When Apple first released their wireless keyboard without the number pad attached I thought “What are they thinking?”. But having worked on a macbook with a small keyboard and an integrated touchpad, and then consequently getting neck pains from pad posture and switching to an external keyboard and monitor, I now see that having the keyboard right next to your mouse or track pad for both speed and ergonomics, is a really good thing.
I’ve since bought the small Apple keyboard for work, along with a Wacom Bamboo Touch for work, since I prefer it over a mouse (2 finger scrolling FTW!). I’m now selling/trading my Apple keyboard that I have at home with a number pad built in as its not for me, maybe for those doing a lot of a numeric entry (like when I worked in an investment bank doing excel all the time). Let me know if anyone wants it or want to trade for the small Apple keyboard.
With the Bamboo Touch, its not quite as good as an Apple touchpad. I would love an Apple keyboard with one built, just like a laptop. I had to turn off Add left and right taps to click and drag, and stick with the release fingers and retouch to have a click to keep the Bamboo Touch from detected accidental clicks, which the Apple one tends to ignore better. The texture isn’t as good as the nice glass Apple touchpads either, but I still prefer it over a mouse.
I was just thinking the same thing! I use my Apple laptop both as a laptop and as a “hard drive” connected to my external monitor. And I’d Iike both an keyboard AND the Apple touchpad in one device for ergonomic reasons! Great images to illustrate your point! Make the ipod controller and extended number/arrow pad extra modules to add to the side! Yee hee!
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http://www.9to5mac.com/imunch
I feel the same as you about the keyboard..
now look at this one..
never seen one like this before !