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+Document: WM-080                                                 P. Webb
+Category: Computing                                           2026-01-05
+
+                     Using Old Tech in the New Age
+
+Abstract
+
+   Don’t call it a comeback
+
+Body
+
+   Keyboard
+
+      Vintage tools tend to be on the expensive side so I’ve always
+      looked at Apple’s Extended Keyboard (AEK) II as one such device.
+      Imagine my surprise then when I found that I could order one from
+      eBay for less than $100! In the original packaging!!
+
+      📸[Packaging for the AEK II][IMG1]
+
+      If you look close you can see that it previously lived at
+      "Computerland Corporation[1]," which was a Radio Shack-esque
+      chain of stores. I looked it up out of curiousity and man, what a
+      timeline...the drama!
+
+      When I opened the box I was happy to see how great the keyboard
+      looked. I know yellowing is to be expected but mine isn’t
+      egregious. If I go through with restoring the original color, I’ll
+      update this memo.
+
+      📸[Bean and Cocoa checking out the AEK II][IMG2]
+
+      This thing is a CHONKER and I love it. But why use this instead of
+      the very pretty, customized Womier RD75 pictured here?
+
+      📸[Comparing my Womier RD75][IMG3]
+
+      For whatever reason, the system key would reset on my Womier and
+      I’d waste time trying to get it to how it was before, using the
+      VIA web app (which is only useable in Chromium browsers). I’d much
+      rather not deal with that...although in hindsight, I could
+      probably just use an app like Karabiner Elements[2] instead. In
+      any event, I enjoy having a numpad as well. All the new fancy
+      keyboards like to be minimal but I’ve come to realize I’m a
+      maximalist, at least in this area.
+
+      The quirk with the AEK II though, is that it comes with
+      proprietary ports, Apple’s ADB. Of the adapters I found, only one
+      appealed to me; a pre-assembled TMK ADB-USB converter I purchased
+      from a person on a forum[3]. It felt sketch as hell but I figured,
+      why not? My keyboard is also coming from a random person across
+      the country, why not some doohickey from another country entirely?
+
+      📸[ADB adapter connected to my MacBook and keyboard][IMG4]
+
+      Something that befuddled me on first use was that the button next
+      to the USB port needed to be pressed before the keyboard
+      would work.
+
+      📼[Apple Extended Keyboard II typing test][VID1]
+
+      The only downside to AEK II was media controls not working; the
+      function keys not doing things that modern Mac keyboards do, like
+      changing volume, pausing music, &c. Fret not, mhoye[4] reminded me
+      that I could probably use Karabiner Elements to fix this and
+      indeed it has! One thing KE has no idea about is the Power button
+      on this keyboard, which makes sense because it’s not a key.
+
+      📸[My Karabiner config][IMG5]
+
+      There _is_ a way to make the Power button do something but that
+      involves flashing the chip[5] on this ADB adapter. I would want it
+      to operate like the emoji or globe/fn key. I have no idea how to
+      do that just yet...another future project, maybe.
+
+  Watch
+
+      I ~~use~~ used my Apple Watch daily, most often to set a 15-minute
+      alarm between my kittens’ eating times (they lack self-control so
+      we feed them half their meal and make them wait for the other
+      half), and unlocking my computer and security/password prompts. My
+      watch is a Series 7 (2021) and I need to charge it every day-ish.
+      It’s _fine_ but I feel meh about upgrading it.
+
+      SegamanXero[6] told me about the round Pebble watch being made
+      available for pre-order[7], which prompted me to look at Casio
+      watches, LOL! I found two super dope ones and ordered them both.
+
+      The Casio LF-20W-8A[8] ($30) and Casio LF-30W-8A[9] ($40).
+
+      📸[Casio LF-20W-8A][IMG6]
+
+      📸[Casio LF-30W-8A][IMG7]
+
+      I’ve been wearing the former for a few days now and what I dislike
+      the most is needing to type my password all the time. 😭 The
+      convenience of a wrist-based authenticator is fantastic. Sure
+      would be nice if Apple would sell a standalone Touch ID thingy!
+      Something like that would increase "customer sat" so maybe someone
+      could convince Tim Cook this is a great idea? "Services" seems to
+      be the most important metric these days so maybe not...alas.
+
+      Another plus of using an Apple Watch is not needing to have my
+      phone on me when doing things around the house. At worst, my wife
+      will be inconvenienced with waiting for me to get to my phone to
+      answer her text about what food items we’re low on while she’s
+      out shopping.
+
+      Oh, and being able to raise my wrist to tell Siri is set a timer.
+
+      The plus of using a Casio is having a cool fucking watch on
+      my wrist. It costs 13x less than the cheapest Series 11 and is
+      objectively rad.
+
+  CD Player & Wired Headphones
+
+      📸[Coby CD player and Marshall headphones][IMG8]
+
+      My wife got me a CD player for Christmas because I’ve been yapping
+      about old tech for a hot minute (and I’ve never stopped buying CDs
+      either, to rip FLACs to then play in Doppler[10]/IINA[11]).
+
+      The Marshall Major V headphones[12] I purchased a few weeks prior,
+      because I never had them in brown (and got a great deal)! I had a
+      pair in black when Marshall first released these (oh god) nearly
+      two decades ago...I’m not fact-checking this, I know I had hair
+      then. Anyhoo, these headphones are wireless (Bluetooth) and
+      support wired use.
+
+      📸[Assortment of Samurai Champloo CDs][IMG9]
+
+      The same day my Marshalls arrived, so did several Samurai Champloo
+      soundtracks. My 2006 self would not be surprised at my 2026 self.
+      Once the rainy weather lets up, I’m gonna have to take some walks
+      with my anti-skip CD player. My Nintendo GameBoy fanny pack is in
+      disarray (ripped) but I do have other side bags I could use.
+
+      I’m a dad, this is my life now, and I’m satisfied. 😎
+
+  Phone
+
+      I haven’t made the jump to a flip phone yet but I’m still
+      considering it. At best, it’d be a second phone, not a replacement
+      for my iPhone. The utility of a wireless supercomputer in my
+      pocket in 2026 is simply too great.
+
+  All in all, I really enjoy this keyboard. It’s a joy to type on and I
+  am happy that I got media controls working on it. I would love if
+  future computers had keyboards like this. In any event, I’m getting
+  ideas for systemSOFT[13] hardware. 🕸️
+
+References
+
+   [1]    <https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/computerland-corp>
+   [2]    <https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org>
+   [3]    <https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=14290.0>
+   [4]    <https://mastodon.social/@mhoye/115817308947489505>
+   [5]    <https://www.tmk-kbd.com/tmk_keyboard/editor/unimap/?adb_usb>
+   [6]    <https://bsky.app/profile/segamanxero.com>
+   [7]    <https://repebble.com/blog/pebble-round-2-the-most-stylish-pebble-ever>
+   [8]    <https://www.casio.com/intl/watches/casio/product.LF-20W-8A>
+   [9]    <https://www.casio.com/intl/watches/casio/product.LF-30W-8A>
+   [10]   <https://brushedtype.co/doppler>
+   [11]   <https://iina.io>
+   [12]   <https://www.marshall.com/us/en/product/major-v?pid=1006834>
+   [13]   <https://systemsoft.works>
+   [IMG1] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-a.JPG>
+   [IMG2] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-b.JPG>
+   [IMG3] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-c.JPG>
+   [IMG4] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-d.JPG>
+   [IMG5] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-e.png>
+   [IMG6] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-f.JPG>
+   [IMG7] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-g.JPG>
+   [IMG8] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-h.JPG>
+   [IMG9] <https://cdn.webb.page/blog/2026/wm-808-i.JPG>
+   [VID1] <https://nickel.video/embed/i311knnEC0k4>