I needed to get a new iPad and a new lap top. So instead I'm thinking of getting the Pro and keeping the laptop for things like printing etc. Will there be a mouse one can buy to use on the iPad Pro in the office?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Pro Mouse on the iPad Pro?
- Thread starter Juanefny
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
'Fraid not. It's touch-first, touch-only, in fact. But the pencil looks pretty cool as a precision pointing device.
And I know it may be an odd question, but I had read reports that it may support mouse accessories.
There were reports in these fora that some people had jailbroken IOS devices to use pointing devices. I don't doubt it's possible but I wonder at the actual utility.
The ability to use bluetooth on jailbroken iOS devices have been around since the original iPad. I've used it in the past and it has worked wonderfully. But relying on jailbreaks for a key function in the long run is not enjoyable. I've used it on my Android tablets as well (supported natively by Android no need for jailbreak/root).
As with physical keyboards and multiwindow, usefulness of a trackpad/mouse on an iPad will only be fully understood by a person when they have the opportunity to use it in real world scenarios. Many get emotionally agitated at the thought of people using physical keyboards on an iPad, but there is an entire sub-market for keyboards and keyboard covers. These same people thumbed their nose at the usefulness of multiwindow support in iOS, but now that it is here with iOS 9, they are able to experience the usefulness (and limitations) for themselves... often changing their original opinion.
The same will be true for mouse/trackpad support. I believe that Apple will eventually add support for it, I have reason to believe it will be soon and not limited to the iPad Pro. (no update to the hardware is required)
DISCLAIMER: This is my personal opinion. No one should make a purchasing decision based on this opinion.
Based on that opinion, i've decided to go ahead and purchase
= if I didn't know you already planned on getting one. = I remembered.
Why would someone want a mouse with a tablet computer? It's a touch screen device.
If it's in your lap, and you're using the onscreen keyboard, you can easily use your finger to move the cursor, make a text selection, select icons etc
But if it is sitting on a table using a physical keyboard (official Apple or other Bluetooth) and you're typing away, it would be a real pain to have to constantly lean forward and tap the screen with your finger. The iPad would wobble and it is just uncomfortable. I've tried using a BT keyboard with word before and while the typing was much nicer than the onscreen keyboard, needing to tap tap tap on the screen was just horrible so I don't bother anymore. Tapping an icon is annoying enough but selecting text is a nightmare!
just because you dont doesnt mean everyone dont. i'd LOVE a mouse with my ipad. great for fiddly things like XL sheets for example.
Sounds interesting. Too bad it's not available anymore.
"Adobe has announced that it will remove Photoshop Touch for iPhone and iPad from the App Store and other platforms on May 28."
For years then anyone who dared to say "I wish the MacBook got TouchScreen" were met with a hostile "Mouse is better than touch, dummy!" response. And now here we are with an iPad that would clearly be more productive with mouse support and the reaction is "Its Touchscreen, it doesn't need a mouse!".
Seriously. Whats with this idea that adding one input REPLACES another? Keyboard, Mouse, Touch, Voice. All of these things can (and should) exist as input OPTIONS. Sure, you can write a novel with an on-screen keyboard or scroll through photos with a mouse or edit video clips with a finger. But if better input methods exist then why are some people so against with having them exist on the product you are currently using?
Anyway, I agree that getting mouse support on the iPad Pro would do wonders in increasing the iPad Pro's versatility and productivity. But I just don't expect Apple to do it because their primary goal nowadays is to sell products that almost do everything you want so that you will buy a companion product that does whats missing (and creates another gap that needs to be filled).
If you utilize Citrix you can use a BT mouse within the Citrix environment without jail breaking it. The device is called the Citrix X1 mouse.
https://www.citrix.com/products/mouse/overview.html
I agree. But I DO think that Apple will add support for Bluetooth mice, and maybe relatively soon. There are a few factors that might contribute to that decision... perhaps the strongest one will be as work gets underway to distribute the iPad Pro in quantity to Fortune 500 companies like IBM. The iPad Pro could be a real winner simply as a device to "remote in" to a virtual image...which would require a mouse to be viable. That's in addition to the other scenarios suitable for the iPP with mouse support.
Mouse support via a jailbreak and an app worked extremely well when I used it. It won't be difficult for Apple to slip that in... no hardware changes required.
Use Case 1: using the iPad with the touch cover. Every time you want to scroll on a web page, email, etc. you need to reach up and touch the screen. Imagine having to do that on your laptop and you might be disappointed.
Use Case 2: lets say you want to run MS Excel on your Pro (which was shown during the iPad Pro event). Imagine having to edit individual cells by touch only. No thanks.
Ipad standing on the table while typing with a bt keyboard.
Airplay / screen mirroring / attached to a larger screen and using a bt keyboard.
Editing photos for example. How do you use a lassotool when your finger is blocking you to see what you are selecting...
Doing whatever presentation/editing. To select something is horrible by fingers - because you cant see through your flesh...
So I went and got the iPad Pro this am at my local Apple store. So far, I gotta say that I have not missed having a keyboard. Pretty happy with the touch functionality!
Mice are slow, constantly getting lost on the desktop and inefficient for a lot of things. Direct pointing devices are more efficient and if you can get pixel point accuracy, it is more accurate. For those asking about doing something on screen like lasso or point-based editing, that's why active digitizers and digitizer pens are out now.
Mice we have a mouse hold down two fingers on the space bar
And that is fun when your ipad is standing and you are using a bt keyboard...