4 ms·

Hm. At some level, this would be great, particularly for fluidly switching among keyboards across many languages, or even for particular games or applications

Hm. At some level, this would be great, particularly for fluidly switching among keyboards across many languages, or even for particular games or applications (remapping the keys to functions which are nicely labeled). But it would need to get the haptic cues right, such that touch-typing remains possible and enjoyable. One side bonus is that presumably, your keyboard would now be covered in a continuous non-permeable sheet. Combined with haptic touchpads, we're edging closer and closer to a more water-resistant laptop.

swombat 8y ago
That's already achieved with the iPad Pro Keyboard case keyboard. If they wanted to make water-resistant Macbooks today they could (or at least the keyboard is not the main block).
Eric_WVGG 8y ago
Let's give them the benefit of the doubt for a moment: the faux button on the trackpad is absolutely magical, superior in every way to a physical button. So imagine that the "glass" of the new keyboard had physical ridges for the gutters between the keys, and then adjustable sensitivity for the force "clicks"… I could get into this. The lack of moving parts would provvide greater long-time durability, and make water damage a distant memory. btw, see that double-vv above? Guess who's keyboard is failing for a second time? Yes, I, like many others, wouldn't mind a return to the older keyboard, but I'm also not afraid of the future. If that trackpad button is possible, I am confident that we'll see a faux keyboard of this quality at some point in my lifetime.
- throwaway98121 8y ago
  I don’t see how a glass screen, no matter how amazing it feels, would be better than a keyboard. Of course, any judgement I pass is far too premature and a tad unfair since it’s just a patent and I haven’t tried out the product that uses the patent. I do think that Apple is seemingly out of ideas. I’d be happy to buy a MacBook if they fixed the problems since 2016.
  - coldtea 8y ago
    >I don’t see how a glass screen, no matter how amazing it feels, would be better than a keyboard. 2007 called, it wants its arguments back -- for those were the same arguments made in favor of Blackberry and other crappy experiences compared to today's touch smartphones.
    - frosted-flakes 8y ago
      Except modern BlackBerrys provide a far more enjoyable and accurate experience than typing on glass. It's not necessarily faster, but nicer. And you even get gesture support for stuff like adding suggestions and moving the cursors around. Modern BlackBerrys run Android.
      - coldtea 8y ago
        And all 10 people prefer that "more enjoyable experience", so it makes one wonder, more enjoyable to whom?
        frosted-flakes 8y ago
        I've never understood this attitude toward BlackBerry. Not that I really care, but you'd think more people would rather have more choice, than less. It's true that BlackBerry the company was unsuccessful at selling phones since its heyday many years ago, but they're not in that business anymore, and haven't been for years. These days, they license the BlackBerry brand and patents to companies like TCL, who've been relatively successful with phones like the KeyOne and Key2. Just because BlackBerrys (BlackBerries?) form an almost insignificant share of Android devices doesn't mean they're not good.
    - throwaway98121 8y ago
      A glass screen on a laptop is worlds different than on a pocket sized device, where the tiny keys were arguably something to improve. If I can already type 90 words a minute, what problem does the glass solve? I have a glass screen on my iPad, and I never type on the screen keyboard for serious work. I’ll give Apple the benefit of the doubt and wait to see this in the final product, but your comparison to 2007 is grossly inaccurate. Apple has yet to put out a device in the post Jobs era that made me feel like I have to have this thing in my life.
- Corrado 8y ago
  I completely agree about the trackpad - it is absolutely magical, and every time I use mine I don't even think about the button press not being "real". What I could see them doing is having a glass substrate be the actual keyboard, with haptic feedback, but overlay a plastic keyboard "structure". Kinda like those keyboard overlays that they sell for iPads that allow you to type on the screen faster and more easily. This would give you the best of both worlds - a completely sealed keyboard (no more crumbs) and the ability to touch type (sorta).
diffeomorphism 8y ago
There already are actual keyboards with oled displays on the keys. Also, many business laptops (e.g. thinkpads) are already spill-proof. I don't see how the proposal here is not strictly worse than what is currently available.

swombat 8y ago

That's already achieved with the iPad Pro Keyboard case keyboard. If they wanted to make water-resistant Macbooks today they could (or at least the keyboard is not the main block).

Eric_WVGG 8y ago

Let's give them the benefit of the doubt for a moment: the faux button on the trackpad is absolutely magical, superior in every way to a physical button. So imagine that the "glass" of the new keyboard had physical ridges for the gutters between the keys, and then adjustable sensitivity for the force "clicks"… I could get into this. The lack of moving parts would provvide greater long-time durability, and make water damage a distant memory. btw, see that double-vv above? Guess who's keyboard is failing for a second time? Yes, I, like many others, wouldn't mind a return to the older keyboard, but I'm also not afraid of the future. If that trackpad button is possible, I am confident that we'll see a faux keyboard of this quality at some point in my lifetime.

throwaway98121 8y ago
I don’t see how a glass screen, no matter how amazing it feels, would be better than a keyboard. Of course, any judgement I pass is far too premature and a tad unfair since it’s just a patent and I haven’t tried out the product that uses the patent. I do think that Apple is seemingly out of ideas. I’d be happy to buy a MacBook if they fixed the problems since 2016.
- coldtea 8y ago
  >I don’t see how a glass screen, no matter how amazing it feels, would be better than a keyboard. 2007 called, it wants its arguments back -- for those were the same arguments made in favor of Blackberry and other crappy experiences compared to today's touch smartphones.
  - frosted-flakes 8y ago
    Except modern BlackBerrys provide a far more enjoyable and accurate experience than typing on glass. It's not necessarily faster, but nicer. And you even get gesture support for stuff like adding suggestions and moving the cursors around. Modern BlackBerrys run Android.
    - coldtea 8y ago
      And all 10 people prefer that "more enjoyable experience", so it makes one wonder, more enjoyable to whom?
      - frosted-flakes 8y ago
        I've never understood this attitude toward BlackBerry. Not that I really care, but you'd think more people would rather have more choice, than less. It's true that BlackBerry the company was unsuccessful at selling phones since its heyday many years ago, but they're not in that business anymore, and haven't been for years. These days, they license the BlackBerry brand and patents to companies like TCL, who've been relatively successful with phones like the KeyOne and Key2. Just because BlackBerrys (BlackBerries?) form an almost insignificant share of Android devices doesn't mean they're not good.
  - throwaway98121 8y ago
    A glass screen on a laptop is worlds different than on a pocket sized device, where the tiny keys were arguably something to improve. If I can already type 90 words a minute, what problem does the glass solve? I have a glass screen on my iPad, and I never type on the screen keyboard for serious work. I’ll give Apple the benefit of the doubt and wait to see this in the final product, but your comparison to 2007 is grossly inaccurate. Apple has yet to put out a device in the post Jobs era that made me feel like I have to have this thing in my life.
Corrado 8y ago
I completely agree about the trackpad - it is absolutely magical, and every time I use mine I don't even think about the button press not being "real". What I could see them doing is having a glass substrate be the actual keyboard, with haptic feedback, but overlay a plastic keyboard "structure". Kinda like those keyboard overlays that they sell for iPads that allow you to type on the screen faster and more easily. This would give you the best of both worlds - a completely sealed keyboard (no more crumbs) and the ability to touch type (sorta).

diffeomorphism 8y ago

There already are actual keyboards with oled displays on the keys. Also, many business laptops (e.g. thinkpads) are already spill-proof. I don't see how the proposal here is not strictly worse than what is currently available.