The tale of the Purple Magic Keyboard

Purple is one of my favourite colours, and over the years, I have purchased many things because they are purple. However, if you imagine a purple office with a MereCivilian wearing a purple hat, you will be disappointed. My home office desk setup is predominately black, and I have bright red coloured Audioengine speakers to brighten it up……. I am getting sidetracked…….

Anyway…….

Magic Keyboard

You may recall that Apple introduced the coloured Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse when the M1 iMac was in 2021. Unfortunately, these coloured peripherals were only available with the M1 iMac. Numerous times, I thought that I ought to order the iMac with the purple keyboard and mouse and return the iMac without it. I was curious how much Apple would charge for this, and it seemed like this is the only way to get these beautiful peripherals (adding much-needed colour to my setup). However, I felt wrong doing it. It almost felt unethical. I retracted despite getting to the Buy Now screen on the Apple Store app.

A few weeks ago, I found a reputable seller on eBay selling all the colours of the keyboard and mouse (brand new) for USD220. I promptly emailed asking how he obtained these keyboards. The response arrived minutes later. The seller said he has a computer store, and he sold the M1 iMac without the keyboard and mouse. I promptly placed the order for a purple keyboard and mouse. Three days later, a package was left at my doorstep.

Like a kid on Christmas Day, I unpacked with excitement. I had only seen the keyboard in pictures, but it’s even more beautiful in person. I was overjoyed and also felt incredibly lucky. What are the chances of finding brand new versions of this keyboard through a random eBay search?

This Magic Keyboard also has Touch ID, and it works almost (fractionally slower) as well as the Touch ID on my MacBook. After ten minutes of using the keyboard and correcting many typos, I felt at home. Coming from a mechanical keyboard, I expected a little period of adjustment. Strangely, I also appreciated the quiet workspace but missed the glorious sounds of my Keychron K3. This was the high point of this tale, and it’s all downhill from here.

Magic Mouse

The Magic Mouse is not ergonomically designed, but it worked well with the Delta wrist pads. The problem for me was evident within seconds of using the mouse. A picture tells a thousand words:

Thhhhaaaaaatttts Right… There is an otherwise imperfection in my perfect setup

The tiny chip’s location on my Magic Mouse was unfortunate because each time I placed my hand on my mouse, I felt the chip. That chip could have been anywhere, but it had to be at the only place where it would make its existence known every single time. Well played, UNIVERSE!

I desperately emailed the seller, hoping he would provide me with a replacement. As I expected, he only had one set, and my options were to replace the entire set with a different colour or receive a refund for the mouse or return the whole package for a full refund. In either case, my setup will no longer be purple. At first, the only reasonable option was to return the mouse, keep the magic keyboard and continue using my Logitech MX Master. However, one of the reasons for buying the set was to get rid of the Logitech mouse and the Logitech software from my Mac. At this point, I had already uninstalled the Logitech Options software.

I returned the keyboard and mouse and, within three days, received a full refund.

One Week Later

I attempt to reflect on things, and spending money is one of those things. We came from somewhat humble beginnings, and even though I impulse buy often, I am attempting to be more intentional with my purchases these days.

I am amused with my decisions and actions. We, humans, tend to justify things to support our choices. That chip was my justification for returning the keyboard, and purple was my justification for this purchase in the first place. Within minutes of purchasing, I had a sense of regret that my existing keyboard and mouse were working well, and therefore there was no need to replace them. The other thought that crossed my mind was what to do with my Keychron and Logitech Master. These are quality peripherals that have served me well for more than two years. I was willing to let go of an otherwise working setup for all the imperfections (unergonomic etc.) with Apple Magic Keyboard and Mouse. All because it was purple.

That tiny chip on the Magic Mouse was my saving grace. Let’s hope I learn something from this tale 🤞

My Keychron K1 and Logitech MX Master will give me company until then.