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A theory regarding the "mystery" blank key on the iPad dock keyboard...
- Thread starter ravenvii
- Start date
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I'm skeptical about these kind of theories too, but I'm definitely not rejecting it. Apple design is all about style. It has to look slick. A big empty key? It's most likely nothing. But I don't think it's an impossible idea. You never know, expose could happen.
When you use an external keyboard with the iPad (Dock Keyboard or Bluetooth Keyboard), the iPad is smart enough NOT to bring up the on-screen keyboard when text entry is needed. The iPad sees the connected external keyboard and assumes you are going to use that external keyboard. And, just in case you might want the on-screen keyboard anyway, Apple provides a key for that purpose on the iPad Dock Keyboard. It's the one to the left of the blank key.
Just as an FYI... if using an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, the CD/DVD eject key on that keyboard functions the same way when connected to the iPad. Press the CD/DVD eject key and the on-screen keyboard pops into view. Press it again and the on-screen keyboard disappears.
Mark
Just as an FYI... if using an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, the CD/DVD eject key on that keyboard functions the same way when connected to the iPad. Press the CD/DVD eject key and the on-screen keyboard pops into view. Press it again and the on-screen keyboard disappears.
Mark
I have to agree with the OP. Apple is not going to ship that thing out with a blank key. Looks like the key on the top left is a home button, this is going to be something new; perhaps either dashboard or expose. Maybe we will find out tomorrow what it's for, but i'd bet it's not going to ship out blank...
I received the dock/keyboard yesterday. I have not opened it, as I don't know if I'm going to keep it. I also won't get my 3G until the end of this month. So the blank key remains a mystery to me too 
Just in case people haven't seen what we are talking about here..this one is 100% blank, not a like function key.
Hmm...what's so special about the space bar?
My apple Bluetooth keyboard that ive had for months has a blank key there. This is nothing new.
Just in case people haven't seen what we are talking about here..this one is 100% blank, not a like function key.
yah and the other keys dont have f11 ect either. your logic is flawed
I'm staring at the two on mine right now.....
F5 and F6 are blank.
LOL, are you being intentionally obtuse?
Explain how.
I'm the author of the original thread on this, 9to5mac was the first to carry my story and credited me.
I was just thinking about features for the event later today when I got to thinking about this very topic again. I remember hearing the keyboard dock wasn't shipping until the end of April, and sure enough, that was the case. I was about to post about it but searched and found this thread.
I believe this is entirely possible, especially given that the iPad only has 256mb of ram, as does the 3GS. I expect that the 3g and original iPhone won't even see this feature, and might not even get OS 4.0 at all (but that might be stretching it a bit, they may only not feature multitasking). Using a dashboard with highly streamlined, small-footprint apps makes even more sense now than it did before. There isn't a lot of extra memory available on this device. Widgets FTW.
What people have the keyboard dock? I was under the impression that the only people who had one were the people who got review units of the iPad ahead of time. They didn't pay for it, it was free, and it was pre-release hardware. Review hardware changes all the time--just ask the guys at dpreview.com about the cameras they review. This gives Apple plenty of time to release keyboards with the dashboard button by the end of this month, while telling them that it will be available this summer.
Except that they are labeled F5 and F6? Wow, for the sake of all mankind I hope you're joking. You do know that apps use those function keys for specific things in real OS X, right? Go ahead and push F5 to see what happens to this page. Magic!
I was just thinking about features for the event later today when I got to thinking about this very topic again. I remember hearing the keyboard dock wasn't shipping until the end of April, and sure enough, that was the case. I was about to post about it but searched and found this thread.
I believe this is entirely possible, especially given that the iPad only has 256mb of ram, as does the 3GS. I expect that the 3g and original iPhone won't even see this feature, and might not even get OS 4.0 at all (but that might be stretching it a bit, they may only not feature multitasking). Using a dashboard with highly streamlined, small-footprint apps makes even more sense now than it did before. There isn't a lot of extra memory available on this device. Widgets FTW.
What people have the keyboard dock? I was under the impression that the only people who had one were the people who got review units of the iPad ahead of time. They didn't pay for it, it was free, and it was pre-release hardware. Review hardware changes all the time--just ask the guys at dpreview.com about the cameras they review. This gives Apple plenty of time to release keyboards with the dashboard button by the end of this month, while telling them that it will be available this summer.
Except that they are labeled F5 and F6? Wow, for the sake of all mankind I hope you're joking. You do know that apps use those function keys for specific things in real OS X, right? Go ahead and push F5 to see what happens to this page. Magic!
Typing on one now....
I've used both the Bluetooth mini-keyboard from Apple and also this iPad Keyboard Doc. They both work great.
As for the mystery key, it doesn't seem to do anything.
Just pressed it.... nothing happens.
Would have been a nice key to bring up the iPod app.
I've used both the Bluetooth mini-keyboard from Apple and also this iPad Keyboard Doc. They both work great.
As for the mystery key, it doesn't seem to do anything.
Just pressed it.... nothing happens.
Would have been a nice key to bring up the iPod app.