A keyboard case that makes your iPad look a lot like the MacBook Air.(thebrydge.com)
thebrydge.com
A keyboard case that makes your iPad look a lot like the MacBook Air.
http://www.thebrydge.com/
27 comments
The Mac IS a PC. If you mean Windows, say Windows.
Can you upgrade your mac's processor and motherboard to whatever you want the way you can with a PC? It goes beyond just an operating system. I like to think of PCs as Personalizable Computers.
If this sells 13M units, then it will be proof of something, but as it is it's just a product design.
Much more than a mere design, if you watch the video it appears to be a fully operational prototype.
Impressively, it was designed, engineered, and machined all in-house by a three person team, of which two members had a prior successful hardware project on Kickstarter. The project appears to be the very opposite of vaporware.
Impressively, it was designed, engineered, and machined all in-house by a three person team, of which two members had a prior successful hardware project on Kickstarter. The project appears to be the very opposite of vaporware.
The question wasn't whether or not is exists, but whether it is evidence that the iPad itself should come with a keyboard. And the point was that until this sells 13M units, it doesn't show anything about the design of the iPad itself.
iPad keyboards have been around for a long time, but they don't sell in numbers nearly as comparable to the iPad itself. To me, this says that most people in the post-PC world are happy without them...
That being said - this does look like a nice design.
iPad keyboards have been around for a long time, but they don't sell in numbers nearly as comparable to the iPad itself. To me, this says that most people in the post-PC world are happy without them...
That being said - this does look like a nice design.
Ah yes, thanks for pointing out my dropping of the original context. A signal that it's really time to get some sleep...
I actually think what this says about the iPad, is how very strong a product & category it is. That it can spawn an ecosystem of very high end add ons to adapt it to different use cases. To me, that just further demonstrates the depth of its conception and quality of execution.
I actually think what this says about the iPad, is how very strong a product & category it is. That it can spawn an ecosystem of very high end add ons to adapt it to different use cases. To me, that just further demonstrates the depth of its conception and quality of execution.
There seems to be a lot of people interested in this and they just started two days ago
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552506690/brydge-ipad-do...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552506690/brydge-ipad-do...
Absolutely. But the existence of the product doesn't prove anything the same way that the existence (and success!) of the Tik Tok[1] doesn't prove that Apple should have been competing in the "wristwatches that play music market".
[1] http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-05/record-breakin...
[1] http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2011-05/record-breakin...
Except Apple responded directly to the existence of the Tik Tok. They sell it in their retail stores. They referenced it in their media event. The first highlighted feature in their last update to the iPod Nano was "new watch faces". The success of the Tik Tok (and more recently the Pebble watch) proves something. Likewise the existence and success of all these keyboards for the iPad (thebrydge isn't the first and it won't be the last) proves something.
I completely agree but want to point out that you should have said, "Can you believe it's 2012 and operating systems don't come with a manual or guide anymore?"
I remember Windows coming with a pretty thick manual explaining how to use it. Either way your point still stands, the OS has changed so little they don't feel like explaining it anymore. But it's not user friendly enough for other people.
I remember Windows coming with a pretty thick manual explaining how to use it. Either way your point still stands, the OS has changed so little they don't feel like explaining it anymore. But it's not user friendly enough for other people.
What? No, we don't need operating systems that come with manuals. The last manual I got with a software package ended up a doorstop pretty quickly. What we need is an operating system that doesn't need a manual because it's so intuitive and well-designed.
I don't think you mean intuitive, I think you mean discoverable and consistent. One good example is using only symbols to convey meaning, like the new gmail interface. I've not met one person who found it 'intuitive', or even able to easily figure out the functions without hovering to reveal the text. This is because symbols are good for visual searches and being a unique 'landmark', but not for conveying meaning.
Which is what the Mac once claimed to be, but Apple relies on unmarked, multi-fingered "gestures" and two-handed hotkeys. Yeah, it's a clinic of hypocrisy from the company that claimed two-button mice were "too complicated." Then it comes out with one inept, piece-of-shit mouse after another, culminating in a "multi-touch" mouse that you're somehow supposed to hold in place while swiping horizontally with multiple fingers.
what the Mac once claimed to be
You mean what the Mac still is.
Apple relies on unmarked, multi-fingered "gestures"
Actually, they are marked quite clearly, and only some of them are multi-fingered, and they are remarkably easy to use.
and two-handed hotkeys
Actually, Mac OS hotkeys are quite consistent and intuitive, and have survived the test of time. command-c, command-v, command-x, command-z, command-s, command-p all do what they did in 1984. It's simply not true that Mac hotkeys are less intuitive than the alternatives; indeed, Windows copied the most-common Mac hotkeys verbatim.
Yeah, it's a clinic of hypocrisy
This is where you really start to run off the rails.
Then it comes out with one inept, piece-of-shit mouse after another
You can argue with their ergonomics, but they certainly weren't pieces of shit. I found at least some of those mice quite usable.
culminating in a "multi-touch" mouse
The real culmination of Apple's input-device path is the Magic Trackpad, which is the best trackpad I've ever used, and it's not even a close comparison. I prefer it to any mouse, and I've used 28 years' worth of mice.
You mean what the Mac still is.
Apple relies on unmarked, multi-fingered "gestures"
Actually, they are marked quite clearly, and only some of them are multi-fingered, and they are remarkably easy to use.
and two-handed hotkeys
Actually, Mac OS hotkeys are quite consistent and intuitive, and have survived the test of time. command-c, command-v, command-x, command-z, command-s, command-p all do what they did in 1984. It's simply not true that Mac hotkeys are less intuitive than the alternatives; indeed, Windows copied the most-common Mac hotkeys verbatim.
Yeah, it's a clinic of hypocrisy
This is where you really start to run off the rails.
Then it comes out with one inept, piece-of-shit mouse after another
You can argue with their ergonomics, but they certainly weren't pieces of shit. I found at least some of those mice quite usable.
culminating in a "multi-touch" mouse
The real culmination of Apple's input-device path is the Magic Trackpad, which is the best trackpad I've ever used, and it's not even a close comparison. I prefer it to any mouse, and I've used 28 years' worth of mice.
Gestures are keyboard shortcuts for the mouse/trackpad. The thing about Mac is that none of these gestures are actually needed for the OS. Pretty much every gesture has a corresponding Dock item to launch it as well.
Gestures are an extra. An added bonus. Think the multitasking gestures for iOS 5 on iPad
Gestures are an extra. An added bonus. Think the multitasking gestures for iOS 5 on iPad
I don't care for the multi-touch mouse, but the trackpad is really nice. The gestures probably should be more transparent or off by default though, since I suspect many users find them accidentally and aren't sure how.
There are several short videos about the gestures in System Preferences -> Trackpad.
There are several short videos about the gestures in System Preferences -> Trackpad.
What do you mean computers still don't come with a manual? Used to be nobody used a computer without a book. This is progress.
When I got an iphone a couple months back, it came with a much more extensive manual than I expected.
Ever since the first iPad there have been cases that have added a keyboard. But, I don't think that most people that have an iPad have an external keyboard for it. So this may be evidence that some people want a small laptop with a simple OS.
But given that Apple has sold more than 60 million iPads without keyboards makes me think that the current design is working just fine for most people.
But given that Apple has sold more than 60 million iPads without keyboards makes me think that the current design is working just fine for most people.
Well, one might have reached the same conclusion about the millions upon millions of shitty cell phones that were sold right up through 2005. Cell phones with abysmal UIs, retarded ergnomics, and no working sync software.
Sales figures don't prove something is good (or bad).
Sales figures don't prove something is good (or bad).
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People want a laptop with a detachable keyboard and simplicity.
With a keyboard (especially one as nice as this), the iPad achieves that goal.
The iPad remains a toy because it is missing one major thing: power.
That's one thing that Windows 8 has going for it. It's got the might of Windows but works on a tablet. That's the right idea, but Windows 8 will be installed on tablets with no keyboard, laptops whose keyboard can't be removed, and desktops.
What we need is the simplicity of the iPad, the benefit of a keyboard, the option to remove the keyboard when we need to, and the power of an OS like Windows, OS X, or Linux. They also need the computing power of a laptop or desktop.
I'm thinking the desktop will be replaced by a dock that lends power to the new generation of tablet, or that mice, monitors and larger keyboards will be available to connect to them. The latter lacks simplicity, so a dock sounds much more feasible. Just plug in and go to work, rather than connecting a handful of different cords.
The iPad remains a toy because it is missing one major thing: power.
That's one thing that Windows 8 has going for it. It's got the might of Windows but works on a tablet. That's the right idea, but Windows 8 will be installed on tablets with no keyboard, laptops whose keyboard can't be removed, and desktops.
What we need is the simplicity of the iPad, the benefit of a keyboard, the option to remove the keyboard when we need to, and the power of an OS like Windows, OS X, or Linux. They also need the computing power of a laptop or desktop.
I'm thinking the desktop will be replaced by a dock that lends power to the new generation of tablet, or that mice, monitors and larger keyboards will be available to connect to them. The latter lacks simplicity, so a dock sounds much more feasible. Just plug in and go to work, rather than connecting a handful of different cords.
Asus Transformer Prime.
We want portability and uniformity.
Similar, familiar, comfortable look and feel across platforms.
The same fundamental data, applications, and generic controls at our disposal despite the medium.
A phone that can plug into a dock, and signal "dock mode" where it accepts slightly different control inputs by way of keyboard & mouse, displays on an external monitor, and possibly offers additional functionality now that it's plugged into a power source - unlock cores, activate dedicated GPU inside the unit, etc.
I believe Microsoft was operating on a similar notion in Windows 8. The way I see it, as your use case changes, the OS would adapt, capabilities change (IOS turns into Snow Leopard when docked).
Oh, I guess when I said "we", I meant "me".
Similar, familiar, comfortable look and feel across platforms.
The same fundamental data, applications, and generic controls at our disposal despite the medium.
A phone that can plug into a dock, and signal "dock mode" where it accepts slightly different control inputs by way of keyboard & mouse, displays on an external monitor, and possibly offers additional functionality now that it's plugged into a power source - unlock cores, activate dedicated GPU inside the unit, etc.
I believe Microsoft was operating on a similar notion in Windows 8. The way I see it, as your use case changes, the OS would adapt, capabilities change (IOS turns into Snow Leopard when docked).
Oh, I guess when I said "we", I meant "me".
"Similar, familiar, comfortable look and feel across platforms."
Then you'd better get rid of the keyboard on the computer.
Then you'd better get rid of the keyboard on the computer.
I think you missed what I'm getting at. I'm talking more from a software UI/UX standpoint regardless of hardware & input extensions.
> This is just further proof that people don't really want
> an iPad
So people really want things like laptops with touch screens and laptops with detachable keyboards, despite those things selling really poorly.. And people dont want the iPad, despite it selling like hotcakes, thats your conclusion?
If the iPad is a mistake, it's a mistake to the tune of 67 million units over two years, and that's limited by manufacturing, not demand. Or you are wrong.
If the iPad is a mistake, it's a mistake to the tune of 67 million units over two years, and that's limited by manufacturing, not demand. Or you are wrong.
>So people really want things like laptops with touch screens and laptops with detachable keyboards, despite those things selling really poorly
YES.
They sell poorly because they are crap and expensive. Exactly like tablets were before the iPad.
Give me something like the transformer prime, with an a15 and an android + desktop linux combo for a reasonable price and i'll be all over that.
This dock (+retina ipad) has brought me closer to wanting the ipad than ever before.
YES.
They sell poorly because they are crap and expensive. Exactly like tablets were before the iPad.
Give me something like the transformer prime, with an a15 and an android + desktop linux combo for a reasonable price and i'll be all over that.
This dock (+retina ipad) has brought me closer to wanting the ipad than ever before.
> Give me something like the transformer prime, with an a15 and an android + desktop linux combo for a reasonable price and i'll be all over that.
So if you combine a bunch of things that each sell very poorly then that would sell really well?
So if you combine a bunch of things that each sell very poorly then that would sell really well?
Yes, because they are not mature products. If i had suggested in 2003 we took the tablet PC, swapped in an arm processor and took away all the ports, i'm sure you wouldn't have thought it was such a great idea either.
The basic problem is the age old one- tablets (/os) suck at content creation. That is a problem of both OS and lack of keyboard. So a keyboard alone doesn't cut it.
As for linux, I would take any desktop OS, but MS have already committed to locking down their bootloader + laming arm windows 8, and there are no signs that apple is about to cannibalise their MBA line. OTOH android integrates well with linux, sharing the kernel-- as ubuntu have demonstrated.
And wtf @ downvoting that comment.. why??.
The basic problem is the age old one- tablets (/os) suck at content creation. That is a problem of both OS and lack of keyboard. So a keyboard alone doesn't cut it.
As for linux, I would take any desktop OS, but MS have already committed to locking down their bootloader + laming arm windows 8, and there are no signs that apple is about to cannibalise their MBA line. OTOH android integrates well with linux, sharing the kernel-- as ubuntu have demonstrated.
And wtf @ downvoting that comment.. why??.
The iPad is a lot more than a regular PC with an ARM processor.
Had you suggested that, and some foolish HP exec would have believed you, then it would have failed catastrophically. The ARM processor is not the magic juice that made the iPad a success.
Had you suggested that, and some foolish HP exec would have believed you, then it would have failed catastrophically. The ARM processor is not the magic juice that made the iPad a success.
Touchscreen smartphones were selling fairly poorly. OSX was a niche product. Then they were combined, and the iPhone was born.
After Jobs' comeback, Apple has been incredibly successfully at refining concept products that weren't selling well and bringing them to the mainstream. They'll eventually do the same with tablet/laptop hybrids, I'm pretty sure about that.
A 15" MBA is attractive even to a longtime PC user like me; a 15" iPad/MBA hybrid? I'd order five tomorrow.
After Jobs' comeback, Apple has been incredibly successfully at refining concept products that weren't selling well and bringing them to the mainstream. They'll eventually do the same with tablet/laptop hybrids, I'm pretty sure about that.
A 15" MBA is attractive even to a longtime PC user like me; a 15" iPad/MBA hybrid? I'd order five tomorrow.
No you wouldn't, because it would suck. Touch interfaces would suck to use with a mouse, since they are touch interfaces. And mouse driven interfaces would suck to drive with your touch, since they are designed to be used with a mouse.
You won't see a hybrid from Apple, because hybrids, by their very nature, are compromises. They are more awkward and less useful than the two things they combine. Apple understood this, which is why iOS exists.
You won't see a hybrid from Apple, because hybrids, by their very nature, are compromises. They are more awkward and less useful than the two things they combine. Apple understood this, which is why iOS exists.
You could have two completely separate interfaces for the two modes, or even two different screens; these are design details, I was talking about hardware integration at the conceptual level, i.e. an object that is a real laptop when you want it to be so, and a real tablet when you want it to be so. I say that's eminently feasible, and I consider products like the Transformer Prime as first attempts at a concept that will eventually emerge.
The point about Apple not doing hybrids is simply short-sighted, btw; isn't the iPhone a "compromise" between a computer and a phone? Isn't the iMac a "compromise" between a monitor and a case? And that's exactly why these products are successful: because they give you the best of both worlds in one single physical object. If/when they fail to do that, they end up giving you the worst instead, which is what you mention, but that's not a necessary outcome for all hybrid efforts.
The point about Apple not doing hybrids is simply short-sighted, btw; isn't the iPhone a "compromise" between a computer and a phone? Isn't the iMac a "compromise" between a monitor and a case? And that's exactly why these products are successful: because they give you the best of both worlds in one single physical object. If/when they fail to do that, they end up giving you the worst instead, which is what you mention, but that's not a necessary outcome for all hybrid efforts.
As someone on the lookout to buy an ARM based netbook or web tablet for a while before the iPad existed, I'd say the chip lock-in was another monopoly that the iPad escaped but gets less attention than it should.
Every time I read a headline about how much money Apple are making, I reflect on how much pent up demand there was for years, held back by the Wintel (and IE) monopolies.
Every time I read a headline about how much money Apple are making, I reflect on how much pent up demand there was for years, held back by the Wintel (and IE) monopolies.
"Chip lock-in"? What do you mean?
This is just further proof that people don't really
want an iPad, they want a laptop
When someone buys an iPad they are escaping the hangover of using Microsoft Windows for two decades. You'll find most iPad owners love their tablet precisely because there is no concept of files and folders, and drivers, and a long bootup process, and hard drives, and defrag utilities, and spyware, and virus protection... None of that stuff really improve users' experience.
Ordinary people just want to get onto the internet, play some games, and read facebook. Whether the hardware that lets them do this in an easy way is a tablet, or a laptop form factor is irrelevant.
>> When someone buys an iPad they are escaping the hangover of using Microsoft Windows for two decades. ... form factor is irrelevant
Form factor is incredibly relevant.
For me it's not about escaping from vendor X, or operating system Y, it's about what the form-factor allows me to do.
It about having the freedom to chose where I want to sit and _the_posture_ I want to adopt when reading stuff on the internet.
Laptops/netbooks got us half-way there (no longer force to sit in a certain location). Their short-coming was you're forced to adopt a certain posture, or put something hard under it so it doesn't overheat (or burn you).
However, the ability of a well designed tablet to open another 'ergonomic dimension' does not guarantee that the tablet can maintain all the other ergonomics of other form-factors.
Some users realize this and think the fix is to make the new device 'morph' into that other form factor. I suspect that some team of people will realize that it can be achieved some other way that is simpler and sexier and make a mint from their idea. It will involve a revolution in input device hardware (and acceptance of that hardware) to get there though.
Form factor is incredibly relevant.
For me it's not about escaping from vendor X, or operating system Y, it's about what the form-factor allows me to do.
It about having the freedom to chose where I want to sit and _the_posture_ I want to adopt when reading stuff on the internet.
Laptops/netbooks got us half-way there (no longer force to sit in a certain location). Their short-coming was you're forced to adopt a certain posture, or put something hard under it so it doesn't overheat (or burn you).
However, the ability of a well designed tablet to open another 'ergonomic dimension' does not guarantee that the tablet can maintain all the other ergonomics of other form-factors.
Some users realize this and think the fix is to make the new device 'morph' into that other form factor. I suspect that some team of people will realize that it can be achieved some other way that is simpler and sexier and make a mint from their idea. It will involve a revolution in input device hardware (and acceptance of that hardware) to get there though.
Everyone I know complains most about having no file system, but I agree the average mom who looks at her recipe app won't miss it.
The proverbial "average mom" outnumbers the people who even know what a filesystem is by orders of magnitude.
This is slowly changing and in 2-3 generations everybody will know what a folder-based filesystem was because it'll be prominently listed on the wikipedia page about broken computing metaphors of the past.
This is slowly changing and in 2-3 generations everybody will know what a folder-based filesystem was because it'll be prominently listed on the wikipedia page about broken computing metaphors of the past.
Until she wants to send the recipe to her friend. Or move it to some other app after the vendor goes defunct. Or print it.
Apologists for the crippled user experience act as though a file system is some kind of arcane "nerdy" or "geeky" facility. It isn't. It's how people organize information. That's why we have file cabinets and recipe boxes. It's also how multiple applications can act on the same files.
In iOS we have mobile, handheld Unix computers that are ironically cut off from the outside world on purpose. On those computers we have applications that can't interact with each other or each other's data. This is not progress.
Apologists for the crippled user experience act as though a file system is some kind of arcane "nerdy" or "geeky" facility. It isn't. It's how people organize information. That's why we have file cabinets and recipe boxes. It's also how multiple applications can act on the same files.
In iOS we have mobile, handheld Unix computers that are ironically cut off from the outside world on purpose. On those computers we have applications that can't interact with each other or each other's data. This is not progress.
> Until she wants to send the recipe to her friend. Or move it to some other app after the vendor goes defunct. Or print it.
The problem with that is she'll complain about the application being at fault. And maybe it is. After all, sending a recipe to a friend should be easy. And exporting the recipe to some standard format should be available. And printing is something that can happen. None of those complaints can be levied against iOS.
Of course, the flip side is also true: the nature of iOS and the App Store means the app developers really are limited by what Apple will allow them to do. I hate reading app reviews that complain about things that aren't the fault of the app, but rather Apple or another 3rd party.
In essence, I see a damned if you do, damned if you don't approach.
The problem with that is she'll complain about the application being at fault. And maybe it is. After all, sending a recipe to a friend should be easy. And exporting the recipe to some standard format should be available. And printing is something that can happen. None of those complaints can be levied against iOS.
Of course, the flip side is also true: the nature of iOS and the App Store means the app developers really are limited by what Apple will allow them to do. I hate reading app reviews that complain about things that aren't the fault of the app, but rather Apple or another 3rd party.
In essence, I see a damned if you do, damned if you don't approach.
>This is just further proof that people don't really want an iPad, they want a laptop with a better designed and easier OS.
Too black and white. Imagine more.
MBP on the bottom, lid snaps off and is an iPad. Compatible applications sync on event: snap off/on between the iPad and the MBP.
So basically it's the Asus tablet and base station affair (or this Brydge thingamabob) but instead of just speakers/keyboard/battery you have the works in the base station and you can plug in a monitor and use it separately from the iPad/screen assembly.
It's not that people want this or that, it's that they want it all.
Too black and white. Imagine more.
MBP on the bottom, lid snaps off and is an iPad. Compatible applications sync on event: snap off/on between the iPad and the MBP.
So basically it's the Asus tablet and base station affair (or this Brydge thingamabob) but instead of just speakers/keyboard/battery you have the works in the base station and you can plug in a monitor and use it separately from the iPad/screen assembly.
It's not that people want this or that, it's that they want it all.
This is smaller than a MacBook Air and it's a neat solution. Indeed, I think that at the upcoming WWDC we will see something really similar released by Apple.
That neon bright light that shines when it's on is about the only thing that seems distracting from the design.
Would be curious to see real world photos of it, because that light has the potential to cheapen the rest of the design (i'm thinking of lights like this: http://www.chelseadeals.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=27&...)
Would be curious to see real world photos of it, because that light has the potential to cheapen the rest of the design (i'm thinking of lights like this: http://www.chelseadeals.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=27&...)
Hmm, very good point.
It can be startling how incredbly annoying such bright (almost always blue) LEDs can be. Especially being charged nearby while you sleep or if you are watching a movie/screen from a distance.
It can be startling how incredbly annoying such bright (almost always blue) LEDs can be. Especially being charged nearby while you sleep or if you are watching a movie/screen from a distance.
Here is a very related article about the amount of thought and detail that apple puts into their system lighting.
http://floodmagazine.com/2010/10/14/apples-attention-to-deta...
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1634471
http://floodmagazine.com/2010/10/14/apples-attention-to-deta...
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1634471
I guess I'll ask the obvious [to me] question. Why not just buy an Air?
Because $1000 for the entry-level Air still puts into the luxury-goods category relative to everything else on Best Buy's PC aisle.
iPad+Keyboard is probably a compelling alternative to a crappy lowend laptop for say students with light word-processing needs, but otherwise spend most of their time on web, social networking, and games.
iPad+Keyboard is probably a compelling alternative to a crappy lowend laptop for say students with light word-processing needs, but otherwise spend most of their time on web, social networking, and games.
Yup, my roommates are all med students and 99% of their class related needs are covered by iPad + bluetooth keyboard (they all got a keyboard case). (they still use a laptop because they have a bunch of medical software that doesn't exist on iOS)
Stanford med school actually "gives" (this verb seems out of place considering the tuition) every incoming student an iPad.
Stanford med school actually "gives" (this verb seems out of place considering the tuition) every incoming student an iPad.
Having seen people use the Asus Transformer, they really like the fact that they can have both a tablet and small laptop in the same device. Of course the OS limitations of a tablet usually mean you can't use it for some serious work like typing (although that isn't too much of an issue with some web apps these days).
I've got a Transformer at work, and it's a really nice device in a lot of ways. The UI is much snappier than standard desktop operating systems, and the build quality is head and shoulders above the netbooks you can buy at, say, Best Buy that seem to already be crumbling when you get them home. But it's worth noting that it's suprisingly heavy and the weight is poorly balanced, because they need all that super thick glass over the screen. Furthermore, after you use it for awhile, you don't ever really want to touch the screen, because it's faster to type or use the trackpad.
Hopefully there is some third way where we can get a snappy OS, vague nods towards physical quality, and a netbook that doesn't feel like an accident waiting to happen every time you pick it up.
Hopefully there is some third way where we can get a snappy OS, vague nods towards physical quality, and a netbook that doesn't feel like an accident waiting to happen every time you pick it up.
How does the transformer work as a power tool? Can you open up a simple development environment easily and actually get work done or is it more of a media consumption device? I've been using a cheap netbook running arch(with just a wm, it's snappy enough) as my primary device, but I really want a practical reason to get a more portable transformer.
I have tried to do that, but I have ended up with just connecting to server and running vim (with some hacks like nerdtree that make life easier)
I can imagine having that as primary device, but only with some other computer to connect to via SSH (and constant internet connection).
oh, connectbot probably had some problem with Transformer's keyboard AND it doesn't have "esc" button (which is kind of useful in vim), so I used some custom-build version that maps the search key to "esc" (since you don't need the search key anyway). But they maybe fixed it since then and I am still using some ancient version.
I can imagine having that as primary device, but only with some other computer to connect to via SSH (and constant internet connection).
oh, connectbot probably had some problem with Transformer's keyboard AND it doesn't have "esc" button (which is kind of useful in vim), so I used some custom-build version that maps the search key to "esc" (since you don't need the search key anyway). But they maybe fixed it since then and I am still using some ancient version.
I have a Xoom but I've found
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aide.ui...
this remarkably capable for Android development. You can even open up an Eclipse project directly in it and edit and install right on the device. Not sure if this is the kind of development you're looking for but developing for Android on Android is a reality with surprisingly few compromises. The IDE is called AIDE by the way.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aide.ui...
this remarkably capable for Android development. You can even open up an Eclipse project directly in it and edit and install right on the device. Not sure if this is the kind of development you're looking for but developing for Android on Android is a reality with surprisingly few compromises. The IDE is called AIDE by the way.
It's more likely the battery that is causing all that weight. Nearly all tablets are about 1/2 to 3/4 battery (in terms of mass and volume).
For me, the Transformer Prime is not so much a tablet as a netbook with Ice Cream Sandwich and ridiculous battery life.
I generally have no interest in tablets because of the OS limitations you mentioned, but the well-designed keyboard that ships with the Transformer made the deal for me. Like the Brydge, it has a solid hinge, and it also has a second battery that charges the Transformer as needed, providing an extra 10 or so hours of battery life (for a maximum of 18).
I generally have no interest in tablets because of the OS limitations you mentioned, but the well-designed keyboard that ships with the Transformer made the deal for me. Like the Brydge, it has a solid hinge, and it also has a second battery that charges the Transformer as needed, providing an extra 10 or so hours of battery life (for a maximum of 18).
I thought the obvious question was, "is this a joke?"... and then I saw the kickstarter page.
I think battery life is a big factor.
(I don't personally own an Air, so I am assuming that Airs don't actually achieve specified battery life: 5~7 hours.)
I have a 13" MBP with a 2.5 Ghz core i5, which is advertised at 7 hours. Doing simple stuff, I routinely get 6 hours. If I'm streaming high quality video (MLB.tv is all I have to report from) that gets cut in half.
15" hi-res. 6 hours average, 10 hours if all I'm doing is coding. My average brightness however is 5 dots, though I've been noticing I can get 6+ hours coding on max brightness when I'm too close to a window.
No touchscreen on the Air.
You could also already buy a full case that transform your iPad 2 into a MacBook Pro for $88 :
http://www.thefancy.com/sales/2273/ipad-notebookcase
http://www.thefancy.com/sales/2273/ipad-notebookcase
Since I got my Macbook Air 11", I have regularly called it an iPad Pro. "Why not just get an iPad," people ask. Well, this is my travel system for hacking.
Aren't all major manufacturers except Apple struggling to get access to a aluminium lathes.
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20110803PD222.html
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20110803PD222.html
I feel like the iPad is right near the border of an unstable equilibrium between simple and useful. And this things just bumps it to the other side.
serious question, do people not realize you can use the wireless apple keyboard with the ipad? it pairs with bluetooth and it's fairly small of it's own accord. it's also much cheaper than most of these 'laptop' accessories
This. The Apple wireless keyboard solution adds no baggage to the iPad itself, is very portable, and the compact height of the keyboard allows stacking the keyboard and iPad vertically on your lap or flat surface (meaning touch gestures don't require holding your arm up).
Personally, I use the virtual keyboard exclusively. I find it a nice change of pace. Somewhat similar to how the thought process seems to change when writing with paper and pencil, compared to hammering away at a physical keyboard.
Personally, I use the virtual keyboard exclusively. I find it a nice change of pace. Somewhat similar to how the thought process seems to change when writing with paper and pencil, compared to hammering away at a physical keyboard.
Tablets are read-only. People are buying this because they love consuming info on their tablet, but they can't create it. I'm typing this on my transformer prime right now and I'd be done already if i just booted up my laptop.
Still, this is just a gimmick for early adopters. I bought my mother-in-law a bluetooth keyboard for her iPad. She doesn't use it. Not because she doesnt want to or has no reason to, but because she can't get through the bluetooth sync process.
To know if there should be a keyboard for the iPad, just ask one question: Does Apple make a keyboard for the iPad?
The first time these early adopters sit down with their new monstrosity and have to reach out across the keyboard to use their fingers to select text or copy paste or browse to a different app or website, they're going to realize why this is a bad idea.
Now if Apple wanted to include a pointer in iOS that could be used with a mouse (or trackpad built into this keyboard), then this starts to make sense. Until then, ppl buying this are just trying to fit a square peg into a round hole using money as lube.
Still, this is just a gimmick for early adopters. I bought my mother-in-law a bluetooth keyboard for her iPad. She doesn't use it. Not because she doesnt want to or has no reason to, but because she can't get through the bluetooth sync process.
To know if there should be a keyboard for the iPad, just ask one question: Does Apple make a keyboard for the iPad?
The first time these early adopters sit down with their new monstrosity and have to reach out across the keyboard to use their fingers to select text or copy paste or browse to a different app or website, they're going to realize why this is a bad idea.
Now if Apple wanted to include a pointer in iOS that could be used with a mouse (or trackpad built into this keyboard), then this starts to make sense. Until then, ppl buying this are just trying to fit a square peg into a round hole using money as lube.
That sort of formalises something I have wondered about for a while. With a normal PC, both screen and keyboard are where they need to be for comfortable use of both. Putting both together in a touch screen is, IMHO, often too uncomfortable for prolonged use.
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The "no cables" claim seemed a little far fetched and after digging through all the pages you'll find that the keyboard has an integrated battery which has to be charged via a micro usb cable.
So you'll need one cable to charge the iPad and another different one for this device. In their shoes I'd try to make it possible to also have the iPad in portrait orientation so that the keyboard can access the dock connector and then have a dock connector on the keyboard for charging and passthrough charging/data.
So you'll need one cable to charge the iPad and another different one for this device. In their shoes I'd try to make it possible to also have the iPad in portrait orientation so that the keyboard can access the dock connector and then have a dock connector on the keyboard for charging and passthrough charging/data.
Now all I need is a jump to conclusions mat and my setup is perfect.
I think Apple is still wiser than this project for advertising their keyboard in portrait mode. The camera is less weird to use, you can have a slightly less insane posture and the things that need a keyboard (Pages, some Safari stuff) usually benefit from portrait orientation.
I would much rather have an MBA with a square screen. :(
If XCode ran on an iPad, then I'd be sold. As it is, it's the only reason I need to carry around my MacBook Air.
iSSH + a bluetooth keyboard + your linux server of choice (I use EC2) makes backend coding on the iPad feasible, and quite comfortably so.
Also, VIM is almost the perfect editor on the iPad with an external keyboard because one never needs the mouse and everything can be done with keystrokes.
There's even native vim on for iPad on the App store (though iSSH has much better keyboard meta keys support)
This idea is rather trivial and there are a few of these announced already for years. What annoys me is that you cannot buy them; they are just ideas. At least de Prime actually is in the shops so I'll stick with that.
Apparently you can buy at least one model now:
http://www.thefancy.com/sales/2273/ipad-notebookcase
The prime is something much different from an ipad with a semipermantely attached keyboard. It's more of a slow laptop with a detachable screen that can be used as an ok tablet, as opposed to a nice tablet with a heavy bluetooth keyboard case.
The prime is something much different from an ipad with a semipermantely attached keyboard. It's more of a slow laptop with a detachable screen that can be used as an ok tablet, as opposed to a nice tablet with a heavy bluetooth keyboard case.
That looks pretty neat! I'm always a little wary about the keyboard scratching the screen but overall it's nifty.
I just hope it becomes a real product after the kickstarter stuff is over.
I just hope it becomes a real product after the kickstarter stuff is over.
iOS bluetooth keyboard API support is purely crap. No ESC/CTRL/Function Keys. Otherwise this could be a good idea.
Another thing is the file system is locked up so completely, that is not in any way could be used for professional purpose, for example, writing code. It is still a casual device.
All these limitations are imposed by Apple themselves. Too bad, they really had the potential to rule the world.
Another thing is the file system is locked up so completely, that is not in any way could be used for professional purpose, for example, writing code. It is still a casual device.
All these limitations are imposed by Apple themselves. Too bad, they really had the potential to rule the world.
Looks more like the Macbook Pro. Black screen bevel and thick keyboard body.
a quick comparison of the iPad and a apple wireless keyboard shows that the brydge is squashed closer together, which won't be very good for blind typing.
Gosh darnit, only works with iPad 2 and iPad 3.
Doesn't this look more like a Pro than an Air?
Apple suing in 3, 2, 1...
Yes, and after you cobble this asinine frankendevice together, you have something with no proper I/O. Crippled Bluetooth. No user-accessible file system. No way for third-party apps to sync data with companion apps on the computer (without some hokey wireless or Internet-based workaround).
It's incredible how this ridiculous gimmickry is playing out in 2012. Downright juvenile.
It's incredible how this ridiculous gimmickry is playing out in 2012. Downright juvenile.
Um, a lot of that stuff most people don't use? Juvenile?
Why get angry about people liking their iPad but wanting a keyboard? Looks pretty cool to me. Like a laptop with a detachable keyboard.
Why get angry about people liking their iPad but wanting a keyboard? Looks pretty cool to me. Like a laptop with a detachable keyboard.
No, that's the point: That's what it is NOT. No straightforward way to get files or information on or off the device. That's not a suitable computer.
It's a design dictated by Apple's fear and refusal to learn from the failure of DRM. More hypocrisy.
It's a design dictated by Apple's fear and refusal to learn from the failure of DRM. More hypocrisy.
The hardware is good, but the software will be limiting since it can't run OS X apps. Such a case would be good for the upcoming Windows 8 x86 tablets, which would allow you to run Eclipse or VS or any IDE that runs on Windows.
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Can you believe it's 2012 and operating systems still don't come with an manual or a guide?! So of course people are flocking to iPads. They're powerful yet brain dead simple. Which empowers people rather than making them feel incompetent or stressing them out.
I think Steve Jobs made a mistake. Maybe the iPad should have come with a keyboard and competed with the laptops.