Customer Reviews
It works! 
2008-11-11
I recently found an Apple Extended Keyboard II (the old school kind with mechanical switches) at the local thrift store for $1.00. Next to it was an ADB cable for $1.00. Fantastic find!
Now all I needed was this iMate. Though it was designed for earlier Mac systems (up to 10.3), I am now typing this review using the iMate on a PowerMac G4 (Digital Audio) with OS X 10.4.11. All the keys and commands function properly, including F12 to eject/insert a CD/DVD and the Power Key. (When was the last time Apple included THAT on their keyboards?)
It's such a joy to have a wonderful keyboard back after all these years of putting up with mushy-feeling keyboards or trendy flat-key Apple aluminum keyboards. Now when you hit a key, you KNOW it!
Compatible with OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and Intel Macs 2008-07-03
This review was written on an Apple Extended II Keyboard plugged into a Griffin iMate which is plugged into a MacBook Pro. It works fine, and no drivers are needed. For hardware other than keyboards or one-button mice, you're on your own.
Works great with Intel Macs and OS 10.4! 2008-02-14
Hey - IGNORE the dummy who left a bad review on this item, when he never bought or tried it (DUH!). I'm an Apple Mac tech, and after researching this item, I could see no reason why it wouldn't work with Mac OS 10.4 and my Intel Mac Mini. After all, OS X still supports generic ADB stuff. Asking it to support 3rd party ADB devices like Wacom tablets that require specific drivers is pressing your luck, but I figured my old ADB Datadesk Trackboard (combo keyboard & trackball) would work. Sure enough, I plugged it in and restarted, and without any drivers being installed it worked great. Even the power key works (a missing feature I really miss on the newer Apple keyboards). I'm running OS 10.4.11, and my old Trackboard is still doing the job. Thanks Griffin, and of course Apple!
Great for Apple Extended Keyboard! 2008-01-30
I purchased one of these for use with an old ADB Apple Extended Keyboard, which along with the old IBM Model M is one of the more reknowned keyboards in history. If you want to use one of these classic keyboards with mechanical key switches on a Mac, you are pretty much restricted to the Apple Extended Keyboard due to the special Mac keys.
These classic keyboards can be had for a song on EBay, so even when combined with the cost of a Griffin iMate you are getting a great keyboard (which originally retailed at $199) for a great price. The keyboard works great with Leopard (and Windows too), and is plug and play with no software driver needed- the Panther and older compatibility is for other ADB devices that require the software driver.
Note- I do not have an Apple ADB mouse, so have not tested compatibility with those (would be useful if those work as well, since the Apple keyboard has an extra ADB port for a mouse.)
OS X 10.4 Compatibility 2007-09-03
I've used an older Alps keyboard for the Mac with the Griffin iMate, from a G4 thru my present MacBook Pro running 10.4.10; and it still works like a charm. Love my old keyboard, and I appreciate the Griffin iMate that allows me to use it.
Niche Product, but Fills an Important Need 
2007-05-12
The innovative iMate USB to ADB adapter allows users to easily connect their existing ADB peripherals to iMacs, Macs with USB cards, and PCs running Windows 98. The iMate is compatible with almost any ADB device including mice, keyboards, trackballs, trackpads, hardware dongles, and Applevision displays. The iMate is a simple to use and inexpensive solution for making the transition to USB as well as preserving your investment in ADB devices. The iMate adapter uses the Apple built in drivers in boot mode therefore providing the utmost in compatibility for input devices such as mice and keyboards. Input devices are fully functional with extensions disabled. The adapter also includes our iMate extension which provides compatibility for dongles and many devices with custom ADB drivers and control panels. The iMate is also the ultimate cross platform compatibility device. With Windows support you can now use your existing Mac keyboards, mice, trackballs, and trackpads to control both a Mac and a PC. And since USB is fully hot swappable a simple switchbox is all you need to control multiple computers.
OS X 10.4 Compatibility 
2007-04-29
I was going to purchase one of these to use with an older ADB keyboard on a PowerMac G5 running with OS X 10.4.9, but after researching the manufacturer's website, I found this statement:
"Note: The iMate is compatible with Mac OS 10.3.9 and earlier, however it will not work with Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger), even with our driver."
The Griffin Technologies OS X driver hasn't been updated since early 2003, so it appears they are not going to develop a solution for 10.4 users, unfortunately. I guess I'll look for a new keyboard instead.
Errors to the MAX!!! 2004-06-04
I have had this piece of junk for not 2 hours now and I have already demanded for my money back. (I bought it directly from the Manufacturer) I'm using this device with an AppleDesign Keyboard and Apple ADB Mouse II. They work, but upon waking from sleep the mouse speed is turned up WAY to high. Just a little movement will make the mouse fly across the screen. In order to fix the ridiculous problem, I have to unplug and re-plug the device. I'm using an iMac G3 450 and sometimes when I try to put the computer to sleep, I get a message that darkens the screen and in 10 different languages, tells me to restart. And they claim that the Power Key on the ADB keyboards will work...they don't! I can press it millions of times, but the computer will not turn on.
Buying this product was a mistake and I have no intention of keeping it.
It Just Works 2004-02-10
When we got my wife a new Mac a few years ago, we had to get an adapter to use her old ADB keyboard. (It's a $200 ergonomic keyboard, so an adapter was cheaper than a new one--and the anti-ergonomic keyboard Apple shipped with the Mac was not an option.) The one we got worked, most of the time, but it was a lot of hassle. We had to reinstall the drivers at least once; and it had a persistent problem that it kept hanging, or something, so that we had to unplug it and plug it back in again to reset it.
Then she moved to OS X, and the old adapter didn't work any more; no drivers for it. So, again, it was cheaper to get a new adapter than to get a new keyboard. This one turned out to be great: no flakiness, and it didn't need drivers; OS X just recognized it and it worked. It Just Works.
