Matias Tactile Pro 4 Keyboard For Mac
The Good Alps mechanical switches make satisfying click; laser-etched keys won't fade; strong build; three integrated USB 2.0 ports; compatible with PC and Mac (with drivers). The Bad Expensive; clicking sound irritates neighbors. The Bottom Line Fans of Apple's legendary Extended II keyboard will love the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0's sculpted keys and satisfying click. Its sturdy build and laser-etched keys also ensure a long lifespan. If you get past the $150 price, the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 makes a solid replacement for the stock Apple keyboard.
The Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 is the next best alternative to tracking down an example of the original Apple Extended Keyboard that garnered cultlike appeal for its long throw action (key depression distance), solid build quality, and the mechanical clacking sound. Apple has long since retired the Extended and Extended II designs in favor of its newest, but Matias continues the legacy with Apple-inspired features like Alps mechanical keyswitches, laser-etched sculpted keys, and three USB ports for connecting your other USB peripherals.
Casual typists will certainly balk at paying $150 for what appears to be a 'basic' Apple replacement keyboard, but we recommend the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 for true typing enthusiasts that understand its throwback appeal and appreciate its modern upgrades. The layout of the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 is purposefully reminiscent of Apple's original Extended Keyboard, but you'll also notice a similarity to the much-criticized that came bundled with the Power Mac G4. Luckily, the Tactile Pro 3.0 only borrows the design of that era.
The keyboard features the same translucent white plastic finish that makes a good match even next to modern Apple computers, and the build quality feels durable despite an audible flex to the plastic body. Finally, Matias also includes a three-port USB 2.0 hub on the back and sides of the keyboard so you don't have to sacrifice your other precious peripherals to use it. The Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 plays nicely with your Mac out of the box with plug-and-play installation, and the key layout features reversed command and option keys. On the other hand, if you love the keyboard and are stuck with a PC, the Matias Web site provides that reconfigure the Alt and Windows keys. The top of the numerical pad has four media-control buttons for raising and lowering volume, muting, and ejecting, and all of the keys have secondary labels for quick access to infrequently used symbols like ™, €, £, ¥, and ©. And while most modern key labels are usually printed directly on the surface, Matias goes the extra mile to laser-etch each letter directly into the keycap, ensuring that the labels won't fade over time with repeated use. While the general public is satisfied with flat Chiclet-style keys you get on most laptops and even the Apple Wireless Keyboard, typing purists will appreciate the Tactile Pro 3.0's beautifully sculpted keycaps that rest comfortably beneath your fingers and keep them planted in the home position for faster, and sometimes more accurate, typing.
Similar to the Apple Extended II and the recent, the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0 uses mechanical switches underneath each key that provide an audible click and a tactile response with each depression. The Alps switches on the Tactile Pro actually feel louder and less springy than the Cherry Blue-branded switches found on the Das Keyboards, which could be good or bad depending on your environment.
In either case, we should warn you that the keyboard makes a loud clacking noise that could be an irritating distraction to anyone in close proximity. That said, we love typing on the Matias Tactile Pro 3.0-aside from the satisfying noise closely resembling the sound of a typewriter, we found ourselves typing faster and with improved accuracy based on simply hearing and feeling the impact of the switch hitting the mechanism beneath our fingers. Finally, the Tactile Pro includes a feature that Matias calls Anti-Ghosting Circuitry (more commonly known as n-key rollover) that ensures that no key press goes unregistered, no matter how fast you type.
. Manuals All manuals are in PDF format and require software.
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Where is the Num Lock key? Press the Clear key on the number pad. The Mac OS doesn't need a Num Lock key, so it was re-purposed and re-labeled 'clear'. In calculator applications, pressing it will clear the value display, just like an C or AC button on a physical calulator.
Why did my number pad stop working? Most likely, you accidentally turned on the Mouse Keys feature. Here's how you fix it:. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Click on the Accessibility icon. Click on the Mouse & Trackpad side menu. De-select the checkbox next to Enable Mouse Keys. Click the Options.
De-select the checkbox next to Press the Option key five times to toggle Mouse Keys. Close the window. The number pad is not working in Microsoft Excel for Mac. It works fine in every other application. Most likely, Num Lock is off in Excel. To turn it on, hold down the Shift key and then press the Clear key.The Clear key is in the top-left corner of the number pad. How do I tell the difference between a Tactile Pro 4 and a Tactile Pro 3?
The Tactile Pro 4 has an Fn key positioned. The Tactile Pro 3 does NOT have an Fn key, but has a. Where is the Help / Insert key? Hold down Shift and then press the zero key on the number pad. Shift-numpad-0 will engage/disengage the Insert key on Microsoft Windows running in Boot Camp, or virtualized in VMware Fusion / Parallels. FYI, the Mac OS doesn't need an Insert key, so Apple re-purposed and re-labeled it 'Help'.
In supported applications, pressing Help will bring up the help system. Apple no long supports the Help key on their keyboards, and so it is also not supported on the Tactile Pro for Mac. Note: If you are using the Tactile Pro on a PC, there is no way to type Insert from the keyboard.
If you need an Insert key, we recommend the (black) of the Quiet Pro, which has one. Why no Power key? Apple no longer has Power keys on their keyboards, and we fear they will eventually discontinue support for it entirely, so we didn't include one. To bring up the Restart/Sleep/Shutdown dialog box, simply press Control‑Eject. Is it Windows compatible? Yes, but since it is a Mac keyboard, there are a few quirks:. The Eject, Volume, and Media keys will not work on a PC.
However, they will work if you are running Windows on a Mac, via Boot Camp, Parallels, or VMware Fusion. They Alt and Windows keys have their positions swapped. Is it Linux compatible?
Yes, but since it is a Mac keyboard, there are a few quirks, which are. Eject & Volume keys don't work.
Anything I can do? The answer depends on which OS you're using. Mac OS X Are you using USB Overdrive? If so, that's probably causing the problem. Please follow the instructions on this page. Mac OS 9 The Volume keys will not work in OS 9.
You can use the menu bar volume control instead. To get Eject to work, you need to download a special Eject utility that Apple released but is now discontinued. Microsoft Windows Unless you are running Windows on a Mac (via Boot Camp or Parallels or VMware Fusion), these functions will not work. I'm running OS X and I have multiple drives that I want to be able to Eject individually.
Anything solution? Double-click on Eject.menu which you will find in the following folder: Macintosh HD v System v Library v CoreServices v Menu Extras v Eject.menu This will put an Eject icon on your menu bar. Can I use this keyboard to type German / French / other non-U.S.
Yes, it can be remapped to non-U.S. The letters on the face of the keys may not correspond to the new layout, but the keyboard will operate exactly as the selected (software) layout. In order to select the keyboard layout in Mac OS X, follow these steps:. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu. Click on the International icon. Click on Input Menu. Scroll through the list of available keyboard layouts, and click to select the checkboxes of the keyboard layouts you would like to have available to you.
If you would like to use the standard layout. You may select more than one layout, if you wish to be able to quickly switch between different layouts. Click to select the checkbox at the bottom of the window, Show input menu in menu bar. Close the window. The “Flag” menu in the top-right of the menu bar controls the active keyboard layout. It will list all of the layouts that were selected in step 4. Click and select U.S., or whichever layout you would like to use.
Can I change the layout to Dvorak? However, we do NOT recommend that you remove the keycaps to configure it for Dvorak typing. Since the key heights and angles are different for each row, moving keycaps out of their standard positions will interfere with the feel of the keyboard. We recommend using the following software solution instead: (3 KB) (49 KB) (49 KB) These keyboard layout files remap the main letter keys to the Dvorak layout, while maintaining the standard Option and Shift+Option key positions, so they match the Option Key Caps. These layouts will work with any keyboard, not just this one. We encourage you to download and try them on your system, before you make a purchase. R O U T I N E C L E A N I N G (monthly):.
Run a vacuum brush over the top of the keyboard. Alternatively, a compressed air can is also a good way to blow dust out from under the keys. Wipe the top and bottom of the keyboard with a damp (not dripping) cloth. D E E P C L E A N I N G (not generally recommended): If your keyboard is working properly, we STRONGLY recommend AGAINST deep cleaning it. These instructions are provided only for cleaning keyboards that are so dirty that they're not functioning properly — for example: sticking or non-working keys, etc.
Deep cleaning will void your warranty, so if your keyboard is less than a year old, we especially don't recommend doing this. Better to for warranty support instead. For a more rigorous cleaning, you can remove some of the key caps. This allows you to get under the keys and vacuum out anything missed by regular cleaning (for example, crumbs or larger bits of dust).
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To avoid damaging the switches, you need a proper 'key puller' tool to remove the key caps. Here are a few options:.
Pull straight upward with the key puller, to remove each key cap. The bigger keys must NOT be removed, because they are extremely difficult to put back on afterwards. Spacebar. Shift keys. Return/Enter.
Delete/Backspace. numberpad Enter.
numberpad 0 (zero) These keys must NOT be removed. You can clean under these keys by removing some keys around them. We do NOT recommend opening the keyboard case enclosure, for several reasons. It voids the warranty. If you're not careful, you can easily damage the electronics from electrostatic discharge (ESD).
It's difficult to re-assemble the case if you don't know how. Native instruments download. It's not necessary for cleaning. After the key caps are removed, simply vacuum out any dust and debris from inside the keyboard. Do NOT use water. The key caps themselves can be cleaned by running them through a dishwasher. Wipe them down and let them dry out for a few hours before popping them back on to the keyboard. R E A L L Y D E E P C L E A N I N G (if nothing else works): Courtesy of Christopher Breen of Macworld magazine (and yes, this will void your warranty).
Matias Tactile Pro 4 Keyboard For Mac Fk303
If the keyboard is so filthy that it appears to be a lost cause—as it might after a major coffee, soda, or Mai Tai spill—put it in the dishwasher. Place it in the top rack, dial the dishwasher to a rinse only setting, don't put soap in the thing, and run it through.
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Remove the keyboard and let it drain, with keys down, until it's completely dry—this could take a couple of days. This is controversial because some keyboard manufacturers suggest that you not do this as they won't guarantee that the keyboard will survive the ordeal—particularly if you hit the keyboard with really hot water, detergent, and flying cutlery. Speaking from personal experience, I've done this with a beloved Matias TactilePro keyboard that I'd given up for dead (this is the perfect condition under which to conduct this experiment). I'm happy to report that not only did it survive, it works perfectly (and is a whole lot nicer to look at than it once was).