Theyrenow available to anyoneto use with any computer, as long as youre happy with silver.
And while theUnlock With Apple Watchfeature is great, its not reliable enough to just set and forget.
And now, I can.
Ryan Snaadt / Unsplash
Im pretty fussy about keyboards, but happily, I do like Apples latest Magic Keyboards.
That means the new iMac, the M1 MacBooks Air and Pro, and the Mac mini.
Lets talk about Touch ID for a moment.
Apple
We all know it from older iPhones, which had a fingerprint reader in the home button.
Touch ID works precisely the same way on the Mac.
Thepairing process is unusual.
Apple
This is done by double-pressing the Macs power button to confirm that you intend to pair the keyboard.
In principle, its just like double-pressing the iPhones side button to initiate an Apple Pay transaction.
This means that you could give a significant other access to a computer or keep a family machine secure.
The Keyboard
The convenience of fingerprint unlock would be pointless without a good keyboard.
Currently I rotate between a clicky Filco Majestouch with Cherry Blue switches and a Logitech K811 backlit Bluetooth keyboard.
I also use the Magic Keyboard case with an iPad.
Im pretty fussy about keyboards, but happily, I do like Apples latest Magic Keyboards.
This Touch ID version uses the same mechanism.
The Magic Keyboard sounds a little hollow, but feels dead solid in use.
I also appreciate the small but positive amount of key travel, which I find more comfortable.
Using an Apple keyboard with a Mac also confers a few added conveniences.
This keyboard also has Apples new Globe modifier key, but its over in the number block.
Other neat features are the Lightning port, which lets you charge the keyboard with an iPhone cable.
I do wonder if the Touch ID still works in this mode.
I shall find out when it arrives.
The only one I can think of is the lack of backlit keys.
But with white keys and black lettering, I never need lights.
Well, theres another big downside.
This thing costs $179.
Then again, if you write for a living, its worth it.
