Magic Keyboard

This innovative input device casts a spell that leaves all others behind

For as long as we’ve been using computers, we’ve been typing on keyboards. From the ancient Apple I to the razor-sharp Retina MacBooks, we’ve been tied to the same layout of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, all anchored by the standard space bar.

The components around it have changed with the times, but the QWERTY layout remains; even the virtual ones we use mimic the models that sit on our desks: unimaginative, rigid devices that twist our fingers into pretzels to get things done quickly.

Back in 2008, we wrote about an Apple keyboard patent we wished would be made, a device that “looks like a standard keyboard with glassy keys...capable of displaying any image, thereby giving the keyboard nearly infinite options for customization.” The market might not have been ready for it — the somewhat similar Optimus Maximus was selling for more than a grand — but we think that now might finally be the right time for Apple’s Magic Keyboard: a slim, sleek, ergonomic touchscreen. It kind of looks like an elongated iOS device, but when summoned to action, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.

It’s actually a big touchscreen — but one that provides haptic feedback so you can feel the keys as you type. This also makes Magic Keyboard completely customizable; change the appearance, colors, functions, and arrangement of the entire keyboard at will. An iSight camera on the side reads your hand motions in lieu of a mouse or trackpad, and multiple ports on the rear allow you to use the keyboard as a hub for your iPhone, iPad, iPod, or other devices.

We all know how difficult it can be to type on a touchscreen, so Magic Keyboard utilizes haptic technology to simulate the sensation of chiclet keys. When you tap against the smooth glass, coordinated sensors and vibrations will let your fingers “feel” the keys beneath them; unlike the iPad, where the keypad is essentially a picture, when you type on Magic Keyboard, the texture of the keys and the space around them are apparent. The only thing you’ll miss is the dust. A friendly, familiar layout will greet you out of the box, but what’s the point of a touchscreen keyboard if it’s not customizable? Magic Keyboard can be configured in any number of ways, and we’re not just talking letter placement. Launching Photoshop, for instance, brings up a complete set of tools, but as you delve into your project, Magic Keyboard adapts. When you draw a text box, for example, the regular keyboard (or your configured one) reappears, but if you select the brush tool, you’ll see a sizing slider along with a selection of shapes.

Once you find the right brush, you won’t have to fumble for your Magic Mouse to start painting. With a tiny iSight camera built into the side of Magic Keyboard, your desktop is essentially turned into a large trackpad, as hand movements and gestures are interpreted into onscreen actions.

Magic Keyboard is obviously wireless when used with a Mac or iPad, but if you don’t mind a bunch of unsightly cables coming out of the back of the most beautiful keyboard ever made, you can use it as a docking station, too. A bevy of ports are at your disposal — including Lightning (to charge the built-in battery), USB 3, HDMI, and Thunderbolt — making Magic Keyboard the perfect companion to the CloudMac.

iMmersion Game System

Virtual reality finally becomes a reality when Apple enters the video game arena

Apple has made video gaming easily accessible to millions of iOS device owners around the world, but you have to admit, the company could be doing a whole lot more with the medium. Enter the iMmersion Game System. Of course, iMmersion would have top-of-the-line specs—bleeding-edge visuals, crystal-clear audio, and superior processing power. Of course, it would rely on digital distribution and an App Store interface that would allow you to effortlessly purchase all manner of games, from the latest full-fledged blockbusters like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto to budget-priced apps for a quick gaming fix. And, of course, it would use the cloud for data storage and all the under-the-hood computation. There would be no console to speak of (aside from a small receiver/control unit), no hard drive in your living room; the games themselves would be streamed directly to you via Apple’s lightning-fast servers.

The headset features built-in speakers, a microphone, and gyroscopes to aid in head tracking. Games can be played using a pair of grip-style controllers (one for each hand), camera-tracked gesture controls, or a combination of both.

But the game-changer — if you’ll excuse the phrase — would be the iMmersion’s headset. For years, virtual reality has been the holy grail of interactive entertainment, seemingly out of reach, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Apple. Externally, the headset looks as stylish and unassuming as a pair of designer shades — albeit shades that encompass your entire field of vision. Internally, the headset boasts an ultrathin LCD screen with higher pixel density and better resolution than what we’re accustomed to even with current Retina displays — high enough to maintain the magic 53 PPD even at incredibly close range.

The headset would also feature an inconspicuous built-in microphone for issuing voice commands or talking with pals during multiplayer sessions. Even better, by using a combination of headset-based gyroscopes and an external motion-tracking camera (built into the receiver/control unit), iMmersion will be able to perfectly interpret every movement of your head, letting you adjust your perspective and viewpoint simply by moving your noggin, allowing you to feel completely at one with the game world.

iMmersion supports an optional, familiar game pad controller, too.

To further complete the virtual-reality package, the camera would permit you to interact with games via gesture controls, similar to the technology used in the Xbox 360’s Kinect accessory. Swing your arm to simulate wielding a sword; point to aim a virtual weapon; tilt your hands from side to side to steer a race car; reach out to grab and interact with in-game objects; “tap” at virtual buttons to call up maps and menus. iMmersion would put you in the game like never before. Naturally, anyone who’s used motion controls knows that they aren’t the answer to everything, which is why Apple’s machine would come with a pair of wireless grip-style controllers—one for each hand—featuring analog thumbsticks plus buttons positioned behind each finger. The controllers could be operated together to provide a traditional dual-analog experience or you could use them in conjunction with gesture controls.

Last but not least, you’ll have the software-dependent option of outputting iMmersion’s visuals to any HDTV. While the long-awaited arrival of virtual reality is going to be cool and all, you don’t necessarily want your games to be in your face all the time, especially when you’re playing, say, Angry Birds 2: Blood Vengeance or New Super Mario Bros. 3. (Because by the time iMmersion comes out, Apple will have purchased a stake in Nintendo and convinced them to make iOS games.)

Next page: Not all hardware speculation has to be this fancy. See what Mac|Life's editors came up with when given a notebook page and a short deadline.