Mac keypad followup
A couple weeks ago I asked for advice (in an entry that was then locked but is now public) on Mac-compatable numeric keypads. The gift has now been given and tested, so here are the results.
This turns out to be hard. Numeric (wireless or USB-tethered) keypads that work with Windows are easy to find, but not so the Mac. The Apple store couldn't even help me. But someone pointed out the Genovation Micropad, which Amazon claims works with Windows and Mac, so I got that. (I knew I could return it to Amazon within 30 days, and was betting that an opened package wouldn't be a problem up against their claim of Mac compatability, if that turned out not to be true. I saved the product page just in case.)
The results: the numbers (and enter and decimal, I presume) work just fine. The special functions, including num lock, do not. The recpient called the manufacturer's support line and was told that the keycodes are Windows-specific and, to their knowledge, no one makes a Mac-compatable one. He has Apple support, so he called them and got the same answer. Apparently there just isn't enough demand for this among Mac users. He wants it because he has a laptop without the numberpad built in, and data entry via the conventional number keys is slow.
He decided to keep it because he mainly wanted the number keys anyway. I'm going to add a customer review to the Amazon page noting the platform semi-mis-information.
This turns out to be hard. Numeric (wireless or USB-tethered) keypads that work with Windows are easy to find, but not so the Mac. The Apple store couldn't even help me. But someone pointed out the Genovation Micropad, which Amazon claims works with Windows and Mac, so I got that. (I knew I could return it to Amazon within 30 days, and was betting that an opened package wouldn't be a problem up against their claim of Mac compatability, if that turned out not to be true. I saved the product page just in case.)
The results: the numbers (and enter and decimal, I presume) work just fine. The special functions, including num lock, do not. The recpient called the manufacturer's support line and was told that the keycodes are Windows-specific and, to their knowledge, no one makes a Mac-compatable one. He has Apple support, so he called them and got the same answer. Apparently there just isn't enough demand for this among Mac users. He wants it because he has a laptop without the numberpad built in, and data entry via the conventional number keys is slow.
He decided to keep it because he mainly wanted the number keys anyway. I'm going to add a customer review to the Amazon page noting the platform semi-mis-information.