Reviews for Apple Keyboard Kit

Total reviews: 5 of 126
Average Rating:

• A very very nice keyboard! | Rating: | Date: 2008-10-11

  At first, I was apprehensive about this keyboard. The form factor looked very nice, but the keys looked funny.
  
  Regardless, I decided to take the plunge and go for one.
  
  When I got it, I was extremely impressed with the overall build quality of the keyboard. It's built like a tank and is very firm (i.e doesn't flex). The keys are very large. And after couple of hours of orientation, I noticed my typing speed increase by a bit on it.
  
  This is a touch typists dream and very fast to type on and extremely silent.
  
  There are 2 low power USB ports on the keyboard (on either side) that can be used for plugging in mice. I haven't tried that but I assume that it would work fine.
  
  One interesting thing to note, is that this keyboard does not work before the OS is loaded. What I mean is that if you wanted to go into your BIOS (F2 in my case) it would not register any key presses. Only once the OS is loaded then everything works fine.
  
  

• Responsive and well designed | Rating: | Date: 2008-10-11

  I was a bit afraid that since it was so similar to some laptop keyboards I had used, it would be a big disappointment. Fortunately, I was wrong. It has a very similar feel to the old keyboard from the iBook G4, one of the best laptop keyboards I have ever used. It is quiet but the feedback is still very good since the scissor switches bounce back against your fingers. Nothing will ever match the feedback of the old clicky keyboards, but this comes close-- and it keeps the finger travel to a minimum which is a great help to people who have to type many hours a day. As someone dealing with a repetitive stress injury in my arm, I've tried many keyboards in order to keep the pain at a minimum and this one has been the one that has caused the least stress to my fingers and wrists.
  
  I've been using it for almost a year now and I even replaced my other keyboard (Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000, also a great keyboard) with this one because I just had less pain. I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for a laptop keyboard kind of feel on your desktop or if you're having trouble with RSI. There are other keyboards that might reduce RSI pain as well, but they tend to be much more expensive and not necessarily that much better.
  
  It's not a split keyboard, but I haven't found that to be a deal-breaker at all. Because the keys are completely flat, there is no real reason to have to hit the key in the center so you can curve your hand as much or as little as you want as long as the key goes down.
  
  In short, highly recommended.

• Great Keyboard with some sticking issues | Rating: | Date: 2008-10-08

  WANTED: A compact Windows compatible non-bluetooth keyboard with the essentials: no media buttons, no special software, and no 300 button gaming beast. Also it had to be quiet and stay quiet.
  
  Surprisingly, I had to go to the Mac side of things to get what I wanted. And I am quite pleased with what I bought, except for a few nagging issues.
  
  First, the good parts. Yes, instead of using standard sized keys the new Mac keyboard uses Macbook-styled "chicklet" keys. They are slightly raised flat buttons that face parallel to the rest of the keyboard. You will have to adjust to typing on this keyboard, but once you do every other keyboard feels foreign. The keys are spaced apart enough to clean really well with a dry towel.
  
  All of the essential keys are here, laid out in QWERTY fashion. Since this is an Apple made keyboard, they have Mac specific buttons on them, like the command key (also called the clover key), an eject key, and F13-F19 function buttons that run over the insert, home, page up, and number pad. The command key is the windows key in XP and does what the windows key does. With the free keyboard key editor SharpKeys (http://www.randyrants.com/2006/07/sharpkeys_211.html) you can remap and button on this keyboard, save for the eject key. *Note* the "clear" button on the number pad is num lock in windows by default. Thought you should know that.
  
  The Apple Keyboard also comes with 2 low powered USB ports. While a great many devices (ipods, heavy power consuming devices, some hubs) won't work when plugged in, they work wonderfully with mice and Bluetooth dongles. Eliminating the many cords and freeing up USB ports by connecting both into my keyboard was AWESOME.
  
  The keyboard itself is actually pretty weighty from using a thick aluminum sheet to hold the keys. It isn't a heavy keyboard, but the weight of it will surprise you.
  
  With all of this praise, how could it possibly not rate at all stars? Well, the sticking issue comes with certain keys needing a good jab to register. Namely my Caps Lock key. Sometimes it needs a good jab to wake up and stay lit (it does have a green LED to indicate on/off status). But since I don;t use it often, I wonder if it sticks because of that reason. And when typing a lengthy letter I still sometimes make errors, but I attribute the bulk of this to my inferior typing skills.
  
  Don't read it wrong, I LOVE this keyboard. After mapping the Calc, print screen, and My Computer to some function keys I was set and ready. I wouldn't trade it in for anything, even for the wireless model. I recommend purchasing this keyboard. Even after the sticker shock wears off, you will find your purchase worth it.

• great keys but breaks down easily | Rating: | Date: 2008-10-06

  great keyboard to type with. mine broke down after 2 weeks after a single drop of water got into the left control key. it immediately made the keyboard useless. don't bother opening up the keys because the clips that hold the keys break down easily too. it would have been the perfect keyboard if apple designed it so that it won't easily break down. well, maybe they made it that way so we would buy and buy it again lolz:)

• Its soo sleek and looks awesome! | Rating: | Date: 2008-09-26

  Looks simply awesome and very nice keys to use. Cheaper then buying from apple store! Amazon really makes life easier and saves me a lots of money! Overall satisfied with the wireless keyboard and I would really recommend to buy it from amazon.