Masquerade
macrumors 6502a
😀 ok, then i don't understand why is that dock selling point!
let's hope those keyboards drivers make their way to iphone too.
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iPad Keyboard Dock's Secret Button
- Thread starter macduke
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😀 ok, then i don't understand why is that dock selling point!
let's hope those keyboards drivers make their way to iphone too.
I guess it's aimed at those who don't already have an Apple Wireless Keyboard. Some people may want one neat little package that is dock and keyboard as one to sit on their desk.
As for the iPhone bit...no idea so can't comment 🙂
That button boots the Ipad into OSX and opens a dvd slot, but only when Chuck Norris presses it.
SteveSparks
macrumors 6502a
If it really was a secret then it should have been harder to spot it. 😎
If I was going to put a secret button on a keyboard, I'd make it a self destruct. You would have to tap it three times within 5 seconds to initate the melting, as any curious thief is likely to do when it does nothing the first two times. I would also make it stand out in plain site and paint it red. Maybe a little taller than the surrounding keys. Have it blink randomly to tease. Then I'd give it a better use if you tap it a fourth time within that five seconds from the first tap. It would initialize a sterilization of the keyboard. We all know how nasty they get in use. 😀
If I was going to put a secret button on a keyboard, I'd make it a self destruct. You would have to tap it three times within 5 seconds to initate the melting, as any curious thief is likely to do when it does nothing the first two times. I would also make it stand out in plain site and paint it red. Maybe a little taller than the surrounding keys. Have it blink randomly to tease. Then I'd give it a better use if you tap it a fourth time within that five seconds from the first tap. It would initialize a sterilization of the keyboard. We all know how nasty they get in use. 😀
It's a "REVERT-TO-NORMAL" button that dumps the MacOS and refunds you $2000 in overcharges for mac hardware and software, then installs Ubuntu.
Or this photo is simply a prototype which doesn't have the final printing and/or button layout as it will appear in the final version
But feel free to speculate away....you'll have your actual answer soon enough
But feel free to speculate away....you'll have your actual answer soon enough
It activates the reality distortion field. 😛
My best guess is that they might leave it open to the user, so if there's a specific app you launch a lot you could simply press the button hot-linked to it, rather than browsing through all of your available apps. Just a guess, though.
My best guess is that they might leave it open to the user, so if there's a specific app you launch a lot you could simply press the button hot-linked to it, rather than browsing through all of your available apps. Just a guess, though.
Apple fanboys are castigated for saying "it just works" when it doesn't always. But if I had a dollar for every hour I spent trying to get various device drivers and supposedly working software to actually work on linux, I'd be a friggin millionaire. And yes, I can figure it out, I just don't want to be a sysadmin when I have real work to get done.
The dashboard/widgets idea sounds interesting, if that what the key would possibly be used for in the future.
My question though is if there is a dashboard function on the ipad, how would you access it from the ipad screen itself?
My question though is if there is a dashboard function on the ipad, how would you access it from the ipad screen itself?
anthonymoody
macrumors 68040
Well what I *do* think is a valid question is: assuming the dock+keyboard does have a bunch of iPad specific keys (e.g. Home, others?), will Apple allow you to remap the standalone BT keyboard to invoke these functions?
Presumably yes since they specifically cite the BT keyboard as a compatible accessory. But until we have clearer confirmation I may hold off on a dock order as I'd much rather get the stand-alone dock and BT keyboard.
Presumably yes since they specifically cite the BT keyboard as a compatible accessory. But until we have clearer confirmation I may hold off on a dock order as I'd much rather get the stand-alone dock and BT keyboard.
I just cannot believe all the people in this thread... 3 pages!
The reason the blank key is there is staring you in the face...
How much would it cost apple to manufacture a whole new set of aluminium plates to make a small volume of keyboards with that one button missing?
The answer to your question, is that this keyboard is a normal stock keyboard with a few of the keys icons changed. What could an ipad do with a control, alt and command button?
The ipad was designed to be cheap, and that means the accessories have to be cheap. Creating a whole new line of keyboards, with new machining molds and new templates just to remove a couple of buttons which may be useful in the future is a dumb dumb thing to do when trying to be cheap.
The reason the blank key is there is staring you in the face...
How much would it cost apple to manufacture a whole new set of aluminium plates to make a small volume of keyboards with that one button missing?
The answer to your question, is that this keyboard is a normal stock keyboard with a few of the keys icons changed. What could an ipad do with a control, alt and command button?
The ipad was designed to be cheap, and that means the accessories have to be cheap. Creating a whole new line of keyboards, with new machining molds and new templates just to remove a couple of buttons which may be useful in the future is a dumb dumb thing to do when trying to be cheap.
g-7
macrumors 6502
Alt key is often used to enter national characters in many non-English languages.
Reusing an existing keyboard mould makes a lot of sense. However it doesn't explain why the key is entirely blank. I would have thought that Apple would have put something on every key even if it was just a shortcut to Safari or the iPod.
anthonymoody
macrumors 68040
Well for my part it never crossed my mind that it wasn't 100% the same hardware as in the standard BT keyboard.
I agree with Essential Parado - Apple would never just "leave it blank." It's way too sloppy for Apple to just "eat" an unintended consequence of using the same hardware. I feel pretty strongly that they would absolutely do something with it. Time will tell.
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macrumors 6502
