If the iMac revolutionized the personal computer market at the turn of the century, the small open source motherboard has done the same in the last decade with its ultra-economical proposal that is within everyone’s reach. A Raspberry Pi that has a version integrated into a keyboard, which could be the germ of a future Mac.
A Mac built into a keyboard?
Apple has a fairly wide range of Mac computers, where we not only find the all-in-one iMac , but also the Mac Pro, MacBook or the compact Mac Mini. Now, a document sent to the United States patent office reveals that Apple is considering the possibility of developing a Mac made up of a simple keyboard. As you know, the Raspberry 400 is a model that is integrated into a keyboard that can be connected to a monitor and a mouse to offer a complete personal computer experience.
In this patent you can see different schemes that show us what the appearance and assembly of this new Mac would be like. And basically all the hardware would be located in the body of that keyboard. Those of Cupertino describe the patent as a “computer in an input device”, understanding the latter as the keyboard itself. The result would be something like a Mac Mini compressed in the body of a Magic Keyboard , which would give rise to a personal computer that is quite familiar to us, not only in the case of the Raspberry Pi.
This patent emphasizes the spirit of this new computer “as a portable computing device that delivers high performance in miniature and reduces the size of once-bulky computing components.” According to this same patent, the device would have all the necessary hardware so that we only need to connect it to a monitor and a mouse (in the latter case wirelessly). Logically we are only talking about a patent, so there is no guarantee that this device will become a reality.
Oriented to the educational environment?
The chances that Apple will be encouraged to make this patent a reality are remote, because there does not seem to be a great demand for this type of computer. Although it should not be ruled out that those from Cupertino can develop it for an educational environment , in which Raspberry Pi has an important role in some countries, shared precisely with the iPad. In recent years, not only has the Raspberry Pi seen an official version integrated into a keyboard, but other educational projects such as FUZE have for years offered keyboards with one of these integrated mini boards.
But the origin of this format is much older, and in fact we could say that it is the germ of the personal computer. You only have to look back to the eighties, when personal computers like the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, MSX or CPC were basically keyboards that integrated all the necessary hardware to function. A format that was left behind with the arrival of cheaper PCs with a monitor included, and with the replacement of these personal devices, mostly used to play games, for much more popular and accessible video game consoles.