Keyboards and mice don’t get much more minimalist than the way Apple makes ‘em, and now there are three ways to express that sense of space, as Apple updates the keyboard, the mouse, and the desktop touchpad.
This week might have seen a new iMac or two, but it hasn’t just been about the new computers for Apple, with accessories part of the order of the week.
Specifically, there are three accessories on the way to shelves in Australia, and on the way to those iMac boxes, too.
First there’s the Magic Keyboard 2, and while we’re not sure exactly what is so magical about it, Apple says it now takes up less space, relies on a new scissor mechanism under the keys for a lower profile and yet still solid typing experience, and kills the need for batteries altogether, getting rid of the two AAs from the previous generation.
Then there are the new mice, with an updated Magic Mouse — now the Magic Mouse 2 — and an updated Magic Trackpad unsurprisingly called the Magic Trackpad 2.
The mouse is very much the same style of mouse we’ve never been too fond of, offering up a curved white wireless mouse that ditches the removable batteries and is now lighter than before, with feet that have been changed to make the glide smoother across your desk. The surface of this mouse still supports gestures, too, so you’ll be able to get your fingers dancing with Mac OS X in no time.
Finally, there’s a new trackpad, and in Apple’s Magic Trackpad 2, it feels like the company is making the most strides, at least in regards to improving its accessories.
Not only has the design changed and not only has the surface area increased, but Apple is also bringing Force Touch over from its new laptops to the desktop, letting you do that half-click to get an extra function out of a Mac.
We’re not sure if any of these features could be classed as “magic”, and we’re sure Penn & Teller would just be shaking their heads right now, but the way of charging the all of these peripherals is sure interesting, with Apple employing its Lightning charge port to bring power to the keyboard and mice.
If anything, you’ll at least get a secondary charge cable for an iPhone in the box, which is bound to make some people happy, and the accessories will even pair with the computer out just by plugging in the Lightning cable, which makes pairing seamless and easy.
Pricing on the new accessories isn’t terribly cheap, that said, and you’ll find the Magic Keyboard for $165, the Magic Mouse 2 for $129, and the Magic Trackpad for $199, with the former replacing the standard wireless Apple keyboard while the latter two replace their siblings, too.
