2003 Apple Pro Stabilized Keyboard A1048 Review

[H0R53]

Yesterday I picked up an Apple keyboard from Goodwill for $5. I've seen this keyboard go for up to $100 on Amazon and eBay if it's in very good condition, usually never used.

 

Let me start with physical appearance. They keyboard itself is nice. You can clearly tell it's made by apple because it's white and pretentious. However this was 2003, before Apple had the 'pretentious white girl' reputation, so instead of pretentious I'll use the word professional. There are two USB 2.0 ports integrated into a hub behind the keyboard. It's got very organized rows, there's no spacing between F4 and F5 (which I like), and it's even got F13 to F16 keys for macro lovers. I'm using it on Windows, because fuck Mac OS. It's still dirty but I haven't picked up a new pack of Q-Tips to clean the rest of it. Someone obviously loved this keyboard and used it for a very long time.

 

It's got a full number pad and volume keys, along with a CD drive Eject key, which is useless to me since I don't have a CD drive right now. There's also a Clear key for calculators, which is nice for maths.

 

The letters are the standard Sans Serif Condensed font, but in italics. The print is grey, so it's not too contrasted with the white of the keys. If they were pure black I'd don't know how I would feel about that, since that would be on the same level of black as my soul, and nothing is as black as that.

 

The bottom of the keyboard is clear plastic (photos at end of post). That means you'll be able to see all of the cheeto crumbs that fell off your fat fucking fingers and under the keys. When I picked it up this board was filthy. They keys were gross and there were dust bunnies under the keys (that I could see, thanks to the clear plastic), but we'll get to that in a minute.

 

Disassembly for cleaning is easy. There are three hex screws on the bottom, once those are out (you can use a flathead here if it fits properly, that's what I did) the whole board lifts out of the plastic shell and you can use an air duster to clean underneath the keys. I'm sure this was intentional as most people don't feel comfortable removing all of their keys. If you can't even unscrew three screws, I have bad news. You may be retarded.

 

It's very satisfying to type on, they keys are stabilized, even so the difference is definitely noticeable. I typed this review on it.

 

I'm not an Apple fan. The only other product Apple has made that I actually have ever enjoyed was the iPhone 4S. Now it's all garbage. I wish they still made products as well as this keyboard, without proprietary tools and without planned obsolescence.

 

I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars, mostly because it's dirty.

 

Sorry for Potato pictures, my phone has a bad low-light sensor and I had to resize the pics due to my bad Internet.

[WkdPaul]

-thread moved to Member Review section-

[H0R53]

Just now, wkdpaul said:

-thread moved to Member Review section-

Thank you, hero.

[AdamBGames]

if you want to ever restore this keyboard here is a good video, its by a guy called the 8bitguy (this is back when he called himself the ibook guy)

 

Edited July 5, 2017 by wkdpaul
removed massive quote

[Shiv78]

That's not a mechanical keyboard. It's just a regular rubber dome with stabilizers next to the switches to help keep the actuations linear and reduce key wobble. I've used those keyboards for 6 years in elementary school until 2012, and sporadically throughout middle and high school (recently I pulled some keys off a teacher's that I was cleaning after a spill).

[H0R53]

1 minute ago, AdamBGames said:

if you want to ever restore this keyboard here is a good video, its by a guy called the 8bitguy (this is back when he called himself the ibook guy)

 

It doesn't really need a restoration, I just need to Q-tip the corners. Thanks though. I've seen a few of his vids, they are nice.

[H0R53]

Just now, Shiv78 said:

That's not a mechanical keyboard. It's just a regular rubber dome with stabilizers next to the switches to help keep the actuations linear and reduce key wobble. I've used those keyboards for 6 years in elementary school until 2012, and sporadically throughout middle and high school (recently I pulled some keys off a teacher's that I was cleaning after a spill).

Well, it definitely feels like one. Good job, Apple. Wish I could say that more often.

[AdamBGames]

Just now, H0R53 said:

It doesn't really need a restoration, I just need to Q-tip the corners. Thanks though. I've seen a few of his vids, they are nice.

thought I would send it anyway just in case you want to go and clean the insides

[H0R53]

Just now, AdamBGames said:

thought I would send it anyway just in case you want to go and clean the insides

I will when they get a little more dirty.

[minibois]

Wait, they really go for 100 USD online? I saw three of them in a thrift shop for 1 euro a piece... Didn't pick any of them up because it wasn't mechanical so didn't hold my interest that much.. Now I'm thinking I should go back!

[H0R53]

5 minutes ago, Minibois said:

Wait, they really go for 100 USD online? I saw three of them in a thrift shop for 1 euro a piece... Didn't pick any of them up because it wasn't mechanical so didn't hold my interest that much.. Now I'm thinking I should go back!

There was another at Goodwill I'm going back for later. I only had $5 last time I went.

[themctipers]

On 7/5/2017 at 10:59 AM, H0R53 said:

Yesterday I picked up an Apple keyboard from Goodwill for $5. I've seen this keyboard go for up to $100 on Amazon and eBay if it's in very good condition, usually never used.

 

Let me start with physical appearance. They keyboard itself is nice. You can clearly tell it's made by apple because it's white and pretentious. However this was 2003, before Apple had the 'pretentious white girl' reputation, so instead of pretentious I'll use the word professional. There are two USB 2.0 ports integrated into a hub behind the keyboard. It's got very organized rows, there's no spacing between F4 and F5 (which I like), and it's even got F13 to F16 keys for macro lovers. I'm using it on Windows, because fuck Mac OS. It's still dirty but I haven't picked up a new pack of Q-Tips to clean the rest of it. Someone obviously loved this keyboard and used it for a very long time.

 

It's got a full number pad and volume keys, along with a CD drive Eject key, which is useless to me since I don't have a CD drive right now. There's also a Clear key for calculators, which is nice for maths.

 

The letters are the standard Sans Serif Condensed font, but in italics. The print is grey, so it's not too contrasted with the white of the keys. If they were pure black I'd don't know how I would feel about that, since that would be on the same level of black as my soul, and nothing is as black as that.

 

The bottom of the keyboard is clear plastic (photos at end of post). That means you'll be able to see all of the cheeto crumbs that fell off your fat fucking fingers and under the keys. When I picked it up this board was filthy. They keys were gross and there were dust bunnies under the keys (that I could see, thanks to the clear plastic), but we'll get to that in a minute.

 

Disassembly for cleaning is easy. There are three hex screws on the bottom, once those are out (you can use a flathead here if it fits properly, that's what I did) the whole board lifts out of the plastic shell and you can use an air duster to clean underneath the keys. I'm sure this was intentional as most people don't feel comfortable removing all of their keys. If you can't even unscrew three screws, I have bad news. You may be retarded.

 

It's very satisfying to type on, they keys are stabilized, even so the difference is definitely noticeable. I typed this review on it.

 

I'm not an Apple fan. The only other product Apple has made that I actually have ever enjoyed was the iPhone 4S. Now it's all garbage. I wish they still made products as well as this keyboard, without proprietary tools and without planned obsolescence.

 

I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars, mostly because it's dirty.

 

Sorry for Potato pictures, my phone has a bad low-light sensor and I had to resize the pics due to my bad Internet.

wait

 

those are sold for $100?!

 

my school literally has about 30 of those (we all use iMac G5s) 

[H0R53]

3 hours ago, themctipers said:

wait

 

those are sold for $100?!

 

my school literally has about 30 of those (we all use iMac G5s) 

See my image reply above

[BuckGup]

Hated those keyboard. Felt like typing on legos 

[H0R53]

4 hours ago, BuckGup said:

Hated those keyboard. Felt like typing on legos 

Yeah well they probably hated you right back. Fingers like greasy german sausages.

[TinyThimble]

.

[WindowsXP16]

I know this is an old post, but a useful software for that keyboard would be Sharp Keys for remapping the unusable buttons. You can remap the f13 to f16 buttons as well as correct the mapping for the numpad with the = button and clear button.

 

I have my f13 mapped to screen recording, f14 to 16 mapped to media controls and fixed up the = button on the numpad.