Apple Extended Keyboard II

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Template icon--Illustration.png This article requires additional photographic illustration — evidence of the M0312
Apple Extended Keyboard II
AEKII-front.jpg
Model no. M0312, M3501
FCC ID BCGM0312, BCGM3501
Branding Apple
Manufacturer Alps Electric, Mitsumi
Layouts 108-key (ANSI), 109-key (ISO) Macintosh
Keyswitches Alps SKCM Salmon
Alps SKCM Ivory
Alps SKCM White Damped
Mitsumi standard mechanical
Switch mount plate-mount
Interface ADB
Years of production 1990–1995
Precedes AppleDesign Keyboard
Supersedes Apple Extended Keyboard

The Apple Extended Keyboard II (AEKII) is a keyboard that was shipped with Apple Macintosh computers in the early 1990s. The AEKII is the successor to the Apple Extended Keyboard (AEK) and is smaller, quieter, and more refined.

The AEKII was the last mechanical keyboard by Apple. It was succeeded by the much cheaper AppleDesign Keyboard rubber dome board.

Variations

Variations of this keyboard found to date:

Model number FCC ID Made in Switch Copyright(s)
M0312[Citation needed] BCGM0312[Citation needed] USA Alps SKCM Ivory
Alps SKCM Salmon
M3501 BCGM3501 USA Alps SKCM Salmon 1989, 1990
Alps SKCM Ivory 1990
Alps SKCM Ivory 1990, 1995
Mexico Alps SKCM White Damped 1995
Ireland Alps SKCM Ivory 1989, 1995
Alps SKCM White Damped 1989, 1995
Japan Mitsumi standard mechanical (linear) 1989

Model numbers

There are two model numbers: M0312 and M3501. The FCC IDs are BCGM0312[Citation needed] and BCGM3501 respectively.

Citation: ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/322584991800, from dealer "jonathangoldman" (retrieved 01/01/2024). This auction was for multiple new-in-box keyboards. The box listed in the ad is very clearly labeled "Apple Extended Keyboard." A black and white sticker that reads "M0312" is clearly visible with a bar code "718908001691." "Made in Mexico" is also on the sticker. "Copyright 1991" is printed on the box.

Another ebay auction, https://www.ebay.com/itm/402782801083, from dealer "appleantiques" (retrieved 01/01/2024) has a listing selling multiple Apple Extended Keyboard IIs: "For your consideration at this wonderful auction is a used vintage beige Apple Extended Keyboard II, model numbers M3501 and M0312. Fully tested and working. Keyboard has WHITE switches - I do not have any of these keyboards with salmon or orange alps switches. Product shown in photo shows the shape for this model of keyboard, and is not the precise unit being shipped. Keyboard has manufacture dates of 1990 and 1995."

There is a backup of a page from clickykeyboards.com at https://web.archive.org/web/20090103012904/http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9231/subcatid/0/id/312521 (from 2009; retrieved 01/01/2024). It shows pictures of a box for an M0312, but the actual keyboard being sold is clearly labeled "M3501." No year is shown in any of the pictures.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=25972.0 (retrieved 01/01/2024) says that the M0312 has cream damped Alps switches. There is also a lengthy discussion at https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=4178.0 (retrieved 01/01/2024) comparing the M0312 to the common M3501.


Serial numbers

The serial numbers of all M0312s contain "M0312" at the end.

The serial numbers of some M3501s contain "M0312" at the end while others contain "M3501".

As with other Apple keyboard models, the first letter of the serial number indicates the OEM, with "M" for Mitsumi and "A" for Alps.

Switches

Alps SKCM Ivory

The most common switch in the Apple Extended Keyboard. The slider has a cream off-white colour. The switches are tactile and comparatively quiet. The sound is dampened by small rubber inserts on either side of the slider which cushions the impact at the end of both the downstroke and the upstroke. Because of the dampening and high tactile point of the Ivory Alps switches, the keyboards are sometimes mistaken for having rubber dome switches.

This switch has been "resurrected" in the form of the Matias Quiet switch.

If the label has a symbol in the bottom right corner of a 'S' within a square, then that is an indicator that the keyboard has dampened switches. These have only been spotted on M3501s made in the USA or Mexico with ivory or white damped switches. Keyboards made in Ireland (of which all had ivory switches) have not been spotted with the symbol.

Alps SKCM Salmon

A tactile switch with pink/salmon-coloured slider. The feel is similar to ivory Alps, except that the slider does not have rubber bumpers and they therefore bottom out hard. All AEKII with Salmon Alps have been made in USA.

Mitsumi standard mechanical

All-white Mitsumi standard mechanical, with Alps mount sliders. The switches are faintly tactile, and reportedly relatively silent. All AEKII with these switches have been made in Japan. Keyboard PCBs have also been made by Mitsumi.

Alps SKCM White Damped

A rare variation of the Ivory Alps switch, with the biggest difference that the sliders are pure white. The tactile leaf inside the switch is somewhat different from the Ivory Alps, but the switch is reported to feel practically the same. Not to be mistaken for other White Alps switches that are clicky.

Layouts

Non-US layouts have symbols on the non-alphanumeric keys instead of words.

The alphanumeric keys section is 15u wide, compared to 14.5u on Apple Standard Keyboard. On ISO keyboards, the keys in the leftmost column on the main keyboard are 0.25u wider, and the keys in the rightmost column are 0.25u narrower compared to ANSI keyboards. This means that the alphanumeric keys on ISO keyboards are shifted 0.25 right in comparison and the vertical return key is 0.25u narrower than most other ISO Enter/Return keys (but not as narrow as on the Apple M0118).

All keyboards made in Japan have had ANSI layouts. ISO layout keyboards have been built in Ireland.

Construction

The construction of the keyboard is quite unconventional by today's standards.

The keyboard is an evolution of the Apple Extended Keyboard, designed in the "Snow White Design Language" formulated by Frog Design and used in Apple products from 1984 onwards.

Case

The case has smaller borders than the AEK and the Apple logo has moved from the left side to above the Escape key. It is held together with only one screw. It also has a new retractable foot near the back to tilt the keyboard. The single large foot is unusual in its construction in that it is manipulated by moving a slider on the rear which moves the foot by action of an inclined plane.

Like the AEK, there are two knobs on the sides of the function row for holding an overlay. There are also LEDs for caps lock, scroll lock and num lock above the numeric keypad.

Internals

The Caps Lock key has a latching key switch. Switches for the modifier keys and Caps Lock are on dedicated lines so as not to impair other keys, which are in a keyboard matrix without diodes. The two Command keys are joined on the same line — and read as the same key.

The switches are mounted in a steel plate and printed circuit board. The plate has tabs on the front which interlocks into the single rubber foot on the underside; the plate and foot are holding each other in place without glue.

There is one ADB port on the left and one on the right side. Either one can be connected to the host computer, while the other is usually used for a mouse. Each port is mounted on a separate PCB connected to the main PCB with a ribbon cable.

Keycaps

The keycaps, with the exception of the space bar, are made of PBT with dye-sublimated legends in the font Univers 57 Oblique. The space bar is probably made of ABS, and yellows as fast as the case.

The profile of the keycaps is special to Apple. It is as if the rows were shifted one step down compared to the "standard" profile used by most other keyboards with Alps mount on key switches. The top of the case has a slight curve, and each keycap's skirt reaches down only to match that curve.

The keys on the function key row are special in that the mount is vertical and not horizontal as on other rows. The reason for this is probably to avoid vertical wobble, as these keys are the highest on the keyboard (two rows above number row).

Gallery

SKCM Salmon

  • M3501, made in USA ©1989

  • Top

  • Rear label

  • Switches

  • Switch

  • PCB branding

  • M3501, made in USA ©1990

  • Top

  • Rear label

  • Switches

  • Switch

SKCM Ivory

  • M3501, made in USA

  • Top

  • Rear label

  • Switches

  • Switch

  • M3501, made in Ireland

  • Top

  • Bottom

  • Switches

  • Height adjustment

SKCM White Damped

  • M3501, made in Mexico

  • Top

  • Rear label

  • Switches

  • Switch

Mitsumi

  • Top

  • Rear label

  • Switches

  • Switch close-up

  • PCB branding

Modifications

Replacement circuit boards:

  • AEK II USB—replacement PCB on Github (ANSI). For ATmega32A - all through-hole components.
  • djvs' AEK[2]— replacement PCB on Github (ANSI). Uses a SMD ATmega32u4 MCU. Support for RGB indicator LEDs and Cherry MX switches

See also

External links

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