iPad 2 and Apple wireless keyboard (function keys not working)...

Hey Dah veed

There is an inherent problem with the new BT keyboard: All those from the product string; MC184B/B DO NOT HAVE ANY WORKING FUNCTION KEYS, if you can find one from the MC184B/A string (at least in the UK) It WILL have the full functionality.

So Yes ..

How dare Apple keep selling these as a IPad add on..

The adviser I spoke to told me I could get a refund, and should look out for an older generation; one without the Lion function key on F4 , which I would guess Dah veed is not on yours? (you can identify which keyboard is the newer unfunctioning one by the 6 squares on the F4 key) as he could not confirm this matter would be corrected by the IOS 5 release as it was not a known fault, despite my IPad working with 3 of the shops keyboards in my local store but again not with a new one

So there it is try and find an older model that or just buy a cheap roll up bluetooth rubber keypad, some have full volume, brightness function, others have the added shortcuts the keyboard dock has and more; photo, full video and home screen control etc, £9.99 on E-Bay....

Wish I had known that before, any body reading this take note (also most sellers do not distinguish between old and new using out of date pictures to show the newer model)

Shame it is a lovely keyboard to use and look at.

I meant this as a specific reply to the person reaching out to those using the Beta iOS 5. oops.

This is an excellent idea, to ask a Beta Tester of iOS 5 if they have found functionality with the newer, "B" keyboards. Did anyone reply to you outside of this thread or have you found any information about this elsewhere ?

No, I asked the same question in another thread and it was reported as a "violation of non-disclosure agreement" and then taken down for the same reason. I didn't sign any such agreement, but there you go. Also, since Apple has made representations about this keyboard being an iPad accessory, and since this functionality was previously present in iOS 4, I don't think it would fall under that anyway (functionality was only removed by new hardware, doesn't really have anything to do with a new feature in iOS 5).

Then, I was able to add something to the discussion that was stated on a third party website that doesn't answer the question directly, but certainly had some merit; but alas that was removed because it was "speculative." In truth, I was only trying to help Apple's customers, and in fact might have resulted in a few more sales of these keyboards, and in any case was not speculative except in the obvious sense of whether this bug will be fixed (perhaps all questions are speculative on this thread because we are wondering whether a bug will be fixed), I stated things exactly as they were actually presented.

So, basically this discussion has been stifled by the mediators. But thanks for adding your voice. I doubt it will be answered here given the circumstances, however. And although you would have found some useful info here for about an hour last week relating to Bluetooth keyboard functionality in another Apple device, it has since been removed.

Wow, that is surprising in all kinds of bad ways. Maybe this will disappear, too, but: I googled around after coming here, specifically about iOS 5 and the new wireless keyboard, and YouTube has a video up by Tyler Miller (http://youtu.be/VSr2wYwjJkg), who is running iOS 5 Beta 1, or was when he made the video with his "new" wireless keyboard, but he does not say if it is the "B" model and I could not get a close enough look at the keys. Someone did ask him, in the comments, if he could adjust things like volume and brightness, and he could. I don't have a YouTube acount, and couldn't figure out another way to contact him, but perhaps someone with a YouTube account can ask him what model he has ? This is the closest I've come to finding an answer.

You're so right that this is puzzling--- wouldn't Apple want us to know that the keyboard would work, or sell ipad 2 owners their remaining A models if it won't ?

Thanks, I have a YouTube account and I will ask the question.

Unfortunately, it is not the new Lion/b keyboard in that video. I can tell by the F4 key. On the new version it is six boxes, and that key is something different. Sorry.

Oh, too bad. It might be worth asking him if he's game to borrow a keyboard, or make a trip to a store that will let him pair it with his iOS 5 beta ipad... Not to put this all on you; it's just the closest I've managed to get to an answer. I have reason to buy the latest keyboard (B), but a real draw, and probably the most heavy use, would be in pairing it with the ipad 2 as well.

No problem. I asked the question.

I was able to get somebody to test the keyboard at a public demo of new devices (not developers, and not speculation!), and can confirm absolutely that full functionality is restored.

Wow, that is great news ! I'm sure people suspected this would be the case, but it is fantastic to have confirmation. I'm going to go out and get my lion and soon-to-be-fully-enabled for ipad "b" keyboard now.

Persistence pays off... thanks b3815 !

I am not surprised; I am, however, delighted.

Yes, I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who raised their voice so that Apple didn't miss this update. Very pleased now and happy that my $70 was better spent than it had been before. Thanks Apple. Love the new IO5. So glad to have tabs instead on the minature page icons to swtich between open web pages. It was distracting jumpin back and forth.

Check out this video on you tube, let me know if it helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct0GkpYsAno