7 ms·

What do you mean "eventually"? The iPad has worked with Bluetooth keyboards since day one.

by krevis 15y ago

roc 15y ago
I do wonder how long it will be until an actual iPad/iPod/iPhone computing dock surfaces. That is, one dock connection that supplies power, feeds an HDMI display and connects a keyboard, transforming the ipad screen into a sort of oversized trackpad. optionally with some context sensitive controls. With that, when people want a more traditional computing experience, they just carry their device over to the desk, dock and get on with it. The only real missing part is OS-wide awareness of such a dock, so that the UI can shift to being more keyboard-friendly [1]. I believe even the existing dock API could effect this on a smaller scale [2] if Apple greenlit a third party to build one. [1] Using a bluetooth keyboard with the iPad is pretty weak, due to the lack of consistent navigation support. e.g. alt-tab/cmd-tab sorts of behaviors, arrowing through pick-lists, universal tab/shift-tab support, etc. [2] Each app would have to look for said dock (and not just on startup) and the OS still wouldn't be integrated, which would limit things a bit.
- gnaffle 15y ago
  The existing iPad Keyboard dock supports connecting power and an external display through the 30-pin connector on the back. I'm guessing it'll work with the new HDMI connector as well, although I'm not sure. I don't think making the iPad a trackpad for an external display would work well, however, since the iPad does not have a cursor and the GUI is not designed to be used with one (try the iPhone/iPad simulator on a Mac to see how it works). Making it work as a 1-1 mapping from the iPad to the external display is what the current HDMI connector gives you anyway.
  - roc 15y ago
    I was suggesting the OS be updated so that a trackpad-friendly UI mode could be created. As-is, I agree, it's not useful at all. The thrust of my wonder about a possible docking solution was towards a real, actually good, option.

What do you mean "eventually"? The iPad has worked with Bluetooth keyboards since day one.

by krevis 15y ago

What do you mean "eventually"? The iPad has worked with Bluetooth keyboards since day one.

roc 15y ago

I do wonder how long it will be until an actual iPad/iPod/iPhone computing dock surfaces. That is, one dock connection that supplies power, feeds an HDMI display and connects a keyboard, transforming the ipad screen into a sort of oversized trackpad. optionally with some context sensitive controls. With that, when people want a more traditional computing experience, they just carry their device over to the desk, dock and get on with it. The only real missing part is OS-wide awareness of such a dock, so that the UI can shift to being more keyboard-friendly [1]. I believe even the existing dock API could effect this on a smaller scale [2] if Apple greenlit a third party to build one. [1] Using a bluetooth keyboard with the iPad is pretty weak, due to the lack of consistent navigation support. e.g. alt-tab/cmd-tab sorts of behaviors, arrowing through pick-lists, universal tab/shift-tab support, etc. [2] Each app would have to look for said dock (and not just on startup) and the OS still wouldn't be integrated, which would limit things a bit.

gnaffle 15y ago
The existing iPad Keyboard dock supports connecting power and an external display through the 30-pin connector on the back. I'm guessing it'll work with the new HDMI connector as well, although I'm not sure. I don't think making the iPad a trackpad for an external display would work well, however, since the iPad does not have a cursor and the GUI is not designed to be used with one (try the iPhone/iPad simulator on a Mac to see how it works). Making it work as a 1-1 mapping from the iPad to the external display is what the current HDMI connector gives you anyway.
- roc 15y ago
  I was suggesting the OS be updated so that a trackpad-friendly UI mode could be created. As-is, I agree, it's not useful at all. The thrust of my wonder about a possible docking solution was towards a real, actually good, option.