BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform
Compatibility with New USB-C Keyboard and Trackpad?
I have not had a chance to to try out the new Apple Magic USB-C Keyboard and Trackpad yet in person, but from what I can tell, based on measurement specs, it appears as if they should fit perfectly. I will experiment and once I have confirmed—one way or another—I will update this post.
Below are the published measurements of the new Apple USB-C Trackpad, which appear to be IDENTICAL to the two older versions.
This means it should fit and work perfectly. Granted, the 2nd Generation (Lightning) and 3rd Generation (USB-C) Magic Trackpads, as well as the Magic Keyboard generations are almost identical in every way, but on the 2nd and 3rd generation models, the corners are a little bit more radiused, meaning a little less square, but fit and work identically.
The Magic Keyboard
Just to be crystal clear, I will detail the history of the current generation BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform. BulletTrain pioneered the Apple Keyboard tray form factor that united the Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad back in 2010. This first generation had several iterations that were all made exclusively in San Francisco out of machined Aluminum.
In 2012, we replaced our Aluminum models with an injection molded model which looked like it was aluminum, but was made out of painted polycarbonate with a clear UVB overcoat.
In 2016, Apple came out with the second generation of their Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad which added the feature of built-in rechargeable batteries that charged using a Lightning cable. Also, the trackpad was now white instead of silver.
BulletTrain Came out with a brand new model of the eXpress that was completely reengineered, and now featured unibody construction. In 2021, Apple made a very subtle change to their wireless Magic Trackpad and Keyboard by reducing the corner radius'. As the designer at BulletTrain I decided NOT to update our existing design as it perfectly fit and accommodated both the 1st and 2nd generation of Apple Magic Keyboards and trackpads. The ONLY difference, as you can see if you look carefully at the image below is the their is a slight misfit in the corners of the Magic Keyboard and Trackpad.
Also, there is one other slight difference with the 2nd generation Magic Keyboard. Apple made it ever so slightly narrower, so if you place it in the BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform without using the double sided Scotch restickable tabs (0.5" x 0.5"), it will move around in an irritating way. But, the BulletTrain eXpress comes standard with Scotch restickable pads, which will secure and lack the Magic Keyboard so it doesn't move at all.
As previously mentioned, once I try out the USB-C Apple Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard, which should be soon, I will update this post.
