Poll: Is the MacBook Air’s keyboard ugly?
Above: One of these things is not like the others.. but for how long?
AppleInsider’s reports of an aluminum upgrade to the MacBook line is welcome news, at least to those of use who feel our white MacBooks are a tad on the girly side. However the one aspect to the rumor that has me a bit worried is that the new MacBooks will adopt the MacBook Air’s keyboard, which I find to be ugly. It reminds me of a PC notebook’s keyboard. I guess I am old-school, but I like my laptops like I like my women - the curtain needs to match the carpet. In other words, I like a white keyboard on a white laptop, black keyboard ona black laptop, and an aluminum keyboard on an aluminum laptop. But many have said I am insane, so I will throw this out to a poll.
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April 10th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Agree 100%. Every time I see an Air closed I think man is that one awesome laptop. Then they open it and I see that hideous black keyboard. What were they thinking? Is this really the same company that brought us the beautiful mbp and black macbook?
April 10th, 2008 at 9:32 am
remember when everyone saw leaked images of the new ipod nano, and thought they were fugly, then it actually came out and everyone loved it? just saying.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I think it’s well thought through.
I love my MBP, which I finally bought about two weeks ago *YAY*, but the keyboard has one major downside: When the light hits it a a certain unlucky angle you can’t make out the letters.
The keyboard itself is pretty good - even though I like the Thinkpad’s better - the backlight is a godsend. But I believe that’s one possible reason why the MBA hasn’t got a silver one.
April 10th, 2008 at 10:59 am
i actually like it. it seems like it gives homage to the Titanium PowerBook keys. it also fits with the black & aluminum look of the iMac and iPhone. you might think it sticks out - but come next update, the MacBook Pro may also sport the same black chicklet keys!
April 10th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I like it. No reason. No explanation. I just like how it looks.
Ok, maybe one comment: I also like how the keys stand out from each other on the Air, not like it is just a cramped sea of keys.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I love my G4 1GHZ Titanium. Love it so much in fact that I just bought new steel hinges for it a few months ago. I think that cost me a couple hundo if memory serves correctly and the resale on it can’t be much higher than 400. It’s a classic in spite of the now worn out magnetic latch, the 3 crappy Apple AC bricks that I had to replace before I got wise and bought 3rd party, and the JB Weld (compound adhesive that hardens into a grey shiny hard appearance) where the two top case halves come together on each side. I’ve never had a computer I’ve cared about enough to keep together with duct tape and bailing wire- rather I’ve just replaced them seeings how they fall behind. But this old dog is still able to hang in there and it’s still pretty. I think the grey keys look good with the aluminum. I think the dark keys on the air however are ugly- or rather it would have looked better with something else. Doesn’t matter to me, I’d never get an Air. If they did however release a new Macbook or MBP line with the old keys from the titanium days it wouldn’t bother me. I didn’t like the silver kb.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Yeah, I’m a BlackBook user, and I gotta say:
The fact that the keyboards on all the other computers Apple sells are the same color as the rest of the computer, really lends itself to a good looking computer.
This just looks like the Ska Guy from The Specials.
[img]http://images.art.com/images/-/Ska-Man—Two-Tone-Logo–C10044093.jpeg[/img]
April 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Your right - no matter how much easier it is to see under variable lighting conditions, aesthetic concerns should ALWAYS come first.
“Fashion saves a lot more lives than doctors.”
Bruno.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I am not a touch typist, so I tend to look at the keyboard often. The black keys make it difficult to see the letters on them. Apple has taken care of low light situations by providing a backlit keyboard for MBA, but it does not solve the problem of using the keyboard during the day time.
I am so much happier with the Powerbook 12″ and Macbook keyboards because of their light shade of the keys, which makes it easier to see the what is written on them.
Apple, please use at least the Macbook Pro style keyboard for the new MBA!
April 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I rather like the contrast of colours myself… However, it’d be much better if they had one of those Optimus Maximus keyboards in there with customizable keys and such…
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus
April 10th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I was thinking this same thing when I heard about the new portables coming out. I love the white keys of my iBook matching the rest of the laptop, and the Power/ProBook’s keys being silver is swanky. Keep your black keys off my white books!
April 10th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
The Nano is still fugly. Especially with that shiny aluminum back.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:31 am
iPod Nano 2G still fugly.
Air keyboard out of place.
Leopard still buggy.
Apple loosing the plot.
April 12th, 2008 at 9:21 am
the black keyboard will look a little more at home when apple switches to a black glass bezel.
c.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
In all honesty, I think the MBA black keyboard is HIDEOUS! And it does remind me of a laptop PC … yuch! I have a MBP and absolutely LOVE the aluminum keyboard … it matches the laptop, and for me that’s a good thing. I think Apple should AT LEAST give people the option of a black or an aluminum keyboard on the MBA. My two cents …
April 13th, 2008 at 3:22 am
The Air has the look of my Titanium, without the benefit of snapping out for cleaning or replacement (the dogs have walked across it twice - $15 on eBay). I think the white looks more clinical than girly. And I’ve never liked the black; if I wanted a Dell, I’d buy one.
And don’t “aluminize” the MBs, unless you want to cannibalize the MBP. Managers won’t walk around with girly computers (or just another Dell), and they’re important enough to spend extra for the Pro. And they know people know it.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
The aluminum is awesome, the black keys are ugly. Looks like a freakin’ dell. I was going to get a MB, but now I’m having second thoughts. Wake the f up Steve Jobs.
June 14th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Black color Keyboard is one of the things that stops me from buying new MacBook Air. It just so ugly that I don’t even care about how thin it is. It creates huge contrast in front and it feels not right from the first time I sow it in the store.
New iMac also has has this ugly black color border around the screen. I will stick with my white shiny iMac that I was planed to update and my cute White MacBook.
Apple I have to say No updates till I see nice clean design.