The new, smaller profile makes the Magic Keyboard even more portable for those who want to use it with an iPad or even an iPhone on the go.
I'll update this review every few months with notes on how it's holding up, though. I've been using the Magic Keyboard for all of three days now, and I've drained it of about 6%, and that's under heavier than normal usage and switching between multiple devices. When you do, since the Lightning port is on the back of the Magic Keyboard, it doesn't stop you working.īecause a month is a long time, it's going to take me while to get a real sense of battery life and performance. The charge lasts over a month so you won't have to recharge often. That might be because whatever locked the old pairing has been killed a new handshake and lock is required.Ĭharging, of course, is done through that same Lightning cable. Going back to a previous device, at least in my experience, requires you to forget the old connection before you can make a new one. That'll kick it into discoverability, and you pair straight from there.
You can switch pairings on the fly, for example from your Mac to your iPad or Apple TV, simply turning the Magic Keyboard off and then on again. Both make the keyboard experience on the iPad even better. Second, you can switch apps using the keyboard using the same command + tab metaphor as the Mac. First, you can discover keyboard shortcuts simply by holding down a modifier key like command. Though not unique to the Magic Keyboard, iOS 9 for iPad adds two great new features for hardware keyboards. That's why, when I pair over Bluetooth, I do it immediately when I turn the Magic Keyboard on, and I do it when I'm alone. I like that the process remains simple either way, but my inner security paranoia does worry about the lack of pin code. If you want to use your Magic Keyboard with your iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV, you still have to pair over Bluetooth. There's a notification confirming the pairing, but you don't even have to acknowledge it. If you buy a Magic Keyboard for a Mac you already own, however, all you have to do is take the Lightning cable it comes with, plug the Lightning end into the keyboard and the USB end into the Mac, and you're paired. If you buy a new Mac that comes with the Magic Keyboard, it'll also come pre-paired. But with the Magic Keyboard, like the other new Magic accessories, Apple has made it even simpler on the Mac.
If the MacBook Pro were to get something closer to the Magic Keyboard in terms of stability and feel, I'd be thrilled.īluetooth pairing has gotten much simpler. That said, I like the direction Apple is going with keyboards. I think that's partly because the MacBook Pro still has the older arrow key layout, so I never really unlearn it. Context is important but all other things being equal, consistency is a user benefit.įor example, I still occasionally trip up on the arrow keys on both the Magic Keyboard and the new MacBook, and for the same reason-the new spacing eliminates tactile awareness. But it does mean I notice whenever I change from one to the other. Right now the Magic Keyboard is somewhere between the MacBook Pro keyboard and the new MacBook Keyboard, which makes sense given the switch. That would be consistent and, frankly, badass. Aesthetically, I'd love for the keys to be black. In fact, I find myself wishing the Magic Keyboard was even more like the MacBook keyboard.
Blame the fading memory of the former set against the increasingly popularity of the latter. The Magic Keyboard has moved far from the old typewriter and early personal computer keyboards and now has much more in common with laptop keyboards. That's 13% smaller than the previous generation.Īpple won't win over any Extended Keyboard II fans with this design, of course. The aluminum chassis is barely bigger than the keys it houses, measuring a scant 0.43 inches (109 mm) high at its tallest point, 4.52 inches (1149 mm) deep, and 10.98 inches (279 mm) wide, and weighing just 0.51 pounds (231 g). The Magic Keyboard distils the physical keyboard down to its barest of essentials. $99 - Buy now from Apple Magic Keyboard Table of Contents If you love MacBook keyboards and want a consistent experience everywhere else, you'll want the Magic Keyboard.
If you want split, deep, or number-pad design, you'll need to look elsewhere.
With a new scissor design, the keys are more stable and satisfying than ever. The Magic Keyboard takes the Apple Wireless Keyboard and makes it sleeker and slimmer. A clickity-clack mechanical switch keyboard.