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Light up keyboard on the new air?
- Thread starter exileskimer
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I hear the new MBA has keys which are coated with phosphorescent material which causes the keys to glow in the dark.
This subject has been done to death.
Apple unlikely to put new keyboards on the current rev MBA, so don't get your hopes up about a sparkly backlit jobby.
I mean, I wouldn't write it off completely.
I think it all depends on why it wasn't included in the first place. If it was a space concern (I have no idea how thick a backlit keyboard is compared to the normal ones they use), then yeah, it's probably not coming back. But if it had to do with power requirements, I'd say there's a decent chance. With the upcoming MBAs, the power used by an i5 or i7 will be less than that used by a C2D/320 combination (more than likely). But then there's a third reason, and that's that Apple nixed it to differentiate the MBA from the MBP (backlit keyboard = pro feature?), and that it had nothing to do with space or power requirements. We'll see in the upcoming weeks, I guess.
I think it all depends on why it wasn't included in the first place. If it was a space concern (I have no idea how thick a backlit keyboard is compared to the normal ones they use), then yeah, it's probably not coming back. But if it had to do with power requirements, I'd say there's a decent chance. With the upcoming MBAs, the power used by an i5 or i7 will be less than that used by a C2D/320 combination (more than likely). But then there's a third reason, and that's that Apple nixed it to differentiate the MBA from the MBP (backlit keyboard = pro feature?), and that it had nothing to do with space or power requirements. We'll see in the upcoming weeks, I guess.
I miss the light up keyboard more than I thought I would. Have a 15" MBP and an 11" MBA, and while I don't look at the keys when I type, the light up keys are pretty darn nice to have. I didn't think it would matter one bit, but it does. Still not a deal breaker though, as I wouldn't upgrade just for light up keys. Not planning to upgrade for anything. This one will last me a couple of years for sure.
my guess the new airs will follow the pros
* new processors
* thunderbolt
that is it until they are totally updated.
I am sure they know users like the lit keyboard but eliminated it for batter life reasons. Maybe (hopefully) it will come back and users can control it. It would be nice if they would get a little more memory too!
I will wait for the new MBA + Lion installed for my own computer.
I bet refurbs do not qualify for the free ipod? Maybe that is why there was a price reduction on them.
* new processors
* thunderbolt
that is it until they are totally updated.
I am sure they know users like the lit keyboard but eliminated it for batter life reasons. Maybe (hopefully) it will come back and users can control it. It would be nice if they would get a little more memory too!
I will wait for the new MBA + Lion installed for my own computer.
I bet refurbs do not qualify for the free ipod? Maybe that is why there was a price reduction on them.
I'm not sure I understand why people still treat this as an issue. People all over these boards and other places have been saying that a backlit keyboard is the ONLY thing stopping them from buying a MacBook Air right now. Is it really that much of an issue. I've never had a backlit keyboard so I guess I don't know what I'm missing but it really is just a luxury feature. Personally the screen on my MacBook is bright enough for me to find the nubs on the homerow keys. Did we stop teaching keyboarding in middle school now? If a tiny little luxury feature is all that is stopping you from buying an expensive macbook air, and none of the other features are an issue you should probably, A) stop whining about it and just buy a computer, or B) go buy a pro that has better specs than the air and is still a pretty light computer that has your precious backlit keyboard.
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People mostly complain about it because it used to be a feature, and now it's not.
Here here! Its like a broken record, and also makes this forum a little bit pointless when people don't search to find the hundreds of threads already started about the same old topic.
maybe if it gets said enough apple will listen. i mean probably not, but we can hope
I hear you, but perhaps writing a letter to SJ might be more useful, i'm sure if he received hundreds of letters in the post requesting the return of the BLK on the new MBA then he'd be more likely to sit up and take notice.
For the rest of us (and no offence intended to you) that really don't care, we have to sift through the hundreds of pointless threads of people whinging about it on a daily basis.
For someone who really doesn't care, I'm feeling some love from you.
The BLK on the MBA would be a compelling feature for me to consider it over others on my next laptop purchase.
I don't understand why every keyboard is not backlit. I couldn't live without it.
But then, I am sitting in the dark.
But then, I am sitting in the dark.
This. As a MBA since the beginning, it's hugely disappointing that it's been dropped. Hopefully it returns.
This too.
We don't all work in huge brightly-lit offices. And if we did - the glossy screen on the MBA would also bug the ***** outta me - more than it already does.
I agree. Hence the link in my Sig. If enough people complain, Apple will hopefully do something.
As of my post - you've posted/replied 3 times on this thread already. If you are so frustrated with having to "sift through the hundreds of pointless threads", why not ignore them, rather than posting in them to tell us all how pointless our concerns are?
As of my post - you've posted/replied 3 times on this thread already. If you are so frustrated with having to "sift through the hundreds of pointless threads", why not ignore them, rather than posting in them to tell us all how pointless our concerns are?
Guess I was hoping people might take note on how to use a forum, clearly not everybody has.
Samsung 9 series, which is thinner than the MBA, manages to have a Core i5 processor and a backlit keyboard. Time to switch back to Windoze?!
You may be joking, but it's a nice little machine!Samsung 9 series, which is thinner than the MBA, manages to have a Core i5 processor and a backlit keyboard. Time to switch back to Windoze?!
And if that many people can touch type, then why not just remove it from the MBP. I mean, they should all be able to touch type, right?
I can touch type. A lot of people can. The backlit keyboard is definitely more useful for the Fn keys than it is for the alphabet keys. But backlighting only 1 row would be silly.
Count me in the "would love to see the BLK return in the next Air" group
I can touch type. A lot of people can. The backlit keyboard is definitely more useful for the Fn keys than it is for the alphabet keys. But backlighting only 1 row would be silly.
Count me in the "would love to see the BLK return in the next Air" group
Wait, you mean to say that there are keys on the keyboard other than the usual memorized letters and punctuation?
It's amazing how many people gloss over that point and make jokes about learning to type. I can type just fine, but trying to find the lesser used keys can be a pain in low light, especially when you use a few different keyboards throughout the week.
While it is nice to have my backlit keyboard, and I would prefer to have it, I don't think it would be a deal breaker if a computer I was looking at didn't have it. I don't see it coming back though, since the original had it, then it went away.
the white macbook doesn't have backlit keyboard either so it's probably a pro feature.
then again that one had white keys, no need to light them up. that seems smarter than black keys and using your battery to see them :S