If
Apple could offer compelling computer accessories, would PC owners
be tempted to buy them? And would Mac users tend to stick with
Apple keyboards and mice rather than replace them?
I'm currently using the Apple mouse from my Power Mac G5 on our
old 550 MHz PC while I'm back in Connecticut for winter break.
While the PC's a bit obsolete (only 2 USB ports, for example), it
still runs fine, and it's rather ugly beige case has held up
well.
The original keyboard quit working two years ago, and a
hand-me-down IBM keyboard replaced it, which is perhaps even uglier
than the original one.
This means the white Apple mouse stands out on the desk. Okay, a
one-button mouse has limited functionality with a PC, but it's
better than nothing - plus it looks good. And don't forget that
Apple sells the Mighty Mouse, which has 2 buttons plus a scroll
function.
Yes, Apple peripherals work with PCs, but there are a few subtle
differences in keyboards, and Apple's cords are too short to
connect to a PC tower placed on the floor.
People also often replace the Apple keyboards and mice that come
with their Macs with a third-party set. This is generally due to
enhanced functionality on another keyboard or mouse, but why
doesn't Apple have a selection of keyboards and mice like they do
computers?
They used to. There were the Apple Keyboard and Apple Extended
Keyboard, first available with the Mac SE and Mac II in March 1997. Then followed the
Apple Keyboard II and Extended Keyboard II (neither of which were
quite as good as the first versions).
Apple currently provides one rather basic keyboard with all of
its desktop Macs (except the mini). Sure, it saves desk space by
being small, but I prefer something a bit larger. The older black
Pro Keyboard was better in this respect.
However, the most common complaint I've heard about the Pro
keyboard is that it's hard to read the keycaps. This never bothered
me, as I'm a touch-typist, but it would seem to me that the gray on
white would be harder to see than white on black.
Regardless, legibility of the keycaps as well as the spacing of
them could be improved (particularly the function keys - I dislike
them directly above the number keys and squished together). I also
think that the volume controls and disc-eject key should be
separated from the number-pad, as I find myself hitting them
accidentally sometimes.
- Editor's note: And then there's the Help key. Hit that by
accident and wait while you watch the help system launch when you
didn't want it. It needs to be moved away from other keys.
dk
If Apple put time, money, and energy into it, I'm sure they
could build a couple of different keyboards that would satisfy
different needs. They also need to have longer cables - USB cable
extenders are annoying and not too practical, especially when
something catches on them and they come unplugged.
As for PCs, the number one complaint I have about most modern PC
keyboards is that they have far too many useless "dedicated"
buttons on them: buttons to access the Internet, check email, open
up a media player, and control the volume. Who uses most of them,
let alone all of them?
While perhaps not as easy to use as Apple's dock, Windows XP
does put your recently used applications in the Start menu. Why
would you want buttons on the keyboard that you might hit
accidentally while you're writing an email?
Apple does a good job keeping their keyboards simple. Their
current and past keyboards were basic, clutter-free, and, with the
exception of the AppleDesign Keyboard (which was cheaply made and
had an extremely soft feel), generally pretty comfortable to type
on.
That's what really matters when buying a keyboard anyway - a
keyboard you're uncomfortable typing on isn't only annoying, it can
lead to wrist pain, too.
The keyboard that comes closest to my ideal for PCs is the old
IBM PS/2 keyboard. It was large, so there was lots of space to
not hit the wrong key. It had a very good tactile feel and
was well-made. The downside is that it was ugly and very loud to
type on.
If Apple were to take this example, along with their original
Extended Keyboard, and mix it with some great design, I'll bet they
could come up with a nice large keyboard with a great feel that
might appeal to both Mac and PC users.
