Every new laptop keyboard needs time to get adjusted to. It took me about one day with the new Macbook/Pro keyboard, and since then I type quicker on it than any other keyboard. Maybe it's because the short pressing distance, or because the keys are really separated, I don't know.

same with my little MacBook; the screen's crap, but the 'calculator' keyboard is brilliant

I agree, and it's not just the MacBook Pros, it's also the keyboard that comes with the non-laptop Macs. My new Mac Pro came with a keyboard that was comparable with the keyboard on the Tandy Color Computer I had in the early 80s.

On the Mac Pro it is easy to change the keyboard; I replaced it with a Unicomp keyboard. However, that's not so simple on a laptop, and the keyboard is a big thing stopping me from getting an Apple laptop.

Next to probably a ThinkPad keyboard (which I haven't used in about 4 years), the Apple external/thin keyboard is my favorite. I haven't tired it in a laptop though so I don't know if it's the same thing or not.