Is there a usb alternative to superdrive & keyboard ?

[brynhildur]

I am a Mac newbie. I have bought the brand new MBA for entertainment. I want buy additional peripherals like USB keyboard and a superdrive. I heard the many of the USB keyboards and superdrives won’t work with MBA. I don’t know exact reason of it. Some says it because of driver mismatch, some says that apple do not support other third party peripherals. How can I use other keyboard and superdrive with apple MBA. If it can’t possible are there any alternatives available. Plzzzzz advice.

[Mrigankasekhar]

The USB keyboard will work on any platform of computer only if the OS contain driver which can detect it. Some of the keywords like “windows” and “Alt” switch their locations depending on the platform. Sometimes it requires special software only if requirement of additional special keys. The special software may different for different OS platforms.
For reading and writing purpose we use apple superdrive for Mac platform which will run without any interruption. Yes there is a problem with generic burners if we used it along MBA. Some non apple drivers will not support MBA. So I suggest you to buy apple superdrive instead of other alternatives.

[Radames]

Alternative keyboards are available in the market for MBA. Some of them will work and some of them wont. As far as the superdrive concern MBA supports it perfectly. I can’t guarantee you that alternatives will work with MBA. But there is one brilliant USB alternative superdrive is available. I think it is from LG Company. It is little big and heavy. But you can connect it any machine like Mac, Linux based system and window PC. It works just superb.

[Avikshit Sinha]

I don’t think that there are any alternatives available for MBA USB peripherals. It is exactly based on the drivers. You cannot install the third party drivers that are not made for apple. Like the difference in OS for each type systems (like Mac, windows, Linux). The Air operating system won’t work on macbook pro. Apple has done this discrimination for its own profit. We can’t question why they’d done this. In case the alternative peripherals matches be aware that they are working properly or not.

[Anirvinya]

The apple macbook air doesn’t support the other generic superdrive and also apple superdrive will not support on any other machine other than air. Air uses a high powered USB to run the superdrive. Because it is a 1.06 pound dual layer burner with 4X DL read/write speed and more. It is good thing to use superdrive with air other than alternative superdrive. The one Panasonic external DVD burner can match with 1st macbook Air. As far as keyboard you can use any usb keyboard with air. It won’t negotiate with keyboard.