Apple e-ink "magic" keyboard

[esammann]

Well, I just posted about the secondary touch screen on the next MacBook Pro but I actually got to that article while reading about the rumored e-ink magic keyboard that they might introduce later on.

 

http://bgr.com/2016/10/12/macbook-pro-2016-rumors-magic-keyboard-2/

 

I guess I found the secondary touch screen more interesting....  I suppose I don't fully understand the usefulness of an e-ink keyboard.  Maybe it will reduce their sku's if they want to have one keyboard work for multiple languages.  Also, people that work with multiple languages only need one keyboard.  My guess is that is a small percentage of the American population though.  I work with Germans and they work with a lot of languages frequently, so I could see it being a nice feature for them.  

[Shiv78]

I can see a LOT of usage for this! Creative professionals love their Macs, and having keys that can take on shortcut icons in Photoshop and video editing programs would be great.

[WkdPaul]

oops, locked by accident, sorry about that!

[esammann]

8 minutes ago, Shiv78 said:

I can see a LOT of usage for this! Creative professionals love their Macs, and having keys that can take on shortcut icons in Photoshop and video editing programs would be great.

That could be true.  I don't use PhotoShop so I really don't know much about it, but I can imagine that could be helpful.  It also might be helpful for RPG games, although I don't think Mac's are really know for their gaming capabilities.

[LAwLz]

Reminds me of the Optimus Maximus, except the Optimus Maximus was way cooler (OLED and cherry switches) but probably more expensive (1800 dollars at launch).

 

 

[Misanthrope]

41 minutes ago, Shiv78 said:

I can see a LOT of usage for this! Creative professionals love their Macs, and having keys that can take on shortcut icons in Photoshop and video editing programs would be great.

True...then again you could just use some stickers or something.

[NinerL]

I hope we see it in this years Macbook refresh, but I doubt it. I'm 90% sure we'll see the OLED bar.

edit: According to the post, Apple plans to release its new Magic Keyboard sometime in 2018. 

 

[Shiv78]

11 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

True...then again you could just use some stickers or something.

but what about when you actually want to type? Or use different software?

[Misanthrope]

3 minutes ago, Shiv78 said:

but what about when you actually want to type? Or use different software?

Use a different keyboard.

 

Multiple keyboard set ups are really not all that complicated.

 

[79wjd]

11 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

Use a different keyboard.

 

Multiple keyboard set ups are really not all that complicated.

 

It's also a pretty shitty solution tbh. 

 

Although, I also don't really see the importance of being able to change the image on a key to represent a different macro...I mean, if you're going to use the software enough that you actually benefit from key-bound macros then you probably won't be looking at the key anyway. 

 

However, I can see it being useful in terms of showing what macros exist....so if you have chrome open and you press cmd, then ',' will turn into 'properties', 'n' will turn into 'new window', and so on (i.e. show what commands you can make with 'cmd'). 

[Maslofski]

neat, this would be awesome for using modifier keys, that way it'll always show what you will write

[jaggysnake57]

13 hours ago, Misanthrope said:

True...then again you could just use some stickers or something.

really....

13 hours ago, Misanthrope said:

Use a different keyboard.

 

Multiple keyboard set ups are really not all that complicated.

 

omfg how stupid is this idea 

 

seams like a good idea and @djdwosk97 use case seams like a good use for it

[JupiteL]

Brilliant idea to use e-ink. Could be useful for multi purpose keyboard. I just don't want to know the price as it's Apple we're talking about.

[suicidalfranco]

meh

 

[ShadowCaptain]

I really like the e-ink idea, pretty excited to see what apple have to show