Was thinking the same thing.
This product makes little sense to me.
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With little added value. An ipad as a second monitor...come one its too small.
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'Air Display' Updated to Support HiDPI OS X Mode on New iPad
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Was thinking the same thing.
This product makes little sense to me.
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With little added value. An ipad as a second monitor...come one its too small.
How about portability? How often do you carry an external monitor around with you?
OTOH, lots of people would have their laptop and iPad, so this provides an option for an external screen 'on the go'. I'm not sure how this could be called 'wasteful' - if you're using your Mac, your iPad is sitting there unused. At least with Air Display, you're getting use of both.
There's a strange issue with opening Pages documents with Air Display running with HiDPI | New iPad setup.
Had to turn it off to get pages to work properly.
Touch controls and scrolling is still very hit and miss too.
Air Display "great idea in principal, not so hot in use"....
Had to turn it off to get pages to work properly.
Touch controls and scrolling is still very hit and miss too.
Air Display "great idea in principal, not so hot in use"....
I still don't get why OS X needs to be viewed in "HiDPI" mode. iOS I understand, but not Mac OS X. The whole desktop metaphor is so old, and folders, and menus, mouse icons, these do not have to be viewed on a retina display.
Now, if OS X was updated to look more like iOS, or even Metro, I would understand. Big icons, touch elements, animations baked into the OS (not tacked on) make sense on a retina display. Folder icons, cluttered desktops, the apple menu, this stuff is fine just the way it is. Hopefully, OS 10.9 will be more of a radical change, like metro, that would necessitate the use of HiDPI screens.
Just my opinion.
Now, if OS X was updated to look more like iOS, or even Metro, I would understand. Big icons, touch elements, animations baked into the OS (not tacked on) make sense on a retina display. Folder icons, cluttered desktops, the apple menu, this stuff is fine just the way it is. Hopefully, OS 10.9 will be more of a radical change, like metro, that would necessitate the use of HiDPI screens.
Just my opinion.
Just updated both the iPad and mac client....
This is soooo laggy, But incredibly crisp.
An idea of what you can cram onto the screen:
![IMG_0041.PNG]()
Click to enlarge and bear in mind that this is on a 10" screen
(I'm not really looking at the HiDPI mode here just demonstrating usage!)
I have been using this with Xcode for awhile now to view data models etc, would defo recommend it. Super crisp fonts and totally usable for stuff that you don't need a good refresh rate on
Very very nice!
I typically do the same. AirDisplay stays connected in the background for 10 minutes so if I get an email or something I can just pick up my "monitor" and switch apps. My Mac still sees the display as connected and I just switch back to the app when I am done.
I understand what you are saying, but we are talking about a $9.99 app. No one in their right mind would buy an iPad just for AirDisplay.
There are uses for it especially with the new iPad at least for me as an iOS developer. My main display is 1920x1200, I can never see retina iPad graphics at full resolution or anywhere near the same PPI, but with this $10 app I can preview them immediately without leaving Photoshop.
Eventually, people open apps
I see what you mean, but the desktop and finder are really only part of a gateway to every other experience that Mac OS X has to offer.
Decided to purchase today and agree. When I open a pages doc. First it launches at like 200%. Even when put to normal the formatting is all messed up and can't scroll to the top.
I'm still happy with it. Will be getting a lot of use. Hope they fix though.
Unless you'll place your iPad within 15-inches from your face, you don't need Retina. A regular monitor would do just fine. The extra resolution is just a waste for a 10 inch display placed further than 15 inches, unless you plan to use binoculars.
This app sounds interesting, but if it's laggy, it's useless. Maybe it will work better on a faster WiFi network like Wireless-N, or a dedicated Bluetooth connection if the developer decides to support it.
I still think there are much better ways to use an iPad as a complementary device to a desktop computer rather than being used as a second monitor.
Did you care to read your own comments?
$800 or $499 to $100 still is a huge difference in price vs functionality.
Google for portable laptop monitors... Starting at $69 and really work.
Or, check these from Toshiba: http://us.toshiba.com/computers/accessories/mobile-monitor/
If you want it to impress your girlfriend or just to save the day, I understand.
But if it's laggy as many users claim, then it's definitely a useless gimmick.
When I hear it has improved, i'll look into it to review it.
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Well, that's a good use for it. Does it take a while to load? Probably, but in this case you may not really care to wait a few seconds for it to load.
You could also use PhotoStream to send your photo to the iPad, but yes, it would be more work.
Those are nice, sure. But if you already have an iPad (and you're obviously not going to be using it at the same time as the Mac), then why not use it as an external monitor?
Buying Air Display is a lot cheaper than buying one of the screens above, and when you're done using it, you have a useful iPad, not just an external monitor to carry around.
Heheh! I actually use it at the same time as my Mac.
I could be either using Skype, Mail, VoIP, Calendar or quick browsing; viewing Slides, flowcharts or task list, taking notes, etc.
I have 24" Monitor hooked to my 17" MBP. In front of it it's my iPad in Landscape mode, followed by an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard for the iPad, followed by my regular Apple Keyboard with Magic TrackPad.
I have even turned off the display on my 17" MBP as the iPad is much brighter and is placed closer to me. Also, my MPB stays about 40 ºF cooler than when it has it's own display ON.
Please let us know how the App performs for you, if it's too laggy or not.
I do wonder how did LogmeIn managed to provide HD Quality video over the internet on a remote control session. Probably some kind of fast compression.
It would be great if this app was able to do the same over WiFi or Bluetooth.
The idea is, most likely, that you have an iPad and an apple laptop already. just because you wanted them. You have them and they are useful in some capacity already the iPad can useful in a new way when it might not have been before. This idea beings the cost of Air Display down to the price of the app. You are correct that buying an iPad for this function alone would be questionable but i doubt anyone will push back on that idea.
Well then, think of the flexibility, using Air Display. You can now use Mac & iPad at the same time, or a multi-screen Mac setup.
I don't have the new iPad, so I've only used the previous versions of Air Display. At that resolution, it's acceptable for having Skype/Email/palette windows open, but I wouldn't use it for gaming. Personally, I find having screens with different DPI densities in a multi-monitor setup more off-putting than the lag.
Avatron makes a nice product and they have been keeping up with updates etc...Air display is another great tool that comes in handy when needed!
I would be quite interested to see how Lightroom runs on this.
I wouldn't need rapid refresh, but to be able to examine my photos with that pixel density and make selections whilst watching TV (as opposed to infront of my Mac in the study) could be a winner.
tG
I wouldn't need rapid refresh, but to be able to examine my photos with that pixel density and make selections whilst watching TV (as opposed to infront of my Mac in the study) could be a winner.
tG
You forget about portability. People who carry their large LCD display around to coffee shops and libraries look like dorks.
And where are you going to find an outlet for that $100 external display if you want to work on your MacBook in the park under a shade tree on some really nice spring day? You'll be stuck at some desk. I won't.
Heh! You are replying to an old post from page 1.
Now I do get the point why some people would do this.
I just don't understand how would you use it in the park under shade tree considering that:
- The iPad screen has lots of glare.
- You need to be in the same WiFi network, unless you setup your MAC in peer-to-peer mode, which drains your battery a little more than normal.
- People are complaining it's laggy.
By the way, some of those portable monitors come with built-in rechargeable batteries, and have a display size that would be more comfortable to use when not held in your hands.
I may actually get the app once I start to see good reviews...
I have it running right now and while it looks awesome the resolution is kind of too high and I can't seem to make it smaller. For example in Skype the font is so small that it is hard to read. I can increase the size of the regular messages but not of the font in the ui.
Why buy and carry around a portable external monitor that only functions as a portable external monitor when I can pay 10 bucks to add the function into my iPad?
The casual user and/or gamer will probably not have much a use for this app, but if you need that screen real estate without switching back and forth between windows, which is VERY distracting and off putting for referencing other pages/sources as you work on your main display, then this app is definitely useful.
Whether it be editing a website where you have one or two css pages open while editing the html, or a student writing a paper quoting from multiple sources, or a film editor who needs room to place the bins since the first screen is being used for the timeline and the external monitor(s) is/are being used for the video out, there's no question that Air Display is a useful app.
It's no surprise this app would get bad reviews from casual users, gamers and close minded individuals who haven't even tried the app (Like the whiny kid who refuses to eat veggies before trying it).
The casual user and/or gamer will probably not have much a use for this app, but if you need that screen real estate without switching back and forth between windows, which is VERY distracting and off putting for referencing other pages/sources as you work on your main display, then this app is definitely useful.
Whether it be editing a website where you have one or two css pages open while editing the html, or a student writing a paper quoting from multiple sources, or a film editor who needs room to place the bins since the first screen is being used for the timeline and the external monitor(s) is/are being used for the video out, there's no question that Air Display is a useful app.
It's no surprise this app would get bad reviews from casual users, gamers and close minded individuals who haven't even tried the app (Like the whiny kid who refuses to eat veggies before trying it).
The naysayers in this thread just don't get it. Air Display is an awesome tool for some of us. I am not spending 700 bucks (depending on model) for a 2nd monitor. I have an iPad for all of the usual features and apps of an iPad AND, for ten bucks more, get 1) a second high rez monitor, AND 2) an EXCELLENT stylus input device. I needed an LCD interactive tablet for intricate work with things like the lasso tool in Photoshop. The cheapest Wacom Cintiq is a thousand bucks. For my needs I can accomplish the same thing, with no lag etc. (just tested the latest version of the app), for 1/100 of the price plus 30 bucks for a good precision stylus.
I have been using this for about a week with a 15" MacBook Pro and a "new" iPad, and I don't find the lag to be as bad as people say. Yes it is percievable, but not to the point that it bothers me. I find that even full motin videos play just fine on the iPad display using this. And it works great on the iPhone 4S as well, although that screen is too small to be of much use. (But it does look cool to see a Mac desktop on an iPhone.)
Yesterday, I upgraded to the new version and now have the full resoution on the iPad. I expected it to lag a lot more since it's sending 4x the pixel information, but I noticed no increase in the lag. Still percievable but not an issue at all for me. And it really looks great - better than the Mac screen.
I'd say if you are interested, try it. It's only $10. Not much to lose if you hate it. And you may be pleasently surprised as I was at how well it works. I love having a second monitor at home but I'm not going to carry it around. This is a really cool portable second monitor option.
It makes more sense to buy a Roku than to watch Netflix on my Xbox, right? Xbox wasn't made to be a video player, it was made to be a game console. Using it for movies is clearly a waste!
It makes more sense to buy a dedicated calculator than to use my expensive iPhone as a calculator, right? The functionality is there, but it's clearly a waste!
Guess what - if I need to do a simple calculation, I'm going to use my iPhone. If I want to pick up a movie real quick, I'm going to use my Xbox. If I need a clear secondary monitor for a little while, I might use my iPad. Why should I go out and buy something else? There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of these, and the functionality is there. They may not be the most ideal, but they work and have their uses.
Yeah it may not be what you personally want to to use, but who are you to say I'm "wasting" my equipment by using it?