I've got an itch... I want an Apple Extended KB

[ShivaYash]

Should I bother?

I'm UK based and would only want an ANSI layout.

Comments?

[seebart]

Well I know you're very fond of your SSK. AEK2 is quite different. In feel and otherwise. I'm just saying. It's a great keyboard. Don't get me wrong. Have you ever tried any Alps?

[ShivaYash]

Well I know you're very fond of your SSK. AEK2 is quite different. In feel and otherwise. I'm just saying. It's a great keyboard. Don't get me wrong. Have you ever tried any Alps?

Yep, I LOVE the SSK, however the itch is present.
Have spent the last 16 days away from the SSK on my MacBook Air 13 KB, tough times

Did Apple make an SSK style KB? With Alps?
What are the differences between white and black?

Also, Cherry MX Green is on my list of things to try.

SY

[XMIT]

I can sell you an AEK II for 30 USD plus about 55 USD shipping to the UK. Send me a PM if you are interested and I will send one your way.

I consider the Apple Adjustable Keyboard to be SSK style but some would disagree. Some of the older keyboards (Apple Desktop Bus keyboard, Apple Keyboard) are small-ish and also have very nice Alps switches.

It would be good to post this in the Marketplace next time.

[seebart]

There's nothing wrong with tending to your "itch". AEK2 is not expensive. I got plenty of itches. I scratched four times yesterday.

[XMIT]

If you ask andrewjoy nicely he might let me throw in an AEK II for you into his box which may reduce shipping some. There is some space in there still.

[Muirium]

I have several SSKs. My Apple boards are a couple of nice mint condition AEK IIs, a not so nice AEK I, and also an Apple Adjustable Keyboard. You'd think I was into Apple keyboards by the sound of that collection! I mean, they're already mapped perfectly for OS X, and the caps are nice. But honestly, the SSK blows them all away so hard it's not even funny. The AEK I & II aren't in the same league, and the Apple Asjustable Keyboard isn't even playing the same sport, for the purposes of this lame metaphor. Game over!

There's still something I like about the AEK II (helps when it's NIB…) but it's more like a nicer, vintage peer to modern Matias keyboards than one of IBM's finest. It's damped, but so is my HHKB, another vastly superior piece of hardware.

[XMIT]

All of these keyboards come with different switches. The AEK II with Alps Salmons is a very nice board. There are also dampened Alps White and Mitsumi switch variants.

[Muirium]

I've got Alps cream in one of my AEK IIs, and white Alps in the other. Cream's a bit nicer. They're both damn subtle (i.e. "complicated Alps") compared to Matias tactile switches. The AEK I has salmons, but they're dirty and it's hard to judge. Dirt intolerance is one of several big problems with Alps.

Naturally, all of mine are ANSI…

[seebart]

To me the best Apple "feeling" is the M0110. I do like the Adjustable, but it's not in my top ten.

[Muirium]

Whoops, I forgot to mention I have one of those as well. Definitely a vintage feeling keyboard! It's like a cute compact version of the linear boards you'd find in 1970s mainframe terminals. Random linear with a whole lot of ringing.

Here's a bunch of recordings:

I love a good sequence of recordings of real typing. Here's some of mine if you want them, same deal: do whatever you want with the files, without limit. All these were recorded with the same microphone, level (no auto levelling!) and placement on my desk. So they're all directly comparable.

10. HHKB Pro 2.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ddsmshyc74ozsvz/HHKB.m4a

11. Topre Realforce.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9rskazvmk2ie ... lforce.m4a

12. Prototype Cooler Master NovaTouch.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/322vbhb2gdg94bq/NovaTouch.m4a

13. NMB RT-102 with clicky space invaders.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5m02stva20amf ... RT-102.m4a

14. IBM Model M SSK.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zsinfw3l577bqai/SSK.m4a

15. IBM Model F Kishsaver.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7cqyay2hgf3a0 ... ice%29.m4a

16. Ducky Shine 3 with MX reds.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zssvj2dtt1pw8 ... Red%29.m4a

17. Apple Extended Keyboard II with damped white Alps.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4rwg5lzuz245z ... d%20II.m4a

18. Apple M0110 with cream Alps vintage tee switches.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/16mx6cqq3dobg4c/M0110.m4a

19. Monterey K110 ("Siig Minitouch") with clicky Monterey switches.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ctirbxj3jknf4 ... ranite.m4a

I'll get back to the NovaTouch again now I've some silencing rings on it. But the authentic typing recording will have to wait on Cookie making more of them. I've also got an HHKB Type-S of my own on its way, which will be informative as well as my most likely daily typer. And my beam springs need some attention and capture eventually too, with and without solenoid.

[Redmaus]

I have a variety of apple boards that I am selling.

PM me.

[mr_a500]

Should I bother?

I'm UK based and would only want an ANSI layout.

Comments?

I wouldn't bother with an AEK II. I think they suck. I've got two (cream) and they feel like rubber domes.

The original AEK with orange ALPS is much better. Get that or an orange ALPS M0116.

[Muirium]

Pretty weird rubber domes!

I've an AEK I as well, and its switches must be in a crappy state. Because it's not impressive at all. Besides them, the case isn't much better than the AEK II, solidness wise. An altogether lower quality feeling keyboard than a Model M.

[seebart]

I prefer my M0118 with salmon Alps to my AEK2 with cream Alps. But I don't dare compare them to rubber domes.

[ShivaYash]

Thanks chaps... so I conclude I'm in the market for an AEK I.

[XMIT]

I have an AEK II here that has Salmon Alps switches.

Consult:
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_Extended_Keyboard
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_Extended_Keyboard_II

[Redmaus]

I have adb keyboard with orange alps that I am selling.

[mr_a500]

I've an AEK I as well, and its switches must be in a crappy state. Because it's not impressive at all. Besides them, the case isn't much better than the AEK II, solidness wise. An altogether lower quality feeling keyboard than a Model M.

I can tell a definite difference in quality between AEK and AEK II. The AEK II plastic is thinner and flexes easily. If you take a (good condition) original AEK and twist it, you won't get much flex. It feels solid. The AEK II will flex and creak and feel much cheaper.

You're right though - the Model M feels higher quality in comparison.

[Muirium]

Yeah, we agree. I can well imagine an AEK I in better condition than mine. It could be pretty good, but not like an IBM.

The original AEK caps however are very nice. I'll dig out a picture I posted of them. Nice thick and tastefully smooth curved PBT.

[Redmaus]

Apple stepped caps are nice too...

[Muirium]

Stepped?

[Redmaus]

Yup.

IMG_2154.JPG (60.19 KiB) Viewed 4918 times

[Muirium]

Oh yeah, frogdesign style. They're called stepped? Makes sense. I thought that was an offset Caps Lock thing, while caps with a central plateau (like the mods on Model Fs) are "high hat". But a lot of this terminology we just seem to be making up as we go! (I know I do… oy.)

[Redmaus]

Yeah I have been trying to sell this board for weeks and no takers. Really baffles me.

[ShivaYash]

How much you asking?

[Redmaus]

How much you asking?

Asking price is 50$ but all prices are negotiable

[ShivaYash]

Ok, and where are you based? How crazy will shopping be London? Is the ADB to USB adapter included? What is the model number of this particular board?

[Redmaus]

The kb is under 4 lbs, so it shouldn't be that bad. Sorry no griffin ishit included. I can't believe they want people to pay 50$+shipping for a fucking adapter that costs .50$ to make. I could convert with a pro micro, but I don't know where the adb firmware is for conversion.

Part # is 658-4081

I am in Texas,USA

[jou]

TMK has a ADB converter which I'm using for my AEK2:

https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/tre ... er/adb_usb

The Caps Lock key has a locking switch, so if you want to remap it, you have to remove the locking tab and change the keymap of caps lock to a non-locking key. I also swapped the innards of the lock key with the power key on mine.