| Apple Keyboard | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Keyboard |
| Developer: | Apple Inc. |
| Released: | July 2000 |
| Website: | Apple.com - Keyboard |
The Apple Keyboard is a keyboard designed by Apple first for Apple line, then the Macintosh line of computers.
Contents |
Layout
To serve the functionality of the Mac OS (and because of historical differences), the Apple Keyboard's layout differs somewhat from that of the more ubiquitous IBM PC keyboard, mainly in its modifier and special keys. Features different from other keyboards include:
- The Command key (⌘), used in most Mac keyboard shortcuts. The key functions as the Windows key in Windows environments, or a Meta key in Unix-like environments.
- The Option key (⌥), for entering diacritics and other special characters. Like the Shift and Control keys, the Option key serves as a modifier for the Command key shortcuts. The key functions as the Alt key in Unix and Windows environments.
- Additional function keys (F13 through F15 or F16) instead of Print Screen/SysRq, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break. On keyboards with 16 function keys, F13 was placed above Delete/Backspace.
- A Clear key, instead of a Num Lock key, on models with full numeric keypads, as these are dedicated to numerals and not generally used for cursor control.
- An "equals" key (=) added to the numeric keypad.
- A Help key, instead of an Insert key.
- Two delete keys: Mac keyboards typically label the backward delete key as "delete", while the forward delete key has the label "del" and the forward delete symbol (⌦) to differentiate it from the backward delete key.
- Notebook computers typically include additional assignments shared with function keys — reduce and increase brightness, volume up, volume down, mute, and eject (⏏). Apple, since the release of the Pro Keyboard, provides these last four keys on desktop keyboards above the numeric keypad where status indicator lights are on many IBM PC keyboards.
- On Apple Desktop Bus keyboards, a power key (◁), used to turn on computers that supported it (and to type the Mac three-finger salute). It was placed in the upper left or upper right (in line with the function keys on keyboards that had them, otherwise above the other keys). The key was replaced with a more conventional power button on early USB keyboards, thanks to a proprietary pin wired to the Macintosh's power supply in Apple's early USB implementations, and eliminated completely on the Pro Keyboard alongside the special pin. Most of its functions were transferred to the eject (⏏) key in such later keyboards (holding down the control key in addition to make the eject key act like the power key).
- There is a difference between the return (↩) and the enter (⌅) keys. They generate different keycodes and have different functions according to Macintosh User Interface Guidelines.
- Similarly, while most software ignores it, the left versus right sets of modifier keys and the top number versus numeric keypad produce distinct keycodes (even on laptop keyboards where they only exist using the function key).
History
The Macintosh keyboards are somewhat reminiscent of the keyboards used for the Apple II. Up until 1998, all Apple keyboards were platinum grey. The release of the iMac G3 introduced a similarly styled laptop-sized, translucent colored plastic keyboard based off laptop technology. In July 2000, it was replaced with the full-sized Pro Keyboard, having black keys and a clear back. Coinciding with the introduction of the iMac G4 in 2002, Apple started making its keyboards white. On the Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Apple removed the adjustable feet from the back of the keyboard, giving it a solid base. This design was later quietly introduced on the wired version. On August 7, 2007 Apple introduced their latest keyboards. The new model is much thinner than its predecessors. It has an aluminum enclosure, and the USB ports have been, once again, relocated to the right and left sides of the keyboard. Another addition is the new functionality added to the function keys, such as media controls and Dashboard control. In order to properly use the keyboard, users must download an installer package from Software Update or Apple's support page.[1]
Compatibility
Apple's ADB keyboards are compatible with other ADB-based systems, such as those from Sun, Next, HP and Sony (and visa-versa for their non-Apple ADB keyboards). When using a USB adapter (such as the Griffin iMate), they function similarly to Apple's later USB keyboards, although there can be problems using such setups with later versions of OS X. According to Griffin, Apple is not maintaining support for ADB with OS X 10.4 or later. [2] Apple's USB keyboards are mostly compatible with Windows computers; the Command key works as the Windows key, the Option key as the Alt key, the Help key as the Insert key, and the Clear key as the Num Lock key. On the slightly older all white models the volume keys function as they would on a Macintosh, and the eject key has no function. With the new models released in August 2007 the volume, brightness, expose, dashboard, eject and media controls no longer work without installing Apples BootCamp software. This software allows for the volume, brightness, eject and media controls buttons to work properly though of course the expose and dashboard buttons still fail to do anything. The additional function keys placed where the Print Screen/SysRq, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break keys are on most IBM PC keyboards (F13/F14 through F15/F16) do not work as those keys in Windows without a special driver. Apple has since released a driver, though it is only available bundled with Boot Camp. The USB keyboard can also be used on PlayStation 2 game consoles. However, one requires an extension if using the black or white keyboards, or one of the older colored keyboards made for an early iMac. The current white USB keyboard is fully compatible with the PlayStation 3 and can be used to navigate the menus and to type messages. The USB keyboard is also combined with a two-port USB hub, with the hub being USB 1.1 on older keyboards and USB 2.0 on the August 2007 model.
See also
References
- ^ Keyboard Software Update 1.2 Apple official support site Retrieved 2007-09-18
- ^ http://www.griffintechnology.com/articles/168
External links
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| Consumer computers | eMac · iBook (G3: Clamshell, Dual USB; G4) · iMac (G3: Tray, Slot; G4; G5; Core; Core 2: White, Aluminum) · MacBook (Core; Core 2) · Mac mini (G4; Core; Core 2) |
| Professional computers | MacBook Pro (Core; Core 2) · Mac Pro · PowerBook (G3: Wallstreet, Lombard, Pismo; G4: Titanium, Aluminum) · Power Mac (G3: Outrigger, Minitower, AIO, B&W, Server; G4: Graphite, Quicksilver, MDD, Server, Cube; G5) · Xserve (G4, CN; G5, CN; Intel) |
| Consumer electronics | Apple TV · Cinema Display · iPhone · iPod (classic: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, photo, 5G, 6G; mini: 1G, 2G; iPod+HP; shuffle: 1G, 2G; nano: 1G, 2G, 3G; touch) |
| Accessories | AirPort (Card: B, G, N; Base Station: Graphite, Snow, Extreme G, Express, Extreme N) · iPod (Dock Connector, Camera Connector, iPod Hi-Fi, Nike+iPod) · iSight · Keyboard (Pro, Wireless) · Mouse (Pro, Wireless, Mighty Mouse) · Remote · USB Modem · Xserve RAID |
| Italics indicate discontinued products. See also: . | |
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| Dead keys | Compose |
| Modifier keys | Control · Shift · Alt/Option (Apple) · AltGr · Command/Meta (Apple/MIT/Sun keyboards) · Windows/Super · Fn (compact keyboards) |
| Lock keys | Scroll lock · Num lock · Caps lock |
| Navigation | Arrow · Page Up/Page Down · Home/End |
| Editing | Return/Enter · Backspace · Insert · Delete · Tab · Space bar |
| Misc. | System request/Print screen · Break/Pause · Escape · Menu · Numeric keypad · Function · Power management (Power, Sleep, Wake) · Language input · Any key |
