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

New iPod Dock-Enabled Keyboard Coming?

jsw said:
If this is valid - arguably a big "if" - it seems to me to be not unlikely that the keyboard would be used to provide input to some iPod function, not just serve as a dock. Just an idea. iPhone dock, anyone?
Click to expand...

That or for 5th generation iPods to serve as some kind of secondary screen, and or to be used as a dock to watch videos while using the speakers of the computer that it is connected to (or any speakers or sound system connected to said computer). I would actually use the 2nd feature allot. I tend to watch videos on my iPod while I do other things (processor intensive) on my computers.

Every CPU cycle counts when you are working on video editing :) .
 
Hmmm

I'm with those who think it's massively unlikely that this would have happened without *someone* taking a pic and posting it *somewhere*...
 
ThinkSecret has long since joined the ranks of DigiTimes and MacOSRumors. They are no longer a credible source of information.
 
If you are mac savvy enough to notice that the ipod dock thing on this keyboard shouldnt be there, then you would be savvy enough to at least snap a picture of it or have a much better desciption. I can B.S. on the whole rumor...

HOWEVER.... I feel the iPhone is going to use the iPod dock, at least that connector. Makes it compatible with all the iPod stuff out there. What if the phone has some PDA ability, and the new keyboard acts as a possible interface to the phone directly.

Maybe iPhone, iTablet are the SAME product.
 
andiwm2003 said:
having my 4G ipod sticking out of my keyboard is a bad thing. looks stupid, blocks the view to the monitor and when you move the keyboard your ipod falls out. i don't think this rumor is true.
Click to expand...

What if the iPod nano lays flat and slides into the keyboad leaving only a small part of the iPod sticking out the side of the keyboard? what if the keyboard sucks the nano in like a slot loading CD drive? This would actually reduce desk clutter and get the iPod and it's charging cable off the desk. A vertical docking port would be stupid and I doubt Apple would do that.
 
guzhogi said:
Sound kinda cool if it were true. The only thing is, to my knowledge, keyboards run at USB 1.0 or 1.1 speeds, not USB 2. And once you connect a 1.x device to any USB port, the whole chain will go to 1.1 speeds. So either the iPod transfer speeds would be slow as heck or (more probably) Apple will up the keyboard speed. Remember, USB was originally designed to replace serial ports (like ADB & printer ports on Macs and PS/2 on PCs) and meant for relatively slow devices that don't need much bandwidth (mice, keyboards, printers).
Click to expand...

I view this as a "trial baloon" not a rumor. If Apple were to make a USB2 keyboard with iPod dock, would it have incremental value?

Rocketman
 
Demoted to page 2 after we heard from "the submitters of the TS story" that it was fake.

1984 said:
ThinkSecret has long since joined the ranks of DigiTimes and MacOSRumors. They are no longer a credible source of information.
Click to expand...

Haha... true true.

Although they published some stuff this summer that the verdict is still out on (the iWork and iLife 07 stuff).
 
I have a picture of one

see. . .
 

Attachments

  • keyboard with ipod dock.jpg
    keyboard with ipod dock.jpg
    43.7 KB · Views: 233
Hey, I don't know about your displays, but if an iPod on top of an Apple Keybord would block yours, they probably aren't ergonomically adjusted. You're certainly not talking about an iMac screen, I suppose. :cool:

And by the way, I don't really understand why would it block access to the mouse, for that matter... :confused:

[edit: oh, of course, if you're using a laptop, I understand how an iPod could block the view... but if you're using an external keyboard and mouse, shouldn't you put the laptop in a stand, anyway? ]

keyboard_iPod.png
 
guzhogi said:
Or block the screen.
Click to expand...


What is this "Block the screen"? How exactly would the dock in the keyboard block the screen? And why are people saying the iPod would fall out? With my dock, when the iPod's in - It's in. It's not going anywhere, it's got a good mechanisim to hold it in.

Looking at above posts, I could see how some might think it blocks the display. But I think that if this is a genuine product, the dock would be horizontaly positioned, so you'd plug it in like the 1st gen. iPods, only at the top of the KB next to the USB ports.
 
coffeecty said:
What is this "Block the screen"? How exactly would the dock in the keyboard block the screen? And why are people saying the iPod would fall out? With my dock, when the iPod's in - It's in. It's not going anywhere, it's got a good mechanisim to hold it in.

Looking at above posts, I could see how some might think it blocks the display. But I think that if this is a genuine product, the dock would be horizontaly positioned, so you'd plug it in like the 1st gen. iPods, only at the top of the KB next to the USB ports.
Click to expand...

my screen is very low, thats the way i like it. it's lower edge is about 3 1/2 inch above the table. so the ipod would block the view.

i use my keyboard on my lap once in a while or move it quickly out of the way if i need the desk space. that could easily shake an ipod off the dock connector.

anyway, i think the only dignified place for an ipod is the bose sound dock anyway :cool: (that i can't afford:eek: )
 
I'd LOVE an iPod dock in my keyboard... either a "insert nano here" design as mentioned - just a great space saver, or a "drop 4/5G/nano into cradle in the top center of the keyboard" as I think most people have invisioned. Putting it on the top center wouldn't get in the way of the mouse (left or right handed) and unless your screen is uncomfortably low wouldn't get in the way of the display. If it did for you, well, don't buy it or don't use it.

It would open up opertunities to store all your music exclusively on your iPod and free up some HDD space and more easily connect it to your computer speakers/iTunes when needed.

It would open up the idea of, as mentioned, using the iPod video to watch movies, sending the sound to your computer, even playing back video that is stored on your computer through the iPod.

Even better would be allowing applications on your Mac to write to the display on your iPod while docked - for example the equivalent of GMail notifier that pops up on the iPod screen rather than your desktop.

The other logical step would be iPods with more PDA like features that let you enter data directly into them while docked in a keyboard. Portable folding PDA keyboard have been around forever, there could certainly be a similar option with this.

To bad it sounds like it's a fake.
 
I'd love one of those PCI express slots that you have in thye Macbook pros to be in the keyboard so you could put card readers or whatever in there.T hey're shaped like a 2n Gen iPod nano, just bogger. I'd love to see a "dock" that goes into that PCI express slot where the iPod nano disappears with just the screen (or nothing) sticking out. That would be the must have thing for every MBP and iPod nano owner. It would be equally sweet to just slide the iPod into your iMac's keyboard, wouldn't it?
 
i think the ipod-dock-keyboard that they linked to looks sexy! The features/buttons are overkill, and not very apple-like, but the dock looks great!
 
Good Grief. Who in their right mind would have believed this in the first place. Most Mac users are computer savvy enough to say to themselves, "hmm... this is a keyboard with an iPod dock. Apple doesn't sell these. This little piece of information is worth something." *photograph* "I think I'll sell this photo to CNN."

Okay, well that's a little unlikely. But who would call Apple and say, "uhh... you sent me an uber-keyboard. I wanted my standard one back."

SECONDLY, if the keyboard was sent to a repair depot, why on earth would they have a prototype keyboard... much less send the damn thing to someone?

Ah, TS TS TS... *shakes head in disdain*

-Clive
 
MrCrowbar said:
I'd love one of those PCI express slots that you have in thye Macbook pros to be in the keyboard so you could put card readers or whatever in there.T hey're shaped like a 2n Gen iPod nano, just bogger. I'd love to see a "dock" that goes into that PCI express slot where the iPod nano disappears with just the screen (or nothing) sticking out. That would be the must have thing for every MBP and iPod nano owner. It would be equally sweet to just slide the iPod into your iMac's keyboard, wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

GENIUS! If they put the port on their keyboards, they could sell it to everyone except MacBook owners..... hah ha....:p told you to upgrade....

But crowbar. Seriously. Go patented that idea and make it. Thats pure genius. First do the Nano/PCI card converter thing to make up enough money to design the keyboard. Absolutely genius.
 
kingtj said:
Exactly what I was thinking.... Plus, do you realize what one of these would be worth on the open market? eBay that thing and you'd be likely to get hundreds of dollars for it. Sure beats a replacement of a $29.95 or so keyboard, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

I'd guess a not-yet-released Apple prototype would sell for easily $10k on eBay. Especially if you could avoid much information getting out, yet provide conclusive proof that it isn't a spoof.

wmmk said:
you're kidding, right?
Click to expand...

Seriously, why do people feel the need to ask this?

guzhogi said:
Remember, USB was originally designed to replace serial ports (like ADB & printer ports on Macs and PS/2 on PCs) and meant for relatively slow devices that don't need much bandwidth (mice, keyboards, printers).
Click to expand...

Printers require quite a lot of bandwidth. Agree with the input devices though, and I remember my first digital camera taking 2 minutes to copy a 640x480 photo to my computer.
 
I'm glad we have a Page 2 for this kind of stuff ThinkSecret comes up with.

But seriously, when is apple going to update their clunky keyboard? Lets get something with slim keys and backlighting for coolness.
 
Heh... I like this rumor.. "Some birdies told us" is countered with "another birdie told us"... ^_^

A build in dock would be nice though. Saves another USB-port, and if Apple can do it nicely, bring it on. Would look so much better than the rumored Mac mini with build-in dock.
 
i too doubt this to be true.

i imagine a new keyboard would have usb2.0 (which to me is better than an ipod dock) and an IR receiver.

the second would be mainly for mac pro / older mac owners to allow for front row support.

since apple said front row will be part of leopard's "full package" it'd make sense!
 
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