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Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

daskeyboard.com

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Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#21

Post by jsilence »

guylhem wrote: post #11
jaysonelliot wrote: post #7

I use an Apple Extended Keyboard: http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/m_kbdm3501.jpg It requires a rather hefty ADB to USB adapter, which ran me about fifty bucks ( http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-2001-ADB-iMate-Universal-adapt... ) but to me, it was worth it. Modern Apple keyboards look beautiful sitting in a pristine environment, but the lack of key travel, too-flat form factor, and decent spacing makes typing…

If I may, I suggest you try the USB version - Apple USB keyboard - http://www.amazon.com/Apple-109-Key-Version-Keyboard-1003199... Very similar layout, with a smaller form factor, non mechanical but to me it feels just as good, and it features an USB hub. My preferred keyboard at home and at work, along with some ControllerMate magic to turn the Help key into something more useful. PS: it also has a delete (Ctrl-D) k…

I used to like these, but after a while the keypress resistance becomes bigger and bigger. Mechanical quality is not as good as one would think it is from first impression.

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#22

Post by swombat »

gchpaco wrote: post #18
astrodust wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about that. The current Apple keyboards are fantastic once you get used to them. My only complaint is that the caps wear down slightly faster than other keyboards because the plastic flakes off more easily under heavy wear. If you're a mechanical nut, you still have the Matias Tactile Pro ( http://matias.ca/tactilepro3/index.php ) which has the added bonus of not just the proper keycaps, but the indicato…

I cannot deal with the action on the "new" Apple keyboards. It's like typing on a pane of glass, it hurts like hell because you have to press the key to nearly its fullest extension to actuate it, and then your finger comes to an abrupt halt. They could be the very best scissor type keyboards ever made and I still couldn't use them for long without getting shooting pains.

You barely need to press the keys though... I guess everyone has their own tastes, but I find the modern Apple keyboards to be the best keyboards I've ever used. The low key travel and resistance means I apply much less strength than I would on a normal keyboard, which makes it much lighter to type on.

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#23

Post by lloeki »

resnamen wrote: post #15
guylhem wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well there is an option for Fx keys as Fx keys instead of shortcuts in Preferences.app But this keyboard, even if it supposedly designed for the mac, won't get my money: - weird FN keys where the right control stands, instead of the leftmost part like on most laptops (including macbooks) - eject key way too close to backspace. (really, what could go wrong especially where the delete key is - and while the mac can use…

I can see there being a market. My mom buys all her crap if and only if it says "Mac compatible" on the box. I remind her that it's all the same hardware standards these days, but the persecution complex that was ingrained in her from the bad old 1990s--countless ADB input devices, a IIsi with its own flavor of NuBus, and then later a couple awful Performas with funky PDS slots--she's just used to assuming that hardw…

> My mom buys all her crap if and only if it says "Mac compatible" on the box. I remind her that it's all the same hardware standards these days

Indeed in most cases, but keyboards are something else entirely. If you regularly switch between a MacBook keyboard and a workstation (be it PC or Mac) it's a pain to have the layout, spacing and position being almost the same save for a bunch of keys that bite you back hard. Especially on non-US layouts (precisely, french).

That's why I strive to use mac-layout keyboards even on PCs. And really, while the US mac layout is quite close to the PC one, the french ones are significantly different, and the Mac one simply makes more sense. Ironically it's extremely hard to find non-Apple non-US Mac layout keyboard.

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#24

Post by jamesaguilar »

FYI, you also have the option of using the standard Das, and just switching the Alt and Command keys in the Apple keyboard settings dialog (under special keys). It is really easy to use a PC keyboard with a Mac seamlessly. Wish the same was true of the other way around.

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#25

Post by yongshin »

Why would somebody buy this? It just sounds like a step backwards in keyboard design to make keyboards that contribute to noise pollution. I hope Apple does produce more ergonomic keyboards in the future. In my honest opinion the Microsoft Natural Keyboard is probably the best Keyboard created thus far and I have yet to see anyone innovate any further since it was released 10 years ago: http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-A11-00337-Natural-Keyboard-E...

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#26

Post by jrockway »

jseliger wrote: post #2

1) Their "regular" keyboards work just fine with Macs (see the link in 2) for more; 2) The Das Keyboard is nice but still not as good as Model M / Unicomp SpaceSaver: http://jseliger.com/2009/11/01/product-review-das-keyboard/ . I used the review copy with an iMac. 3) Virtually any mechanical keyboard is a HUGE improvement on the default keyboards that most manufacturers ship.

Keep in mind that the Das and Model M are vastly different keyboards. The Model M switches require a bone-crushing 80g to activate the switches, while the Cherry switches are in the 50g range. Compare this to the 30g activation pressure on a Topre Realforce's pinky keys.

(Yes, I know that key activation pressure is measured in newtons, not grams, but since we're all on Earth here, we can deal :)

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#27

Post by jrockway »

swombat wrote: post #22
gchpaco wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cannot deal with the action on the "new" Apple keyboards. It's like typing on a pane of glass, it hurts like hell because you have to press the key to nearly its fullest extension to actuate it, and then your finger comes to an abrupt halt. They could be the very best scissor type keyboards ever made and I still couldn't use them for long without getting shooting pains.

You barely need to press the keys though... I guess everyone has their own tastes, but I find the modern Apple keyboards to be the best keyboards I've ever used. The low key travel and resistance means I apply much less strength than I would on a normal keyboard, which makes it much lighter to type on.

If you're trained to touch-type on cherry or topre keyswitches, you're not going to be able to use a non-mechanical keyboard. The muscle action is just different; you're using your muscles to slow your fingers at the bottom of each keystroke rather than applying the energy all at once to your desk. This honestly doesn't make much difference to me, but I know many people who are more sensitive that do notice the difference. To each, his own.

(Analogy: punch the wall as hard as you possibly can. Then do the same action, but slow your fist down as quickly as possible so that it doesn't hit the wall. That's the difference between membrane keyboards and Cherry/Topre/IBM keyboards.)

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#28

Post by thought_alarm »

jaysonelliot wrote: post #7

I use an Apple Extended Keyboard: http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/m_kbdm3501.jpg It requires a rather hefty ADB to USB adapter, which ran me about fifty bucks ( http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-2001-ADB-iMate-Universal-adapt... ) but to me, it was worth it. Modern Apple keyboards look beautiful sitting in a pristine environment, but the lack of key travel, too-flat form factor, and decent spacing makes typing…

I also use an original Apple Extended Keyboard. Mine features a surprisingly simple hardware hack to convert the mechanical Caps Lock into a Control key.

One feature of this keyboard that I unfortunately discovered by accident is that the Command+Control+Power keystroke does a hard reboot on modern Macs, just as it did on the old Mac SE and Apple IIgs.

Re: Das Keyboard now pre-ordering Mac version of their mechanical keyboard

#30

Post by dekz »

guylhem wrote: post #11
jaysonelliot wrote: post #7

I use an Apple Extended Keyboard: http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/m_kbdm3501.jpg It requires a rather hefty ADB to USB adapter, which ran me about fifty bucks ( http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-2001-ADB-iMate-Universal-adapt... ) but to me, it was worth it. Modern Apple keyboards look beautiful sitting in a pristine environment, but the lack of key travel, too-flat form factor, and decent spacing makes typing…

If I may, I suggest you try the USB version - Apple USB keyboard - http://www.amazon.com/Apple-109-Key-Version-Keyboard-1003199... Very similar layout, with a smaller form factor, non mechanical but to me it feels just as good, and it features an USB hub. My preferred keyboard at home and at work, along with some ControllerMate magic to turn the Help key into something more useful. PS: it also has a delete (Ctrl-D) k…

Found one of these at work that was being unused, the only criticism I have it the fact I often feel the need to clean it as dirt and hair on white is extremely visible. And with the transparent sides you can see every minuscule particle.
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