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Matias is building the wired Mac keyboards that Apple won’t

Matias is building the wired Mac keyboards that Apple won’t

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Apple discontinued its wired Mac keyboard back in June when it introduced a new version of its wireless Magic Keyboard with a number pad, but a company called Matias is trying to keep the wired version alive with its own replica versions. And this year at CES 2018, the company is looking to one-up Apple’s now discontinued version with a new model that features RGB backlighting.

Matias’ keyboards look and feel almost exactly like Apple’s versions — the keys, design, and materials are all near-replicas of the original models. The only real addition is a slider on the back that allows users to rotate through a variety of colors, and a function key that lets you adjust brightness by holding it down and pressing a number on the keypad. (For example, to adjust to 20 percent, hold the function key and press “2.”)

Wired Mac keyboards are back

In addition to the classic white-and-silver model, there’s also a space gray version with black keys more reminiscent of Apple’s more recent laptops. And for PC users, there’s also an entirely black aluminum version with Windows function keys.

While the appeal of Matias’ keyboards is mostly in the wired versions, given that Apple no longer makes its own, the company also produces wireless versions as well, although it’s a tougher sell when compared to Apple’s official Magic Keyboard models.

The new RGB wired keyboard is available today for $99 in both Mac and PC versions.