In my attempt togive my Pismo a custom look, I found a few ideas. Many moons ago on ogrady.comI had remembered seeing an ibook keyboard fitted on to a Pismo. I desperatelywanted such a custom look. I had seen the ads for keyBORGbut I really was turned off by the techno style text (although I hear they areshipping ones with normal text). In my search for an ibook keyboard, I wasfinding dead ends everywhere. As it turns out nobody actually can sell you thiskeyboard part. I did however find out the part number is PN: JF0070101000.


Click for a larger image.

In my attempt togive my Pismo a custom look, I found a few ideas. Many moons ago on ogrady.comI had remembered seeing an ibook keyboard fitted on to a Pismo. I desperatelywanted such a custom look. I had seen the ads for keyBORGbut I really was turned off by the techno style text (although I hear they areshipping ones with normal text). In my search for an ibook keyboard, I wasfinding dead ends everywhere. As it turns out nobody actually can sell you thiskeyboard part. I did however find out the part number is PN: JF0070101000.


Click for a larger image.

I tried the usualplaces, the CompUSA parts department, the PowerBookGuy, Sun Remarketing, and both of mylocal Mac stores in Boise Idaho. I found www.pbparts.comon the Web, and they in fact do carry this part and are willing to sell it toyou for US$165. I was frustrated by this price because I did not feel likea keyboard was worth that much, so I turned to eBay.It appears as if the market price for a new ibook keyboard (still sealed inApple’s packaging) goes for between US$80 and US$120, although I paid US$76 for mine. I liked the orange highlights instead of the blue becauseit’s catchier to the eye.

Once my newkeyboard arrived at my house a week later, I opened up the packaging and wasrather disappointed to find out that the cable that connects to the PowerBookis different than the iBook keyboard.


Click for a larger image.

This did not stop me because I had seenon the digitalHipps Web site the instructionsfor replacing the keys on the keyboard. As the Web page states, it is a simpletask, and takes about 30 minutes. While I had all of the keys off my Pismo Icleaned off some of the insides because of an incident last year involving an EWU college party, Rolling Rockand an ex girlfriend that wouldn’t listen, leaving some of my keys sticky.When replacing the keys you can also replace the little colored plastic thingsright above the left and right arrow keys to get rid of most of the ugly bronzelook.

This newkeyboard in combination with a glowing redApple logo gave me a PowerBook look that made even a few of my PC friendjealous. It’s nice to hear, “whoa, that looks cool” from someof our Mac nemeses. If anyone is interested in a brand new iBook keyboard withPismo buttons, feel free to contact me:-).


Click for a larger image.