We have just looked evil in the face. Its name is
iDisplay. Based on an incredibly promising concept, iDisplay purported to extend our Mac's display onto an iPad or an iPhone, over the magic of WiFi. In reality it threatened to destroy our very lives. The application, after installation, tells your computer that it has two displays running concurrently (even when the program isn't open), and limits your main display to a lower resolution -- either with blurry pixels or letterboxing (the latter is shown above). This of course eliminates the purpose of extending a display almost entirely. Add in the fact that we couldn't even get the iDisplay application to open on our Snow Leopard Mac, and we can't imagine recommending this $4.99 combo to a single soul on earth. Even the uninstall process was harrowing. Please, for the sake of your children and your children's children, stay away from this app.
Update: Okay, so we've tried it on a few more machines, and while we managed to make it work in a more reliable way without black bars -- hint, turn off mirroring! -- it's still not particularly usable. Refresh rates are incredibly low, the touch interaction is laggy, and the server app on the desktop is pretty crashy. We really want to love you, iDisplay -- let's work this out, okay?
posted April 3rd 2010 11:40AM
http://insert-disc.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/facepalm1.jpg
Consider us warned.
....well for those that bought the iPad anyway...
Dear Steve Jobs,
"iDisplay developers are lazy" ;-)
@tomaskn
What the hell is the overall image of? Maybe its so obvious I cant see it, but I have no idea what it is and its really bothering me lol.
@tomaskn i knew it was too good to be true :\
@tomaskn
Well, I'm not planning on getting an iPad, but that would be a wonderful function! On my laptop (1280x800 15.5") I would love to have some more real estate (vs the fake kind lol), especially for editing!
My only question, is: Is there noticeable lag between the displays?
@HrVanker
psst... it doesn't work (don't tell anyone)
@tomaskn
(c) Apple "it just works."
Oh... wait!
@tomaskn
Apparently somebody forgot to turn off Mirroring...
@onlymyrailgun
How do you turn off mirroring when you only have one display connected to your computer?
@phoomp
Installing the iDisplay software tells your computer that you have a second display.
@aubreyq
No
Sent from my iPad
@Dreezie Dreeze
It's face palm Picard, sit back and let your eyes loose focus.
@NickA
Yep, but to avoid the problems, you're supposed to turn off mirroring *before* installing the software that tells your computer you have a second display.
@phoomp
I'm not sure that's actually the case though. I turned off mirroring before installing, but after installation you have to restart. After you restart, it automatically turns on mirroring again because there is a new display and it messes with your screen resolution as a result. So you need to turn off mirroring again to sort this out and you absolutely need to have it off before running the program or it will crash as mentioned.
So it may be that turning off mirroring before installation is unnecessary, but you have to turn it off before starting the program and using it.
Also, if you don't have any external displays connected initially, I don't see how mirroring could be on before installation, so it really shouldn't matter in that case.
@tomaskn
iFailed
@tomaskn
Anyone here heard of ScreenRecycler? Same concept, but works with any VNC client. And it actually works pretty well, despite it being over VNC...
@abedinthehouse Classy.. as for the iDisplay, I think they can improve it, also, I think this is the time, to put our energy on discovering other more apps on the iPad. Top apps: http://bit.ly/best-apps-for-the-ipad-opinions
maybe if the developers can at least try out their creations just once before releasing it...
@Dreezie Dreeze: http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/picard-facepalm.jpg
@NickA
Which leaves us once again with their installation instructions sucking.
- I installed the app
- rebooted (three times ... the first two resulted in black screens)
- system rebooted to iPad resolution
- I turned off mirroring
- my laptop's screen became the secondary display, leaving me with no way to do anything since all controls (iDisplay, Menubar, Dock) were on the primary display, which wasn't displaying to any devices.
Uninstalling was just as painful
- booted into Safe Mode
- deciphered the cryptic uninstall instructions
- ran Terminal to enter the Sudo uninstall commands
- rebooted (4-5 times ... again, black screens)
Approximately 2 hours of thinking my laptop was toast.
@Dreezie Dreeze
It's Captain Picard doing a facepalm. You can see the image included many times within the collage.
@Dreezie Dreeze the over all image is the image of the picard face palm theres a couple of them in the lower right.
Oh jesus, Engadget is now doing *APP* reviews for the iPad (which are not particularly good either)??? I don't have a problem with the extensive Apple coverage, but this is reaching a point that I cannot respect...
At least can I expect an extensive review of the Joojoo, and an Android app review?
@phoomp any tips on this?
I have installed but now my Macbook (running SL) constantly thinks that a second monitor is attached, it's driving me crazy.
Hasty developers...
@Yoda
You can do this with most netbooks (and some MIDs) and a big LCD screen and use both screens with no apps
@Yoda ... hasty journalists...
@OCEAN CLAK
so true.. i can find a wireless display which can run for 10 hours between charges for less than 4$. they are just not enough buyers on ebay though.
Too early,
it's still a Toy, Yoda.
@rakeshin $4?? A wireless display for $4?
@Oli D
sarcasm
@rakeshin
But the iPad costs $500 in the first place?
Wow, things always sound better on paper. Thanks for saving us the $4.99!
@cornfield
Shhhhh, I'm a developer also, I don't want anyone to catch on. :)
@rwalrond
looks like engadget deleted my comment saying it was stupid to have to pay for a function this basic. especially considering this thing has no video out put. not even a simple vga port.
wow.
I don't think too many people will use the iPad for this anyway. Nice that its there though.
@werty1432k
It sounded really promising, and actually would've swayed me towards buying one as I could see how it could have loads of different functions...
@psychoticgrape Seems like this app is kinda, dare I say, sh|tty. But kind of a cool concept.
@werty1432k : Right, but if you could have it over wifi and take the iPad to your meeting while still pulling info from your desktop, it could be very useful.
yeah... this sounded a little too easy. Fail.
Not quite, things always sound better read on the internet...
That's really disappointing, I was actually going to buy the app yesterday so that I could be fully prepared for delivery of my iPad today. Thank God I decided to hold off.
But hey, maybe after a nice little update it will work like we all hoped.
I held off on Pages too. I want a review before I spend $10 on it.
Turn off mirror display setting.
@AdamSpruijt: Yeah, I wonder if they turned off mirroring? Because if I recall correctly, new external displays default to mirroring until the check box is unchecked.
Unfortunately, that doesn't sound like the only problem with iDisplay. Too bad, but I'm sure another developer will come up with a better solution. When I get my hand at the iPad, it will almost certainly spend a good part of it's day docked upright beside the external display I have connected to my MacBook Pro. Would be a shame not to use the extra real estate for work.
@AdamSpruijt
I think they developed it entirely based on Wifi. What they should do is create drivers on the desktop client program to use the USB cable. That would be faster and provide better performance.
@AdamSpruijt This. /facepalm @Engadget
@AdamSpruijt
How do you turn off mirroring prior to install if you only have one display attached to your computer?
This will affect A LOT of people who are less techie than those who read and write Engadget.
Ouch - thanks for the heads up.