much better than what it does now. It was light, as most dome-switch keyboards are, but firm and provided good tactile feedback. Now it’s just spongy and stiff. In other words horrible.
Being a fast touchtypist, I thought I’d check out what’s available out there for my Mac, before venturing to one of Athens’ excuses for computer stores and buying something I’d most certainly regret later. Logitech, one of the high-profile, high-volume brand of peripherals have almost always had bad keyboards in my experience: stiff, spongy feel, clunky, cheap. Maybe I was just unlucky and never got a good one. I was quite sceptical when the Logitech S530 set for the Mac was released about a year ago. That, and the fact that — before Fnac opened its doors in that despised monstrosity we tolerate in Athens — it was practically impossible to find a store with stock of that product, made me postpone my purchase for several months. Trying it out was the final nail in the S530’s coffin, so to speak. It’s definitely very cheap and the feel, although better than my current Apple keyboard, still sucks. it also comes with a mouse — for which I have no need — and it is wireless on the 2.4GHz ISM band using its own radio (something I hate; why oh why didn’t they just use Bluetooth?). Definitely not worth €90.
Leaving Logitech behind, there is only one option left in the domestic market: Microsoft. I’ve had conflicting experiences with Microsoft hardware products: some Microsoft keyboards I’ve used over the years were definitely bad, others were quite decent, if not excellent, for what they are: i.e. consumer, dome-switch keyboards, and have lasted me for many years. Sadly, Microsoft’s Mac keyboard and mouse set suffers from many of Logitech’s failings: it’s wireless, it uses proprietary radio and comes with a mouse for which I have no need. It is also ugly (no wonder Microsoft stopped having that stupid left-hand zoom+button area and redesigned their keyboards on their latest models). Most importantly, I haven’t been able to find any stores with stock in Athens.
So this only leaves more exotic options open to me within the Mac keyboard market, such as the — very costly — Matias Tactile Pro keyboard that sports Alps mechanical switches and provides that typical clicking mechanical feel, bringing memories of different times (it also ensures that I’d wake everyone in the house whilst typing past midnight). Since I was never a fan of that kind of keyboard — I *always* preferred the buckling spring Model M keyboards from IBM — the Tactile Pro is out of the question. It also costs a fortune.
Then there’s Macally. Hmm, I won’t even go into Macally: Their keyboards are toys that I wouldn’t really consider for my box.
So that’s the situation. Need to type a lot of stuff, the keyboard I’ve got sucks bigtime and I have very few — if any — Mac-specific options open to me.
I could always get a good Type-M(ish) PC keyboard and get used to the idea of not having all the function and special keys I’m used to, although I’d rather avoid this if possible. A friend is obsessed and cannot praise Sun’s Type VI USB keyboards enough. I could get a couple from Ebay for cheap. They are excellent keyboards, but then again they are so different to what I’m used to and, as such, I’m not sure I’d like getting used to them now.
Any ideas?
