We've taken an
in-depth and thorough look at the iPad, but we wanted to spend a little time with some of Apple's
official accessories the company handed out with review units. There's nothing crazy here, but we did make some interesting observations about add-ons for the iPad, so join us for a phantasmagorical peek inside the world of fantabulous tablet accessamifyin'.
iPad Dock
Okay, we'll level with you. It's a dock. For your iPad. It charges, let's you easily slip things into slideshow mode, and also has an audio out jack, for, you know... audio outing. Standard fare if you've ever seen an Apple dock.
iPad Keyboard Dock
Now this one is kind of interesting. You seat your iPad (unfortunately portrait only) and immediately have what feels like a traditional laptop. You get some added perks with the keyboard, such as controls for brightness, volume, a dedicated home key, lock key, iPod controls, and ironically... a button to bring up the keyboard. There's also a slideshow key, search key, and lock key, making the utility of the dock much clearer. Oh, and then there's the little matter of being able to type on a physical Apple keyboard, which are typically pretty darn good. If you're planning to really try and make an iPad your getting-things-done machine, you'll definitely want this. Our one complaint? It's not that easy to interact with the touchscreen from this angle. Maybe we just need an official Apple
Fing-Longer.
iPad Case
Hey, we know what you're thinking. "C'mon Engadget, that's just a case -- stop jerking my chain!" But wait, there's more. It's not just a case fellas, it's also a stand for when you want to go into slideshow mode, a prop for keeping the iPad on an angle for easier typing in landscape mode, and you know... it's a case. We're not really big fans of the styling (it's a little Matrix-y for us), but the idea is sound. Still, we're a little more psyched on something like
this M-Edge Moleskine-styled case. But hey, to each his own.
Bluetooth keyboard pairing
As you may know, you can actually pair your Bluetooth keyboard with the iPad, thus giving you a chance to type out angry resignation letters from anywhere within 60 feet of your device. Nilay Patel learned this the hard way when he decided to pen his resignation letter on his new toy. Of course, we can't let him out of his contract...
since he signed it in blood and owes us his soul. Hear the man moments before we broke the news to him in the video above, as he pairs his iPad and keyboard in blissful ignorance of his pact with the devil. An interesting sidenote -- once you pair your devices, you can no longer bring up the on-screen keyboard, potentially leaving you high and dry if you walk away without unpairing your junk.
posted April 3rd 2010 1:55PM
My vote is still "Hell no".
Question? If you attached the dock to the bottom, and then put the iPad in something like one of those decorative plate holders, on it's side, could you type on it in landscape mode? I'm not being facetious.
@joelaf
Never mind. I was looking at the charging dock, not the keyboard dock.
SlashGear - "Probably most controversial is the onscreen keyboard. It works well enough in practice for email and shorter documents, but for long form content, you’re likely going to want a Bluetooth keyboard or Apple’s keyboard dock to crank out text."
???????????????????????????????????
FAIL FAIL FAIL
@iPaul which is true of a lot of netbook keyboards as well....some are not bad....most are less than wonderful and really are not suitable for long text entry jobs.
@dalet Most netbooks use 92% keyboards now, making that point invalid.
Gosh, how life would be so much simpler if someone would have invented the fing-longer.
and yet it is a self contained device. would it be better to have to carry a second device around, the bluetooth keyboard around.
a sub $300 netbook is far superior + it's a computer
iPad = APPLIANCE ie. A WASHING MACHINE
Laptop/Netbook/Macbook = COMPUTER or PRODUCTIVITY DEVICE
@iPaul Haha. You're all over this article bashing the iPad. You are a funny little thing.
@vqro yeah I'm pissed off with Apple and there crap business model.
I wanted to own this device, but It's failings are enormous. I and many others, in fact 2/3 of people who voted about purchasing the iPad cannot see a reason to go into debt over it. I wish I could.
It's another Apple "NICHE" product for "APPLIANCE" users.
The dock is not very wide compared to the iPad. Is the iPad tippy when placed in the dock?
One problem I found with the dock is that you can't use it if you have the Apple case on. It's too thick. =/
@Jeff Kibuule That must be annoying. "I'm going to put my iPad in it's dock to charge... oh wait, I have to take five minutes to take the case off." If I ever start a case company, I'll make sure to make a case that fits and I'll give you one for free.
@Jeff Kibuule
Easy to solve - if you are a "Maker" - got X-acto knife - got connections!
I am trying to figure out a way to connect the KB dock in a landscape (slideshow) mode... USB cables and duct tape (silver of course - left over from the anthrax scare) - so pixy dust and revolutionary magic and I should have it...
Photos at 11...
Well, 11 days - when I iPad 64GB arrives from NYC! (with dock, KB, case and some other magical fluff-dusty thingos!)
Cheers from Oz.
I can't for the life of me understand the use of having the dock connector on the tall end of the iPad. Do they expect us to watch a 2-hour movie holding the device in our hands the whole time?
I can't stand apple docks! In order to take the device out of the dock, you have to hold the dock with your hand otherwise it stays stuck to the device. This becomes more annoying with a large device such as the iPad.
Apple should learn a lesson or two from RIM when it comes to dock/charger design, you can drop and pickup the blackberry from its dock without touching the dock.
What? no mention of Quirky's iPad Cloak case? It easily trumps the ones discussed here..
http://bit.ly/cse8Hr
But what's that blank key for?
"walk away without unpairing your junk"
There's a joke in there somewhere but there's a reason I'm not a stand-up comedian, anybody willing to help you? ;)
iPod Dock - why no IR remote support like previous iPod docs?
The Keyboard Dock looks like the lovechild of a standard iPad Dock and an Apple Wireless Keyboard, that fails miserably at trying to be both.
iPad Dock: $29
iPad Keyboard Dock $69
Apple Wireless Keybaord: $69
I would rather pay $29 extra and get a standalone keyboard plus a standalone dock. When at home, I always use an external keyboard and an external monitor with my laptop, and have never found myself cramming the former against the latter.
Besides, what's the point of making the keyboard part Bluetooth (i.e. wireless) when it is PHYSICALLY ATTACHED to the base anyway? I don't know if I'm missing something here but I just don't get it...
wait, so what does the blank key on the keyboard do?
How much is that plastic cost again? There's always Ebay to the rescue. At least the Chinese didn't rip me off like Apple and most of the first party manufacture did.
LOL
So by the time you have all the accessories to actually make the iPad useful it will run you about $1500...sweet. I'll pass.
I find it ridiculous how the iPad doesn't even come with earbuds! Come on, those things probably cost Apple like $1 each! They could throw a pair in when you paid $500+ for their shitty little contraption.
@maattp So that's what you're waiting for before you buy one?
@maattp This isn't an iPod. MacBooks don't come with ear buds either.
The iPad in general is a fine example of Apple refusing to develop a product which is actually what the market wants or needs, but rather is trying to tell the market what they should need or want. Yes this works for them historically, but in this case Apple are trying to prevent anyone else from offering alternatives in this space (for example, with content exclusivity deals with publishers).
A perfect example of this is the dock. What the hell are they doing!? Why can you only dock your iPad in portrait mode? That's ridiculous; what if you want to watch a movie? Something which, actually, the iPad is suited for? Apple are trying to control and dictate the way you work with their device, rather than even allowing the possibility of people actually finding useful ways to work with it that suit themselves.
Don't get me wrong, I like Apple products, I have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone 3G. But I really want this to fail. It's not good enough to provide pretty, shiny things anymore. Apple need to start responding to market forces; if they insist on continuing to believe that they are a market force unto themselves, they are doomed to failure.
@DrCollossus Apple's not stopping a third party from making a landscape dock. Give it a few weeks.
@icecreamsocialist I think the thing stopping people from making a landscape dock is the lack of port on the side.
@windywoo Ssssssslide. Not ideal, but...
@DrCollossus Can you name some of those exclusive deals that lock out other vendors?
@Hans WSJ, Marvel/Disney, ABC, ESPN, although it's not about locking out other vendors.
Now that the Future of Computing is here, Engadget, when are you going to give in to your freaky Apple love and give us trailblazers non-Flash media? Say, like here?
Go on, laugh.
And which one if those comes with the touch screen?
Please people don't support this crap apple is trying to shove down your throat.
@syph007 I don't think most people share your opinion. 700,000 sold in the first day. And that is with no 3G version available yet.
@4nNtt Yes, we all know there is a rapid Apple faithful that will shell out their cash for any piece of crap with that logo on it, no matter the price. If you think casual consumers are the ones standing in line you are deluding yourself. Talk to me in a year when the novelty has worn off and the competition is fully in this game.
This thing is a POS.
I'm really disappointed in you Engadget. This is great and all but I can't help get over how you have completely contradicted your "we don't review it till we use it" statement regarding the Joo Joo. Those slanted one way or the either have to admit it's a little odd that they have EVERYTHING ready for review on this and yet when Josh had the Joo Joo months ago (on Jimmy Fallon) there wasn't time enough to get a review ready? I'm feeling like this is a little bit more like an advertisement rather than a journalistic blog on gadgets.
@Meddle
Maybe Apple sent the stuff in advance and communicated with Engadget?
Maybe Fusion Garage just sent the stuff without notifying Engadget of its arrival?
And maybe Engadget made an editorial decision that the iPad is immensely more important and interesting than the Joo Joo?
I'm reading this on my iPad and the video is a big blank white space. Must be flash
Would be nice to see new skins for the built-in notepad.
What kills the iPad for me in this configuration, is the complete lack of camera on the same side of the screen. If it had such a camera, it would be really great for Skype. As the iPad currently is, it would be completely useless to me.
@mukatuna Wow I've never met anyone who ONLY did video conferences on their computer. Guess what? Myself as well as everyone I know does about 1-5 video conferences a month and we use OUR COMPUTERS! Go away anti-apple zealot.
@MysticMaven "Go away anti-apple zealot." LOL For your information, I'm actually writing this comment on my Apple MacBook Pro. However many others I see the iPad as no more than an oversized iPod Touch, and as such this device would not be any use to me as a productivity device.
Living overseas as I am and need to keep in contact with home, video conferencing on Skype is a major requirement for me in any computing device, at the same time as been able work on documents.
Of course engadget is the best internet site. Just love it.
Definitely getting the Apple iPad case and the keyboard/dock combo.
Would it have been that hard to incorporate a USB hub into that dock?