Up until about 3 weeks ago, I was using the old Wireless Apple Keyboard. I knew I would eventually want to get the newer, thinner and more compact Apple Wireless Keyboard, so that I could have more desk real estate when working. So, I figured I would pick up one of these bad boys along with Leopard.

Like all Apple products, this keyboard is far from an eyesore. As the years go by, their products get smaller, thinner, lighter and prettier, and that’s exactly what this keyboard is.

Lets look at the positive sides of the keyboard.

• The slim profile allows the keyboard to be used in the smallest of spaces. The size is roughly equivalent to that of a MacBook Pro keyboard, measuring up to 12.8” x 7.3” x 1.4 “. So whether you’re someone who keeps their desk clean, or someone who has papers all over the place, there will definitely be room for this small keyboard.

• Unlike the previous keyboard, this one has a small set of media keys, which include functions like: play/pause, forwards and backwards song navigation, Exposé, Dashboard and two extra keys that can be used for things like: Spaces and a second Exposé command.

• The right side of the keyboard, had a power button, which can be used to conserve battery power, as leaving it on 24/7 will drain the battery a lot faster than using it only when needed.

• The keyboard only takes three batteries, compared to the four that the previous version took.

• If you’re someone like me, who eats at their desk (I know – big no-no.), and tend to get crumbs on their keyboard, then this is a much better alternative to the previous Apple keyboard. When crumbs got on the old keyboard, they were visible through its clear casing. With this keyboard, it just gets under the case, and no one will ever know that a meal took place. (This isn’t an invitation to eat or drink at your desk, if you do, please do so with caution).

• This goes without saying; the design is just really cool!

Lets look at the small list of negatives.

• Probably one of the most disappointing parts of this keyboard is the lack of a number pad. Using Calculator or Numbers for example, was so much easier and quicker with the number pad at hand, so workflow may decrease for some people who do a lot of number entering on a day to day basis.

• The keyboard doesn’t really match any Apple computer. The iMacs are silver and black, the MacBook Pros are silver, the MacBooks are white and black and the Mighty Mouse is white, so really, you’re getting a bit of all worlds in this keyboard, which may be good for some, but for people like me, who like clean and sleek set ups, it’s important that everything goes well with each other.

• When I first got the keyboard, some keys I hit would type a letter three times, rather than once, which was annoying, but the problem seems to have vanished.

Lets recap the pros and the cons.

Pros:

Slim and sleek design.
Programmable media keys.
Power Button.
Only needs three batteries.
Doesn’t show much dirt and dust.

Cons:

Lack of a number pad.
Non-matching design.
Experienced problems out of the box.

So, for general use, this keyboard is great. Naturally, the transition from another keyboard to this one, will take about a week, to get used to the key placement and spacing, but after that, everything is smooth sailing. Looking at the list of Pros and Cons, it’s easy to see that the list of Cons is more leaned towards preference and nitpicking, whereas the Pros list is more based on functionality and usability.

This keyboard can be picked up for $79.00, and if you really want to go for a clean and sleek Apple look, pick up the Wireless Mighty Mouse, but read my review on it first, before spending the $70.00 on it.

Hope this review helped you in your keyboard endeavors.

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