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Why no backlit keyboard
- Thread starter jw3571
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Apples greed grows stronger by the day. A backlit keyboard would have been appreciated by many, but reduced Apples profit.
Result? No contest. Apple prevails. Always.
The Apple supporters will even advocate for Apple over themselves. So cult like, it's disturbing.
Result? No contest. Apple prevails. Always.
The Apple supporters will even advocate for Apple over themselves. So cult like, it's disturbing.
To me it is just a coolness factor as you say. I can type without looking at the keyboard so the backlit keyboard did very little for me and I haven't missed it one bit. The only place I find it remotely useful is with the function keys, but it's not like I use them that often. The only laptop I ever had backlit keys was on my MBP and I've managed to work on laptops for 11+ years.
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (iPhone; Opera Mini/5.0.019802/22.387; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)
I can touchtype and never had a backlit keyboard. Still, I hate it when Apple downgrades a product by removing a feature from the next revision, and one which many rely on. It happened with the MacBooks when the unibody MBPs were introduced. But since the 13" MBP is cheaper, not sure what Apple gains by forcing MBA users to consider the MBP instead.
I can touchtype and never had a backlit keyboard. Still, I hate it when Apple downgrades a product by removing a feature from the next revision, and one which many rely on. It happened with the MacBooks when the unibody MBPs were introduced. But since the 13" MBP is cheaper, not sure what Apple gains by forcing MBA users to consider the MBP instead.
Yes, I guess they wanted to keep the 11' under 1000 $/ and also having no backlit keyboard saves the battery.
I wonder if it was a tradeoff feature. Did the choice of the new speaker system get in the way of backlit keyboards? Perhaps. While the new speakers do sound pretty awesome, I think for the precise purpose of the Air, the backlit keyboard would probably be the better choice. People don't normally buy an ultra-portable for the sound coming from the speakers. In fact, they usually expect less than stellar sound so that good sound needs to come from the headphone jack as they'll more likely use these things in places where you keep your sound to yourself.
Steve knows the only reason you bought a MBA is that you wanted to watch porn, and so the keyboard was of no concern. If you want to do real work, like checking your facebook and then telling your bff "OH MY GOD! LOOK AT THIS!" you can do that on your iPhone.
-Sent from my massive Sony laptop that has a backlit keyboard.
-Sent from my massive Sony laptop that has a backlit keyboard.
Probably not. Backlights on the Apple products are using LEDs. They consume very low power to operate and also constantly run cool, always. I have enough of those installed around my house to know how they always remain cool to the touch, even while lighting a room.
SSDs are not cheap. Stevie boy wanted to make the Airs really slim and trim and cool -- and cheap. Some things had to go. It is not just just the backlit keyboard, but other little things like sleep indicator LED, battery indicator LED, iSight camera, Firewire, SD slot on 11", iSight camera had to go.
Nothing comes for free
Nothing comes for free
iSight camera? But they do have a camera on them. Firewire was never on the Macbook Air. The only thing previously on the Airs that isn't anymore is the Backlit keyboard and perhaps the battery indicator. The new ones added a 2nd USB port, and the 13" adds the new SDcard slot, for the first time on an Air.
However, the new Airs offer a new more robust stereo sound system built underneath the keyboard. Which offers built-in spacial stereo sound. A vast improvement over all of last year's unibody models that were smaller than the 15" MBP.
The loss of the sleep light may have been a space decision, as well as a necessity decision. There's no purpose to have a sleep indicator when the machine has no moving parts. The real purpose people used the sleep indicator was to tell when it was safe to pick up and freely move the laptop. Only then were you sure that the internal drives were shut down. Now, you can pick up the unit anytime you want and hold it at any angle without wait, sleep, or shut down.
Though I think if the decision was between better sound and backlit keyboard, I think they probably should've went with the keyboard. I think that's more important to the traveller. However, if they are seeing this as something to eventually replace the regular Macbook line, maybe I can see the reasoning. I think it's too early for that. This is still the *traveller's* machine. While a lack of backlit keyboard is doable, it is a nice convenience for dark airplane rides. Rides where you definitely don't share what you're listening to via loud speakers.
However, the new Airs offer a new more robust stereo sound system built underneath the keyboard. Which offers built-in spacial stereo sound. A vast improvement over all of last year's unibody models that were smaller than the 15" MBP.
The loss of the sleep light may have been a space decision, as well as a necessity decision. There's no purpose to have a sleep indicator when the machine has no moving parts. The real purpose people used the sleep indicator was to tell when it was safe to pick up and freely move the laptop. Only then were you sure that the internal drives were shut down. Now, you can pick up the unit anytime you want and hold it at any angle without wait, sleep, or shut down.
Though I think if the decision was between better sound and backlit keyboard, I think they probably should've went with the keyboard. I think that's more important to the traveller. However, if they are seeing this as something to eventually replace the regular Macbook line, maybe I can see the reasoning. I think it's too early for that. This is still the *traveller's* machine. While a lack of backlit keyboard is doable, it is a nice convenience for dark airplane rides. Rides where you definitely don't share what you're listening to via loud speakers.
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The new camera is called the "FaceTime" camera and is lower resolution and image quality. I'm not much comparing the new Airs to the old Airs as to the MBPs which are generally move expensive. Although the MBP 13" refurbs are cheaper than the MBA 13" even with aftermarket RAM and SSD upgrades.
Well, of course. But the point of the topic really was to compare the new airs to the old airs. The old Airs had backlit keyboards. The differences are obvious when you compare the Air to the Macbook Pro line. Nobody will argue that, nor is it a surprise. I just have my doubts that backlight had anything to do with cost. I also figured, if they could put in those great speakers behind the keyboard, they could also have put the backlighting there.
Learn how to type?
Exactly. Just learn to type. I haven't looked at my keyboard while typing since 1992.
This is the 99th thread on Apple's elimination of the backlit keyboard feature from the new MBAs. Well, it feels like the 99th. Those of you who had grown to depend on the backlit keyboards on your old MBAs and MBPs justifiably felt betrayed when Apple didn't include it in the new generation of MBAs. On the other hand, those of us who didn't use the backlit keyboard feature simply didn't care. Neither position is right or wrong so what else is there to say?
Says the guy with a 2010 15" MBP, 27" Apple Cinema Display and an iPhone 4. Oh the irony in your post and your forum name.
While I've been spoiled by my last two backlit keyboard on my MacBook Pros (2.0 Ghz model and unibody 2.66Ghz), I think the minimalist idea of the MacBook Air - especially the 11" model - was to create something slim, light and decent battery life.
Not that I would mind it on there someday.
Not that I would mind it on there someday.
Its scary how the MacBook Pros are the only Apple computers with backlit keyboards anymore... They'd better not get rid of them