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Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

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Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#91

Post by radoslawc »

They will fix it eventually in their own way, as almost always after losing class action lawsuit they release info saying 'some keyboards' and 'in specific conditions', for 'some users' and so on. Then replacement will be $175. But who else to say it better as my favourite Apple basher Louis Rossman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUaJ8pDlxi8 (see description below video if you want tl;dr)

Many people report X1 to be great MBP replacement (I have mid 2014 MBP 13" retina - couldn't be happier and 2017 MBP 15" with s*it strip - well keyboard is awful as well as this touch strip) and from using X1 for a week and from input from people @ work those are not that great either. First of all fan noise and it's rpms it's very annoying, screen quality and resolution (after using MBP with retina) is just horrible, touchpad is just rudimentary - works but can be better.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#92

Post by greglindahl »

txcwpalpha wrote: post #26
greglindahl wrote: post #10

I have the 12" MacBook, so it's the v1 keyboard, and after I got used to it, I was OK with it.

I'm not exactly sure which "issues" the OP is talking about, but one of the biggest issues isn't just "getting used to" the new keyboard, but the fact that the new keyboard breaks so easily and then costs so much to replace. At that point it doesn't matter how much you like the new style of keyboard, because if your S key is broken, the keyboard is practically unusable. I have a v2 butterfly keyboard and I actually d…

Breakage applies to a subset of users. Everyone has to get used to typing on it. Typing on it was the issue I was referring to.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#96

Post by zaroth »

nine_k wrote: post #27
zaroth wrote: post #16

Well when the internals don’t provide meaningful productivity differentiation for 90% of users for the last about 6-8 years now, and the MacBook Air design circa 2012 is virtually indestructible, how else are they going to get their users to upgrade machines every 2-3 years if not for shitty keyboard redesigns?

The glued-in battery (not endemic to Apple) genuinely wears down and forces people to upgrade. Not in 2-3 years, though.

Takes about 10 minutes to replace. I’ve done it and it was surprisingly easy.

There is no glue on my 2012 model.

https://youtu.be/uOJKy7xVpIY?t=105

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#97

Post by mamcx »

slouch wrote: post #32

I bought a 2015 refurb instead of a new macbook because of the keyboard issues. It'll get me over this issue and into 2020, I believe.

I'm hit with the not support of mojave with my 2011 iMac, and all the options now are bad, and cost a LOT for me (specially because SSD upgrades cost so much).

The ironic bit is that old machines are almost as costly as new ones...

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#98

Post by pier25 »

The keyboard is one problem, but there are others.

My secondary machine, a 2014 13'' retina MBP, started having battery problems. Went to an official repair service (Apple does not fix stuff here in Mexico). To replace the battery I would have to replace the whole top panel of the machine (keyboard, trackpad, etc) which costs like $600 USD. Apple would in turn buy the piece removed from my computer and lower what I had to pay to $350 USD.

$350 to replace a battery is still ridiculous, specially considering that it's the first piece to degrade on a laptop.

Since I don't depend much on that laptop I will live with a bad battery as long as I can. In a year or two I will reconsider my options.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#99

Post by sofaofthedamned »

zerr wrote: post #61
rodwyer wrote: post #11

I got sick of it myself and switched to a Lenovo X1 Carbon. Comparison here: http://blog.richard.do/index.php/2018/05/2018-macbook-pro-vs...

How does Dell XPS compare to Lenovo?

Had both, pretty similar. Better keyboard on X1 Carbon, nicer form-factor on XPS 13, better camera placement on X1 (but I don't use it, so...), X1 is just better. This is using Fedora, you need a later kernel for both of them (4.17+) to stop bad things happening.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone know if Apple plans to address the MacBook keyboard issue?

#100

Post by sofaofthedamned »

cgh wrote: post #93
tonyedgecombe wrote: post #7

My guess is the touch bar along with haptic feedback is going to replace the whole keyboard.

You mean like the Atari 400? http://oldcomputers.net/atari400.html On the plus side, very easy to clean.

Thanks for the memories! I hated that keyboard, but the one on the 600XL even though it was full-travel was arguably worse.
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