220: ‘$270 Worth of Unneeded Keyboards’ With Jim Dalrymple

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode is a wide-ranging conversation centered on Apple hardware, especially the flawed MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard, AirPower’s long delay, Apple Watch and AirPods battery behavior, and the controversial iMac Pro repair story. It also covers Google’s unencrypted RCS/chat push and the importance of iMessage as a secure, ubiquitous platform. Throughout, the hosts mix product analysis with speculation about Apple’s design choices and future fixes.

Main Topics: MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard reliability (Priority: 5/5): The hosts debate widespread reports of stuck keys and mixed experiences with Apple’s butterfly keyboard, weighing anecdotal evidence against the possibility that only a minority of users are affected. They agree reliability against dust and crumbs should be a basic requirement for any keyboard. AirPower delay and wireless charging strategy (Priority: 5/5): They discuss Apple’s long-promised AirPower mat, its apparent trouble shipping, and how it fits into Apple’s broader wireless charging ecosystem with iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. The conversation questions timing, pricing, and whether Apple will support third-party chargers’ capabilities. Apple Watch and AirPods battery life (Priority: 4/5): The speakers compare battery habits across Apple Watch and AirPods, emphasizing that newer batteries allow multi-day use and make charging routines less rigid. AirPods in particular are praised as one of Apple’s best battery-life products. Google RCS/chat versus iMessage encryption (Priority: 5/5): They examine Google’s new chat/RCS initiative as a successor to SMS, but strongly critique its lack of end-to-end encryption. iMessage is presented as Apple’s model of secure, seamless messaging and a major strategic advantage. The iMac Pro teardown and repair controversy (Priority: 4/5): The hosts revisit the YouTuber repair story in which an iMac Pro was damaged during teardown, arguing Apple was reasonable to refuse repair because the device had effectively been totaled. They compare the situation to an insurance claim on a wrecked car. Keyboard preferences and typing habits (Priority: 2/5): The discussion wanders into split keyboards, mechanical keyboards, and even the hosts’ personal typing habits, including a surprising disagreement over which finger types the letter Y. This section underscores how personal and habitual keyboard use can be. Podcast sponsorships and callback humor (Priority: 2/5): The show features sponsor reads for Vox’s Today, Explained, Alex Weinstein music, and Squarespace, with a nostalgic callback to the old ‘Pick and Boogers with John’ joke. These segments reinforce the show’s internal history and recurring bits.

Key Arguments: Butterfly keyboards are not merely a matter of feel or sound; keys physically sticking makes them unreliable for everyday use. A minority of users may experience the problem, but the anecdotal volume suggests the minority is still too large for a premium laptop. Apple is unlikely to revert to an older keyboard design, but it must improve dust resistance or rethink the mechanism. AirPower’s delay is notable because it was meant to align with wireless-charging iPhones and a new AirPods case, yet the ecosystem is still incomplete. AirPods and Apple Watch batteries have improved enough that charging behavior has become more flexible and less burdensome. Google’s RCS/chat initiative may be feature-rich, but lack of encryption makes it unacceptable as a modern messaging standard. iMessage’s end-to-end encryption and seamless default behavior are major strategic and privacy advantages for Apple. Apple was justified in refusing to repair a heavily damaged iMac Pro after a teardown, since the device was effectively beyond responsible repair. The iMac Pro story was presented in a misleading way, because the damage caused during teardown was not emphasized clearly enough. Apple’s success with iMessage shows the power of building secure communication into the OS by default.

Data Points: MacBook Pro keyboard issue frequency: 2 times - One speaker says the butterfly-keyboard sticking issue has happened to him twice. AirPower announcement-to-discussion gap: ~220 days - The hosts note it has been more than half a year since AirPower was announced. AirPods battery recovery: 15 minutes - Dead AirPods were reported to fully recharge in the case after a short 15-minute charge. AirPods original purchase timing: December 2016 - One speaker says he is still using his original AirPods from December 2016. Apple Watch battery remaining: 81% - During the conversation, the speaker checks his Apple Watch battery and reports 81% remaining. Apple Watch battery remaining later in discussion: 42% - He also mentions being on his third day of use with 42% battery left. iMessage peak throughput: 200,000 per second - An Eddie Cue statistic cited from a Talk Show appearance about iMessage traffic peaks. Apple device installed base: 1 billion active devices - The hosts reference Apple’s reported active-device count as a basis for estimating iMessage usage. Expected iMessage user estimate: 300–400 million - One speaker estimates active iMessage users in this range, based on the active-device base. Wireless charging rate discussed: 7.5 watts - They discuss the wireless charging speed used by current iPhone-compatible Qi chargers and AirPower expectations. Bluetooth keyboard price: $170 - The Matthias keyboard purchase is discussed as an expensive impulse buy. Foldable Microsoft keyboard price: $100 - The portable Microsoft folding keyboard is described as a cheaper alternative. AirPods price: $159 - Referenced while discussing whether an AirPods case or replacement case should be sold separately. Squarespace discount: 10% - Promo code Talk Show is said to save 10% off the first purchase. Alex Weinstein discount: 25% - Promo code THE TOKSHOW is said to save 25% off the first license.

Pivotal Quotes: "Being able to defend against that and be reliable and work in the face of pieces of dust and crumbs really ought to be essential to any keyboard design." — John: The core argument about why the butterfly keyboard’s reliability failures are unacceptable. "I would not want to see them go back to anything else." — Jim: Jim expresses enthusiasm for the butterfly keyboard’s feel when it works correctly. "I wouldn't use it. I'm sorry. I wouldn't do it." — Jim: On whether Apple should repair the heavily damaged iMac Pro after teardown damage.

Implications: Apple may need to quietly fix keyboard and charging hardware without public fanfare. iMessage remains a strategic privacy moat, while Google’s unencrypted chat push may struggle to gain trust or iPhone support.