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Make your iBook G4 keyboard better!
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2003
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I discovered a neat little thing about the g4's keyboard just now. Look closely at the light for "num lock," and you'll see it has a little slot. Get something like a jeweller's screwdriver and give the slot a half turn, and a little plastic tab will pop out and, if you push the keyboard down, into a slot on the inside of the case.
Hey presto, the keyboard is no longer squishy, and now resembles the keyboard on a Powerbook! It wasn't terrible before, but now it is firmer and much more pleasant to use. According to an Apple pdf, this keyboard "lock" is open by default. I can't imagine why. Try it!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Earth
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This little screw has been there since the first DUAL USB iBook (almost three years ago already). Not sure if it's the same on the clamshell. I guess the keyboard is not locked by default to let people add extra memory/airport card.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Damn, so it's old news. I was pretty excited about it for a second there. Still, perhaps this thread will remind someone who'd forgotten of it.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ontario, Canada
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I've never heard of it before. I'm currently saving for an iBook so I'll keep it in mind...thanks for the tip.
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233mhz iMac • 1.2ghz iBook G4 • 4gig Pink iPod mini "sweet pea"
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Richmond,Va
Status:
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Originally posted by pat++:
This little screw has been there since the first DUAL USB iBook (almost three years ago already). Not sure if it's the same on the clamshell. I guess the keyboard is not locked by default to let people add extra memory/airport card.
The clamshell had it too. I owned an iBook for a few months before I noticed it.
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Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Auckland, NZ
Status:
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Yeah it's very useful. Just make sure that service people know about it if you're ever getting more RAM or something - so that they don't just try to rip the keyboard out  .
Also, I just saw someone with a Japanese iBook 800MHz G4 yesterday, and the keyboard on that is a bit different. I haven't seen any other iBook G4 so I'm not sure, but it seemed a lot more like the new Powerbook keyboards in terms of firmness and feeling.
More interesting, however, was that it didn't have this little screw tab that we're talking about.
Anyway, I hadn't really seen an opaque white iBook before, and I far prefer the old style... my one's style .
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2003
Status:
Offline
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Actually, I have a Japanese iBook too, and mine does have the little tab. Maybe there was a different production run or something?
I think you're right, the older translucent keyboards are nicer looking than the new ones, but the new ones feel better.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2004
Status:
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i don't know what you guys are talking about, the keyboard feels plenty solid to me without giving it the half turn
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Nashville, TN
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good to know, planning to get one for uni
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Don't try to outweird me, I get stranger things than you free with my breakfast cereal.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Topeka, KS
Status:
Offline
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I don't really notice any difference between before or after turning the screw. But it is good to know about.
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"Laugha while you can monkeyboy." Dr.
Lizardo
700MHz iBook G3
640MB Ram
OS 10.3.9
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