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Brydge Debuts New Air MAX+ Keyboard With Trackpad for iPad Air and iPad Pro
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There’s no contest really but to entertain the idea: a Wacom tablet maybe (I find them bulky and annoying and an extra device) but else it would go full circle to an iPad (which I think it’s the way better decide).
One of the favorite things for me is the “auto sidecar handoff” that happens everytime a screencap is taken on a Mac and a valid handoff iPad is close around, it will appear there ready for marking up, hitting “Done” on the iPad will refresh it back on the Mac. Or going through folders with them and hitting the markup share app... don’t know if it is fast enough to go in bulks though.
So for that use case, the iPad just hits the home run always. Great companion device if preferring to browse/work on a desktop like the iMac and great as a stand alone device.
I can't rip the keyboard off my Macbook Air, fold the keyboard away or touch the screen.
How come? The few Bluetooth keyboards I have experienced on my iPads and Macs all worked smoothly and were straight forward to set up.
Not to me but I'll throw in my 2 cents:
I would ask why?
Bluetooth solves a problem that isn't there for these iPads.
Why add an unnecessary connection step and unwanted weight when it is not needed?
It stinks of a shameless cost cutting move from a company that wants to sell a premium product at a premium price.
If I was hired at Brydge, the first meeting I had would be a white board with Bluetooth written in huge letters and a big red slash through it.
Function keys, proper drip protection, maybe better materials that are less likely showing every smudge…
Which version are you basing this off? I had the Brydge for the 10.5 Pro and the hinges were rock solid for me. The padding left a lot to be desired and I thought it was going to cause permanent pressure damage time my screen every time I changed the angle but they didn't wobble or were loose at all.
In return I can disconnect the Bridge keyboard and use it with any other computer I do see fit.
I do mostly have experience with Logitech keyboards and in daily life there isn’t much difference that would sell me on anything with a direct connection anymore.
I don't really understand why bluetooth. Does Apple actually prevents them from using smart connector? Is there some bad turms that Brydge can't agree or afford? Or is it just cheaper that way, or they don't understand why users want smart connector?
YES! That’s EXACTLY what I’ve been saying about phones and handheld computing devices since 1999.
I mean look at what you have to do just to get your PDA online. You have to attach your Handspring to your StarTAC with a cable.
Things will always remain static and never improve right? 🙄
They don’t call it the smart connector for nothing. You have to pay Apple the licensing fee to use it. 😆💰
What if 80-90 percent of the time you want you use your iPad as a tablet and only 10-20% of the time want to use a keyboard. This is me. A MacBook Air would be a huge waste of money and would have to come in addition to an iPad, not instead of one.
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
Most people that buy iPads do so because they LIKE iPadOS.
An MBA CANNOT replace an iPad.
I see that this is hard to accept for Mac/"real computer" snobs in these forums.
Only Mac/PC fans want to turn the iPad into something it is not.
I recently bought the Logitech Folio Touch and it's fantastic. Smart Connector makes things incredibly smooth with no lag and there's no need to recharge it separately. Excellent product: multi-touch gesture controls on the trackpad, iPadOS shortcut keys, backlit keys that automatically adjust to your lighting
$130 on Amazon, which is just a killer deal
$130 on Amazon, which is just a killer deal
Logitech Folio Touch iPad Keyboard Case with Trackpad and Smart Connector for iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd Generation) – Grey
One case to do it all. Type, sketch, view, and read with the Folio Touch keyboard case for iPad Pro®, featuring four versatile use modes, a high-precision trackpad for unparalleled control, and a laptop-like keyboard for comfortable, accurate typing. Navigate iPad Pro with all the familiar multi...
www.amazon.com
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
this is not like old brydge keyboards, the back cover stays attached, so it's much more awkward to use with other devices...
My point is compare these purchases:
12.9" 256GB M1 MBA + 32GB iPad = $1300. 24 hr combined battery life.
12.9" 256GB M1 iPad Pro + Magic keyboard = $1550. 10 hr battery life.
I have devices with iPadOS and MacOS, and for the vast majority of my tasks, it is more efficient to use the MBA. If you get your work done faster in iPadOS or need the pencil, by all means get the iPad Pro. Most will be better served with two devices for less money.
Have you tried the new firmware? It actually is pretty much the same experience as the magic keyboard, just on a larger trackpad. If you don't want to take my word for it you can find about a dozen reviews online from the major media outlets speaking at length about the new firmware being on par. It's pretty unreal.
Lol yes… That is exactly what I was trying to clarify. I only used the old firmware for about 10 minutes before updating to the beta and now general release.
Like, for the trackpad accuracy and scrolling on a scale from 1-10:
- Old Brydge FW: 3
- New Brydge FW: 8
- Magic Keyboard: 10
I just tested side by side and the difference in scrolling is immediately noticeable.
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
Unless the user is unfamiliar with or does not want to use macOS, at which point the MBA is 100% a waste of money and time.
And the Magic Keyboard is entirely optional. The pencil is an added cost, if and only if you need it.
I can accept that for you an MBA is more efficient, but not all iPad users want a Mac at all, let alone two devices when one will do.
Merging two devices into one that encapsulates the entire functionality of it’s parts (the smart phone) is a far cry from merging two devices into one that is a compromise between the two. (Microsoft’s surface).
I’m not advocating stagnancy in development, I’m arguing that they should be allowed to evolve independently. And if they grow close enough to each other so as to be redundant, then may the best device win.
My analogy was spot on. I had a phone that could send text messages. I had a Palm Pilot that could cache news. Not any different than a touch device that has better multitasking, or a laptop with a touch screen.
You can argue those devices should remain separate, but at the end of the day Apple will merge the two at least in the pro line. Might not be this WWDC, or the next three, but that day will come. We’re now at the point where the hardware allows it if Apple wants it.
And the reality is right now… today… there are FAR more people familiar with iOS and iPadOS than there are with macOS.