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Keyboard dock with iPad in Landscape - Idea!

A

Apple!Fre@k

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 25, 2006
520
7
Okay, so the iPad doesn't have a dock connector on it's side so that makes it difficult to use the keyboard dock with it when doing e-mail in landscape. However, the dock DOES hold the iPad perfectly in landscape when you rest it in front of the imbedded dock connector in the keyboard. So... what if you could buy a 6-inch dock connector to dock connector cable to plug in from the back of the keyboard dock to the iPad while you have it in landscape mode to utilize the keyboard?

Possible, no?
 
im sure that would work

or you could just get a BT KB and another stand - accomplish the same effect.
 
Or you could just use one of the many stands on the Market and a Bluetooth keyboard ;)
 
brn2ski00 said:
im sure that would work

or you could just get a BT KB and another stand - accomplish the same effect.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I like the keyboard/stand in one deal. :)

Do you think a male/male dock connector cable would actually work, or would Apple have to update the firmware in the keyboard for that to happen? Guess there's only way to find out, right? ;)
 
I think the keyboard dock has one major thing against it to begin with. for $69 I can buy a keyboard/dock that can only be used with the iPad. and as you pointed out can only be used in portrait mode.

OR

for the same $69 I can buy the bluetooth keyboard to use with my iPad and with my Macs if i want. also, I can buy a $5 or $10 stand to put it in portrait and landscape.

my opinion of the keyboard dock is that it is too limiting. and to do what you propose, Me personally I would rather buy the BT keyboard and avoid the headache. cause even if you do accomplish landscape, it is still exclusive to the iPad.
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
Yeah, but I like the keyboard/stand in one deal. :)

Do you think a male/male dock connector cable would actually work, or would Apple have to update the firmware in the keyboard for that to happen? Guess there's only way to find out, right? ;)
Click to expand...

a simple cable would just be a straight end to end connection. no drivers would be needed because no logic would be taking place inside the cable. that takes place in the dock. so YES it would work. would it be worth it is a different question. last I knew apple holds the patent on the 30 pin dock connector and to make a compatible cable you would need to license it to apple. which means up front $$$$$$$$$ therefore to make money or break even you may have to charge more than anyone would be williing to pay for it

FYI it would need to be a male to female connector. (male to the ipad, female to the connector sticking up on the dock.
 
jfyrfytr25 said:
a simple cable would just be a straight end to end connection. no drivers would be needed because no logic would be taking place inside the cable. that takes place in the dock. so YES it would work. would it be worth it is a different question. last I knew apple holds the patent on the 30 pin dock connector and to make a compatible cable you would need to license it to apple. which means up front $$$$$$$$$ therefore to make money or break even you may have to charge more than anyone would be williing to pay for it

FYI it would need to be a male to female connector. (male to the ipad, female to the connector sticking up on the dock.
Click to expand...

I think it could be commercially successful. Apple takes 60% of all third party products sold through the Apple Store so if the retail of the cable was $12, that would leave $4.80 for the manufacturer. Pretty sure a 6-inch cable could be mass produced for about $2/pop, which leaves about $1.80 in profit -- not bad if you're selling in large numbers at Apple Stores around the world.

By the way, it's actually Male to Male (if it was male to female I would be happy because some guys already sell a male to female dock connector cable). It's male to male because there's no room to attach the cable right behind where the iPad would sit (it's too close and the iPad wouldn't sit right if you had a female connector running to that port). You'd have to connect to the port in the rear of the keyboard dock, which would require a male to plug-into. That was my question -- would it work running from the iPad to the female port in the back of the keyboard dock?
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
I think it could be commercially successful. Apple takes 60% of all third party products sold through the Apple Store so if the retail of the cable was $12, that would leave $4.80 for the manufacturer. Pretty sure a 6-inch cable could be mass produced for about $2/pop, which leaves about $1.80 in profit -- not bad if you're selling in large numbers at Apple Stores around the world.

By the way, it's actually Male to Male (if it was male to female I would be happy because some guys already sell a male to female dock connector cable). It's male to male because there's no room to attach the cable right behind where the iPad would sit (it's too close and the iPad wouldn't sit right if you had a female connector running to that port). You'd have to connect to the port in the rear of the keyboard dock, which would require a male to plug-into. That was my question -- would it work running from the iPad to the female port in the back of the keyboard dock?
Click to expand...


How do you know it is male to male???:eek::eek:
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
I think it could be commercially successful. Apple takes 60% of all third party products sold through the Apple Store so if the retail of the cable was $12, that would leave $4.80 for the manufacturer. Pretty sure a 6-inch cable could be mass produced for about $2/pop, which leaves about $1.80 in profit -- not bad if you're selling in large numbers at Apple Stores around the world.

By the way, it's actually Male to Male (if it was male to female I would be happy because some guys already sell a male to female dock connector cable). It's male to male because there's no room to attach the cable right behind where the iPad would sit (it's too close and the iPad wouldn't sit right if you had a female connector running to that port). You'd have to connect to the port in the rear of the keyboard dock, which would require a male to plug-into. That was my question -- would it work running from the iPad to the female port in the back of the keyboard dock?
Click to expand...

the 60% is a standard amount for the accessories like headphones and whatnot. but you are talking about an item that uses their patents which I am sure is going to cost more. think about it, you make a cable to fit their ipods. any that sell in their store they get 60%. but what about if you decide to start selling in BB. they would get none of that.

That 60% has nothing to do with licensing a patent. What you are talking about is distribution, they are separate things.

as far as the male to female thing, I did not catch that part. if you are wanting to go in from behind yes you would need a male but I don't know if the logic in the device is bi-directional. I know some of it is, like syncing.
but no idea about keyboard data.

splice 2 cables together and see.
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
Yeah, but I like the keyboard/stand in one deal. :)

Do you think a male/male dock connector cable would actually work, or would Apple have to update the firmware in the keyboard for that to happen? Guess there's only way to find out, right? ;)
Click to expand...

If you're looking for "dock cable extenders" check out www.radtech.us (I saw a review of their products somewhere).
 
http://www.cablejive.com/dock-extender-cable

cablejive_dock_extender_cable_in_use_600x400__12933_std.jpg


You might also be interested in:

http://www.sendstation.com
 
jfyrfytr25 said:
splice 2 cables together and see.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... guess I could. Never spliced a cable before but looks easy enough. Is it just a matter or cutting, stripping, then twisting the two cables together, then covering the job with black electrical tape? Or would the wires need to soldered together, and is there just one wire, or 32 different wires inside?
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
Hmmm... guess I could. Never spliced a cable before but looks easy enough. Is it just a matter or cutting, stripping, then twisting the two cables together, then covering the job with black electrical tape? Or would the wires need to soldered together, and is there just one wire, or 32 different wires inside?
Click to expand...

?
 
It would be best to solder them, but as long as there is a good contact twisting is ok.

I think there are about 4 or 5 plus a braided shield.
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
That's a female to male. Would need male to male. Not aware that such a cable exists.
Click to expand...


Uh what? No you need female to male

Female plugs in dock, male plugs into ipad

I don't know how you have the idea in your head that you need male to male

male to male would be like needing to plug in 2 iPod/phone/pad devices together (which would be kinda useless)

wouldn't work anyways from plugging from the back, otherwise you could use the keyboard for your computer when your ipad was charging - splitting it would be excessively difficult
 
jfyrfytr25 said:
It would be best to solder them, but as long as there is a good contact twisting is ok.

I think there are about 4 or 5 plus a braided shield.
Click to expand...

Just cut one open and it looks like there's 4, plus the braided shield exterior. So looks like I'd need to individually strip each of the four, solder them to the corresponding lines on the other cable, then wrap the job with electrical tape once done.
 
DopeyFish said:
Uh what? No you need female to male

Female plugs in dock, male plugs into ipad

I don't know how you have the idea in your head that you need male to male

male to male would be like needing to plug in 2 iPod/phone/pad devices together (which would be kinda useless)

wouldn't work anyways from plugging from the back, otherwise you could use the keyboard for your computer when your ipad was charging - splitting it would be excessively difficult
Click to expand...

For the last time: I need male to male. One end plugs into the iPad and the other end plugs into the BACK of the keyboard dock.
 
Apple!Fre@k said:
For the last time: I need male to male. One end plugs into the iPad and the other end plugs into the BACK of the keyboard dock.
Click to expand...

I get what you're saying, that way the iPad can still utilize the DOCK... but do you think connecting the iPad to the back of the dock would still enable the connectivity of the keyboard?

Seems like an interesting idea.
 
MigsVuitton said:
I get what you're saying, that way the iPad can still utilize the DOCK... but do you think connecting the iPad to the back of the dock would still enable the connectivity of the keyboard?

Seems like an interesting idea.
Click to expand...

That's what I want to find out. :)
 
keyboards and docks

Honestly, I'm happy wih my solution... $69 for the bluetooth keyboard and $5 for a nice desktop easel. Works like a charm!
 
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