All New MacBook Keyboards Have Right-Side Option Key

Me, back in 2005:

My only actual complaint about the PowerBook keyboard is the Enter key next to the right-side Command key; I would much prefer to have a second Option key there. Yes, yes, Enter is a different key than Return on a Mac, but if you really need Enter while using the PowerBook keyboard, you can use Fn + Return. I’ve been baffled by this key arrangement for years — who uses the Enter key so much that it deserves such a prominent spot on the keyboard?

Today’s new MacBooks and MacBook Pros do just that. I’ve had my fingers crossed ever since I noticed that the Air keyboard had a right-side Option key instead of an Enter key. Update: Apparently the regular MacBooks — but not the Pros — have had this key arrangement since November. Have the MacBook Pros, too?

Update 2: Other MacBook Pro keyboard changes today: no more Num Lock; the volume and brightness keys have moved; and it now has iTunes fast-forward/play-pause/rewind keys.

★ Tuesday, 26 February 2008