Feb 08 2008

Macbook Keyboard Drama

Posted by DummyGeekGurl as Computer Peripherals, Hardware, Mac, Notebooks

I cannot believe what I just did. Yes, kiddies, I popped off one of the keys of my Macbook.

I had been reading about it for quite a while, because I had been frustrated about how ugly and dirty the keyboard had become. I may love my country’s capital, but I surely hate the pollution.

Thankfully, I haven’t had an asthma attack or any other respiratory tract illness, but the pollution uglifying my appliances, like my computer, or my “air circulator,” just bugs me.

Reading about popping the Macbook’s keys off in these forums certainly seduced me to the thought before. But it was only now, when a bit of dirt (okay, a big bit of dirt) got under the “B” key, bugged me too much because it just disappeared before I could pick it off.

So I started pulling the “B” key up with my tweezers. Then after some mindless perseverance, I noticed… Gak! My “B” key is now lopsided!

No, I did not cry. But I decided that, “What the hell. I’m this far anyway..”

And I kept pulling up mindlessly.

Then..

Gak!

I realized, the key was already off.

No crying yet.

But I did realize: the inside of the “B” key.. Is as sooty as under the hood of a car.

Now I think I was ready to cry.

But I didn’t. I was more fascinated with the realization that I finally popped off the key. I cleaned it the best I can, which was, ultimately, not clean enough, and I pressed it back in.

Voila, not much damage.

But the moral of the story for today’s misadventure is…

A toothbrush used to clean the edges of the keys would do a better job than going through all the trouble of popping your Macbook’s keys off. Seriously.

Just a tip for those who want to attempt my “brave deed”: when you press the keys back in, make sure to press the edges firmly, so that the keys won’t look lopsided.

Happy Macbook key-prying. :p

Linkies:

Great Guide to Mac Modding

Keyboard Prying Source (Forum)

Great Gadget Cleaning Tool

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Comments (3)

3 Responses

Increase Productivity – Consider Your Tools by Blog Tutorials
09|Feb|2008

[...] so let’s take this slowly. Perhaps the major group of tools that we use when writing would be the computer and the Internet. For those who prefer to write on paper first, then perhaps pen and paper would be their major [...]
Mr Butterscotch
10|Feb|2008

I’m too scared to start pulling off keys. I will say though that if under the hood of your car is really dirty then something has gone terribly wrong (or you’re driving a diesel)!
Lorie
19|Feb|2008

Hi, Mr. Butterscotch. I actually thought of buying one of those silicon keyboard protectors for the Macbook.. BUT they are so not comfy to type with. It’s not more my fault than the fault of the Manila atmosphere. An object gathers much dust within a day here.

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