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0 pointsguylhem14y ago0 comments

Well there is an option for Fx keys as Fx keys instead of shortcuts in Preferences.app

But this keyboard, even if it supposedly designed for the mac, won't get my money: - weird FN keys where the right control stands, instead of the leftmost part like on most laptops (including macbooks) - eject key way too close to backspace. (really, what could go wrong especially where the delete key is - and while the mac can use a proper delete key?) - no KP_Equal key

Basically, they took the PC version, didn't change the molds (expansive!!) and just printed some mac-like labels on the key.

A cheap hack, not worth $133.

I'll keep my non mechanical (non gold platted, not approved by Darth Vader) Apple USB keyboard - http://www.amazon.com/Apple-109-Key-Version-Keyboard-1003199...

And they do also come with a USB hub and work fine even of the newest OSX such as Lion

0 comments

resnamen14y ago

I can see there being a market. My mom buys all her crap if and only if it says "Mac compatible" on the box. I remind her that it's all the same hardware standards these days, but the persecution complex that was ingrained in her from the bad old 1990s--countless ADB input devices, a IIsi with its own flavor of NuBus, and then later a couple awful Performas with funky PDS slots--she's just used to assuming that hardware just won't work unless it's specifically blessed as Apple compatible.

lloeki14y ago

> My mom buys all her crap if and only if it says "Mac compatible" on the box. I remind her that it's all the same hardware standards these days

Indeed in most cases, but keyboards are something else entirely. If you regularly switch between a MacBook keyboard and a workstation (be it PC or Mac) it's a pain to have the layout, spacing and position being almost the same save for a bunch of keys that bite you back hard. Especially on non-US layouts (precisely, french).

That's why I strive to use mac-layout keyboards even on PCs. And really, while the US mac layout is quite close to the PC one, the french ones are significantly different, and the Mac one simply makes more sense. Ironically it's extremely hard to find non-Apple non-US Mac layout keyboard.

sjs14y ago

> Well there is an option for Fx keys as Fx keys instead of shortcuts in Preferences.app

If you've plugged an Apple keyboard into a Windows box you know that they don't just send the standard function key codes. I don't think that the PC version's function keys would just work as volume and iTunes keys on a Mac. And even if they did you would have to remember where they are, and how they are different from your MacBook keyboard. Apple routinely shuffles things around. Is F4 a Dashboard key or a LaunchPad key?

> But this keyboard, even if it supposedly designed for the mac, won't get my money

Ok.

> Basically, they took the PC version, didn't change the molds (expansive!!) and just printed some mac-like labels on the key.

I'm certain they would have to send different key codes in order to be truly compatible, as they claim to be.

> A cheap hack, not worth $133.

If someone wants Das Keyboard and also wants the function keys and such to work correctly then maybe it is worth $133 to them. It's not to me, but I can see how it is to some. Even if all they did was change the caps and key codes that could be very valuable to some people. If I were a fan of Das Keyboard I would probably shell out for one.

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