HyperDrive USB-C Hub for 2018 iPad Pro Adds Ports for 4K HDMI, Headphones, SD Card, and More

[mejsric]

90% laptops users only do web browsing (FB), some games, if they use Word its only for making a short letter.

but here in MacRumors, 99% laptops users use Xcode... and they do photoshop all the time.. and they do what iPad can't do.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Ok, this says it adds support for SD cards, yet people have been saying that the USB-C port is locked down preventing the connection of external hard drives (which would also prevent SD card readers as well), so which is it? Can you connect external drives tot he iPad or not?

Not only SD cards, but the picture in the 1st post shows a USB flash drive connected to the dock. Is it functional or did they just plug it in to look good?

I agree...if a flash drive and a SD card reader work, why not a powered external USB drive?

 

[MesquiteTX]

I couldn’t imagine ONLY having an iPad and no actual computer. iMac + iPad is my ideal setup.

This is what I am going for. 2018 IPP replacing 13” 2013 rMBP.

Not only SD cards, but the picture in the 1st post shows a USB flash drive connected to the dock. Is it functional or did they just plug it in to look good?

I agree...if a flash drive and a SD card reader work, why not a powered external USB drive?

Perhaps they mean it doesn’t support file browsing external storage in stock iOS but will work with app like FileBrowser? I hope so. I guess we’ll know soon enough.

 

[michael31986]

Because it's not 1988?
[doublepost=1541458989][/doublepost]I have one of their adapters for my MBP - I got it when it was a Kick-starter thing and I can tell you it looks great - and it works well BUT the damn thing keeps popping out of the USB-C on my MacBook. In hindsight I should have gotten one with a wire connecting it to the laptop. If you slightly move the laptop the hub comes away enough to cut the connection.

I use a VGA external monitor

 

[Starfia]

Wow, that vaguely resembles the appearance Jack's mutation during the chainsaw fight in Resident Evil VII.

 

[qawes]

This picture perfectly sums up Apple in 2018. Sad.

 

[pete2106]

For the love of God people, stop trying to make the iPad something it's not. It's not a laptop and it's never going to be. If you need a laptop, get a laptop, if you need a tablet then get an iPad.

 

[x-evil-x]

Rather to the contrary, I’d say, all of apples devices generally operate to replace the device above it. The laptop to replace the desktop. The tablet to replace the laptop. The iPhone to replace the iPod. And the watch replace the iPhone.

I’d argue this is why the desktops and laptops, and iPod receive the least amount of attention. Where the iPhone, iPad, and watch get the most attention.

That said, for the person(s) who will say the new 12.9” iPad Pro is a terrible replacement for a laptop - Ok great. If we acually need and actual PC in tablet form - why hasn't the MS Surface tablet franchise taken off? Or why hasn't any other manufacture tried to improve upon the shortcomings of the MS Surface tablets with Snapdragons or whatever. It doesn't seem to difficult to engineer the tablet that the iPad Pro “should” be and take it to the bank.

it hasn't taken off because apple hasn't released its version of it. Thats just my opinion of course. I think if apple released the current iPad with Mac OS built it the thing would sell like crazy.
[doublepost=1541501716][/doublepost]

For the love of God people, stop trying to make the iPad something it's not. It's not a laptop and it's never going to be. If you need a laptop, get a laptop, if you need a tablet then get an iPad.

we can't help it. IF apple claims it as a laptop replacement it better deliver. Does it? It does nothing better then the original iPad besides speed, screen, and some semi full apps but the limitations is why apple should not be calling this an laptop replacement.

 

[31 Flavas]

Surface is slowly getting there. Once it penetrates the office/corporate market well enough, it will be unstoppable.

What’s with the tepid uptake, though? Since they're straight full PC's and not a Windows-S type device locked to an "App store" so you can run all regular full PC applications on them period. They're also not beholden to Apple's I/O port restrictions or limitations on what those ports can do. They should be immediately usable and require no 'uptake' or market penetration. I guess what I'm saying is: What's stopping these unstoppable devices? Ok, yea I'm sort of playing it up here - but not really - You just now and the person who I originally quoted (and who replied below) feel such things will be amazing and would necessarily then replace iPad sales. Or kneecap the sales to a niche market of consumers.

Instead, it's been 5-6 years for the "PC in tablet form" market and the best you can say is that it is "slowly getting there"? Apple's iPad, with all that baggage in tow and the limitations it has, was an overnight success. So again, why the tepid uptake. To me instead, I read that as "PC tablets" aren't the amazing things they're claimed to be.

it hasn't taken off because apple hasn't released its version of it. Thats just my opinion of course. I think if apple released the current iPad with Mac OS built it the thing would sell like crazy.

I just beg to differ - if they were amazing as claimed - shouldn't they have taken off already? We already have them.

 

[yaxomoxay]

What’s with the tepid uptake, though? Since they're straight full PC's and not a Windows-S type device locked to an "App store" so you can run all regular full PC applications on them period. They're also not beholden to Apple's I/O port restrictions or limitations on what those ports can do. They should be immediately usable and require no 'uptake' or market penetration. I guess what I'm saying is: What's stopping these unstoppable devices? Ok, yea I'm sort of playing it up here - but not really - You just now and the person who I originally quoted (and who replied below) feel such things will be amazing and would necessarily then replace iPad sales. Or kneecap the sales to a niche market of consumers.

Instead, it's been 5-6 years for the "PC in tablet form" market and the best you can say is that it is "slowly getting there"? Apple's iPad, with all that baggage in tow and the limitations it has, was an overnight success. So again, why the tepid uptake. To me instead, I read that as "PC tablets" aren't the amazing things they're claimed to be.

I just beg to differ - if they were amazing as claimed - shouldn't they have taken off already? We already have them.

I think that what’s stopping the Surface is the idea that most people have that tablets can’t be used for “serious work” (whatever it means to anyone). People see them as limited tablets (and you probably heard the “it’s just a larger smartphone” crap).
Very anecdotal, but my organization replaced hundreds of desktops and laptops with Surface’s. When it was announced through the typical dry email from IT there was almost a riot. People complained and tried to stop or delay the upgrade. Six months later? Everyone is happier than ever, at least five of my colleagues also bought a Surface for their home and personal use. I keep hearing how great the Surface is and how much it improved the workflow (don’t ask me why).
What I observed is a mentality switch on what a Surface actually does.

(Also, if I remember well the initial release of the Surface was messed up by Microsoft)

Let me add that the idea that a better product should sell more is not entirely correct. Apple always did better products than anyone else, yet for many years its sales were pathetic.

 

[stylinexpat]

For the love of God people, stop trying to make the iPad something it's not. It's not a laptop and it's never going to be. If you need a laptop, get a laptop, if you need a tablet then get an iPad.

But they are charging us laptop prices for it

 

[pete2106]

But they are charging us laptop prices for it

That makes the choice even easier. You just have to decide if what you do is better suited to a tablet or a laptop. I'm getting my iPad Pro because I'm doing a Mathematics Degree so the screensize + the ability to hand write on it means a laptop is not suitable. If what I do doesn't require the ability to hand write but type, I'd buy a laptop. I would buy an iPad and then shoehorn accessories onto it to make it like a laptop.

 

[KPandian1]

Almost all the ports in the HyperDrive for iPad Pro, namely 4K HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, SD card slot and USB-A 3.0 should be in this device already, the same in all the MacBook versions - that is the essence of a portable.

 

[sharpimage]

Maybe it's just me, but I fail to see why this is a better solution than having a laptop, with... you know - ACTUAL PORTS!!!

Do you own an Apple laptop?

 

[Mac 128]

That makes the choice even easier. You just have to decide if what you do is better suited to a tablet or a laptop. I'm getting my iPad Pro because I'm doing a Mathematics Degree so the screensize + the ability to hand write on it means a laptop is not suitable. If what I do doesn't require the ability to hand write but type, I'd buy a laptop. I would buy an iPad and then shoehorn accessories onto it to make it like a laptop.

You mean the way people have to shoehorn accessories onto the current line of MacBooks to get a suitable laptop?

Last I checked, both the IPP and MB only come with USB-C ports. Both are sold with keyboards. The only differences are that the MB comes with a trackpad, and a headphone jack, and the IPP comes with a touch screen.

 

[blitzwing]

Anyone knows if this USB C hub would work with MacBooks as well? I am tired of carrying around so many different dongles