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Thanks! I'm returning at the Arc based on your recommendation. Will order the MX 2s. I hope it fits in my Waterfield Tech Folio. Also, I did read a review on Amazon that the MX2s was noisy. Is this true. Could I use it in a coffee shop or library?

I have the mouse and don't get the noise issue at all - is it the buttons clicking? The very slight ticking of the scroll wheel? I don't see it as different from any other mouse. It works great with my docked laptop and 12.9 Pro.
 
I have the mouse and don't get the noise issue at all - is it the buttons clicking? The very slight ticking of the scroll wheel? I don't see it as different from any other mouse. It works great with my docked laptop and 12.9 Pro.

Thanks, good to know. I am returning the Arc unopened. And ordered the Logitech. I wish Apple would offer better support for mouse use on the iPad. As it is, it seems like a work around as far as I can tell. You have to set up the mouse via “Accessibility” right?
 
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Thanks, good to know. I am returning the Arc unopened. And ordered the Logitech. I wish Apple would offer better support for mouse use on the iPad. As it is, it seems like a work around as far as I can tell. You have to set up the mouse via “Accessibility” right?

Yes, the setup and activation/deactivation of the mouse is in Accessibility. You can create a shortcut in Control Center to make it easier after initial setup.

The implementation is odd and I say that from the perspective of someone that was the intended user base - I'm older - and retired, now - and have hand tremors and touch use of the iPad can be difficult at times. The mouse can help then. But as a former system architect with a lot of work with human-machine interfaces, my reaction to this implementation is "huh?". From the somewhat convoluted setup/activation to the circular blob of the pointer without options to change it to the inverted scrolling - this is what you came up with?
 
Yes, the setup and activation/deactivation of the mouse is in Accessibility. You can create a shortcut in Control Center to make it easier after initial setup.

The implementation is odd and I say that from the perspective of someone that was the intended user base - I'm older - and retired, now - and have hand tremors and touch use of the iPad can be difficult at times. The mouse can help then. But as a former system architect with a lot of work with human-machine interfaces, my reaction to this implementation is "huh?". From the somewhat convoluted setup/activation to the circular blob of the pointer without options to change it to the inverted scrolling - this is what you came up with?
Poorly implemented passive aggressive crap. Thanks Apple!
 
Thanks! I'm returning at the Arc based on your recommendation. Will order the MX 2s. I hope it fits in my Waterfield Tech Folio. Also, I did read a review on Amazon that the MX2s was noisy. Is this true. Could I use it in a coffee shop or library?
I don’t find it particularly noisy. That thought really never crossed my mind, and I use it in coffee shops all of the time.

Hope you like it! If you plan on using it on a Mac as well, go to Logitech’s website and download their software, it allows you to really customize your button layout. You can even save a log in, which stores your settings in their cloud, so when I bought the new MacBook 16 I was able to load up that software and all my customizations carried over.
 
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For giggles, I hooked my Logitech K400+ that I use for my Raspberry pi into a lightning to USB adapter on my iPad Air 3 and it works, keyboard and trackpad seem fully supported. Unfortunately its a Windows keyboard layout, would love to remap the ctrl keys to cmd, but otherwise all good. A dongle in a dongle isn’t ideal, but I already had it so it was free to me.
 
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Do we really think that Apple will support trackpad input in iPad OS in 2020? I would love to see it, and it would bring me closer to using an iPad over a MacBook Pro, but I think it’s very unlikely.
 
Do we really think that Apple will support trackpad input in iPad OS in 2020? I would love to see it, and it would bring me closer to using an iPad over a MacBook Pro, but I think it’s very unlikely.
I believe you can already use the magic trackpad with ipadOS as an accessibility feature, just like mouse input.

If you mean will Apple make it a regular full feature and/or build it into the Smart Keyboard, I think that’s unlikely. Even up until now Apple hasn’t really budged on their stance of the iPad being a primarily touch device. Mouse support is just an accessibility feature and is limited as such. External display support is really meant for extra display purposes, not interaction, for certain apps and situations. Even the Smart Keyboard is advertised as an accessory “for those who need it” (which is of course anyone who needs to do serious typing). It’s almost like Apple is giving people as much of the Mac experience as they can get away with, while still being able to maintain deniability. Giving in completely to the mouse/trackpad issue would be pretty much an undeniable reversal of their position.

But who knows, Apple has been known to change their mind with enough pressure.
 
I believe you can already use the magic trackpad with ipadOS as an accessibility feature, just like mouse input.

If you mean will Apple make it a regular full feature and/or build it into the Smart Keyboard, I think that’s unlikely. Even up until now Apple hasn’t really budged on their stance of the iPad being a primarily touch device. Mouse support is just an accessibility feature and is limited as such. External display support is really meant for extra display purposes, not interaction, for certain apps and situations. Even the Smart Keyboard is advertised as an accessory “for those who need it” (which is of course anyone who needs to do serious typing). It’s almost like Apple is giving people as much of the Mac experience as they can get away with, while still being able to maintain deniability. Giving in completely to the mouse/trackpad issue would be pretty much an undeniable reversal of their position.

But who knows, Apple has been known to change their mind with enough pressure.
Yeah, was pondering about the latter point. I just don’t see Apple giving in too far, or much farther than they already have. I’ve realized that I cannot get away from a physical keyboard and a trackpad. If I hadn’t grown up with physical keyboards and mice, perhaps I could fully embrace a touch only interface, but I know I need the lower half of a clamshell laptop. I may be more open to the top half, the screen, and whether it runs Mac OS or iOS (though I also suspect I could never fully give up MacOS). But I’m willing to give it a try, if Apple fully embraced trackpad and cursor based input and selection.
 
Yeah, was pondering about the latter point. I just don’t see Apple giving in too far, or much farther than they already have. I’ve realized that I cannot get away from a physical keyboard and a trackpad. If I hadn’t grown up with physical keyboards and mice, perhaps I could fully embrace a touch only interface, but I know I need the lower half of a clamshell laptop. I may be more open to the top half, the screen, and whether it runs Mac OS or iOS (though I also suspect I could never fully give up MacOS). But I’m willing to give it a try, if Apple fully embraced trackpad and cursor based input and selection.
Personally, I’m a little divided on the issue. Sure, it would be more convenient to use a mouse/trackpad with the keyboard on iPad, but part of me suspects maybe Apple’s adherence to their position is due to them seeing something I don’t. Also, for my purposes, I’m actually not that inconvenienced using touch with the keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts help a lot.

Actually, to me the real shame is that the tablet form factor doesn’t have its own good text input method. If it did, iPad users would not need a keyboard as much, and therefore would not need a mouse/trackpad as much. Then the decision between the clamshell and tablet form factors would be based solely on their pure inherent strengths and weaknesses (clamshells not as versatile; tablets require an accessory to stand up).
 
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Personally, I’m a little divided on the issue. Sure, it would be more convenient to use a mouse/trackpad with the keyboard on iPad, but part of me suspects maybe Apple’s adherence to their position is due to them seeing something I don’t. Also, for my purposes, I’m actually not that inconvenienced using touch with the keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts help a lot.

Actually, to me the real shame is that the tablet form factor doesn’t have its own good text input method. If it did, iPad users would not need a keyboard as much, and therefore would not need a mouse/trackpad as much. Then the decision between the clamshell and tablet form factors would be based solely on their pure inherent strengths and weaknesses (clamshells not as versatile; tablets require an accessory to stand up).
Well said. I think the smaller digital keyboard in iOS 13 with swipe typing has helped text input a bit, but I type so many incorrect words using it that it feels more inconvenient to use in comparison to a physical keyboard or a laptop. I do believe that the Surface Book, in theory, is the best of both worlds - a clamshell the keeps itself upright with the ability to remove the screen for use as a tablet when preferred. I don’t know how great the battery life is and how well it performs in reality but in theory I think it takes the best from both products.

There really is something to be said about a tablet not being upright due to no base (if you don’t have a keyboard attached). It’s fine to hold it in two hands or even lean it on a leg or a table, but depending on how you’re using it, you may not have the hands available to care for the right kinds of touch input or keyboard taping or swiping. And, even if you do have a keyboard attached, then you have the problem of having to reach forward with a hand to tap or interact, something Apple at one time transparently said was the reason why they weren’t bringing touch to the Mac. I don’t know why it was ok for the iPad but not for the Mac. Call me old fashioned, but I just can’t get into the iPad with so many of its restrictions and quirks from an input and touch standpoint. I feel like I need to really adjust how I’m holding it or positioning it or interacting with it to get things done. I think having a keyboard and trackpad would help, as that seems to work very well on a Mac. But even as I write that out, I doubt Apple wants to Mac-ify the iPad. <sorry for the long, rambling post>
 
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I just tried the mouse fo the first time (took me a while to figure out how to start it).

It works better than I thought it would. It seems to be smooth and the acceleration is good. Is this true?
I might actually use this, but the mouse I tried is a little travel mouse, and it's to small to use regularly (an awful thing really :D)

There are plenty of apps that really need a mouse. Anything that requires extensive clicking, gets very cumbersome with just touch. Then again, if you lay the iPad down flat it's better, but that angle is strange to me, and I still really need an alternate input method.
 
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I just tried the mouse fo the first time (took me a while to figure out how to start it).

It works better than I thought it would. It seems to be smooth and the acceleration is good. Is this true?
I might actually use this, but the mouse I tried is a little travel mouse, and it's to small to use regularly (and awful thing really :D)

I find the MX Anywhere 2S to be real smooth, even scrolling, and with good acceleration. Very responsive.
 
I just tried the mouse fo the first time (took me a while to figure out how to start it).

It works better than I thought it would. It seems to be smooth and the acceleration is good. Is this true?
I might actually use this, but the mouse I tried is a little travel mouse, and it's to small to use regularly (an awful thing really :D)

There are plenty of apps that really need a mouse. Anything that requires extensive clicking, gets very cumbersome with just touch. Then again, if you lay the iPad down flat it's better, but that angle is strange to me, and I still really need an alternate input method.
Yup, mouse support is still a little rough here and there but it is nowhere nearly as bad as many people in this forum say. Support was also expanded and improved with 13.3, with hot corners and additional gestures. Also, 13.3 made cursor movement much smoother. It completely transformed the way I use my iPad.
 
Yup, mouse support is still a little rough here and there but it is nowhere nearly as bad as many people in this forum say. Support was also expanded and improved with 13.3, with hot corners and additional gestures. Also, 13.3 made cursor movement much smoother. It completely transformed the way I use my iPad.

I agree. The only real issues I have are the inverted scrolling and inability to change the shape/form of the pointer to something other than a dark circle, e.g., a "standard" arrow.
 
I agree. The only real issues I have are the inverted scrolling and inability to change the shape/form of the pointer to something other than a dark circle, e.g., a "standard" arrow.

Yup, standard arrow and text selector when hovering over text =)

As for inverted scrolling and scrolling speed, those should be very simple to do, I am surprised they aren't there already. They could be implemented in a point release. Actually, I suspect these options already exist and are just not implemented into the GUI. ;)
 
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Thanks! I'm returning at the Arc based on your recommendation. Will order the MX 2s. I hope it fits in my Waterfield Tech Folio. Also, I did read a review on Amazon that the MX2s was noisy. Is this true. Could I use it in a coffee shop or library?

Until now my only mouse experience on iPadOS was with the original Apple Magic Mouse (no scrolling or any other features). I am using the Logitech M535 and I gotta say it’s pretty great. Way better than the lousy keyboard support in my opinion. Though I cannot use the small square button on the top. Will moving up to the MX Anywhere 2s or similar give me that much better experience with scrolling, tracking and button features? Or stick with what I have and maybe Apple devices will be better supported in the future, or even a trackpad? Thanks
 
Ok, this is a learning experience (the hard way, btw)

13.3 (I started with this) Apparently, this update did a number of things, and one of them was to remove support for bluetooth for Apple magic mouse and trackpad (no longer shows up in switch control, and it actually says these aren't supported) Why they did this?, who knows.

But, people are saying things were added, and it's smoother? I don't know, as i wasn't using it before 13.3. Also, tap/click doesn't work with the Magic trackpad 2 even with it USB wired. (just tried the previous build on another iPad Mini, and BT works in the 'switches' settings, and it feels the same (tap to click still doesn't work)

I had to troubleshoot this, as the YT videos showed it working, yet it wasn't. Any other ideas?
 
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There's the Doqo and there's the Libra. Both look almost identical, and both are Brydge clones (or however it's spelled)

Libra link

The Libra has been around longer, and Brydge has been complaining loudly about patents.
 
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There's the Doqo and there's the Libra. Both look almost identical, and both are Brydge clones (or however it's spelled)

Libra link

The Libra has been around longer, and Brydge has been complaining loudly about patents.

Except Brydge doesn't have the trackpad or peripheral support - it's simply a keyboard.
 
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