Why this new keyboard ?

[chevy]

The new keyboard is the same price as the old one, but just smaller, why ???

Apple plans an event on March 24th, why ???

Did Apple prepare the successor of the mouse ? which will make the keypad redoundant ?

[nixgeek]

I say they're going back to a compact Mac design. I figure if the keyboard is going back to the way it was with the original Macintosh....

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Originally Posted by chevy

The new keyboard is the same price as the old one, but just smaller, why ???

It's smaller because it lacks a numeric keypad... or were you asking why it's the same price but offers less? Well, for the same reason when you go into a department store that shorts cost the same as pants (only you get 1/3 less material).

Apple plans an event on March 24th, why ???

Apple has said nothing about planning an event for March 24th. There are rumors of a March 24th event, but a rumor is only that: a rumor. You'd not be a wise man to bet money on a rumor.

Did Apple prepare the successor of the mouse ? which will make the keypad redoundant ?

Only Apple knows this. No one else does, and anyone else that claims to know is lying. No one knows if there's one in the works, no one knows when it will be released, and no one knows anything about it, period. Anything you hear up until a new mouse is released is sheer speculation and rumor.

[fryke]

Easy: They're trying to get _out of_ the business market. They want to make a clear statement: The Mac does not belong in an office. Want to work with numbers? Go PC. Next up: iWork '10 will drop "Numbers" and replace it with "Illustrations".

The March 24 event is rumoured every year since Mac OS X' original release date in 2001. Doesn't mean anything's going to happen on it's 8th birthday. Snow Leopard certainly isn't ready for primetime just yet. We're deep in beta, nothing Final Candidate stage yet. There's not even full localisation yet, which would be a clear sign for a final candidate.

We've just seen the desktop Macs updated, the MBP 15" got a speed bump. Unless they've got a _big_ surprise up their sleeves (i.e. a new product), I don't see what could be important enough for a special event.

[limike28]

I have a theory, and it's really just my own speculation on why they reduced the footprint of the keyboard.

There's been a lot of chatter the last 2 days about Apple ordering 10in touch displays, which most are touting as the sign of a tablet or netbook. I am going to take a different tact on this based on some of the product information from the company they bought to acquire the touch software used in the iPhone and the new trackpads.

Perhaps, Apple plans to move away from the standard mouse as we know it, and roll out some slick, multi touch device that can be configured, and dynamically configured based on task, etc..

Totally speculation, but with a larger "touch" surface device I could see the desire for a smaller keyboard.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Originally Posted by limike28

Perhaps, Apple plans to move away from the standard mouse as we know it, and roll out some slick, multi touch device that can be configured, and dynamically configured based on task, etc..

Yuck!

Hehe... while I can navigate around just fine with a trackpad, I am much faster with a mouse.

I certainly hope Apple doesn't ditch the mouse, but if they do, we all know that Steve knows everything and the way I feel about it is just wrong and invalid. I should just get used to the new, "touch" way of life and move on.

[g/re/p]

As long as Logitech is still in business, i will NEVER waste my money on an apple mouse!