Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad Mouse Support - The Missing Elephant

danny842003 said:
The fact is apple believes app developers would develop apps with a mouse in mind. This would lead to apps not being optimised for touch control and that goes against what apple believes its iOS system should be about.
Click to expand...
Is that indeed a FACT that Apple believes developers would develop apps with a mouse in mind? Android has had optional mouse support for years and developers haven't developed apps with a mouse in mind.

Apple has had support for hardware keyboards for the iPad since gen-1 day-1. I know this because I owned a gen 1 iPad with the keyboard dock. Providing support for optional physical keyboards has not caused developers to rely on keyboard combinations that would only be possible with physical keyboards.

There is support for physical game controllers and yet there aren't this vast amount of games that require a physical game controller. On the contrary, many customers are pleading with game developers to support physical controllers.

This notion of the "slippery slope" of providing optional support for physical mice is nothing more than a strawman.



danny842003 said:
Im not sure why anyone who needs to do a lot of spreadsheet work wouldn't just buy a laptop in the first place it has the mouse and key board built in and if you need something portable there are options.
Click to expand...
Your inability to understand why someone needs to do that does not refute the existence of that need. :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: whg, sparksd and seadragon
seadragon said:
Completely agree. The iPad when docked on a Smart Keyboard really needs either a mouse or trackpad that sits beside the keyboard. This is the missing ingredient for a great experience. Using the Citrix mouse is amazing. This ability needs to be available in iOS apps.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Precursor and mi7chy
Dave-Z said:
"We asked ourselves, How can we take something so common and make it an extension of the human body? The Apple Point is machined from a solid block of AluminEEum. It doesn't move the insertion point as much as it positions it for optimum text entry."
Click to expand...

I don't care what side of the fence you are on. This is freaking hilarious!
[doublepost=1499444480][/doublepost]
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...

I hate Windows trackpads, but I love my Macbook Pro's trackpad. I don't even pack a mouse for it.
 
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...
The only trackpads I enjoy are the ones that I've had on my macbooks (Air and Pro). My preferred pointing device of choice was and still is the ThinkPad Trackpoint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane and onepoint
The truth is that if your using an iPad Pro with the keyboard most of the time, touch is not the most natural input method, as it had the same issues as a touch screen notebook.

In the case of using a Smart Keyboard, the experience would be complete with a trackpad or mouse.

I don’t think there is a valid reason to be against this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: whg
scupking said:
Can't wait until we have mouse support for iPad. Then I can replace my laptop with an iPad!
Click to expand...
Someone gets it!
[doublepost=1499449079][/doublepost]
augustya said:
When do you guys think ? the mouse will come to the iPad ? Which year ? if Microsoft is already selling the Surface Pro which has the Mouse Support, Apple will have to follow soon !
Click to expand...
Within 2 years.
 
Appleaker said:
The truth is that if your using an iPad Pro with the keyboard most of the time, touch is not the most natural input method, as it had the same issues as a touch screen notebook.

In the case of using a Smart Keyboard, the experience would be complete with a trackpad or mouse.

I don’t think there is a valid reason to be against this.
Click to expand...

I really can't see one either. I would never use a mouse except when using the ASK.
 
  • Like
Reactions: whg and Appleaker
bufffilm said:
We are -years- away from eye-tracking as a means to relocate the cursor.
Click to expand...

I agree, what about two years?
Just in time for the next IPad Pro generation. :)

Also lets not forget that the Iphone 8 is rumored to have a bunch of face tracking sensors, people are betting on a security substitute to the Touch ID but I’m really betting it has something to do with augmented reality.

That being the case, I would say the worst case scenario would be eye tracking for a augmented reality interface on the IPhone 8, the midle case scenario, 1 to 1 inside-out body tracking with the Iphone 8 inserted in a strapped glasses contraption.

The best case scenario, both.

Eventually this technology will arrive to the Ipad.
 
seadragon said:
I think mouse support IS coming. If I had a mouse, I could truly use my iPad for work. I could RDP to my PC at work and with a mouse and keyboard it would be like I'm there. Perfect. Mouse support is already possible via Citrix on the iPad.

I'm always baffled by those against it. It's literally a matter of turning on the ability to pair a mouse natively. Doesn't harm anyone or anything.
Click to expand...

I use Jump Desktop I have been thinking about trying out their mouse support:

https://support.jumpdesktop.com/hc/...mp-Desktop-work-with-a-physical-mouse-on-iOS-

I also like that its not a monthly fee and only one time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: whg
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...

I agree with what others say here... the smoothness on track pads I've found on MacBook/MacBook pros have far exceeded other trackpads I've used and much prefer to use them on my laptop than carry another mouse. With other machines, is much rather have a mouse.
 
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...
Fine for web browsing, not great for video editing
 
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...

I can only tolerate Surface Pro 4 and above trackpads since they have flawless palm rejection. Even the newest MacBooks misinterpret light brushes with the meaty part of my palm as false input. For productivity, first choice is Thinkpad trackpoint (famous red nub) for best workflow since it doesn't require moving fingers from home keys, external mouse 2nd and Surface Pro 4+ trackpads 3rd.

As for mouse input on iOS, Apple will be forced to backtrack just like with the stylus, bigger than 3.5", single carrier, etc. to keep up with the competition. For certain applications like Excel there's no substitute for mouse input.
 
off_piste said:
Out of curiosity, am I the only one that hates trackpads? I've been using them for well over a decade but have never liked them. They always seem so slow and cumbersome and somehow I inadvertently hit them on my laptops when typing causing the cursor to jump around and text sprout up in an area I didn't intend. Of course I know there are people that are the opposite and swear by trackpads while hating to use a mouse.
Click to expand...
I love, and miss, having a ThinkPad with the red rubber nub in the middle of the keyboard.
[doublepost=1499481224][/doublepost]
sracer said:
The only trackpads I enjoy are the ones that I've had on my macbooks (Air and Pro). My preferred pointing device of choice was and still is the ThinkPad Trackpoint.
Click to expand...
Yes this :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pspressart
Apple already made an "iPad" with mouse support, it's called Macbook, and it runs macOS.

Surface Pro is a fad that Microsoft made a Surface laptop, and they even now sold the pen separately for the latest Surface Pro. Surface Pro is a marketing genius, however. It allows Microsoft to sell a laptop and charge you extra for the keyboard.
 
augustya said:
So the surface pro is way to go... Why can't Apple come up with such ground revolution ideas. After all it is a innovation company. Maybe Steve Jobs had been alive that would have made the difference !
Click to expand...

Ground revolution ideas? What selling a laptop without a keyboard?
 
danny842003 said:
Ground revolution ideas? What selling a laptop without a keyboard?
Click to expand...

I mean ideas to make the iPad Pro even more a laptop replacement then just adding a physical keyboard and bringing the file features that it is bringing in iOS 11 !
 
sparksd said:
The point being that the (unscientific) poll supports the mouse as the input device? Mouse no longer sucks?
Click to expand...

The point being, that every “input of substance” was already made in this forum in more than one thread by a huge amount of users (you can read 12 pages on the subject in this thread)
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mouse-support-the-missing-elephant.2051933/

I didn’t feel the need to say anything else besides reinterate that mouse support would be a sluggish solution for the IPad Pro input problem and therefor I replied “Sorry, the mouse sucks”.

The poll only reflects the status quo, not the solution and not the future.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...use-support-poll.2052334/page-2#post-24763048

I linked It on the last post as another way to underline that on this subject, there are enough “thoughtful inputs” and until new information can be obtained any discussion is a complete waste of time.

Also, you couldn’t be a nicer guy.
 
Last edited:
augustya said:
I mean ideas to make the iPad Pro even more a laptop replacement then just adding a physical keyboard and bringing the file features that it is bringing in iOS 11 !
Click to expand...

I don't believe Steve Jobs would be interested in making an iPad a laptop replacement as you desire.
 
danny842003 said:
I don't believe Steve Jobs would be interested in making an iPad a laptop replacement as you desire.
Click to expand...

It's not me that is saying that ! It is Apple itself which is touting the iPad Pro as a Laptop replacement in all its media conferences !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back