“They don’t make ’em like they used to,” is a phrase that often comes to mind when I am forced to use a modern Apple keyboard. Personally, I disdain Apple’s “chicklet” keyboard. While it’s often praised for its quiet key strokes and precise touch typing, its shallow key travel and complete lack of tactility makes for a very unpleasant typing experience, in my opinion.
According to many keyboard aficionados, there was a time when Apple made truly excellent keyboards. Presumably, among the best that Apple offered was the Apple Extended Keyboard II (model M3501), released with the introduction of the Mac IIsi in 1990.
The AEK2 (which is how I will be referring to this keyboard from hereon) embraces Apple’s “snow white” design language, first introduced with the Apple //c. Make no mistake, this is a massive-sized keyboard. It features a layout similar to IBM’s PC/AT keyboard. From both a weight and durability perspective, the AEK2 is a tank. If you come across an AEK2 now, it’s quite normal to see some yellowing on the keyboard’s case. I was able to reverse this process using the Retrobright process.
Beauty is subjective. That being said, I think that the AEK2 is every bit as majestic now, as it was when it first shipped. But looks aren’t everything. What makes this keyboard special, in my opinion, is the typing experience. Thanks to its Alps cream switches, each key press on the AEK2 offers crisp, tactile feedback, which makes for a very pleasant typing experience.
The biggest drawback to the AEK2 isn’t really its fault. Back in the day, ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) was ubiquitous: every Mac had them, and it was the proprietary standard for all input peripherals. ADB gave way to USB when Apple introduced the G3 iMac.
So, why am I telling you about a keyboard that Apple stopped making more 30 years ago?
The answer is simple: Thanks to bespoke devices like the Wombat, users can now use these perfectly functional, vintage ADB devices on modern Macs (and PCs). The Wombat is a small hardware device that allows users to connect legacy ADB input hardware to modern machines running macOS, Windows or Linux. And, if that wasn’t amazing enough, the Wombat also allows a modern USB keyboard to connect to an ancient ADB-based Mac, IIGS, or NeXT computer.
The Wombat is the brainchild of Steve Chamberlin, who’s name resonates among many retrocomputing enthusiasts. Via his website, Big Mess o’ Wires, Steve blogs about his retro-computing adventures, while also offering several of his bespoke hardware creations for sale.
The Wombat board can be purchased from Chamberlin’s site for $39US. For $10US more, you can also purchase a black acrylic case, to keep it from being exposed to the elements. (I recommend springing for both.)
Setting up the Wombat is simple. The Wombat does not require any external power source. To get things going, you’ll need:
- a USB-Mini-B to USB-A cable
- an ADB cable
- an ADB Apple keyboard
If you’re connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac, like I’m doing with my M4 Mac mini, you’ll also want a USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adapter. (I recommend powering your Mac off before making your connections, as ADB can get finicky if you plug / unplug the keyboard while the power is on.)
After you’ve properly configured the Wombat and plugged in the required cables, you can start up your Mac. After macOS starts, it will prompt you, by way of a dialog box, to identify the keyboard. Simply press the key immediately to the right of the Left Shift key on your keyboard and macOS should recognize your ADB keyboard. That’s it! No drivers required.
Typing on my AEK2 is a truly enjoyable experience. Are there any downsides? Not really. The only quirk I’ve found in my testing is that some special keys, like the AEK’s power button, can’t be assigned within macOS. The limitation stems from the fact that modern Mac keyboards include only F1 – F12 keys. Tools like BetterTouchTool or Keyboard Maestro may offer workarounds, but I haven’t explored those options as of this writing.
A used AEK2 can be had online for between $40 to $130US, depending on its condition. Using an AEK2 is not for everyone, but if you have one stored in your attic or garage, it may be worth the effort (and fun!) to bring it back into your setup.
Amazing! Thanks.
Amazing, good to know the Wombat is out there. I’m no aficionado, but I’m using the Apple Pro keyboard that came with my 2001 G3 plugged into my 2012 MacBook Pro (I know, everything is old). Aside from a few keys that get caught on the way down if you don’t strike them at a closer-to-90-degree angle, the thing still works beautifully. I love the feel and sound of it.
I’ve encountered recent-production Apple keyboards on other folks’ Macs and found them very awkward, not a good fit.
Thanks for the interesting post.
How about an old Apple keyboard with a mechanical keyboard’s guts?
I like the keys on the Apple keyboard. They’re already mechanical. :)
I still have a few Saratogas in a corner of our den along with a bag of assorted SCSI cables. I was never a good typer but I enjoyed the feel of those Apple Extended Keyboards. Also loved that the PC folks at work were amazed that I could power on my Quadra 840AV and open the CD tray from the keyboard. Would love to hook one up to our MacPro with that Wombat but we don’t have the room on our work desk.
I’m crying now because this is a day late and a dollar short!!!
If you want a modern keyboard with good tactile feedback, check out the Unicomp buckling spring keyboard: https://www.pckeyboard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NEW_M_MAC . For more information on buckling spring keyboards, refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling_spring .