mac.iLounge

Most Mac users agree that Apple makes the best keyboards for its machines, but there’s always a reason to check out other options—especially if you want new and different features Apple hasn’t implemented yet. Logitech has come up with a solution to address two common Apple Wireless Keyboard issues—the hassle of changing the batteries whenever they run dry, and the lack of a number pad. The new Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 ($60) ships at the end of this month, comes in multiple colors, and even beats Apple’s version on price. Updated! New photos and details have been added below the fold.

Logitech took care to make this keyboard comfortable for Mac users: it has the same layout that you’re used to, and there are no drivers or anything like that required—it’s just plug and play. Solar panels along the top charge off of sunlight and lamplight, and the Wireless Solar Keyboard’s designed to work for three months in complete darkness. There’s one downside: instead of using Bluetooth, it connects over 2.4GHz wireless, so you have to plug a dongle into one of your USB ports. This may be one of those rare occasions where the loss of a USB port is worthwhile.

Updated September 7, 2011: We’ve had a chance to play around with K750 for a few days now, and we’re pretty impressed. The keys are pretty much the same size as Apple’s, but are a little bit taller. They feel really good under our fingers, with a nice clickiness to them. On the right side, there’s a button that displays the level of light being absorbed with either a smiley or frowny face. If you’ve installed Logitech’s Solar App from the Mac App Store, the button will also launch that and give you more detailed information. Most of the buttons are mapped correctly, although the screen brightness keys don’t do anything and the Dashboard button still pulls up that application, rather than Mission Control. Our biggest complaint is the dongle; we’d love to see a version of this keyboard with Bluetooth.