Article on Matias Keyboard
From James Fraser
Warning: perusal of this email may lead to blindness or
insanity.
Hello,
I feel compelled to point out an inaccuracy in your article,
"Has 'the Best Keyboard Apple Ever
Made' Been Resurrected?"
"However, there are many folks who prefer the feel of mechanical
key switches and like an IBM-style "click" in their
keystrokes.
"For this constituency, there's now a way to have all that...
I'm afraid that this is not the case. I use an IBM keyboard on
my Mac, so I have firsthand knowledge of this. Here's what an IBM
keyboard sounds like when being typed upon:
http://www.3m3718.com/audio/modelm1.mp3
Here's what an Apple Extended (or any other Alps keyswitch-based
keyboard) sounds like:
http://www.3m3718.com/audio/omnikey1.mp3
That widely-known "IBM-style 'click'" you refer to is caused by
a "buckling spring" mechanism, not an Alps switch. If you're not
familiar with what a buckling spring is (and most sane, rational
people are not), take a look here:
http://park16.wakwak.com/~ex4/kb/tech_bucklingspring_e.htm
There's a patent for this mechanism, which IBM owns:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K55866A2A
For a brief overview of just why some people find buckling
springs so damned exciting:
http://www.dansdata.com/ibmkeyboard.htm
....and while the Apple Extended Keyboard may hold the title as
the best keyboard that Apple has ever made, the IBM Model M
buckling spring-based keyboard is widely held to be the best
keyboard that anyone has ever made.
The preference for buckling spring key switches vs. Alps key
switches has a basis in longevity as well: While Alps key switches
are rated for a minimum life of 10 million cycles, buckling spring
key switches are rated for a minimum life of 25 million cycles.
It's not difficult to find people who have used the same buckling
spring keyboards for nearly 20 years.
To date, neither Apple nor any third party has licensed the
buckling spring technology for use in keyboards expressly designed
for use with the Macintosh. Why not? Well, the polite answer in
Apple's case is that they don't really care about keyboards any
more. After all, if they did, there would have been no need for
them to ever stop using the Alps key switches.
But their abandonment of decent key switches is entirely
understandable because most end users today don't know the
difference. Those that do will quite willingly spring $100+ for a
keyboard like the Matias Tactile Pro. Or go to pckeyboard.com to order a brand-new
new IBM Model M to use on their Mac.
[Note: the pckeyboard page mentions Unicomp, Inc. Unicomp
inherited the buckling spring technology from Lexmark, which in
turn got it from IBM].
Ergonomically speaking, the buckling spring keyboard may
actually be "healthier" to type on, because it offers gradually
increasing resistance before the keystroke bottoms out. With the
newer membrane-type keyboards, there is no resistance until the end
of the keystroke . . . it's like your fingers are
suddenly hitting a brick wall.
Anyway, if you want to see what I'm talking about for yourself,
eBay
always has a ton of Model M
buckling spring keyboards at giveaway prices. Thrift stores usually
have them, too, for a buck or three apiece. I would strongly
recommend picking one up, if only to get a firsthand idea of what
the difference in keyswitch feel is like.
If you'd actually care to use one on your Mac, you can pick up a
PS/2 to USB adapter . . . and away you go.
Of course, the only drawback to the buckling spring keyboards is
that they are not quiet:
Anyways the typing labs were goddamn loud when I was in grade 9
- imagine 35 IBM keyboards all going at full capacity in a room
with no soft surfaces what-so-ever to absorb the sound.
Best,
James Fraser
"Hi James,
"I freely concede the point. How could I not after such an eloquent
and thoroughly researched argument?
"My comment was merely intended to mean that IBM keyboards are
noisy, and so is the Matias Tactile Pro, albeit for different
engineering reasons, as I now understand.
"I am now much better educated about keyboard engineering and
technology after visiting the links your kindly supplied.
"Charles
Matias Tactile Pro Keyboard
From Mark Wittner
Hello Charles,
I was a huge fan of the Apple Extended II. So when I first heard
about the Tactile Pro, I rushed out to get it.
Huge price tag be damned! I wound up using the Tactile Pro for
almost 6 months. It is a great looking and feeling keyboard, but I
just couldn't type on it anymore. I don't know if I am just getting
old or what, but typing on this thing for 8+ hours a day was
killing my hands.
I've never encountered this problem on any keyboard I've ever
used, but it was routine with the Tactile Pro. I never had that
problem with the old Apple Extended II. I'd suggest this keyboard
for the nostalgic feel of it, but if you're going to be working on
it for hours and hours every day, I would recommend against it.
Not to mention that is most definitely louder then the Apple
keyboard it is trying to emulate. It saddens me, because I was so
excited when I heard about it and really happy with it when I first
got it. Final thought - a great keyboard, but not for me.
--Mark--
"Hi Mark,
"I'm in the same boat. It's a great looking keyboard, but I have
fibromyalgia, and I can't
type on any keyboard without pain, but I get along best with
'boards with a short key travel, feather-light touch, and soft key
landing. The 'board in my Pismo
PowerBook is probably the most comfortable that I have.
"With "hard landing" 'boards (including the Apple Keyboard II), my
forearms and hands go numb after a few minutes. This does not
happen with most membrane 'boards, although any roughness or
"over-center" action to the keys will cause problems even with
them.
"As I noted in the review, the key switches in the Matias 'board
have a rougher action than the Keyboard II switches - likely the
issue for you. It doesn't affect all users that way (see Brett's
letter below)
"Charles
Re: Matias Tactile Pro
From Mark Wittner
Charles,
Thanks for your reply. It was much appreciated. You're
absolutely correct in your assessment of the Tactile Pro. Right
now, I am using the Macally iceKey which uses scissor-key switches
like those used in the most recent G4 PowerBooks. It is a pleasure
to type on, and I have no real complaints with it. Well, except
with one seemingly random key placement. Other then that, I'd
really recommend it to you. It has the same white look of modern
Mac keyboards, and has the built-in USB hub. The travel is good,
the key action is still satisfying, but you don't have to press
hard at all. On top of that it only costs $49.99. Best of all, it
is seriously quiet. :-) Take care!
Regards,
Mark
"Hi Mark,
"I reviewed the Macally iceKey Slim USB
Keyboard some time ago and really liked it, with the exception
that I still thought the action was a bit stiff. I like key action
so light that you could blow on a key to press it (well,
almost).
"Unfortunately, I spilled a glass of diluted Grapefruit Seed Extract
into the iceKey. My son got it working again temporarily, but it
died again. :-(
"Charles
Matias Fan
From Brett Campbell
Thanks for your review, Charles. I'm typing this on a Matias
that I've had for a year now, I guess, and it is as great as you
say. My office also had (until today - we're finally getting
two-year-old G4s to replace the old 6800s that've been there for
almost a decade. Sometimes Macs' durability is a drawback, because
those were slow) the old Apple extended keyboard you mentioned, and
I liked it a bit better because it didn't feel or sound quite as
clacky. It had a slightly softer, yet still firm, response. But it
was ugly.
Anyway, I love the Matias, not least for its alternate character
labeling, and I just wish it came in an ergonomic model, though
I've had no wrist or other problems since getting it.
On another note, I hope you'll comment on the new iWorks if it
really comes out next week. I was just thinking about buying Mellel
(see Kill Bill: Twelve Alternatives to
Microsoft Word) to replace Word, which I just can't stand
anymore, but, thanks to Services, I actually have been pretty happy
with TextEdit and occasionally AppleWorks when I need formatting.
But I'd love to see what Apple does.
I tried and thought about getting ZWrite,
as you recommended, but then I realized that I could achieve the
same functionality (correct me if I'm wrong) by using another
product you recommended -
DEVONnote (now on sale for $10); I can use individual
notes as sections like ZWrite, then merge them all when a long
piece is done. Plus it has all the great note-organizing and
database functions I need.
Anyway, thanks as always for your good work.
Brett
"Hi Brett,
"Glad you are getting good satisfaction form your Tactile Pro.
"I will definitely be taking a look at iWork if/when it
materializes. There are a lot of potential alternatives to Word -
both word processors and text editors. I actually use
Tex Edit Plus (heavily customized with AppleScripts) for
the lion's share of my word crunching.
"DEVONnote and DEVONthink are excellent applications, and indeed can
be used as you report.
"Charles
Original Macintosh 128 Keyboard Apple's
Best
From Enzo Pianelli
Dear Charles:
Nice article on the keyboards.
I just would like to mention that as a trained typist, I really
preferred the Apple keyboard that came with the original Macintosh
- the Mac 128 or 512 Fat Mac, which keyboard was not
mentioned in your article. Yes, I've owned Macs since 1984.
It was perfect, the best keyboard for me. The keystrokes were
effortless, and the compactness of the keyboard was the best for
typing quickly or for transcription. I don't know if you had any
experience with this keyboard, but I thought it was worth
mentioning.
Thanks for the article and Happy New Year to you.
Enzo
"Hi Enzo,
"I have a bunch of those old keyboards still kicking around (I still
have a working Mac Plus). They
were good quality, solid units.
"However, those keyboards also have a hard landing to the
keystrokes, and were the first 'boards that caused typing pain for
me. Using one for more than a minute or two these days makes my
arms go numb and painful.
"Happy New Year!
"Charles
Has 'the Best Keyboard Apple Ever Made' Been
Resurrected?
From Herm
Hi Charles:
LEM's a great site and a nice resource for those of us who can't
(or won't) suffer the sticker shock for new Apple hardware.
Your article on the Matias is particularly timely, since I just
picked up a Sawtooth G4 paired up
with the original "iMac" Apple USB keyboard, which IMO is probably
the worst Apple keyboard ever made. The mushy feel of the keys and
their stiction if struck at any angle except directly on-axis make
using it a horrible experience for me.
As the owner of both an Apple Extended I (bought with my
SE in 1988 - the best), and
an Extended II (2nd best), I've been searching for a decent
keyboard to go with my "new" G4. I've tried to audition as many
keyboards as I can, from Macally, Kensington, Logitech, MS, etc.
The MTP [Matias Tactile Pro] has received many raves, so my
expectations for it were high.
After auditioning the Matias TP in a local store, IMO the answer
to your question would be "No - close, but no cigar." The action of
the MTP is better than most keyboards on the market now, if not
all, esp. since it uses mechanical key switches (though I don't
mind membrane keyboards), but it's no match for the AE I and
II.
It's nice, but not $100 (or $80 street) nice, and for that kind
of money I expect consistent quality throughout, which the MTP
lacks. One thing I haven't seen any reviewer point out is the
finish of the case plastics, which is fair-to-mediocre at best,
with rough edges and uneven seams. It makes one appreciate the
excellent quality of the clear plastics that Apple uses on their
products.
One could argue that the market for a $100 keyboard is scant in
today's world and that the money was better spent on the keyboard
mechanism and not the case, but I just don't think it's worth the
price premium or the hype it has received. Being the best of a
mediocre bunch does not make one king.
As the for alternatives, they do exist, but I have yet
to be able to track down a Kensington
StudioBoard Mechanical to audition. One informal review has
rated it better than MTP, except for the deviant layout of the
Return key. I'm hoping that the Kensington booth at MWSF has one on
display so that I can get some firsthand experience.
Another alternative is to keep the AE I or II with the Griffin
iMate ADB-to-USB adapter.
The current Apple USB keyboard is nice, but the crumb-catching
design (esp. around the arrow T-pad) and get-dirty-fast white keys
keep it from being ideal. Still, it's well made and not too
expensive for such a quality piece.
I appreciate Matias' effort, but their execution doesn't quite
match their claim.
my 2¢
Herm
PS. In shopping for a keyboard, it's puzzling to me why none of
the manufacturer's websites contain a good, detailed picture of the
keyboards they sell. All of them have only small, off-angle
pictures of the products, with no way to discern the layout or
contents of the keys.
Something to hide, perhaps?
"Hi Herm,
"I mostly agree with your observations, although the test Matias
'board I have is nicely finished with nothing to complain about. As
I noted in the article, the key switches are not up to the Apple
Extended Keyboard II standard.
"One 'board I have stuck with is the Macally New Wave
ADB (although there was a USB variant). It was cheap but
comfortable, and I still use it with a Grffin iMate adapter.
"For price/quality/comfort/looks, it's tough to beat the Apple Pro
Keyboard.
"Charles
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