Aluminum Matias Wired Aluminum Keyboard For Mac
The Matias Wired Aluminum Keyboard is compatible with Mac OS X all the way back to version 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). If you’re running legacy software on older systems, this can be. The Matias RGB Backlit Wired Aluminum Keyboard for Mac is available in Space Gray or Silver directly from Matias at matias.ca and will set you back $99.
Turning the dial all the way to the left or right turns the backlight white, while moving in between cycles through the full RGB color spectrum. Notice the color wheel located at the top of the keyboard (PC version shown) Matias has also wisely designed the keyboard to reduce blue hues as you move away from 100% white. As you dial the keyboard back from hard left or hard right, the keyboard’s RGB system will preferentially reduce the blue component first, resulting in softer whites that research has suggested may be more conducive to sleep. As you would expect, brightness control can also be adjusted from the keyboard, with 10% brightness increments. Matias has included a mechanism for adjusting the backlight level directly by holding the –/+ backlight key, then pressing a number (1 = 10%, 2 = 20%, and so on). And just in case you’re all about wires in your working environment, Matias has included a USB 2.0 port on the side of the keyboard for connecting a wired mouse. There are also Mac-centric keys for functions like Control, Command, Option, Mission Control, etc.
(Same price.). Silver version In action on my desk.
Then we can do something to rectify the problem.
The Matias RGB Backlit Wired Aluminum Keyboard for Mac will be available for order in February. If you’d rather go the wireless route, you can. The space gray version makes a particularly appealing alternative to Apple’s space gray Magic Keyboard, which is. There’s even a, which is something that Apple’s own wireless keyboards don’t have. Certainly, wired keyboards have distinct advantages over wireless keyboards. They never need to be charged, and you never have to worry about pairing.
Beautiful aluminum + R G B backlight. It’s the keyboard many have wanted, but Apple never made — a wired RGB backlit keyboard, in beautiful aluminum ( Silver or Space Gray). Typing is tactile & responsive. With a generous 2mm of key travel, typing feels as tactile and responsive as any of the best laptop keyboards. Spectrum Color Dial. The Color Dial gives you a continuous spectrum of colors, by simply turning the dial.
John Kheit’s (partial) Keyboard Junk Drawer The Good If I had to guess, Matias found the company that makes Apple’s keyboards, because it feels and looks like an Apple keyboard. The aluminum is the same grade of aluminum as an Apple keyboard.
16 levels for the volume keys — 4x more precise. Mac-friendly function keys. Just like an Apple keyboard, the function keys let you control screen brightness, volume, iTunes, and more.
Nightly whites. Too much Blue-light exposure at night to negatively impact your melatonin levels.
Unlike some keyboards that try to straddle with the Windows world, this keyboard works identically to the Apple keyboard it replaces. The eject key, no longer needed, is replaced by a key that controls the backlighting. I was pleased that,, it honored my F13 and F14 key assignments the moment I plugged it in. I found the key resistivity just little softer than its Apple equivalent. I like that feel. It’s just a smidge less tiring. The backlighting is drop-dead gorgeous.
This may soften a bit with use, but be prepared to use a touch more force to hit the keys. But it’s really not bad at all. It’s about the same stiffness as the keyboards you might find in a 2011 MacBook Pro, so well within Apple-ish thresholds. The keyboard also seems to instantly connect to the Mac as soon as you touch any of its keys. Many bluetooth keyboards, when they go to sleep to save battery life, become unresponsive with the first few keys you depress. Such keyboards, in effect, don’t register your first few key presses as they wake. Other keyboards will take a while to wake, but will buffer your key presses and still eventually unleash what you typed—a lesser evil.
• USB 2 connection to computer. (USB-A plug) • Variable brightness backlighting for all keys. • Color control of backlighting (managed with a physical wheel). Shareware and freeware downloads.
It still uses the classic scissor mechanism for the keys which, if done right, still makes for a pleasing feel. [] An essential consideration here is Apple’s penchant for elimination of wires versus the convenience and reliability of a wired connection. Personally, I don’t like to fuss with broken Bluetooth connections and dead batteries when I’m working against a deadline. A USB connection is always there, especially when troubleshooting. And so I was sad to see Apple discontinue the wired version of this keyboard.
There are also Mac-centric keys for functions like Control, Command, Option, Mission Control, etc. If you’re a PC user, Matias makes a PC version of its RGB Wired Aluminum Keyboard with PC-centric key caps. The Matias RGB Backlit Wired Aluminum Keyboard for Mac will be available for order in February. If you’d rather go the wireless route, you can.
Sure Apple could have put in a bigger battery in their Magic Keyboard, but why would Apple bother to do anything you might find useful, like spend $0.50 more and put in a larger rechargeable battery in their devices. They’re busy putting out, expensive,. These are busy people. The keyboard action and feel is very Apple-like, however, it is a touch stiffer than Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
There’s even an Fn key, that lets you momentarily change the function keys back to their traditional duties, when you need them. Legacy Mac OS support. The Matias Wired Aluminum Keyboard is compatible with Mac OS X all the way back to version 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). If you’re running legacy software on older systems, this can be a lifesaver.
Not to discount the validity of the articles opinion, but it amazes me that so many people are unaware of the fact that the Apple Magic Keyboard w/ Numeric Pad is intentionally designed to be used both wirelessly AND wired. That lightning cable that comes in the box?