Letter to Steve Jobs about Mac Wireless Keyboards

[Shooshie]

I've now owned two new Mac keyboards for over 2 weeks. I can't take them back now, I guess. But I'm disappointed. I need for the wireless one to have a keypad. So, what do you do when you need to get what you want and nobody seems to be listening? You write the head of the company:

Letter to Steve Jobs


Shooshie

[npatton]

Well-said, Shooshie. May it reach the intended destination!

n

[Budmas21]

Love it, Sooshie. I'd hand it to him for you if I knew for sure he was taking delivery of his jet in person, but alas, I don't know that for sure. Either way, great ideas on a new design, too.

[FMiguelez]

.

Shooshie:

Great design! BUT, could I try to convince you to include the control key at the right side AS WELL??? (like in my studio keyboard).

Because of so many shortcuts, I think it's extremely important to have the 4 modifying keys on both sides.

You have room there for that key. Maybe just sneak it in there?

[jgest]

great job. I hope you prevail.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Yes Shoosh! Elegant and concise. I doubt he will see it, but I hope he does.

Looking at Apple's newer line (Mac Air) it becomes apparent that they are shifting the focus of the line to simplicity aimed at the average (non-pro) user. The bloke who wants to plug it in and go troll on the WWW somewhere. What do they need a keypad for?

The ONLY reason I didn't opt for that keyboard was because it didn't have a keypad. I currently use the older style Mac Pro Wireless. A joy! (And frankly, I don't like the new low profile keys either.)

It seems remarkable that no one has really entered the keyboard market for pros in a real way except one or two very high end versions. Can't remember the name, but the one that looked good was the individual LED keys. They start at about $500 WITHOUT the LEDs. You add them one at a time for something like $50 as I recall. That won't work.

One thing at a time. If Apple did add a numeric pad to the new line, I'll look the other way about the low profile and buy the damn thing. Until then, I'm using the old one or looking after market. Maybe the next BMI distribution I'll look at that fancy LED guy...

Keep the faith, baby!

[BobK]

I've now owned two new Mac keyboards for over 2 weeks. I can't take them back now, I guess.

If you're near an Apple store, I suggest you try taking them back anyway. I did this with a laptop a couple of years ago - I was just over the 2-week limit, and they accepted the return anyway.

[jlaudon]

Shooshie, what is your 'conduit' for sending this letter? I have a couple friends who work in Apple (one in the US, and another in HK), perhaps I could forward it to them?

[blue]

Looking at Apple's newer line (Mac Air) it becomes apparent that they are shifting the focus of the line to simplicity aimed at the average (non-pro) user. The bloke who wants to plug it in and go troll on the WWW somewhere. What do they need a keypad for?

Apple's been aiming at a broader user base since they introduced the iMac ten years ago, and, had they not, we might not be using our beloved Macs anymore. Not to mention the fact that Macs have always been user friendly. How else were you going to get a bunch of artists to use freakin' computers?

[SixStringGeek]

I've now owned two new Mac keyboards for over 2 weeks. I can't take them back now, I guess. But I'm disappointed. I need for the wireless one to have a keypad.

Why dont you get a refurb'd one with a keypad? http://store.apple.com/us/product/F9270LL/A

[Budmas21]

Actually Sooshie, I was looking at your design and I'd like to request one feature.... Being an old PC user, I'd like to see the "ANY" key on this new production! haha.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Looking at Apple's newer line (Mac Air) it becomes apparent that they are shifting the focus of the line to simplicity aimed at the average (non-pro) user. The bloke who wants to plug it in and go troll on the WWW somewhere. What do they need a keypad for?

Apple's been aiming at a broader user base since they introduced the iMac ten years ago...

Well, yes. But at least those macs had firewire and audio ports. The new Apple Air has a USB port and a power connector. Not too useful for those of us who want to connect a FW audio device.

[blue]

Well, yes. But at least those macs had firewire and audio ports. The new Apple Air has a USB port and a power connector. Not too useful for those of us who want to connect a FW audio device.

The MacBookAir is a stunt computer, kinda like the infamous Cube. Like, "how can we revolutionize the conventional form factor of the personal computer?" It's certainly not designed for pro use, and I wouldn't even dream of running a real time audio app on it. But I don't see the MBA as representing a new direction by Apple to move away from full functioning computers. It's there to augment what they already have, much like the iMac and even the iPhone.

[Shooshie]

I've now owned two new Mac keyboards for over 2 weeks. I can't take them back now, I guess. But I'm disappointed. I need for the wireless one to have a keypad.

Why dont you get a refurb'd one with a keypad? http://store.apple.com/us/product/F9270LL/A

Thanks for the link, but I've got 3 or 4 of those already. I can recondition them myself, but they just wear out faster with each reconditioning. No, I like this new keyboard; it's significantly improved over any keyboard I've used in my life. But the wireless needs a keypad. Jobs doesn't listen to anyone but himself, so the odds are pretty small of seeing this happen, but I would sure like to have a full keyboard like this that was wireless. I sent my letter more as an act of principle than a real plea to the untouchable ones at Infinite Loop. When something is wrong, you do what you can. I did. That's it. I'm done. Now, I'll see what I can do with what I've got.

Shooshie