Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Ctrl-Alt-Del => Topic started by: slope on 25 June, 2020, 09:13:13 pm
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I have a compact non numerical Magic keyboard which came as standard with a 2017 iMac, which I liked initially. It needs replacing as I'm fed up of prizing off keys and cleaning it, sometimes with poor outcomes - sooner or later things are going to break. Am I a slob? Perhaps I need a new me?
Any alternative suggestions? Somewhat reluctant to spend £100 on a new Magic keyboard. Must be non numerical and small. Doesn't have to be wireless, although that's kinda neat.
No touch typing here - just two slow fingers
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Mac cherry keyboard?
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I've never had to clean my Mac keyboard ever (well not like that). So it's either incalculably foul or you're doing something that falls into a special category.
I give it the occasional dust with the vaccuum cleaner and wipe down with a kitchen towel and IPA/water.
Personally, I love the Apple wireless keyboards, and I don't think they're any more likely to become foulsome than others. You maybe need something wipe-clean and specified for teenage boys (I think there's an ISO for this).
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Now that I have a magic keyboard, I don't think I could possibly go back to anything else. Aside from how lovely they are to type on, the fact that they can go six months between charges is particularly impressive.
I agree with ian that if you're having cleanliness issues, you need to look at your working practices rather than your choice of keyboard. Don't eat at your desk is a good start.
I used to know someone who always put his keyboard away in a cover overnight, which would help guard against dust. Probably a good idea.
You can also get silicone covers that sit over the keyboard to protect against spillage while in use. They're a few quid on ebay. Don't know if they affect the keyboard's usability.
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I do throw the cloth I use for screen cleaning over it in the evening, but that's mostly to keep cat crud out of it. I've been using Apple wireless keyboards for well over a decade, never had an issue, and no, I couldn't use anything else either.
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With my keyboard I occasionally turn it upside down and thump it. Things fall out. I also wet wipe it (switched off and very gently, so as not to get water into its innards.
I've never had to remove a key, well, not for the last 15 years or so.
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Thanks folks :)
Time to change the ways of slope - I do admit to eating toast most mornings at the keyboard :hand:
And without sticky keys it's the most satisfactory keyboard I've come across.
New one just ordered from John Lewis £84.99. There is a new Apple MLA22B/A on eBay for £64.99 inc post, but it's "No returns accepted" private looking seller :-\
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Time to change the ways of slope - I do admit to eating toast most mornings at the keyboard :hand:
Cf the working from home thread. Eating breakfast in the kitchen before you start work is part of helping to maintain the work/home distinction!
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On my third magic keyboard for my 2015 iMac.
I can confirm that they do not respond well to having a glass of wine knocked over onto them.
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I do eat my breakfast toast in the kitchen whilst reading a magazine rather than staring at the screen which, indeed, offers a nice break.
Oddly, I've never spilled beer on it. I must not be drinking enough.
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On my third magic keyboard for my 2015 iMac.
I can confirm that they do not respond well to having a glass of wine knocked over onto them.
Probably worse if it was a laptop (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=73705.msg1521977#msg1521977)
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On my third magic keyboard for my 2015 iMac.
I can confirm that they do not respond well to having a glass of wine knocked over onto them.
Probably worse if it was a laptop (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=73705.msg1521977#msg1521977)
Ow!
Did you get it fixed?
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I never did get round to putting the outcome into the original thread.
We had a booked in trip to the Genius Bar at our 'local' Apple Store (in Bath, so a 40 mile drive).
They managed to fix it, but it took a couple of days. Can't remember how much was cleaning and how much was replace. I do remember that they found another, possibly related, piece of damage. It cost MrsC about £150 all told, plus two trips to Bath.
Works fine now, although she has upgraded. The machine is sitting in the corner waiting for when I get round to disposing of it.
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A thorough cleaning of the older of my IBM keyboards is long overdue, but the Internets say it needs a 5.5mm nut driver to take it apart, and it's got more than a hundred Jesus springs in it and on the whole it's easier just to attack it with wet-wipes.
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Now that I have a magic keyboard, I don't think I could possibly go back to anything else.
if you like something that types like a laptop but is longer then yes, they are great
good build quality and like you say battery life but other than that a bit meh
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A thorough cleaning of the older of my IBM keyboards is long overdue, but the Internets say it needs a 5.5mm nut driver to take it apart, and it's got more than a hundred Jesus springs in it and on the whole it's easier just to attack it with wet-wipes.
Yeh but if its a model M it also doubles up as a tool for driving fence stakes in and a self defence weapon. Those things were built!
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Slope's evidential sloppiness :-[
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50048638612_ddae87d673_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jfCmAh) (https://flic.kr/p/2jfCmAh)
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With my keyboard I occasionally turn it upside down and thump it. Things fall out. I also wet wipe it (switched off and very gently, so as not to get water into its innards.
I've never had to remove a key, well, not for the last 15 years or so.
I made the mistake of squirting mine with a can of compressed 'air' the other day. :hand:
Though key removal has only ever been necessary due to accidentally dropping a pingfuckit on it. I don't think I've ever had a liquid incident, but crumbs are an occasional hazard.
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A thorough cleaning of the older of my IBM keyboards is long overdue, but the Internets say it needs a 5.5mm nut driver to take it apart, and it's got more than a hundred Jesus springs in it and on the whole it's easier just to attack it with wet-wipes.
Yeh but if its a model M it also doubles up as a tool for driving fence stakes in and a self defence weapon. Those things were built!
It is. For a while I used it to drive an Asus EeePC, which it outweighs by 2:1 ;D
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Now that I have a magic keyboard, I don't think I could possibly go back to anything else.
if you like something that types like a laptop but is longer then yes, they are great
good build quality and like you say battery life but other than that a bit meh
How do you mean "longer"? My magic keyboard is in fact exactly the same size as my macbook keyboard.
I like typing on it - the keys are responsive and don't require thumping like some keyboards I've used. A nice mechanical keyboard might be even better, granted, but this is what I'm used to. And I certainly don't need pointless features like backlighting, which seem to be regarded as a key requirement for high-end keyboards. YMMV, of course.
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Keyboards for keyboardists innit, I've still got my first Apple keyboard that came with a Mac Mini back in c2007. Worked fine for over a decade and I'd hazard I type a lot of words. I used to have a big clacky Model M at work. It's made a very satisfying noise, though could be confused by someone doing roadworks outside or an attack of giant clockwork beetles. It would make it very easy for one of those beetles to creep up behind you and sink its giant pincers in your neck. One minute you're typing an email to your corporate overlords. The next? Game over man, game over. Oh look, my intestines. With an Apple keyboard, it would have to tippy-toe, which is difficult when you're two metres long, weight half a tonne, and have six metal legs. Really, that's only going to work if you have a thick shag pile carpet, which is more mid-80s porn film set than the sort of hardwood Scandic furniture catalogue that I inhabit. Honestly, carpets and porn films, were where they at? The entire market of rentable carpet cleaning machines probably depended on that.
So make your choice. The smooth tippitytap of Apple's finest Californian design lubricated by the sweat of the Chinese working 25-hour shifts or death by giant clockwork beetles made by some steamtechno-cave inhabiting evil mastermind. I for one, put my trust in Cupertino.
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Model M: made in Scotland*, from girrrrderrrs.
* well, mine were
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Really made in Scotland? There is a great documentary on the IBM Spango Valley plant:
Silicon Glen: from Ships to Microchips
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jltz
I visited the DEC plant in Ayr as a graduate student and the sun plant in Linlithgow to build an HPC cluster.
Never did visit IBM.
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Yep, the sticker on the underside says it was born in Scotland in February 1990.
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Just easing into early middle age for a Type M then.
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I have to note that I was relieved when it passed its 28th birthday rather than emulating Jimi, Janis, Kurt, Amy, Brian, Jim, Pigpen and the Blind Owl :D
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Bah! My 12 year old Magic keyboard needed new batteries yesterday, so I cleaned the grubby keys with a wet wipe as well. I’ve now got a cluster of 4 adjacent keys that give no response.
One of them is the 2nd letter of my password :facepalm: .
Suggestions for a fix?
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Shake, rattle and roll.
Or rather, roll, rattle and shake.
Make sure it is dried out, turn it upside down and shuggle the keys from underneath, then vigorously shake it. Lots of stuff may fall out...
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Suggestions for a fix?
Chnge your pword?
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Suggestions for a fix?
Chnge your pword?
Can you do that without entering the original password first?
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I’ve had the keys off & given everything a good blow, but to no avail. I’ve got a USB keyboard which will probably give me access, but I’m using it for the work laptop at the moment.
EBay here I come !
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If its the aluminium one with the rounded battery holder, make me an offer for my now unused one...
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Can you do that without entering the original password first?
There are ways to reset a lost system password depending on your vintage or Mac and how hard it was locked down.
Or yeah, use a different keyboard.
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If its the aluminium one with the rounded battery holder, make me an offer for my now unused one...
Thanks Jaded. My Father has one that came with his Mac, but he didn't like it & never used it, so I'll pick that up at the weekend.
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I'd still like to try barakta on a Model M (while wearing suitable ear protection, natch). She has Scottish heritage, and an arm made from girrrrderrrs, so should be well qualified. She's also immune to giant clockwork beetles, and owns a PS/2 to USB converter (a proper one, not just Anna Daptor for a keyboard that can speak PS/2 on its USB cable).
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If its the aluminium one with the rounded battery holder, make me an offer for my now unused one...
Thanks Jaded. My Father has one that came with his Mac, but he didn't like it & never used it, so I'll pick that up at the weekend.
No problem :)