Macintosh Plus Keyboard (M0110A)

Released January 1986

The Macintosh Plus's wired mechanical keyboard combines a 78-key US layout with a built-in numeric keypad and four arrow keys.

Layout: Full size
Switches: Mechanical
Backlight: None
Battery: –
Connects by: Cable
Weight: 1200 g

Mechanical

Product links

Macintosh Plus specifications — shared keyboard figures (archived Apple press sheet)
Guide to Macintosh Family Hardware — shared keyboard reference (archived Apple manual)
Macintosh and Macintosh Plus Technical Procedures — shared service guide (archived Apple manual)

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Typing

Layout: Full size
Switches: Mechanical
Backlight: None
Keys labelled for: Mac
Switches: Apple's Technical Procedures identifies Alps and Mitsumi mechanical switch versions of the Macintosh Plus keyboard, with their own boards and non-interchangeable replacement switches. Deskthority's exact M0110A inspection also documents a Taiwan-made SMK switch variant; this is a production variant, not a separate keyboard generation. Caps Lock uses a mechanically locking switch.
Key travel: Exact-model key travel and actuation force were not recovered from the maker's published sources and remain omitted; figures from the earlier M0110 keyboard engineering specification are not transferred.
Keycaps: Individual keycaps and country-specific legends; Apple's service parts list distinguishes beige and smoke-coloured keycap sets. Legend production differs between switch variants, as documented by Deskthority; a single construction is not asserted for every M0110A.
Layouts: Apple's original Macintosh Plus specification sheet lists 78 keys for the US layout, software-mapped keys and two-key rollover. International and Japanese layouts are production configurations; the illustrated primary photograph shows the US layout, with its large Return key and separate numeric keypad.
Special keys: Built-in numeric keypad with Clear, arithmetic keys and Enter; four arrow keys, Command, Option and mechanically locking Caps Lock. No function row, Escape or Control keys. The keyboard's layout is distinct from later ADB models.

Connections and battery

Connects by: Cable
Power: Cable
Receiver: Detachable four-wire cable with modular RJ-11-type connectors carrying ground, clock, data and +5 V. Apple's shared hardware reference describes a synchronous serial interface with the computer initiating communication. This is not ADB or USB, and an ordinary telephone cord is not a substitute for the correctly wired keyboard cable.
Battery life detail: Powered through the +5 V keyboard cable; no battery is required. A keyboard-only maximum current is not established by the recovered sources.
Works with: Apple's hardware reference explicitly states compatibility with the Macintosh Plus and the earlier Macintosh 128K, 512K and 512K enhanced keyboard ports. Modern computers need a separate suitable protocol converter. Application support for the added keys is distinct from electrical compatibility.

Design

Weight: 1200 g
Width × depth × height: 395.4 × 146 × 65 mm
Size: Apple's original press specification sheet gives width 395.4 mm, depth 146 mm, height 65 mm and weight 1.2 kg for the keyboard. Its later shared hardware reference rounds the width to 395 mm; the more precise original maker value is retained here.
Materials: Separate plastic top and bottom housing with individual mechanical switches and keycaps. Apple's service guide documents different switch boards and replacement housing parts rather than one uniform internal construction.
Colours: Beige and later platinum housing options are documented in Apple's service parts list. They are cosmetic configurations; the original press photograph is monochrome and does not establish a colour for the pictured unit.
In the box: Detachable keyboard and connection cable supplied with the Macintosh Plus. January 1986 availability follows Macworld's historical timeline stating Apple released the Macintosh Plus that month; 16 January's introduction is not asserted as an exact first-sale day. An exact separate keyboard retail date was not recovered.

Pros and cons

Pros

Built-in numeric keypad and arrow keys
Detachable connection cable
Compatible with earlier original Macintosh keyboard ports

Cons

No function row, Escape or Control keys
Two-key rollover limit
Original Macintosh serial connection rather than USB or ADB

Closest rivals

Model	Layout	Switches	Backlight	Battery	Connects by	Weight	Released
AppleApple Desktop Bus Keyboard (A9M0330)	Full size	Mechanical	None	–	Cable	–	1986
AppleApple Keyboard (M0116)	Full size	Mechanical	None	–	Cable	1000 g	1987
AppleApple Extended Keyboard	Full size	Mechanical	None	–	Cable	1600 g	1987

Sources

Photo: Apple Computer / 1000bit; original Macintosh Plus press photograph.

Spot a mistake? Tell us