I gave the Logitech S 530 a fair shake, even after its drivers caused my machine to freeze up (which in turn corrupted my hard drive and cost me several weeks in data recovery hell).
The thing is, I just didn’t like the keyboard action. It’s not as bad as the membrane keyboard that Apple ships these days, but it’s no where near as good as Logitech’s DiNovo either. The mouse wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t feel great either. And the whole kit was sucking batteries pretty hungrily. It just wasn’t for me.1
I’ve replaced the mouse with the Logitech MX Revolution (using the USB Overdrive driver), which I’m liking pretty well so far.
Since I don’t seem to like the 
standard 
keyboard action, I’ve decided to go with a laptop style/scissor-switch keyboard.2 I’m currently choosing between the Kensington SlimType3 and the MacAlly IceKey. More on these in a future post when I’ve had time to test them out properly.
- Amazon has a very liberal return policy for items purchased in Nov-Dec, so the Logitech S 350 return is no issue. [back]
- I’m using my PowerBook G4 again temporarily, and I think my favorite keyboard right now is actually the MacBook keyboard with the funky keys. Having them all spaced out like that is something I’ve really grown to like. Keyboard manufacturers, please make a full-size one for me – I’ll buy it. [back]
- Possibly breaking my pledge not to buy Kensington anymore. [back]
I have seen/tried both the Kensington SlimType and the MacAlly IceKey, and IMHO the MacAlly is by far the better choice. Overall the Kensington feels cheap, whereas the MacAlly keyboard not only feels and looks well-built, but the feel is as close to the MacBook/PowerBook as I have found on a stand-alone keyboard.
I too have used both the Kensington and the MacAlly and I second the vote for the MacAlly. It’s significantly better than the Kensington, based on my subjective judgement of “feel”. I don’t use the MacAlly daily anymore (I moved to a MS Ergo 4000)… it’s now doing duty on my OS X Server box.
I’m glad to hear you’re liking the MX Revolution. I’ve been lusting after one for a while, so I may just make the plunge. I have the MX1000 and am looking for a little more robust battery life… and that scroll wheel is just sexay.
Have you tried the Matais Tactile Pro (www.tactilepro.com).
The feet on the bottom are crappy (you’ll break them very soon) and there is no F16 button, but it’s the best USB Mac keyboard I’ve found.
So far I like the styling and the fact that the audio buttons work without a driver on the Kensington, and the key layout and the larger Command key (left side) of the MacAlly.
The Kensington StudioBoard (same as the Matias Tactile Pro) is what I’m moving from. Previous posts:
https://alexking.org/blog/2004/03/31/tactile-pro
https://alexking.org/blog/2004/04/08/kensington-studioboard-mechanical-keyboard
I bought the IceKey keyboard thinking that laptop style keys would be a lot easier on my fingers. I prefer the keyboard on my powerbook, and wanted the same at my desktop.
The IceKey is indeed a slim line keyboard, but what you can’t see on the inter-web is that that keys are at an angle, they are slanted and not quite like a notebook’s slim profile keys.
Further, and finally, after less than a week of ordinary use for me the keys began to pop off the keyboard.
MacAlly insist that the keys are easy to replace, and all I have to do is read up in their support section. Not so, this keyboard is very poorly made, and they would not issue me an RA number, or make arrangements with me to exchange the keyboard. Neither would the vendor.
This was quite a surprise to me, I have a number of MacAlly peripherals, and always saw them as a good company. After this experience, however, my suggestion is that you go with anything but a MacAlly keyboard.
I’ve had a MacAlly IceKEY for about 3 years. It’s by far, my favorite keyboard ever. I even had the old Apple ADB Extended Keyboard, which was a tank.
The fact that the keys are extremely quiet is a huge plus over the clack clack of an old-style key switch. It makes working late at night in a small apartment and NOT disturbing the girlfriend’s beauty sleep possible.
The only problem I’ve had is with MacAlly’s new Universal driver (it activates the volume keys), which likes to randomly stop working. I use a dual monitor PowerBook setup, so just use those volume keys when I need to. A drag.
As far as mice are concerned, you’re on your own. I use the Kensington Expert Mouse trackball with scroll ring. It’s fantastic! The scroll ring is a huge improvement over scroll wheels. I can scroll with my ring finger without taking my index and middle finger of the ball or having to use the awkward scroll wheel reach-around maneuver.
When on the road (or Photoshopping) I use a 4″ x 5″ WACOM Graphire 2 tablet. As i like to tell people about the
I use an MX 1000 at home, and I like it OK, but at work I’m using a new VX Revolution and it’s killer.
The size is right on the cusp of being “too small”, though, so some people might not like it.
For keyboards, I dunno. I’m using an old iMac bondi blue keyboard, and it’s not great, but it has enough keys.
The new diNovo Edge has an unfortunate looking edit key layout, but at $200 it’s too much to try on a whim right now anyway.
After reading multiple endorsements both here and on Amazon and then taking a gander at the few other Macompatible USB keyboards available on the market, I recently settled on the Macally IceKey (Black). Contrary to fernado’s comment, this keyboard is perfectly flat, the keys are not angled at all. Perhaps he has confused it with the iKeySlim, which did feel truly craptacular to me. The IceKey, on the other hand, is a superb instrument.
I do concur with jeffharris though, the universal driver craps out a lot and when it does will not come back without rebooting. However, I don’t think that this is actually Macally’s fault, despite their history of really buggy drivers. A number of functions randomly fail on me all at once on OS X 10.4.8; others have reported the same.
Wish there were a way to get the IceKey to work on Apple’s own keyboard driver.
Read my IceKey review here.