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Thursday, January 24, 2002
10:41 - Boy, That Sure Came Out of Left Field...
http://www.ctnow.com/technology/hc-moss0124.artjan24.story?coll=hc%2Dheadlines%2Dtec

(top) link
At the end of an otherwise glowing review of the new iMac (a review that Apple has in fact quoted in a couple of just-released bits of PR), Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal registers this rather surprising gripe:

And it seems absurd that Apple didn't use a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Huh? I sure didn't see that one coming. Absurd? When has Apple ever shipped a wireless keyboard and mouse? Sure, it would enhance the aesthetic value of the iMac, but it would have done the same for the old one too. So why should they start now?

Wireless input devices cost more, for one thing. Going from a $50 keyboard to a $100 keyboard would put the overall price thoroughly out of its target bracket, especially considering the markup that usually gets applied to any hardware repackaged for sale as a component.

And more importantly, where would the transmitters go? If they put them inside the base, that's more stuff to cram into a space that's already jigsawed into place like a Jenga game. They probably wouldn't have room for it. And even if they did, what about people who like to replace their keyboards and mice? Not everyone prefers to stay with the default gear. If they did, Macally wouldn't be in business. People want ergonomic keyboards and two-button wheely-mice, And Apple knows this. They know not everybody wants to rice their machines, so they ship stock equipment that will be sufficient for most people-- but they make it possible for people to upgrade. Yeah, I know-- people could just plug in third-party keyboards and mice via USB. But still, the third-party manufacturers tend to try to match Apple's design criteria... and if those design criteria include being wireless and working with a built-in internal transmitter, that's asking a bit much.

Besides, wireless keyboards and mice tend to have lag problems. And they require batteries.

Okay, I will agree that the problems are not insurmountable, and that it would have been cool for the iMac to have shipped with a wireless keyboard and mouse. But it is not absurd that it did not.

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© Brian Tiemann