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Rating: 
Summary: Macally Imediakey failures
Review: I am using my 3rd Imediakey in as many months. The first one failed within 60 days. I returned it to the manufacturer and received a replacement. The replacement failed within 30 days. This time I encountered resistance from the manufacturer regarding the return. Confused people, long hold times, being transfered from one person to another, etc. I finally had to become forceful to get results. I personally would not buy another Imediakey. Actually, I will never buy another Macally product.
Rating: 
Summary: Great keyboard!
Review: I bought this to replace the Apple Pro keyboard that came with my G4. With the Apple Pro Keyboard, I found myself constantly typing double or triple letters, even if I only pressed down the key lightly. After months of feeling illiterate, I gave up. After agonizing over a keyboard purchase, I chose the iMediaKey, hoping it might offer some of the same features as the keyboard it was replacing. And it does! It not only has volume controls on it, as well as media eject functions, it also has a POWER BUTTON that works through the USB port! For all those people like myself who really miss that ability to power up off the keyboard, you can welcome it back. In addition, there are full music controls (FFwd, Rew, Play, Stop, Pause) on the keyboard, buttons for email and your internet browser, and several programmable buttons. The best part about it is that this thing is plug and play- install the software, and all the buttons are pre-configured. Eudora came up immediately, as did IE, which are the two clients I use for email and web respectively. I like the feel of this keyboard a lot. I'm used to older Mac keyboards, and having to actually type and not touch. You definitely have to push the keys down. But there have been few if any key repeats, and I feel much more confident with this keyboard. My one complaint is that the caps lock key does not have a light on it and is placed close to the A, so on my first day I was hitting it a lot. That immediately became a non-issue. If you need to replace your Apple Pro keyboard, this may be the one. I can't vow for durability yet, only because I have only had this keyboard for a little over a week. But for functionality, it's perfect. Knock wood!
Rating: 
Summary: A very nice keyboard with good response.
Review: I had to have a replacement keyboard for my iMac because my cat spilled water on the original and permanently damaged it. Consequently, I wanted something which fit the asthetics of the original keyboard as well as the function. The Macally keyboard did just that. It has a very nice feel to it, as well as a nice look. In addition it has several function keys which can be programmed as shortcuts. Unlike the original iMac keyboard, this is a full-size keyboard, which makes some of the keys easier to find without looking. The only thing I don't like is that the keys are an opaque grey, rather than the translucent black of the original iMac keyboard. All in all, this is a nice find.
Rating:
Summary: A very nice keyboard with good response.
Review: I had to have a replacement keyboard for my iMac because my cat spilled water on the original and permanently damaged it. Consequently, I wanted something which fit the asthetics of the original keyboard as well as the function. The Macally keyboard did just that. It has a very nice feel to it, as well as a nice look. In addition it has several function keys which can be programmed as shortcuts. Unlike the original iMac keyboard, this is a full-size keyboard, which makes some of the keys easier to find without looking. The only thing I don't like is that the keys are an opaque grey, rather than the translucent black of the original iMac keyboard. All in all, this is a nice find.
Rating:
Summary: Great replacement Macintosh keyboard
Review: I'm as unable to stop auditioning keyboards as dogs are to stop being interested in fire hydrants. I keep looking for that holy grail of typing perfection. Until a few months ago, I would have said that was Logitech's ergonomic wireless. But then along came the smooth, almost buttery feel of Apple's standard Mac keyboard, and I was DONE. That thing was a dream to type on. It was also strangely susceptible to the slightest outpouring of coffee. When my local store didn't have an immediate replacement, I took instead this Macally iMediakey as a tide-me-over, and I've gradually found myself reluctant to go back to the Apple standard. For one thing, the Macally does have a whole series of keys that the Apple doesn't. They aren't keys that you NEED really: all the programs that would use these keys have easy enough keyboard shortcuts. But it's nice to be able to, for instance, control your DVD from your keyboard. It's also great to be able to adjust the typing height of the keyboard. The standard Apple keyboard can barely be raised from a flat position. Finally, the keys, though not quite as smooth as Apple's, are good enough that you have to wonder whether it's worth paying more for the Apple name. To be sure, it's not a perfect device. For one thing, it doesn't "auto repeat" consistently. Sometimes keys will repeat when you hold them down; sometimes they won't. I've tried to get support from Macally on this issue, but to no avail. So I just reboot until it's working. Also, the USB ports are somehow even more underpowered than the ones on the Apple standard. With the Apple, I could at least plug in my USB floppy drive. If I try to do that with the Macally, I immediately get a message saying that the port doesn't have enough power to run the floppy drive. To be sure, that's what's SUPPOSED to happen. Keyboard ports shouldn't have the power to run disk drives. But the fact that the Apple keyboard CAN says a lot about the Apple design, and something about Macally's as well. Still, when you take these problems against the keyboard's advantages, and then compare its price against a new Apple standard keyboard, it becomes pretty clear that this thing is a serious contender for the hearts--and fingers--of Macintosh users everywhere.
Rating:
Summary: Great replacement Macintosh keyboard
Review: I'm as unable to stop auditioning keyboards as dogs are to stop being interested in fire hydrants. I keep looking for that holy grail of typing perfection. Until a few months ago, I would have said that was Logitech's ergonomic wireless. But then along came the smooth, almost buttery feel of Apple's standard Mac keyboard, and I was DONE. That thing was a dream to type on. It was also strangely susceptible to the slightest outpouring of coffee. When my local store didn't have an immediate replacement, I took instead this Macally iMediakey as a tide-me-over, and I've gradually found myself reluctant to go back to the Apple standard. For one thing, the Macally does have a whole series of keys that the Apple doesn't. They aren't keys that you NEED really: all the programs that would use these keys have easy enough keyboard shortcuts. But it's nice to be able to, for instance, control your DVD from your keyboard. It's also great to be able to adjust the typing height of the keyboard. The standard Apple keyboard can barely be raised from a flat position. Finally, the keys, though not quite as smooth as Apple's, are good enough that you have to wonder whether it's worth paying more for the Apple name. To be sure, it's not a perfect device. For one thing, it doesn't "auto repeat" consistently. Sometimes keys will repeat when you hold them down; sometimes they won't. I've tried to get support from Macally on this issue, but to no avail. So I just reboot until it's working. Also, the USB ports are somehow even more underpowered than the ones on the Apple standard. With the Apple, I could at least plug in my USB floppy drive. If I try to do that with the Macally, I immediately get a message saying that the port doesn't have enough power to run the floppy drive. To be sure, that's what's SUPPOSED to happen. Keyboard ports shouldn't have the power to run disk drives. But the fact that the Apple keyboard CAN says a lot about the Apple design, and something about Macally's as well. Still, when you take these problems against the keyboard's advantages, and then compare its price against a new Apple standard keyboard, it becomes pretty clear that this thing is a serious contender for the hearts--and fingers--of Macintosh users everywhere.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Apple's
Review: This keyboard is great! It is basicly just like an Apple Pro Keyboard. The only difference is the extra 19 programable buttons. They can be used to do almost anything. The defaults have them carry out Volume Adjust, Audio/Video Player buttons (play, ff, stop,etc.) and anything else you want. The only thing I can't get right is the start-up key. But I believe that is happening because of my Mac model. Otherwise, perfect keyboard. I even used it to type this review!
Rating:
Summary: Better than Apple's
Review: This keyboard is great! It is basicly just like an Apple Pro Keyboard. The only difference is the extra 19 programable buttons. They can be used to do almost anything. The defaults have them carry out Volume Adjust, Audio/Video Player buttons (play, ff, stop,etc.) and anything else you want. The only thing I can't get right is the start-up key. But I believe that is happening because of my Mac model. Otherwise, perfect keyboard. I even used it to type this review!
Rating:
Summary: Easy on the pocketbook, if not on the eyes
Review: Well okay, it's not absolutely hideous looking, just a little bit cheesier than the original G3 keyboard that came with the first iMacs, whose style it most obviously resembles. It is also huge in comparison, though you might just say it is generous in its layout. Most importantly, the iMediaKey is actually comfortable to operate, and its many extra programmable buttons are quite convenient to have. A really wonderful, if perhaps confusing, feature is that the F14 & 15 buttons, labeled scroll lock and pause, actually control contrast. I just love this, because otherwise on my iMac I would have to open Displays from a drop down menu and wait for the preference pane to load before accessing the setting. The Function keys respond immediately. Also of course there are volume control keys; they are grouped among the other rather small soft rubber media buttons. These have a real neat feel and I kinda wish all the keys were made of that material.
As for durability, well I only carried this keyboard home last evening, so I can't vouch for that. The two USB ports do not offer as snug a fit as that of Apple's keyboards, but they seem to be working fine none the less. The Power button also has a loose feel to it, but it rides in a deep well; so while I don't fear that it will ever suffer accidental damage, its spring might perhaps wear out before the rest of the device is shot. Now if you are using Panther as your OS you might want to take advantage of a recent bit of shareware that can modify Function keys. Perhaps over-priced at $20, FunKeys X lets you program keys F1 through 8, Help, and Home, in ways more than do any of its free or similarly priced competitors. You can launch Google without first opening your browser, open any folder, file or application, switch to Finder, control iTunes, Undo, Cut, Copy & Paste all with one touch. It is configured through its own preference pane and is perfectly compatible with iMediaKey! You know, after pounding out this review on my new Macally keyboard, my eyes have grown more used to it and I don't think it's bad looking at all. Yes, it's really quite attractive... Feeling dizzy now, gotta go lie down...
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