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Sensel's touchpad tech could bring realistic haptics to Windows laptops
Sensel wants to bring its shape-shifting touchpad to laptops.
Microsoft adds mouse and trackpad support to Office apps on iPad
This spring, Apple added mouse and trackpad support to the iPad with a software update, and ever since then, users with business to take care of have been waiting for Microsoft’s Office suite to include the feature. Now, 9to5Mac points out that Microsoft says a “phased rollout” is bringing the feature to its Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps on the platform. Microsoft also said the update is bringing new start screens and feature menus that expand its Fluent design language across the apps.
Office for iPad will reportedly get trackpad support 'by the fall'
Microsoft is actively working to update its Office mobile apps to take advantage of the iPad's new and more robust trackpad support.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 review: The rest is yet to come
The message is clear: The 2020 iPad Pro doesn't act the way your computer does, but it's just as capable. The company has spent years pushing that message in one form or another, and every time I heard someone invoke it, the notion sort of fell flat for me. Yes, iPads are powerful and clever and user-friendly, but — and tell me if this sounds familiar — I've always been able to get more done, and faster, on a proper laptop or PC. Apple sees that, and it's starting to change it.
iFixit's MacBook Air teardown confirms 0.5mm thicker keyboard
If you've been lucky enough to get your hands on the new MacBook Air, you know that the keyboard really is excellent. Thanks to the scissor mechanism, which replaced the hated butterfly keyboard, the keys are noticeably cushier, with more travel. iFixit took a closer look at those keys in its latest teardown and reports that the height difference is about 0.5 millimeters.
Apple rolls out iOS and iPadOS 13.4 with trackpad support
Right on cue, Apple has released iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 -- and they're particularly big news if you're an iPad owner. As promised, iPadOS 13.4 has introduced mouse and trackpad support that lets you treat your tablet more like a laptop, including multi-touch gestures for navigation. Apple clearly built this with the iPad Pro's Magic Keyboard in mind, but you can use it with other iPads if you have the right peripherals.
Logitech's latest iPad keyboard cases add trackpads to non-Pro tablets
If you turned pale at the thought of paying close to $1,000 to get the new iPad Pro and its trackpad-equipped keyboard cover, don't worry -- there will be a much more affordable alternative. Logitech has introduced a $150 Combo Touch keyboard case for the 2019 iPad, 2019 iPad Air and 2017 iPad Pro that includes a trackpad to take advantage of iPadOS 13.4's imminent mouse support. They all attach using Apple's Smart Connector and offer many perks similar to Apple's Magic Keyboard, including backlit keys and trackpad gestures.
Apple is adding trackpad support to older iPad models
Apple just introduced a new iPad Pro, but older iPads are set to get a major update as well. On March 24th, Apple is releasing iPadOS 13.4 which includes full mouse and trackpad support for the first time. It'll work on all iPad Pro models, iPad Air 2 and later, the 5th-generation iPad and later, and the iPad mini 4 and later. Basically, if you've bought an iPad in the last four or five years, it should be supported.
Apple's updated iPad Pro has depth-aware cameras and trackpad support
Apple was clearly gearing up for an imminent launch when it inadvertently listed new tablets. Right on cue, the company has introduced updated versions of the iPad Pro -- and it won't surprise you to hear that the cameras play a major role like they do on the iPhone 11. The 11- and 12.9-inch tablets now have a secondary, ultra-wide 10-megapixel rear camera and, for the first time on any Apple device, a LiDAR scanner that lets them measure the distance for objects up to 16.4 feet away, improving augmented reality features like object placement, motion capture and occluding people in a scene. Thankfully, ARKit apps don't need any updates for the faster and more accurate technology.
Apple may expand mouse support with iPadOS 14
It appears that Apple may bring mouse support to iPad OS 14. Apple added some compatibility for external mice as an Accessibility setting in iOS 13, but 9to5Mac has spotted code that suggests mouse-compatibility could be the norm beginning with iOS 14 (iPadOS 14).
Apple's keyboard cover for the next iPad Pro could add a trackpad
With the launch of iPadOS, Apple's tablet has become more of a conventional computing device than ever. As such, it makes sense that the line between iPad Pro and laptop could become even more blurred. A rumor from The Information claims Apple is gearing up to mass produce a new keyboard accessory for the tablet line that includes a built-in trackpad, with plans to release it at the same time as an updated version of the iPad Pro later this year. If you just can't wait, accessory maker Brydge is one of the the third parties promising a solution. It has opened pre-orders for its wireless Pro+ keyboard that includes a a trackpad plus backlit keys and adds a very MacBook-like look to the tablet. They're supposed to start shipping in late April, with an 11-inch version available for $200 or the 12.9-inch edition for $230. The third-party company also announced a standalone trackpad, but there's no release date or price listed for that yet.
Brydge unveils Surface keyboards and iPad trackpad
Brydge has developed a solid reputation for tablet keyboards over the years, and it's clearly taking advantage of that as 2020 gets underway. The company has unveiled a slew of accessories, starting with a slew of Surface keyboards. The Brydge 12.3 Pro (above) and Brydge 10.0 Go will respectively offer alternatives to the Type Cover for Surface Pro models and the Surface Go when they arrive in the second quarter of 2020, while a Brydge Pro X keyboard will be ready for Surface Pro X owners in the second half of the year. And if you're just looking for Windows desktop peripherals, the W-Type keyboard and W-Touch trackpad will appear in the second quarter.
Inside Apple's Mac accessory testing lab
Design seems to be at the heart of every new Apple product. In the company's eyes, a new laptop or tablet shouldn't just perform well -- it has to look, feel and sound right too. But just how far does the company go to maintain this vision? Ridiculously far, it turns out. To coincide with the latest iMacs, Backchannel was given an exclusive look at the Input Design Lab where Apple tests new keyboard, trackpad and mouse prototypes. The methods used are numerous, extensive and eye-opening; in one, Apple attaches sensors to testers to measure muscle fatigue and memory, acoustics and accuracy. In another, robots type repeatedly on keys and move mice around to measure their general performance, endurance, and adaptability on different surfaces. Some of these tests can reportedly require up to five million key taps. It's rare for Apple to give this much insight into its R&D facilities, so hit up Backchannel's article for all of the photos and intriguing tidbits.
Apple's GarageBand uses trackpad pressure to control your tunes
Apple's Force Touch trackpads haven't done a whole lot in official apps besides fast scrolling and shortcuts, but they'll do considerably more if you grab the latest version of GarageBand. As of the 10.1 update, you can use the pressure-sensitive pad on newer MacBooks and MacBook Pros to vary the strength of certain tools -- if you want to subtly finesse a track using only your finger, you can. This is also a big upgrade if you're an aspiring DJ, since there's both a virtual morph pad as well as gobs of new dance- and hip-hop-friendly audio kits. You can check out all of GarageBand's new tricks for free if you already have GarageBand (not hard if you bought a relatively modern Mac), and it'll cost $5 if you're completely new.
Tiny trackpad uses your thumbnail to navigate devices
Several companies are working on eye-tracking tech as a way to navigate devices. A team of MIT researchers, however, have their eyes set on another body part: the thumbnail. Graduate students Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao and Artem Dementyev are developing a tiny trackpad that fits over your thumbnail. They're calling it NailO, and it was inspired by colorful nail stickers popular in Kao's native Taiwan and many other Asian countries. The duo envisions NailO to be used in situations where both your hands are occupied -- for instance, you can use it to scroll down a website page to check recipes while cooking. They also think it could be used to control other wearables, such as smart jewelry.
iFixit explains how Apple's new MacBook haptic trackpad works
Apple's new range of MacBooks have something particularly new inside them: the Force Touch trackpad. No longer hinged like previous Apple laptops, the new touchpad houses a "Haptic Engine", outputting tactile feedback that will let you "feel" what's happening on-screen. iFixit's taken a closer look at how Apple did it, and while the trackpad is no longer hinged, there are now four spring mounts underneath. That haptic engine? A load of wires coiled around a magnetic core, which makes that all important vibrational feedback.
Apple's new MacBook has a completely redesigned trackpad
Not surprisingly, the main attraction of today's Apple event is the company's new smartwatch. But there's more, a lot more leading up to that announcement. As part of its new MacBook unveiling, Apple has revealed a newly designed trackpad, dubbed Force Touch. The redesigned trackpad comes with what Apple is calling a Taptic Engine, which produces tactile feedback that lets you "feel" what's happening on the screen, rather than just see it. It's "not a diving board," Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller said on stage about the trackpad, which is now pressure-sensitive and no longer hinged (as was the case on previous MacBooks).
Coming soon: laptops with fingerprint sensors built into the touchpad
At some point -- probably when the iPhone 5s came out -- fingerprint sensors became cool. Yes, they've been used on business laptops for years, but it's only recently that we've started to see them in stuff consumers would buy -- things like smartphones and tablets. Now, it seems, we're coming full circle. Synaptics, the leading maker of laptop trackpads, just announced something called the SecurePad, a touchpad with a fingerprint sensor built into the upper-left corner. Unlike existing fingerprint scanners for laptops, which require users to swipe their fingers over the sensor, this one uses capacitive touch, similar to the fingerprint modules used in devices like the iPad mini 3 and Galaxy S5. The result should hopefully be a more reliable experience than you would have gotten on older-gen laptops, but as we've seen with newer products, even touch-based fingerprint scanners can be a mixed bag.
Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touch Keyboard: Not really for Mac users
We get a lot of Bluetooth keyboards to test here at the TUAW Labs, but very few of those come with a built-in trackpad. Today I'm looking at the Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touch Keyboard (available on Amazon for about US$65), a very compact all-in-one keyboard/trackpad combo. Specifications Dimensions: 13 x 4 x 0.6 inches (332 x 101 x 15 mm) Weight: 9 oz. (255 grams) Materials: Plastic and aluminum Design The first thing you'll notice about this keyboard is that it is small; almost too small, in my honest opinion. The keys are quite small and close together, and the trackpad is about half the area of Apple's Magic Trackpad. Anyone who is pressed for desktop space might find this keyboard attractive. It's a nice looking keyboard - most of the standard keys are in their accustomed locations, but it's pretty obvious that Mac users weren't the target audience for this keyboard since it replaces the customary Function - Control - Option - Command keys with Control - Function - Windows - Alt. Yes, it's primarily targeted at Windows 8 users, who usually don't read TUAW. There's also a row of function (F1 - F12) keys that are in unfamiliar locations. A power switch and "connect" button are located on the bottom of the keyboard, and there's a micro-USB port used to recharge the unit. Functionality I was going to write this post using the Rapoo E6700, and between my fingers tripping on the closely-spaced keys and the trackpad not working the way I'm used to, I gave up and went back to my Apple Wireless Keyboard. Now small is this keyboard/trackpad combo? Well, the entire unit is only about an inch and a half wider than the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Oddly enough, Logitech's very compact Keys-To-Go Bluetooth keyboard (roughly the same price as the E6700) is about the same width as the keyboard portion of the E6700, and I find it very easy to type on thanks to wider keys. Not all of the function keys work with the Mac. For example, there are volume control keys that work just fine, but other keys don't produce the desired results - for example, something that looks like a brightness key has seems to type an asterisk instead. I admire Rapoo's design sensibility; some of their other products this year have been quite impressive. But this keyboard is just too small for real work, and I was never quite sure what a tap or click on the trackpad was going to accomplish. It did pair easily, and my Mac understood that there was both a keyboard and trackpad attached via Bluetooth. But I am so used to the way that all of Apple's trackpads work - the Magic Trackpad and those on the MacBooks - that the E6700's trackpad was basically unusable for me. Sure, I read the user manual, but the idea of using a completely different set of gestures than I'm used to did not make me happy. Conclusion Rapoo has been coming out with some very nice products like the E9070 Wireless Ultra-Slim Keyboard and the T120P Wireless Touch Mouse, but the E6700 is a real mess. With keys too small and close together for easy typing, special keys that are unusable on Macs, and a trackpad that just doesn't have the same feel or gesture set as those on Apple products, I'd recommend that Mac owners stay away from it. Rating: 1 star out of 4 stars possible
Microsoft will borrow Mac-like trackpad gestures for Windows 10
Those of us who try to bring the handy two- and three-finger trackpad gestures from a MacBook over to a PC laptop are usually treated to digitus interruptus. But during TechEd, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore said that Windows 10 will have new three finger gestures (not to be confused with salutes) for PC trackpads. Swiping up and down will bring up the "Task View" to minimize and restore active windows, while left and right gestures will switch between apps. Sound vaguely familiar? On a MacBook, three-fingered left and right swipes let you change virtual desktops and apps, while up and down gestures reveal OSX's Mission Control -- a decidedly similar feature to Task View.
