Filed under: Macworld, Accessories
No Apple key for Microsoft keyboard
Microsoft
is showing off a wireless keyboard/mouse combo that they are working on just for the Mac (I'll post a picture later).
This is good news for Mac folks since more peripherals are good. However, when Microsoft approached Apple about
licensing the Apple logo for the Command key Apple declined.This isn't too shocking to me, since I can't think of any third party keyboard that has an Apple logo on the command key, can you?
[via Paul Thurrott]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daniel Flax said 2:26PM on 1-12-2006
I have a Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse combo and it has the Apple logo on the Command Key. (It's the Alt-Key when used on a Windows system)
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Dan said 2:26PM on 1-12-2006
Looking in my Macuser mag, there's a Belkin keyboard with a Mac and Windows logo on the command key.
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brian said 2:27PM on 1-12-2006
Couldn't they just use the propellor?
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Robert said 2:30PM on 1-12-2006
This is pretty sad IMHO. Microsoft should be awarded for supporting the Mac, and they do make decent products for the Mac, so Apple refusing to license the logo to them is just pathetic.
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Alan said 2:34PM on 1-12-2006
My Logitech MX Duo has the Apple logo, the word "Alt" and the clover thing all on one key.
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Philipp said 2:44PM on 1-12-2006
see http://scr3.golem.de/?d=0601/logitech_mac&a=42651&s=3 for the next generation logitech-apple-keyboard with the apple-sign.
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Doug said 2:48PM on 1-12-2006
Whats the big deal? Why would Apple want to dilute its trademark by pimping it out? The Apple key is technically the command key and is identified by the clover marking, as are all shortcuts that use the command key. I dont see how "corporate stupidity sinks to a new low" [Pauls word's] because of this or why Apple should be any bit gracious over another silly USB keyboard out in the market.
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Andrew Holding said 2:53PM on 1-12-2006
again surely they just need to use the non-apple symbol on the same key. It's not as if it is even called the apple key. I can't think a good reason keep the apple there!
Same with option (i mean alt) key, it doesn't really need its symbol (though atleast it does appear in menus as that).
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ken said 3:06PM on 1-12-2006
Gyration's wireless keyboard has it -- you can see it on the image on the homepage:
http://www.gyration.com/en-US
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Rob Fisher said 3:58PM on 1-12-2006
My Logitech sports the Apple logo
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Andrew Eller said 6:11PM on 1-12-2006
I have a poorly designed kensington wireless keyboard that has the apple logo on it.
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motech said 10:14PM on 1-12-2006
conspiracy theory by motech:
chains of thoughts from several separate instances all collided when i just read the article above. . .
microsoft just officially announced in the macworld keynote that they will officially support apple for the next 5 years. they will continue to create office and msn messenger for the mac. wow i couldnt help but have a feeling that steve jobs was going to stab them in the back. this deal immediately made me think of the safari - internet explorer episode, when apple released safari, ms stopped making IE. could have been a preemptive move by apple as they had a very good feeling IE would cease to exist, but either way - apple came out with safari, IE is now gone.
apple will not give ms the rights to the apple logo on the new ms keyboard for excellent reason. if you think about it, they do give the logo to other companies, but apple simply does not want to give microsoft the privilege of having an MS product with the Almighty APPLE Logo. these days their are soo many occurrences where it seems like the line between apple and pc's are fading away. mac does not want to give ppl the wrong idea. intel macs, whats next, mac OS on intel. its related to brand image. again - apple does not want the people to get the wrong idea . . .
its also related to apple having to want revenge on ms, they are sour losers, and for good reason. ms screwed apple in the 80's big time. its all about revenge and closure for steve jobs. now that apple is riding a huge wave, they do not want ms to capitalize at all from apples success. this is apples (steves) show and in the long run, will be completely independent of MS, making them feel like the bastard step child they rightfully are(ms).
i spoke to an apple employee today at macworld, he was part of the iwork project and he very strongly hinted ("if you know what i mean . . .") that iwork has big plans of being a real office competitor. the fact that calculations are a new feature for tables in "Pages", is not a downer. doesnt mean we are never going to get "Numbers" (an excel like replacement), it actually means we are one step closer.
its amazing what apple employees will tell you when you know your mac very well, and you befriend them. really great stories that arent really juicy, but very entertaining. its great that i actually got a confirmation hint regarding iworks future.
well what i see happening is apple coming out with a huge version of iwork
(hopefully including some of my feature requests . . . ) that is going to hugely compete with ms. its going to be a huge F U to MS. a giant middle finger waiving in the air. they are looking to embarrass ms, and while this may never happen, it is def in apples cards and they are preparing for the possible opportunity.
lets see how the market rolls over the next 2 years because currently at the rate apple is gaining ground, and at the rate ms is receiving bad press , well anythings possible . . .
not an easy thing to do, MS is very very strong, and a giant to be awoken by apple. but the bigger the are, the harder they fall.
heres to apple getting em right between the eyes!
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