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CharlesS · 03:09 AM

Well, I bought an iMac G5, 20 inch, from the university bookstore, so I guess I am now joining the ranks of the iMac owners. After using a G4/450 tower with an analog 15" monitor for five years, this machine is somewhat of a culture shock - it just seems way too good for me!

Compile time and Spotlight are both kicking my old G4's butt so far...

However, I am thinking I should have bought it from Apple rather than from the uni bookstore. First of all, the second DVD that came with it seems to be bad - the G5 iMac gives an error when trying to access pretty much any file on it, and my other machine, a G3 Pismo, won't even read the disc but gives me the unreadable disk error (yes, it's got a built-in DVD-ROM). Since I decided to reformat the drive to add a small 10 MB partition for testing boot CDs, this means I no longer have iLife '05. Argh. I hope I can get the install discs replaced without too much hassle.

The other thing is, although they charged me the base edu price for the iMac, for some reason this thing had the wireless keyboard and mouse when I opened the case. Since I had hoped for the wired keyboard for various reasons, this annoyed me. Called the uni bookstore, and they basically said, "Sorry about that, we only special-order the iMacs with Bluetooth keyboards, and don't carry any with the wired ones. Sorry, I should have mentioned that! Anyway, we forgot and charged you the base price, so I guess we gave you a Bluetooth keyboard for free." I've broken the seal on the machine and started using it, so I'm stuck with this now, but I guess it's not that bad since I basically got a higher value than I paid for. So basically, now I'm wondering what you guys use the Bluetooth keyboard for with a desktop machine. What's the advantage of it? The disadvantages are obviously that the batteries can need to be replaced sometimes and that you don't get the extra USB port. I'm going to be using my wired Logitech mouse no matter what, so the mouse doesn't really matter either way. I can see several options for the keyboard, though:

1. Sell it and the wireless mouse on eBay and buy a wired keyboard.

2. Keep it around and use it with the Logitech wired mouse if you guys can convince me of a good reason to do so.

3. Give it to my brother, who's got a Bluetooth-compatible PowerBook but no external keyboard, and either buy a wired keyboard or use the ratty old Pro Keyboard from my G4.

Basically, I'm wondering what you guys use a wireless keyboard for, and why it would be preferable over a wired one. Thanks!

trip · May 22, 2005, 03:10 AM

[QUOTE=Basically, I'm wondering what you guys use a wireless keyboard for, and why it would be preferable over a wired one. Thanks![/QUOTE]

The beautiful thing about the iMac is that you can attach it to a vesa mounted arm such as an Omnimount. I often spend some time standing at the desk due to, well, too much sitting

Also by being able to push your iMac away you free up desk space. The wire prevents me from moving the iMac around with the Vesa arm and note the apple keyboard only has a wire that's about 2 ft long.

Another reason would be connecting your mac to a bigscreen TV, then using the keyboard on your coffee table....

Otherwise I think you're right there's very little value.

mdc · May 22, 2005, 09:25 AM

i'll give you $20 and my brand new (bought my iMac wednesday) iMac g5 wired keyboard for your wireless one.

the reason i would like the bluetooth one is because i also have a powerbook, and using the bluetooth keyboard and mouse on either is less of a hassle than unplugging them from one and plugging them into the other.

CharlesS · May 22, 2005, 12:45 PM

Here's a piece of info that, if someone can answer it, might affect my decision whether or not to keep the Bluetooth keyboard.

Are the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse able to put themselves to sleep when they're not being used, or do I need to shut them off whenever I'm not using them in order to save the battery?

Pringlis · May 22, 2005, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Here's a piece of info that, if someone can answer it, might affect my decision whether or not to keep the Bluetooth keyboard.

Are the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse able to put themselves to sleep when they're not being used, or do I need to shut them off whenever I'm not using them in order to save the battery?

They power themselves down. I've had the keyboard for two months now and the batteries are only half way down (there's a monitor in the Keyboard pref pane). Power is not really a concern at all.

f1000 · May 22, 2005, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Here's a piece of info that, if someone can answer it, might affect my decision whether or not to keep the Bluetooth keyboard.

Are the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse able to put themselves to sleep when they're not being used, or do I need to shut them off whenever I'm not using them in order to save the battery?

I don't have to change the batteries in my Apple Wireless keyboard for weeks. I use rechargeables, which tend to run down faster than alkalines. If I used alkalines, I'd probably be able to use the keyboard for two months or more between battery replacements. I rarely switch my keyboard off unless I know that I'll be on an extended trip.

I don't use an Apple Wireless mouse; instead, I use a Logitech MX900. Two buttons and a scroll wheel make the Logitech a superior choice.

CharlesS · May 22, 2005, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by f1000

I don't use an Apple Wireless mouse; instead, I use a Logitech MX900. Two buttons and a scroll wheel make the Logitech a superior choice.

Well, no argument there. But do the Logitech wireless mice work with Bluetooth like the Apple stuff does? I was under the impression that the Logitech wireless mouse requires a receiver to be plugged into your USB ports. And as long as the thing is going to eat one of my ports, I might as well just use the wired Logitech mouse that I already have...

andreas_g4 · May 22, 2005, 03:58 PM

^ I've got exactly the same question.

f1000 · May 22, 2005, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Well, no argument there. But do the Logitech wireless mice work with Bluetooth like the Apple stuff does? I was under the impression that the Logitech wireless mouse requires a receiver to be plugged into your USB ports. And as long as the thing is going to eat one of my ports, I might as well just use the wired Logitech mouse that I already have...

The MX900 works fine with the built-in BT on my PowerBook. No USB ports required. I only use the charging station for, well, charging.

I should mention that the MX900 actually has 7 buttons (8 if you include the scroll wheel), but I don't find most of these extra "chicklet" buttons useful.

CharlesS · May 22, 2005, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by f1000

The MX900 works fine with the built-in BT on my PowerBook. No USB ports required. I only use the charging station for, well, charging.

I should mention that the MX900 actually has 7 buttons (8 if you include the scroll wheel), but I don't find most of these extra "chicklet" buttons useful.

Do they have any ambidextrous versions with BT? My current one is an ambidextrous MX310 with 6 buttons, and it is so nice. I use the six buttons as follows: left click, right click, F9, F11, F10, and Dashboard. It's about perfect as is...

f1000 · May 22, 2005, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Do they have any ambidextrous versions with BT? My current one is an ambidextrous MX310 with 6 buttons, and it is so nice. I use the six buttons as follows: left click, right click, F9, F11, F10, and Dashboard. It's about perfect as is...

I've never seen one. I believe that the MX900 is also Logitech's only foray into Bluetooth.

There are BT mice by other manufacturers that you might find more suitable. While I've always appreciated Logitech's quality, M$ mice have gotten better and so have the others.

CharlesS · May 22, 2005, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by f1000

I've never seen one. I believe that the MX900 is also Logitech's only foray into Bluetooth.

There are BT mice by other manufacturers that you might find more suitable. While I've always appreciated Logitech's quality, M$ mice have gotten better and so have the others.

Nah, I'll probably just keep my Logitech wired. Their mice seem to stand head-and-shoulders above any other mouse I've tried.

trip · May 22, 2005, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Do they have any ambidextrous versions with BT? My current one is an ambidextrous MX310 with 6 buttons, and it is so nice. I use the six buttons as follows: left click, right click, F9, F11, F10, and Dashboard. It's about perfect as is...

yep

http://www.kensington.com/html/5465.html

not sure about six buttons though...

tooki · May 22, 2005, 07:06 PM

This thread was about keyboards, not iMacs, and did not belong in the iMac forum.

tooki

gametime10 · May 23, 2005, 11:33 AM

I'll trade you my Macally IceKey straight up for your Bluetooth keyboard

CaptainHaddock · May 27, 2005, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by f1000

I should mention that the MX900 actually has 7 buttons (8 if you include the scroll wheel), but I don't find most of these extra "chicklet" buttons useful.

Dude, set your side buttons to Exposé functions and the top chicklet button to Dashboard.

I find them very useful this way. (You can do all this in the Exposé and Dashboard preferences.)