Magic Keyboard

The new iPad Pro brings an ultra-wide camera, LiDAR 3D scanner, the A12Z Bionic chip, Apple’s new Magic Keyboard with trackpad & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 18, 2020

Apple today refreshed its flagship iPad Pro models, bringing even more pro features such as a two-lens rear setup that includes wide and ultra-wide cameras and, for the first time in any Apple device, a sophisticated LiDAR sensor that can map your surroundings in 3D. The company also unveiled a new Magic Keyboard accessory designed specifically for this new iPad Pro that features a floating design, backlit keys and a built-in trackpad which lets you perform Multi-Touch gestures to navigate the entire tablet without ever lifting your hand.

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Apple updates the MacBook Air with scissor keys, 2x speed boost and more, now only $999

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 23, 2020

Apple today refreshed its MacBook Air notebook line with several hardware improvements, such as two times faster CPU performance and 80 percent faster graphics than the previous generation, in addition to double the storage and the reliable scissor mechanism keyboard that previously launched on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Most importantly, the popular notebook now has a lower price of $999 while education customers can get it for $899.

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The ultimate way to customize Apple accessories

Jim Gresham ∙ April 1, 2019

You are reading iDownloadBlog. We are a community of Apple lovers. More importantly, we are a group of hacker, modders, and jailbreakers. We don’t accept the status quo. We want things our way.

That means, it's got to be custom, tweaked, or different. This same passion caused me to reach out to ColorWare. The folks over at ColorWare agree—stock is boring. Their online mod shop allows you to order hardware that they customize in their own facility. They sent me some of their work and it’s stunning.

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Regulatory filing points towards new Mac, iPad and Magic Keyboard models launching at WWDC

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 31, 2017

With less than a week until Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, French outlet Consomac has discovered (Google Translate) a Russian-language regulatory filing in the Eurasian Economic Commission database which identifies five unreleased Mac computers by their model number: A1289, A1347, A1418, A1419 and A1481.

As noted by MacRumors, these numbers differ from the AXX prefixes attributed to current MacBook models. The new model numbers are probably related to the upcoming 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro updates. According to Bloomberg, Apple will refresh its Mac notebooks at WWDC next week with faster Intel chips and updated internal architecture.

Among the Mac notebooks said to be up for a refresh could be Apple's popular MacBook Air, which hasn't seen a major design change since its 2010 introduction.

The filing also identifies some spare parts for the Macs along with a next-generation Apple wireless keyboard (model number A1843) and four numbers classified under iOS 10 (A1671, A1709, A1670 and A1701) that probably refer to the Wi-Fi and cellular editions of the upcoming iPad Pro models, including the rumored new 10.5-inch model.

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Confirmed: Apple held talks with Sonder on using e-ink for a dynamic Magic Keyboard

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 13, 2016

An exciting story yesterday, based on a sketchy Reddit report, alleged Apple could use dynamic keyboard technology from Australian startup Sonder, part of Foxconn’s International Holding’s Incubator program. It would presumably permit the Cupertino company to engineer a keyboard with a tiny e-ink display on each key so that the layout could change depending on the app being used.

British newspaper The Guardian confirmed that discussions between members of Apple’s boss Tim Cook and representatives from Sonder Keyboard indeed took place.

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Next-gen Magic Keyboard reportedly in the works with e-ink display on every single key

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 12, 2016

According to a post by an anonymous user named “Foxconninsider” that surfaced Wednesday morning on Reddit, Apple is allegedly working with a startup called Sonder on a next-generation Magic Keyboard that's supposedly outfitted with an individual e-ink display on every single key.

Having e-ink-enhanced keys would let the graphics on each individual key change depending on the app currently in use. To me, that sounds a lot like an OLED strip that the rumor-mill believes will be debuting on the next MacBook Pro.

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Plausible concept imagines Magic Keyboard with contextually aware OLED function keys

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 17, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is adamant that one of the standout hardware features of a next-geneation MacBook is an OLED display which would replace the row of physical function keys. If that's the case, and knowing how Apple works, we might easily see this OLED touch bar come to a next-generation Magic Keyboard.

That's precisely the idea behind an interesting OLED Magic Keyboard concept by German magazine Curved.de, realized in co-operation with Dutch 3D artist Martin Hajek.

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Magic Keyboard review: streamlined and rechargeable, but worth it?

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Along with my Magic Mouse 2, I decided to pick up a Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard, for me, is probably the least compelling of the "Magic" devices that Apple just released. That's primarily because I'm a full time MacBook user, so I don't actually have a real hardline need for an external keyboard.

Yet, I'm nonetheless intrigued by the Magic Keyboard. I'm a sucker for the streamlined design, and the rechargeable batteries. Anytime you can get me away from having to replace or swap out batteries, you've pretty much won me over.

But does the Magic Keyboard do enough to truly justify the upgrade? Admittedly, it's a hard sell. Not only do you have to consider whether an upgrade is necessary, you then have to justify paying $30 more than the Wireless Keyboard that it replaces.

Is it worth it? Watch our video review and find out.

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