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No backlit keyboard anymore?!?
- Thread starter truciet
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I will be disappointed if this is true.
One of the things I was afraid of is they would eliminate great features to increase battery life. Here it seems a terrible fear might have come true. I would MUCH prefer a backlit keyboard to an extra hour of battery life. But that's just MY opinion. Don't need anyone to take offense over my opinions now.
true story
I talked online with an Apple Sales Rep, and they verified that neither MBA will come with a backlit keyboard. They also verified that the 2.13 GHz would only be an option with the 256 GB option, and that the stores would only carry MBAs with 2 GB RAM (as expected).
I talked online with an Apple Sales Rep, and they verified that neither MBA will come with a backlit keyboard. They also verified that the 2.13 GHz would only be an option with the 256 GB option, and that the stores would only carry MBAs with 2 GB RAM (as expected).
One of the main reasons I switched from a MB to a MBP was to get the backlit keys as I find them very useful. I think it should be including in a product sold at this price point and if battery life is a concern then one should have the option to turn-off the Backlighting - just like MBP's do now.
However, 2 GB RAM is soldered to the board. Anyone can install the other 2 GB via one SO-DIMM notebook stick.
And it looks like it costs $35 for a 2 GB RAM stick.
I'm sure it'll make a reappearance in the revision. Especially since a strong LED wouldn't take much power. It is a fantastic feature.
How do I figure what? Says right on their page... 2 GB RAM onboard. Every time I have seen that, it means soldered to the board. Just like it was with the PowerBook everyone loved. It has one other slot which allows expansion to 4 GB via their specs.
Now, we might even be able to put a 4 GB Notebook RAM stick in the open slot. That would get it to 6 GB RAM. That would make one member here very happy. Cannot wait to try it myself.
We will not be sure of anything until iFix it rips it apart later today. However, it looks like this is the scenario to me. I will check out the manual in a little bit to see what it shows. However, I would bet on it based on what I read.
The only problem is, I want to use this MBA for at least two years. Therefore, it sucks that I will have to use one of these (look at link) instead of the wonderful backlit keyboard. I would pay $200 right now for the feature too!
http://bestofferbuy.com/Flexible-US...ource=gbase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=gbase
It is true. There is no backlight on the keyboard. And I agree with you. The thing is, they could have given us the OPTION of just turning the backlighting off if we wanted the super-maximum battery life!!!
The black keys are downright impossible to see in low light without a backlight. To remove such a great feature is classic apple 'gotcha' crap.
Yep, deal breaker for me probably. Its sometimes very difficult to read the keys in lower light. I have the BL on most of the time. And for those who say who loos at the keys when typing. I do, and I am fast at it. If you can do it the other way good for you but not important for me...
It sucks for sure. I think these EPEAT and Energy Star "standards" make this crap happen actually. Being environmentally friendly is one thing, but eliminating a great feature that probably costs pennies per 1000 hours when the LEDs are lit is ridiculous. I really would take a two-hour battery loss over loss of LED-backlit keyboard, but that's not everyone. With battery life comes compromises elsewhere far too often, and this was my fear with those wanting long-life batteries.
We lose a great feature, and we know Apple will "learn" its lesson and bring it right back next revision and get suckers like me to buy it. And I will reward Apple for its dirty trick, like a big fish.
You guys, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with battery life.
It has EVERYTHING to do with Jobs's form over function crap because he can't bear the thought of a hideous power button on the casing, so he just HAD to move it into the F-row keys, and something had to get booted. Unfortunately, it was a very useful feature that got booted for aesthetics, yet again. The biggest issue with it, is that with the current setup it won't be coming back in a later revision, unless they add a key to the F row (won't happen because then it wouldn't be "full sized"), or add it in but leave the hotkeys off which I doubt they would do. It's gone for good on the Air.
Seriously think about it--keyboard backlights are power sipping LEDs, and they effectively doubled the battery life after considering the new measurement methods; they did NOT get rid of it for battery life given they just basically doubled it.
They got rid of the backlit keyboard because Steve Jobs didn't like the power button.
It has EVERYTHING to do with Jobs's form over function crap because he can't bear the thought of a hideous power button on the casing, so he just HAD to move it into the F-row keys, and something had to get booted. Unfortunately, it was a very useful feature that got booted for aesthetics, yet again. The biggest issue with it, is that with the current setup it won't be coming back in a later revision, unless they add a key to the F row (won't happen because then it wouldn't be "full sized"), or add it in but leave the hotkeys off which I doubt they would do. It's gone for good on the Air.
Seriously think about it--keyboard backlights are power sipping LEDs, and they effectively doubled the battery life after considering the new measurement methods; they did NOT get rid of it for battery life given they just basically doubled it.
They got rid of the backlit keyboard because Steve Jobs didn't like the power button.
^ i don't think they booted backlit keys because they ran out of function keys for backlit brighness 
they could've just used the spare key and removed a function off one of the other keys. also you can just turn off the lights for battery life measurements.
but still sucks that the MBA had backlit before and now these don't.
they could've just used the spare key and removed a function off one of the other keys. also you can just turn off the lights for battery life measurements.but still sucks that the MBA had backlit before and now these don't.
^ i don't think they booted backlit keys because they ran out of function keys for backlit brighness
but still sucks that the MBA had backlit before and now these don't.
But that's just it; "could've" but "didn't".
Even if they had done the above, the net result is the same: a feature got dropped so Steve wouldn't have to cope with a hideous power button.
you actually don't need the "off" button for this function -if you tone the light all the way down the last step is "off". No need for new keyboard...
There is NO DIMM slot for you to put an extra RAM stick, its BTO ONLY. Its already been confirmed.
It's a bit unfortunate that the new MBA's lack backlit keyboards. It's a pretty useful feature, and I'd expect it on a device that is supposed to be the epiphany of portability and can be used anywhere and everywhere.
Sent to Steve Jobs... I am truly gutted with disappointment.
Dear Steve,
I have been an advocate of most things Apple, and have talked pretty much every member of my family into buying macs. *They love them, I couldn't have been happier until now.
I have just purchased my new Macbook Air 128gb HD, 2gb ram, 13" display, this is to accompany a whole fleet of apple products I won't bore you about.
I am upgrading from the *2nd gen Macbook Air which I loved.
I have been waiting for around 18 months for a new Macbook Air to be released and finally got one tonight. After setting it up and being so happy with most upgrades, little things like the power button added to the keyboard, twin USB, and larger improvements like beautiful sharp display, snappy response with the solid state drives. All good so far.
I was totally appalled when I switched of the light to watch a film via Apple TV to find that I wanted to see my keyboard in the dark... So I fumbled for where I am used to seeing the keyboard illumination buttons.. And couldn't find them... So I thought, ahhh clever apple have saved on keys and added the functionality into a settings control panel.. Nope! *On googling you have removed it the backlit keyboard... You crazy fools! *
I now sit typing this response in the dark in bed on an iPad, completely disappointed about my Macbook Air purchase, why would you remove such a key handy feature from a mac that is supposed to be everything condensed into a thin case... Why compromise!!! *You said no compromise.
I didn't even think to check and took it for granted that every feature in the previous model had would be included in a superior model...
I want to take it back and get a refund, But what would I buy instead? *I feel totally mislead and letdown by this... Sometimes it's a lovely thing to work in dim light conditions... Yes the iPad is great for that too... But I need this in a lightweight laptop also...
You should have asked anyone who had ever purchased a MacBook air like me, I am sure that they would agree it's a step backwards.
Please explain the logic here?
Regards
Lee
London, UK. *
Sent from my iPad
Dear Steve,
I have been an advocate of most things Apple, and have talked pretty much every member of my family into buying macs. *They love them, I couldn't have been happier until now.
I have just purchased my new Macbook Air 128gb HD, 2gb ram, 13" display, this is to accompany a whole fleet of apple products I won't bore you about.
I am upgrading from the *2nd gen Macbook Air which I loved.
I have been waiting for around 18 months for a new Macbook Air to be released and finally got one tonight. After setting it up and being so happy with most upgrades, little things like the power button added to the keyboard, twin USB, and larger improvements like beautiful sharp display, snappy response with the solid state drives. All good so far.
I was totally appalled when I switched of the light to watch a film via Apple TV to find that I wanted to see my keyboard in the dark... So I fumbled for where I am used to seeing the keyboard illumination buttons.. And couldn't find them... So I thought, ahhh clever apple have saved on keys and added the functionality into a settings control panel.. Nope! *On googling you have removed it the backlit keyboard... You crazy fools! *
I now sit typing this response in the dark in bed on an iPad, completely disappointed about my Macbook Air purchase, why would you remove such a key handy feature from a mac that is supposed to be everything condensed into a thin case... Why compromise!!! *You said no compromise.
I didn't even think to check and took it for granted that every feature in the previous model had would be included in a superior model...
I want to take it back and get a refund, But what would I buy instead? *I feel totally mislead and letdown by this... Sometimes it's a lovely thing to work in dim light conditions... Yes the iPad is great for that too... But I need this in a lightweight laptop also...
You should have asked anyone who had ever purchased a MacBook air like me, I am sure that they would agree it's a step backwards.
Please explain the logic here?
Regards
Lee
London, UK. *
Sent from my iPad