Who knew a Bluetooth keyboard could provide so much joy and wanting for nothing else? My feelings about the gigantic and plainly rotten keyboard wrist rest on my MacBook Pro finally drove me away from that keyboard and onto the standalone Apple wireless keyboard using Bluetooth technology!
Compared to the standalone wired Apple keyboard, the Apple Bluetooth
keyboard is more rugged and not as mushy and it is quicker to respond
to input. The key action is more shallow on my MacBook Pro keyboard and
that means I can type faster without as much effort. The Bluetooth
keyboard takes a little more oomph to fully press down the keys.
One might not think going wireless with a Bluetooth keyboard would be a big deal but the ability to pull the keyboard off the desktop and onto your lap changes everything! You can put your feet up and type. You can stand up and type. You can sit on the stairs and type.
You can stand on your head and type! If you are an expert typist you don't even need to have your eyes open to type so you could be upstairs in your bed with your computer on the next floor down and Bluetooth would keep that typing connection alive. Using a Bluetooth keyboard frees you from sitting in one position all day while you type and that freedom of expression leads to a more comfortable body in the end.
One might not think going wireless with a Bluetooth keyboard would be a big deal but the ability to pull the keyboard off the desktop and onto your lap changes everything! You can put your feet up and type. You can stand up and type. You can sit on the stairs and type.
You can stand on your head and type! If you are an expert typist you don't even need to have your eyes open to type so you could be upstairs in your bed with your computer on the next floor down and Bluetooth would keep that typing connection alive. Using a Bluetooth keyboard frees you from sitting in one position all day while you type and that freedom of expression leads to a more comfortable body in the end.
I wonder about this. Doesn't keyboard type slow without wire?
Hi Sia!
Welcome to the blog!
I, too, wondered if there would be a delay in typing registering on the computer. There isn't any lag time! You type and the characters appear right on the screen -- it's the same response you get with a wired or built-in keyboard.
When you turn on your machine in the morning it sometimes can take 10 seconds or so for your computer and keyboard to find each other via Bluetooth but that wait is small and not a problem for me.
Is the cost much?
The price for the Apple Bluetooth keyboard is currently $59 and the wired version is $29 -- so it costs a $30 premium to go "wireless" when you type. There are other keyboards out there that do Bluetooth so you might be able to find a better deal if you shop around a bit.
Do you use a wireless mouse with it?
Isn't Bluetooth terribly slow?
You can use a Bluetooth mouse too, if you like, but it is not required. Current Bluetooth mice are pretty poor in design and features. The Apple Bluetooth mouse doesn't have many interesting things it can do besides click. I'm currently using a corded mouse -- the Apple Mighty Mouse -- and I like it quite a bit. I can't wait for a Bluetooth version of this mouse to be released!
Very informative, thank you. I like this Bluetooth and will hope to get one today.
Joe!
Your question demands several qualified answers.
1. In my experience Bluetooth on a Windows machine is painfully slow and hard to set up. There isn't much mind and spec agreement, it seems, between manufacturers, end users and accessories companies to make the experience seamless and painless.
2. On the Mac platform, and specifically with the MacBook line, setting up a Bluetooth device is fast and easy. The communication is robust. There is zero lag time or jitter or communication drops. I have used Bluetooth mice -- two so far -- and the Apple Bluetooth keyboard with my MacBook Pro and everything works the same as if things were wired. In fact, I prefer the Apple Bluetooth keyboard over any other Apple keyboard because it feels solid and right and it should, I suppose, because this is the latest and greatest keyboard from Apple. The Apple Bluetooth keyboard looks like the wired version of the Apple keyboard but they don’t type the same. The Bluetooth version is superior in make and means.
Hi Sia!
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Bluetooth 2.0 runs at 2.1 Mbit/s (at top speed!). Bluetooth isn't an actual replacement to USB, just a supplement!
Hi Joe!
Yeah, to be able to go "that fast" wirelessly with Bluetooth is pretty amazing!
I've never used anything Bluetooth before. Is the signal encrypted so that the next door neighbor kid doesn't get to see everything one is typing?
Chris!
Bluetooth has an active range of about 30 feet so the person wanting to eavesdrop on your would need to be in the same room as you and -- here's the most important part -- as the owner of the Bluetooth computer you would have to initiate the eavesdropper’s setup on your computer and allow your computer to "find" the Bluetooth device and then authorize their paring via a secure 128 bit key they exchange each time they connect to each other.
There's no real way to "eavesdrop" on a Bluetooth link unless you have access to the computer and the authority to set up and pair devices. Bluetooth is a very secure technology.
I have been using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for a long time. There is no noticeable lag except under extreme CPU usage.
Yes, the connection is encrypted. There is a pairing process.
No, it isn't slow.
Bluetooth won't replace USB, but it's dang handy, especially when you don't have a USB cable around.
My only complaint so far has been that I've worn out both an Apple Wireless Keyboard in 13 months (with a 12 month warranty) and the arrow keys on a Logitech Keyboard started acting up after a few months.
Thanks for the informative backup, TjL!
As of today, Apple are selling their Bluetooth Mighty Mouse! Yay! I'll take two!
UPDATE:
The Bluetooth wireless Mighty Mouse arrived today! It works great -- even in Call of Duty 2!