Top: "Apple Keyboard" - aka the Apple Standard Keyboard. This was the smaller / lower-priced optional keyboard released in 1987 at the same time as the Macintosh SE and Macintosh II. Note the large weird key above the number row - that's the Power key, which could power on (or put to sleep) Macs from this era, a very handy feature which I wish still existed! You may notice that the "P" key is crooked - I recently found this keyboard under an e-waste pile, and it seems that this one key got crunched, so I'm going to take it all apart and see if I can repair the ALPS keyswitch (or just replace it).
Middle: "Apple Extended Keyboard" - aka the AEK. This was the bigger / higher-priced optional keyboard released in 1987 at the same time as the Macintosh SE and Macintosh II. Note that the Power key is still present, but has been relocated to the top-right spot. Originally priced at $229 in 1987 dollars, which equates to over $600 today!
Bottom: "Apple Extended Keyboard II" - aka the AEKII. The AEKII was Apple's final mechanical keyboard, before they fully converted to less complex / less expensive "rubber dome" mechanisms. The AEKII is (in my semi-humble opinion) the finest mechanical keyboard ever made by a major brand. It feels incredible to type on, makes a pleasing (but not overly-loud!) click-clack sound, and lacks the brutal aesthetics found in comparable IBM keyboards from the 80's and 90's. I've been buying AEKII's whenever I've seen them pop up over the years (e-waste places, yard sales, etc.), and with some ADB-to-USB adapters, I now have a literal lifetime supply of these and use them regularly with both vintage and modern computers. Highly recommended!
wowbobwow OP t1_j2ee40i wrote
Pictured from top-to-bottom:
Top: "Apple Keyboard" - aka the Apple Standard Keyboard. This was the smaller / lower-priced optional keyboard released in 1987 at the same time as the Macintosh SE and Macintosh II. Note the large weird key above the number row - that's the Power key, which could power on (or put to sleep) Macs from this era, a very handy feature which I wish still existed! You may notice that the "P" key is crooked - I recently found this keyboard under an e-waste pile, and it seems that this one key got crunched, so I'm going to take it all apart and see if I can repair the ALPS keyswitch (or just replace it).
Middle: "Apple Extended Keyboard" - aka the AEK. This was the bigger / higher-priced optional keyboard released in 1987 at the same time as the Macintosh SE and Macintosh II. Note that the Power key is still present, but has been relocated to the top-right spot. Originally priced at $229 in 1987 dollars, which equates to over $600 today!
Bottom: "Apple Extended Keyboard II" - aka the AEKII. The AEKII was Apple's final mechanical keyboard, before they fully converted to less complex / less expensive "rubber dome" mechanisms. The AEKII is (in my semi-humble opinion) the finest mechanical keyboard ever made by a major brand. It feels incredible to type on, makes a pleasing (but not overly-loud!) click-clack sound, and lacks the brutal aesthetics found in comparable IBM keyboards from the 80's and 90's. I've been buying AEKII's whenever I've seen them pop up over the years (e-waste places, yard sales, etc.), and with some ADB-to-USB adapters, I now have a literal lifetime supply of these and use them regularly with both vintage and modern computers. Highly recommended!