A Better Keyboard for Mac Users

By Morgan Mayhew on September 26, 2009

Yes, Apple products are very cool, very hip and generally very good. Anyone who owns a product made by Apple would more than likely notice the high build quality that is a result of precise engineering and tight tolerances.

But . . . Apple products are designed by a company that has become very, very stubborn and at times this stifles their innovation and muddles common sense.

When it comes to keyboard and mice, Apple is far behind the curve. They were just about dead last in adopting a mouse with two-button capability – right click anyone? The only computers on shelves at the time with Apple's single-click mice were made by Hasbro and part of the Barbie computing line.

Mac keyboards have been almost as bad as their "Might Mouse" but rather than improving with each new release, they are getting worse.

The latest keyboard lines offered by Apple are very cool aluminum (as their head designer would say, al-e-ni-ni-um) but they have tiny keys that best described as Chicklets. Not too bad, but a deal killer lurks in the mist.

If you want the wireless version of the Mac keyboard, you'll have to forgo the number pad.

For those used to striking the keys of a laptop for years, you probably wouldn't mind as portables are typically sans-numpad. For the rest of us it's a pretty serious issue.

Enter the diNovo keyboard for the Mac.

Made by input device leader Logitech, the diNovo is great looking and the added function keys make it worth the price in saved productivity. Being able to hit the calculator button is worth the price alone.

In addition to a number pad, the diNovo offers dedicated buttons for launching iTunes, Calculator, Mail and your browser of choice. It also offers a few keys for iTunes functionality.

Note that windows users have had similar features for over a decade.

The diNovo is standard wireless, although a Bluetooth version is available by Logitech. Another Apple flaw is their Bluetooth reception, which can be spotty and weak especially with their desktops, the iMac and Mac Pro. The high-end and very expensive Mac Pros have notoriously bad Bluetooth connections. So anyone interested in this keyboard should opt for the standard version.

Logitech positions the keyboard as:

The PerfectStroke™ key system and a sleek, modern design make this letter-perfect keyboard the perfect complement to your Mac® computer.

Overall, the connection is good and the build is surprisingly strong and rigid. The keystrokes are great with the exception of the space bar, which makes a flimsy-sounding click with each stroke. The battery life is exceptional and is reported to last a year or more without dying.

Finally, the off switch is great. It's meant to save power but it's also handy if you want to quickly clean it or wipe a smudge off of a key. Great for neat freaks who don't want to remove the batteries.

Mac users can rejoice in the availability of a keyboard that is both attractive and functional. Pair the keyboard up with the MX Revolution, also by Logitech, and you'll be able to work at a much faster clip.