No Backlit Keyboard? GLOSSY screen????!!!!!

What??????

What bothers me more than the backlit, is the gray labels of the keys, on a black keyboard. Why did they not leave it white on black as it was on the previous MBAs? I would be happy with that even without a backlit keyboard. Why gray on black?! Who ever said gray is more visible on black than white is??! So when Apple takes away the backlit and then screw me even more by putting gray key labels, they are really not helping me.

Anyone knows if the keyboard can be changed to have white key labels on the new MBA?

If you get a fine paintbrush and outline the letters in Radium then they really pop out at you and you can use it in complete darkness.

But don't try to go across any U.S. borders with that particular modification.

first i thought it was ok not to include one. then i noticed the MB, MBP AND old MBA's had it, i thought why make someone pay more for less? makes sense to ADD features not ditch them. a bigger let-down is low processors but that is counteracted by the SSD and instant on features etc. but a Top of the range, £900-£2000 'next generation' computer should have this simple, basic feature that even a HP or VAIO has.
still considering one though but might hold out for a revision.

Oh you just want the pretty keyboard lights.

I can see the keys just fine with the lights turned off. The lettering reflects light off the screen.

I'm sure they left it out for good reason. THere would have been a trade-off with some other feature.
Right now the MBA is solid. Not very many owners complaining are there.

I have had my MBA for about 5 months now and it is FANTASTIC. Only thing is the MBA is so good that I hardly ever go downstairs to use my iMac. The only "glitch" that I first read about and then experienced once or twice, deals with lifting the MBA while a video or music is playing and the pressure in a certain place under the MBA will cause the audio to change to a squeal. There doesn't appear to be any lasting issue from this fault.

lol..

Nah I just want to replace that **** keyboard with one which has white labels.

Any ideas on the next revision for the MBAs?

if you have owned a backlit before you might understand. if used in a poor lighted area eg a coffee shop then the grey letters are not so well reflected whereas you have a living room with a dozen lights. a next gen should have more features than a last gen one. makes sense?

Who says I haven't. I've had 2 MBPs over the last 5 years and had an IBM thinkpad of my own which had a light directed on the keyboard in the lid. Lights are nice, they look awesome. But are they needed? ...sorry but no. A lot of people here are getting by fine w/o the lights.
'next gen' should not necessarily have more...rather it should be refined into a better product.

RE: TOS99- Any ideas on the next revision for the MBAs?

More often than not Apple is on a year life cycle.

i didn't. i just motioned that people who are used to the backlit kb would understand. i just said IF you did. so if you are then you should know. a backlit kb is a refinement in my book. as you said it should be more refined. to make it into a better product. a backlit KB silently boasts its refinement, would you agree?

Actually, I don't agree. It's an an addition that would likely lower battery life, take up space, and raise the cost of a product that simply doesn't need it. From dark airplanes in the middle of the night to my car on the side of the road, I have never found a need for a backlit keyboard.

The MBA is all about PORTABILITY. I don't want it to weigh one more ounce than absolutely necessary. If you find a backlit keyboard a necessity, then go by a MBP. It also comes with a superdrive, another thing I don't miss.

Look at the MacBook lineup and find a computer that has the features you WANT. There is a laptop with the features you want. Stop bemoaning the fact that one product doesn't have them and move on.

@Hutch51

Maybe Apple can make both parties happy, make it as an optional, I am willing to pay extra for this but not more than 50bucks, same thing as matte screen, didn't Apple put it back for 15" as an optional within 2 months?!

We can always turn the backlit keyboard off so it doesn't drain battery, as for space... I am not an laptop engineering, so I can't speak about this.


This is a laptop for us to use at outdoor because of the light weight, and also in a low light condition when you are on a plane, car...

Your reasoning is flawed.

The previous MBAs could fit in the backlit keyboards. I am totally happy with the thickness of the old MBA, there is ABSOLUTELY no need to make it thinner, because your naked eye wont even notice it.

Backlit aside, am fine with white labels on black keys, am NOT fine with gray labels on Black keys. Its stupid, useless, and even more stupid.