Keyboard Protector for MacBook Pro

I got this product for my MacBook Pro. It's good for at least four things:1. Dust, lint and hair. I don't know how, but all those things got into my old PowerBook (with a removable keyboard). If you have cats at home or have short hair like me, you WILL find hair in your keyboard.2. It helps in reducing the chances of my keyboard leaving an impression on the screen. Having come from an older model of PowerBook with that problem, I took extra measures to make sure no freaking key prints will go on the screen!3. The newer MacBook Pros have their keys made out of plastic (as opposed to metal like the newer PowerBooks). And the keys WILL wear out, taking with them paint and the letters/numbers (Google it; I ain't lying). After having used this product on my keyboard for about two months, it's very clear to see the often used keys on the silicon are a little bit worn already (the worn spots are slightly more transparent than the less-used areas). So at the minimum, the silicon should significantly delay the wear and tear of the keys if you really use it that much.4. Protection against liquid. My two-year-old was trying to open a bottle of water from about 2 feet away. When he finally succeed, some water also splashed all over the keyboard... luckily with the silicon on top of it! That incident alone was worth every penny I spent on this product and then some!Some minor issues/inconveniences I am willing to live with:1. The silicon doesn't exactly hug snuggly to the keys per se. But it does have about 95% precision and does a good enough job for me not to notice the difference and doesn't prevent me from typing accurately.2. It does take a couple of weeks to completely get used to having a piece of silicon on the keyboard. At first my typing was slowed down quite a bit. But after that, I just lived with it and adjusted my typing style accordingly.3. Over time, the silicon WILL get dirty and even a bit dusty depending on how often you use your computer, how dirty your fingers are, and how often you leave your lid open for a prolong period of time. I simply rinse the silicon off with warm water, wash with soap, then place it in between a couple of pieces of paper towel and press to dry (if you have hard water, the water drops will leave unpleasant marks if you let it air dry).4. Initially when the silicon is fresh and clean, the back side of it will adhere/stick to the keys nice and tight. But as mentioned in #3, if it gets dirty, it will lose that stickiness and start to move about on your keyboard (esp. where the space bar is). To resolve this, read #3.5. The silicon will reflect some glare esp. towards the front center of the keyboard where the function keys are. This is extremely annoying if you don't have the muscle memory but still use the function keys often. I've had to move my head towards the screen a little to take a better look at the keys to know which ones to press.

I bought the product for $6.99 so my expectations were not terribly high. The product came in a low budget plastic bag and no instructions accompanied it.The product does not fit tightly onto my keyboard and it may not even be 'fitted' for the 2008 Macbook Pro (unibody design). After already sending a few items back to the respective merchants for things outfitted for the older Macbook Pro, I am settling for this item due to about a 95% fit and the purposes of just keeping dust and oil off of the keyboard. For the price, it is a good value. The keyboard protector covers the keys in the periphery of the buttons but is not entirely flush against the buttons. However, the cover does not affect the feel or function of the keyboard, at all.I would trust it to protect against keyboard wear and dust but not against any liquid that may spill. I hypothesize that more expensive alternatives will fit no better. There is no adhesive which is a plus (I had a first generation keyboard skin from the late 1980s which had a messy adhesive that was unpleasant to install and remove). This cover stays in place with typing so it is functional.Overall, it is a less than perfect fit but it serves its purpose for the price. I give it 3 stars (it's ok).UPDATE:After a week of it 'breaking in', it is still on the keyboard and has not moved off by its own volition. The keyboard is comfortable to the touch and my keys are protected. The central body of the keys are flush, as is the periphery of the buttons, but the cover does not fit 'perfectly' over the buttons. It is not a spillproof fit but it is doing its job.One drawback after a couple of months of use is that the oils from your fingertips are transferred to the screen - No big problem, you just use a microfiber cloth to wipe it off.

Considering this costs less than a dollar each, it's great value. It fits well, protects my keyboard, and allows me to still see the back-lit keys. My last one lasted 6 or 7 months of pretty heavy daily use before it ripped somewhere.Others may complain about it being foggy instead of crystal-clear, but I don't find that to be a problem. If you're getting it for looks, there are better covers out there. Others also find that it appears to stick to certain keys, making the sticky spots appear slightly darker. This is not the cover's fault — it's actually a result of using the keyboard without the cover, making the keys extra-glossy, so the cover appears to "stick" to it when in reality it's just two perfectly smooth surfaces lying against each other.Also, on the 13-inch MBP it will affect the speakers' sound somewhat, but there's no way avoiding that. If it bothers you, just remove the cover when using the speakers.Overall, the pros (price, functionality) far outweigh the cons, so I recommend this cover.

I don't type by sight, so the fact that it is clear was not important to me, but it seems to be better quality than some of the other covers I have purchased online. I can see where someone who doesn't want a brightly colored keyboard would find this optimal. Personally, a bright color would be great for me, but I couldn't find one that got good reviews at a reasonable price. Definitely pleased with this purchase. Will update if it starts to fall apart like the previous one I purchased from another seller did.

The protector was ok. It was high quality,but I wish that it could last longer. The more you use it the more it will stretch. I have use this for about 4 month and I am still using the same one. I would recommend this to other mac users. I would re-buy this protector in the future.

I thought initially I would not like the feel of something between my fingers and the keyboard, but the silicone works well. Personally, I prefer the feel of silicone vs. the smooth keys. It even has the F & J key marked so your fingers can feel they are on the right key. It does keep crap out of your keyboard and it is easily cleaned by just running it under water.