Apple Considering Multicolor Keyboard Backlights

[Michael Essany]

Apple has some interesting irons in the fire. According to patent applications that have been brought to light by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple is tinkering with concepts for more sophisticated keyboard backlights on its popular line of notebooks. The apparent goal would be to offer a more comprehensive variety of feedback through multicolor backlight via individual keys.

The patent application presents the following:

Most conventional keyboards lack the ability to convey complex information to a user (such as, for example, more information than just whether the CAPS lock key is on). And while some conventional keyboards may include backlit keys, conventional keyboards with backlighting do not offer the ability to dynamically control lighting schemes for each of the keys individually based on interaction from the user.

By making it possible for individual keys to provide illumination, users would have an easier time deciphering which functions are either currently being utilized or available for use in given situations. The multicolor keyboard backlights could also serve a variety of educational or directive functions, like walking users through various application, installation, troubleshooting steps. They could even simply outline commands to give by way of color-coded keyboard lights via individual keys.

Of course, the aesthetics of multicolor keyboard backlights would be pretty cool, too. For now, it appears it will be a while before individual LED lights are tacked onto to each key on the keyboard. But Apple is exploring the possibilities. And that could result in some very colorful developments for future Apple notebook computers.

Apple Insider

[jose060789]

It turns out that Apple is making every product better in some way every time. This keyboard is one of them.

[VaderForce]

A very nifty idea

[athleticswimmer]

This would be really cool, but you should have options of what colors you want like blue and green and not just all colors because if it was colorful like a rainbow it would look to girly...unless there doing the whole keyboard with one color than thats fine, more personalization's = more customer satisfaction = $$$$ =

[sziklassy]

While this is cool, there already are multi-colored LED backlit keyboards in existance. Just saying because I know there will inevitably be the fanboy touting "innovation" somewhere on this thread. FWIW the cool white LED backlight is almost certainly going to be the least straining on the eyes.

[thazsar]

It would be cool if the different shortcut keys would illuminate so we don't have to remember all 8000+ of them! Then we could cycle through the different shortcuts (by pressing a button) with an onscreen text display of the shortcuts function while the different keys illuminate for each corresponding shortcut.

[moon#pie]

do want!

[pacmac]

About time.. I always wanted this on my MacBook..I'm due for a new one next year so I hope it will come

[Cowboy]

I want a red backlight I think that would be cool

[steve-z17]

This would be sweet! I'd like Red, Blue, and Green in Neon please!

[spazturtle]

Red would damage you eyes very quickly, this is because your pupils don't shrink when red light is shined on them. (Orangey red would cause them to shrink slowly and blue would cause them the shrink very fast, I'm sure apple will spend a lot of money looking into the best colours.)

[EskimoRuler]

It turns out that Apple is making every product better in some way every time. This keyboard is one of them.

i always felt that they are doing a great job at it, i love there keyboards and magic mouse

[moon#pie]

i always felt that they are doing a great job at it, i love there keyboards and magic mouse

I believe that you mean "their keyboards...", not "there keyboards...".

#Grammar

[zoso10]

I hope they do this. My bluetooth keyboard is lacking backlighting. It's pretty annoying even though I can usually see in the dark because my iMac is so bright.

[ShadowKnight27]

theyre trying to make multicolor keyboards,but they havent even made them on the iphone

[enog]

I think people aren't reading into this enough. They're not doing this so that your keyboard can look "cool", their doing it so that different keys can be lit up in different colours dependant on their current function.

Example 1: Your full keyboard has white backlighting. You load up a game which uses the arrow keys for movement, space bar for jump, and ASDF for weapons/equipment. The game tells you which keys are which, and the movement keys are blue, the jump key is green, and weapon/equipment keys are red. You then look down at your keyboard and lo and behold, the arrow keys are now lit up blue, the space bar is lit up green, and the ASDF keys are lit up red.

Example 2: You are typing away in a document, and decide that you want to copy a piece of text. You highlight the text, hold down the apple key, and the keys that can be used as shortcuts for various functions light up in a different colour to the rest of the keyboard.

It's going to be interesting to see how this pans out!

[coolguy742]

pretty cool, imagine a Macbook with a red glowing Apple logo and a red glowing keyboard.

[athleticswimmer]

pretty cool, imagine a Macbook with a red glowing Apple logo and a red glowing keyboard.

oh yea! forgot about that! they should have the option of what color the apple logo on the back of the computer should light up

I think people aren't reading into this enough. They're not doing this so that your keyboard can look "cool", their doing it so that different keys can be lit up in different colours dependant on their current function.

Example 1: Your full keyboard has white backlighting. You load up a game which uses the arrow keys for movement, space bar for jump, and ASDF for weapons/equipment. The game tells you which keys are which, and the movement keys are blue, the jump key is green, and weapon/equipment keys are red. You then look down at your keyboard and lo and behold, the arrow keys are now lit up blue, the space bar is lit up green, and the ASDF keys are lit up red.

Example 2: You are typing away in a document, and decide that you want to copy a piece of text. You highlight the text, hold down the apple key, and the keys that can be used as shortcuts for various functions light up in a different colour to the rest of the keyboard.

It's going to be interesting to see how this pans out!

ofcourse we know this! we just like to have fun and use our iiimmaaaaggginaaation of what cool things apple can do and come up with, but thanks for the heads up.

[alexevo]

I think people aren't reading into this enough. They're not doing this so that your keyboard can look "cool", their doing it so that different keys can be lit up in different colours dependant on their current function.

Example 1: Your full keyboard has white backlighting. You load up a game which uses the arrow keys for movement, space bar for jump, and ASDF for weapons/equipment. The game tells you which keys are which, and the movement keys are blue, the jump key is green, and weapon/equipment keys are red. You then look down at your keyboard and lo and behold, the arrow keys are now lit up blue, the space bar is lit up green, and the ASDF keys are lit up red.

Example 2: You are typing away in a document, and decide that you want to copy a piece of text. You highlight the text, hold down the apple key, and the keys that can be used as shortcuts for various functions light up in a different colour to the rest of the keyboard.

It's going to be interesting to see how this pans out!

this guy understands it.

[moon#pie]

pretty cool, imagine a Macbook with a red glowing Apple logo and a red glowing keyboard.

You do realize that your screen would have a severe red tint due to the fact that the glowing apple logo get's its light from the excess backlight LED's?

You could always make a little tinted film to put over it...... damn! I just gave myself an awesome idea!