Apple Bluetooth Keyboard: Is it worth it?
Written on May 02, 2006 by Jason Terhorst and 57 people have commented
Hello loyal readers!
I’m considering purchasing one of Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards, to replace my wired keyboard. I like the “feel” of the keys, and the idea of no wires is appealing. I have a bluetooth adapter from Belkin which plugs into my G5, and provides bluetooth services.
Who out there owns an Apple Wireless Bluetooth keyboard, and what do you think of it? Is it the same as the wired version, in terms of “feel” and behavior? How is the battery life, and the response time when typing? I’ll be using this for my programming, so we’re talking about “heavy useage” here.
I’m looking forward to reading your comments, so just leave them in the box below…
#1 GuyWhosWifeHasaMini says:My wife has a Mini (PowerPC) and bought it with the Apple Wireless Bluetooth keyboard and Apple Wireless Bluetooth mouse. She likes them both very much - in terms of feel. Behavior: they both go through batteries fairly quickly. So…we got rechargable batteries. Well, that may not have been the best choice because they go through those even faster than regular batteries. So now I buy the “high end” batteries that claim to work best wtih digital cameras and they work the best. Other than that the only other problem we had was with the initial setup: you have to have a wired keyboard and mouse to set up the Bluetooth on the computer.
#2 Aaron says:I use my keyboard for evening freelance work and go through one set of batteries every 3 weeks. The battery costs will add up quickly.
#3 Chris says:Hi Jason,
Ive been using the bluetooth keyboard for about a year and a half now and have had no problems with it. This includes some xcode usage and a lot of web development in Dreamweaver and SkEdit. Its difficult to tell the difference from the wired version (unlike the bluetooth mouse which I do find a bit jerky and laggy).
Battery life is ok. not great. my batteries seem to last about 4 or 5 months (i leave my machine on all day but turn it off at night).
The “feel” is exactly the same as the wired version. Even my die hard windows buddy loves the key response of my apple keyboard.
I’d recommend it mate, less cable clutter too.
#4 Chris says:oh yeh, forgot to mention. there is one annoying factor. The keyboard takes a little while to “pair” on startup. You end up sitting at the login screen for about 20 seconds until the keyboard is available…
#5 Andreas says:I have no problem with the battery runing low quickly. I keep my keyboard and mouse turned on all the time, but during daytime I’m away using my ipod at my university. In the evening or weekend I use the keyboard and mouse, and I thnik the battery must have lasted for at least 6 months now.
I agree with Chris on the mouse. Would you recommend the Mighty Mouse?
#6 Jason Terhorst says:I’ll probably keep my Logitech mouse, as I’ve never liked the Apple mice, and after playing with the Mighty Mouse, I grabbed the other brand mouse instead.
One other question:
If I put my G5 to sleep, will it wake up if I tap a key on the keyboard? What happens if I close the lid on a Powerbook that’s paired with it, and I carry the Powerbook out of range? Will the keyboard go to sleep? In my limited playing with a wireless keyboard, I noticed that one that isn’t “paired” to a machine will put itself to sleep. Does this mean it’s not using any power? How do the energy saving functions work?
#7 Travis says:I love mine. Battery life is amazing. I have used mine dailey, and a lot, since september without new batteries!
#8 dalton says:I had an old fashioned RF wireless keyboard, and the batteries would last 6 months or more. I’m sorry to hear that the bluetooth version doesn’t live up to the same standard.
On that note, why do wireless keyboards need batteries anyway? I’m hoping that, someday, we’ll have wireless keyboards that collect and store energy from the downward motion of key presses, and just use that to transmit data. Think of all the energy that is being wasted by millions of typing hands everyday!
#9 Chris says:Andreas: the mighty mouse is amazing I use it every day at work for my graphics work and then at home too. The “nipple” does get stuck after heavy use sometimes and needs cleaning but other than that, its a brilliant mouse.
#10 Justin Crittenden says:Also with that long pair time it makes it impossible to use boot time key commands such as C for booking from CD or Cmd-Opt-P-R to clear the P-ram.
from all i’ve seen of bluetooth, i’d make sure you at least have a wired one just in case, and i’d rather go RF. I’ve personally always gotten better range out of it than bluetooth.
also surprising to hear a belkin adapter working since apple supposedly says a specific d-link one will work…
#11 Chris says:Jason,
My keyboard wakes my G5 imac from sleep when a key is pushed. Ive never paired mine with my Powerbook so im not sure how that works.
I think it must use power when the machine is asleep for it to be able to power it on again, but perhaps it uses less energy?
#12 Bill I says:I too am a programmer, so I use mine day in and day out. The batteries, even under HEAVY use, will last you a solid couple of months (usually ~3 for me).
I like mine so much, you’d have to pry it out of my cold dead fingers to get it away from me
#13 rock star says:I use mine all day and everyday, about 4month battery life for me
#14 Lindsay Cullen says:I have the wireless keyboard and mouse and a G5 iMac ALS. I use the keyboard all the time and am very happy with responsiveness and battery life. I leave it on all the time except when transporting it (which I do about once a week to play presentations at church). I’ve had the machine almost 12 months and changed the batteries only once and I am a afirly constant user. I use Mighty Mouse at home, but when I take the gear to church I take the wireless mouse, so the operator can use keyboard and mouse on her lap. The only problem I’ve had with the mouse is that it doesn’t have a ‘tail’ so one time the operator tried to use it upside-down for 5 minutes!
The keyboard wakes the computer from sleep every morning and if you have the keyboard turned on before booting, doesn’t seem to take long at all to pair - i’m not aware of any time that I’m just waiting for pairing (and the pairing bezel doesn’t come up unless I turn the keyboard on second).
I’ve never noticed a problem with typing speed (nor has my v. fast typist wife). The only problem I have is Keynote swapping round the position of apostrophes but that seems to be limited to the one piece of software so I suspect it has nothing to do with the keyboard.
Enjoy.
#15 Finney says:My fav - the Logitech Laser keyboard and mouse duo specifically for Mac. Got it a few weeks ago, and man it works like a dream. The mouse has integrated volume controls, and the keyboard has a built in iTunes remote. Amazing stuff.
#16 Todd Baur says:Shh! I use a Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse! See I don’t hate them, I think this Comfort Keyboard is great and in a year I’ve never replaced the batteries, but it is finally time to do so. IMHO, I’ve never really liked Apple’s keyboards. There isn’t anything wrong with them and I wouldn’t shy anyone away from using one. I’ve used several Bluetooth adapters with them, and it just works. Bluetooth seems to have some lag in it as well, so if you’re mouse usage warrants precision then it might not be a good idea. Otherwise, they’re fine!.
#17 kent says:I use both Microsoft and Mighty Mouse and I can’t use them without installing USB Overdrive or SteerMouse. Apple drivers for USB mice are just awful - there’s no way to tune acceleration level.
#18 El Vineet says:I bought the wireless keyboard/mouse package during my switch when the Intel iMacs came out. I really love it but if I could go back and do this again, I would probably get the wired because of a few reasons:
1) It’s only a question of 1 wire
2) You lose the keyboard USB ports with the wireless one
3) Costs more $$
4) If you get the mouse too, it doesn’t have very good battery mileage (uses 2 batteries/month for me)
#19 Jim says:I love the wireless keyboard. Works perfectly!!!!
#20 Padriac says:I’ve been using an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with an Intel iMac.
Batteries last:
Keyboard: 4 months (I’ve had it 4 months, haven’t had to change batteries yet)
Mouse: 1 month (drains faster for some reason).
Facts:
With Apple’s bluetooth keyboard and mouse you can pretty much do anything you can with the wired versions. I’ve never experienced the lags and constant pairing problems a few are talking about. You *can* wake the system via wireless. Hell, you can completely erase and reinstall the operating system with the wireless keyboard and mouse. They also work fine for installing and using Windows via bootcamp. I have never ran into a situation where I cannot use the wireless keyboard and mouse when I need to; I don’t need a “failsafe” wired keyboard hanging around.
Basically, I’ve encountered no problems of any sort, unless you count the fact that, yes, you need to change the batteries every now and then. Other than that, these suckers operate as if they were wired. Period. Very satisfied with them.
#21 kevin finlayson says:I use the wireless keyboard about 10 hours a day, writing code. I have the delay and repeat rates upped to max and the keyboard doesn’t falter or lag at all. it doesn’t take noticeable extra time to pair on my dual G5, and I’ve replaced the batteries once in a year. The mouse, however, was a battery hog that got replaced with a mighty mouse after a couple of months. Also: It’s nice to pick up my keyboard and carry it to the couch when i want to watch some TV with VLC! Highly recommended.
#22 weisheng says:I don’t really enjoy the feel of the keys, they’re too stiff for my liking. I prefer the feel of notebook keys. Also collects grime very easily. You should fit it with iSkin’s ProTouch XT from the very start.
However, there isn’t any other wireless keyboard out there that matches its Mac aesthetic. And in my case, there’s no point using up a USB port by buying an RF wireless keyboard when I already have built-in Bluetooth.
#23 Rich says:I got both the bluetooth keyboard and mouse the Christmas after they were introduced. They work great. The battery life of the keyboard is just fine. The mouse is more of a battery hog. The response time of the keyboard is slightly slower than on a wired keyboard, especially if you are a fast typist, but it’s not a problem at all. I’ve used both on my G4 Cube / iMac G5 / iBook with no problems. A cordless mouse has been a Godsend. A cordless keyboard is not as handy, since I don’t move it around as much. The feel of the keyboard is just like Apple keyboards of the past. If you like it (which I do) you’ll be right at home. On a side note, cordless (either BT or RF) may be commonplace for techies, but they still have a Wow factor with most people.
#24 Steve says:I got a Mighty Mouse only so I could make sure our app used the scrollball events correctly when scrolling in both axes. About a month later I got an Intel iMac and it came with a Mighty Mouse (arg). I only use the iMac for Intel code testing. So, I don’t use the Mighty Mice very often, but when I do, I often get a left-click when I do a right-click. Others have complained about the same thing. You can avoid it by learning to keep your index finger (or ring finger if you’re left handed) up in the air a bit when doing a right-click.
As far as BlueTooth mouse battery life, I got a Kensington PilotMouse to use with our PowerBook when playing Sims 2. When we were really into the game, the mouse would get about 4 hours of use a night. The batteries only lasted a few weeks. I would guess that the devices use too much power by having RF output strong enough to work 30′ away. My mouse is never more than 1′ away from my computer, so it’s a big waste of power IMO.
#25 Curt says:I have both wired and BT versions. The BT keyboard has the same feel as the USB version. But if I had a choice, I prefer the smaller keyboard on my 12″ G4 PB.
I never have any pairing issues for the BT KB with my iMac, and the battery life is amazing. It’s still going strong since I purchased it at the beginning of the year - no battery changes.
My wife plays a tetris game on it, so responsiveness may be OK. But I often think that the keyboard mistypes or skips letters at times. However, I suspect this could be more related to differences between this keyboard and the one on my PB. Others have reported a similar experience, so perhaps it ain’t so great.
I type quite a bit, and find my fingers getting tired on any Apple desktop Keyboard. I don’t have this with my PB keyboard, so you can understand my preference for it.
Hope this helps.
#26 Al Proulx says:Love the wireless keyboard…excellent feel & response time. Used to have an old “Microsoft Natural” keyboard — I loved the more natural hand position & overall ergonomics, but I’ve quickly grown reaccustomed to the conventional keyboard layout of the Apple. The smoothness & depth of the keystrokes are better on the Apple. Still using a wired mouse though because I won’t part with my Mighty Mouse (love it)…any idea when a wireless version of it will come out? Thanks.
#27 Patrick K. says:I haven’t had a new wired keyboard since my purple iMac back in the day, as all of my Macs have been laptops since then. I purchased a Bluetooth wireless keyboard with my PowerBook about two years ago. Since then, I’ve used it almost constantly and have had no problems with it. Battery life is great, a testament to Apple’s engineering prowess. I’d highly recommend it. And a high-resolution projector, so you can turn the wall of your house into the monitor.
Anyways, the keyboard is great, and I think once you go Bluetooth you’ll never go back.
#28 JTA says:I just bought a MacBook Pro, but I have an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard that I use with my old G4 Dual-500Mhz Tower. I have had the keyboard for over a year and have yet to need a change of batteries. I only had to pair it with the computer the first time. I love the feel of the keyboard - especially the weight. It has a solidity to it that makes you know it’s there - unlike a lot of keyboards out there that feel as if they would blow away in a stiff breeze.
My only complaint is that, because of the clear case, I can see all the dust and dirt and other filth that ends up beneath the keys. So, if you decide to get one, add one of those mini keyboard vacuums to your shopping cart.
#29 Jim says:I use the Apple bluetooth keyboard and a Logitech MX900 bluetooth mouse with my PowerBook; it’s an awesome setup. The first set of batteries I ever put in the keyboard (Energizer e2 titanium) lasted me in excess of seven months.
Unlike the mouse, which, while nice, has some obvious “wireless issues”, Apple has done an outstanding job making the user experience of the wireless keyboard identical to the wired one. You really can’t tell the difference other than that you don’t have to plug anything in.
#30 AaronC says:My wife has a MacMini with a wired keyboard and I use my wireless kb with my PowerBook. There really isn’t a difference in how they feel or their key action. The battery life on my wireless kb is great. It’s lasted me for about a year, but I don’t use it every day and I only use it in the evenings. The one thing I wish the wireless kb had is the usb ports like the wired version has. But that just wouldn’t make sense anyway.
The mouse I never really liked. It just doesn’t fit my hand very well. So it’s more of a design issue than anything. Take that for what it’s worth. ($.02) I ended up buying a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth instead.
So my advice is, GO FOR IT!
#31 Booker says:We have a Mini connected to a 30″ LCD HD monitor (which also serves as our TV). We use the Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to control the Mini from the sofa. We have had it a year and it is still on its original set of batteries! Feel and function are exactly the same as the regular Apple keyboard. Recommended.
#32 mrkwst says:Man, you have great readers. All the above messages pretty well cover all the pros and cons of the BT Keyboard & Mouse.
I think you will happier with the arrangement than not. The absence of wires has a high coolness factor, and you will find yourself looking for ways to eliminate ALL your cables. It becomes an obsession.
The battery issue is a bit of a red herring. As has been mentioned the mouse is an energy vampire, but I invested in 2 sets of high-grade rechargables and honestly my complaints are minimal.
Best of luck.
#33 Nick Santilli says:Jason - excellent timing on this. I’ve been pondering the same thing for a month or so now. I read the responses yesterday afternoon, and by chance wound-up at the Apple store last night.
I was lucky enough to snag the ONE BT keyboard that had there - and it was a return, so I got it for $29!!
I’ve [obviously] just started using it, but it pairs, well, wakes the powerbook up, etc, etc. No glaring issues yet. (for $30 I couldn’t pass it up)
I much prefer my powerbook’s keyboard feel, but I’m sure i’ll get used to the BT version. Guess we’ll see.
#34 Ryan says:I tried them both out (the wired and BT) when I was looking to buy a keyboard to go with my PB 12″ and went with the wired since it was cheaper / didn’t need batteries. But as far as the feel, which seems like your main concern, I can agree with most everyone else that they are identical.
#35 Paul Stamatiou says:Mine’s great. I got it for xmas and haven’t had to change the batteries yet. Reception is great too.
#36 Jason Terhorst says:I’ve had my wired keyboard that I got with my G5 for a year and a half now, and it’s already wearing out, I’m noticing the problems right now. Keys aren’t responding like they used to. I’m probably going to have to get that new one pretty soon.
#37 Curt says:Oh, forgot to mention the mouse. The Apple mighty mouse is disappointing, to put it nicely.
It tracks poorly on many surfaces - needs a mouspad, and the track ball often jams up with small particles, like a grain of sand or toast crumb.
We switched back to my wireless Logitech, and haven’t looked back since.
#38 Josh says:I have used my Apple Bluetooth keyboard for 10 months now without replacing the batteries. Granted, I’m a relitively light keyboard user when compared to the mouse, but I do use the compter daily and never turn the keyboard off. Also, if you have the keyboard on when you turn on the computer, pairing is not a problem, at least on my 1.42 Mac Mini. The design is typical apple, which is to say, very nice indeed.
Yet when it comes to the mouse, I would stay away from bluetooth - mainly because of battery life issues. Personally I’ve gotten a mid range logitech, which gives me a nice wireless mouse with a scroll wheel, solid performance, and an actual right click button. I’ve experenced no lag with either.
#39 Eric says:I’ve been using an Apple Bluetooth keyboard for a good year and a half now and I absolutely love it. No plugging a keyboard into my PowerBook when I get back from wherever - and the same with the MX900 mouse I use with it. The keyboard’s 4 AA batteries seem to last around 7 months or more.
The nice thing about the Logitech mice is the charging cradle - you can pair directly to onboard bluetooth, and just use it for keeping the batteries topped off. I usually get a couple of days.
#40 Karuel says:If you have the battery money, go for it.
I however don’t.
-Karuel.
#41 justin says:Engadget posed a similar question today:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/04/ask-engadget-who-likes-their-bluetooth-mouse/#comments
#42 Jon says:Ok we have 4 of the bluetooth KB’s at work. One is connected to a Mac Mini intel (running on a 42″ HD Plasma) and it has needed its batteries replacing once since November 2005.
Of the remaining 3 only one gets heavy heavy use and it goes through batteries every 4 weeks or so. We don’t see any lag issues with the KB’s and even if they loose the connection due to powering it off it only takes a few seconds to refind it once the keyboard is switched back on. If you want wireless and don’t mind loosing the extra two USB ports then go for it.
Problem is then the mouse. I use and love the mighty mouse (even though have gone through 2 of them due to the scroll ball thingy packing up twice) but it has a shortish cable so pairs perfectly with a USB port on the wired Apple KB. We have a few Bluetooth Mice (Apple flavour) and frankly I hate them. Eat batteries and just dont feel as responsive as a Mighty Mouse.
#43 Andreas says:Like one of the other commentors, I have to recommend the Logitech S530 Mac. It’s Logitech’s wireless (not Bluetooth) keyboard and mouse for the Mac.
Compared to the Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard the keys are more like a notebook, alas my typing speed and acurracy have increased as I am more used to laptops than desktops.
The mouse, of course, is miles ahead of anything Apple has ever made. IMO Apple makes crappy mice, including the mighty one.
The best thing, though, is the zero degree tilt on the keyboard. It feels very natural, and has reduced typing fatigue for me.
I think Apple’s keyboards and mice are degined to look good. The Logitech both looks good and has a lot of nice feautures not provided by Apple. The iTunes shortcuts on the keyboard, for example, are addictive.
The only downside is that it’s not Bluetooth but uses a USB-dongle, as most Mac’s come with Bluetooth that doesn’t make sense to me - and, oh, there are currently no drivers for Mactels. But the Logitech S530 Mac still is far better than Apple’s ditto, If you can spare the USB-port, I seriously think you should consider.
#44 Bill Smith says:I have used both a Kensington RF and an Apple’s bluetooth keyboard. Apple’s bluetooth keyboard is a dream when it worked, but I went through three of them before I gave up. I tried a Kensington RF keyboard after my problems with the Apple product, and it is fantastic. The batteries last for 4-5 months (it even has a built-in charger and comes with batteries); whereas, the Apple BT keyboard’s batteries lasted 5-6 weeks tops using standard alkalines. I’ll admit the feel is better on the Apple keyboard, but it is not worth the problems that I had or the battery-life issues… The Kensington also has some handy iTunes functionality, which is an added benefit. As for the Apple BT keyboard, at least my newborn has a fake keyboard (or three) to bang around on…
#45 Joram Oudenaarde says:I have one of these babies as well
The feel and usage is great, and different from most posts here, the batteries in my keyboard last at least 4-6 months before running dry. And I use it ±4-5 hours per day, 7 days a week. Perhaps some people here just got a lot of bad luck, or I had lots of it. But this keyboard really did it for me.
Most BT-keyboard either look plain ugly, or the feel is the same as those el-cheapo Windows computer keyboards. But éven if the batteries run dry every month, it’s still worth it for me. The lack of cables is just slick
#46 D Pat says:I think it’s great.. I like it alot, very worth it.
D Pat
Digital Vastoo - For All Your iPod Needs
http://www.digitalvastoo.com
#47 Sean says:I’ve been using my wireless keyboard with an AlBook and a MB-Pro for 5 months.
It feels great except I’m going through batteries every 2 to 3 weeks. This is really unacceptable. I turn it off when I stop work (around 6pm) and turn it on when I begin (around 8am), and 2-3 weeks??? That’s quite poor. Maybe I’m expecting too much.
#48 Panduranga says:The wireless keyboard is the best investment I have ever done on the iMac. The feel of the keyboard is great, it looks good, and I use high life battries which last me about 2-3 months; and mind you I use my keyboard a fair bit, and always leav my computer on.
…but if battery life is very critical to you, I suggest you look else where. Cause there are other keyboard in my office, whoes battries last me well over a year. But they look crappy and lack the feel.
So it’s all about what you want
#49 James Bond says:Hi, can someone please tell me if the Apple BT Pro KB can work on a Windows XP system running BT v1.2? Thanks.
#50 ziggynow says:My apple bt keyboard just went bad after only 1 1/2 years of very light usage. I’d say this is a piece of poorly designed equipment and you shouldn’t waste your money. However my Microsoft bt mouse is working just fine. I think if I can find one I’ll try something else, Kensington or Logitech.
#51 Tom says:I love my BT keyboard. Keys feel great and the keyboard takes up so much less space than my old Logitech RF keyboard. Only got it recently, so no battery issues, but my friends with this keyboard don’t have huge problems with it. And it does have an ‘off’ switch so if battery life worries you you can turn it off when you’re not using it. It will automatically connect to the mac when you press a key (otherwise it stays in ‘discoverable’ mode for a few mins). Get some good rechargeable batteries! It does come with really good batteries though.
Got my bluetooth Mighty Mouse a few days ago, too. I’d been using a wired Mighty Mouse with my mini (intel) since I got it. Been holding out for the bluetooth one! I think it works well (no real noticeable or unacceptable lag, though I’m not a gamer), and the laser system works better than optical for me, as I can use pretty much anything as a mouse pad (My desk is too textured… the mouse tracks perfectly, but I can tell that it’s damaging the smoothness of the bottom of the mouse). Haven’t had to change batteries yet obviously, but I wonder how it compares to the optical bluetooth mouse? I use rechargeables anyway so i’m not too worried, given my logitech’s mouse’s base station stopped charging it and I had to change the batteries every day!
And yes, the keyboard will work fine with windows. I’ve used it with my PC, and with boot camp on my mini. Haven’t tried the bluetooth mouse on a pc though, apple doesn’t mention it supports it.
#52 Scott Pelly says:I have a bluetooth keyboard both at home and at my office (using a G4 laptop) for about 2 years now. I am extremely happy with the keyboards feel and function. Rechargable batteries are a must. I usually charge them when my system preferences shows the batteries down to 1 bar. I like the fact that under the bluetooth tab of “mouse & keyboard in preferences, they show battery levels for both. The readings sem quite accurate.
Highly reccomend the keyboard.
#53 Richard says:Have been using the wireless kboard and mouse with my Dual Core iMac for a while now.
Only problem is I find the pairing to be very buggy. Not only do I have to wait and fiddle with the On/Off switch each time I boot into Windows, the iMac often just loses sight of the thing and needs to be booted into OsX again to repair. @#$%$%# irritating and not worth the money or absence of a few cables.
Any idea of a solution??
#54 Laurentsj says:I use the wireless keyboard, all day, fast typing and coding…i don’t like it. The keys are too stiff..yes, laptop compact keyboards are better for me…the return key even get stuck if you type with all fingers and hit it from the side.
Then it eats batteries.
Big regret
#55 Chris says:I’ve been using the wireless keyboard with my MacBook for almost 6 months now, and it works just like a wired keyboard. No delay or lag whatsoever. The only real difference I notice is that there’s no wire to get in the way.
Well, while typing this, I had to replace the batteries for the very first time after having it for 5 1/2 months!
#56 Paul Ingraham says:Love the new wireless keyboard. Perfect in every way. Not one irritating limitation for me. Rocks my world. Waited a decade for a keyboard like this. I am right in the center of the target market apparently.
#57 Leonardo Bonilla says:I use one in my Macbook Pro, in addition I have a 22″ monitor and I simply close my laptop wait like 10 secs to laptop sleeps, the press the command key, and yes, the laptop wakes up fitting the image in the external monitor.