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Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

Use Keyboard Maestro to assign actions to the F Keys

Macintosh Keyboard

Apple currently manufactures two kinds of keyboards - a wireless version and a wired version. I have had the chance to use both for about a year and here's my thoughts on them.

Wireless Keyboard

I was very excited that Apple came out with a wireless version as it makes it easy to move the keyboard around. The wireless keyboard and mouse are a nice addition to the USB real estate. On my iMac, I only have 4 USB slots, so it's nice knowing that my mouse and keyboard isn't going to use up my USB slots.

The nice thing about the wireless keyboard is that it's very easy to move it out of the way when I am not using the computer. The bad part is that it needs a battery and about once a month I need to replace the battery. Not a big deal since I do keep a spare set of AA batteries so that I don't encounter any downtime.

Wired Keyboard

The wired version is very handy at work. I find that I use the 'Home' and 'End' buttons frequently in Chrome. They are great when navigating large web pages.

Recently I discovered that I could use Keyboard Mastro to assign actions to some of the F keys that I don't use in any of my applications. Keyboard Mastro also lets me assign actions to the numerical keys, which I don't use at all.

I am not concern about the USB slots at work since I don't really have any external devices.

Recommendation

I think the wired keyboard is the way to go. Using Keyboard Mastro, and some AppleScript knowledge, I can be much more productive with the Wired Keyboard.

Since I have a 10 slot USB hub at home, I am no longer worried about the keyboard using up a USB slot.

There's no problem with moving the keyboard around when I don't use it, the USB cable is long enough for me to move it out of the way for anything that I want.

I have pulled out my old Macally iceKey Slim USB Keyboard for a few times that I wanted to use the extended keyboard. As much as I like the Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, I can't justify spending $49 when the Macally keyboard works perfectly fine.

 

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These posts highlights some cool examples of why Keyboard Maestro should be part of every Mac OS user's computer. Keyboard Maestro is a powerful automation tool that can help improve productivity, save time, and streamline tedious tasks. It has a wide range of features and functions that can be customized to suit any user's needs, making it an ideal choice for Mac OS users.

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