# Will the iPad work with a Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse?



## krs

Any insight into that?
People I spoke to simply assume it does since iPad supports bluetooth.

I'm not si sure - the Apple bluetooth keyboard requires OS 10.5.8 but the iPad doesn't run OS X - at least not yet.


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## mjollymo

A bluetooth keyboard, yes. Mouse, no.


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## krs

How do you know?

Actually also begs the question why Apple would design a specific iPad keyboard if a standard existing bluetooth keyboard can be used.


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## (( p g ))

Apple's specs page on the iPad specifically mentions support for the Apple BT keyboard. As for the mouse? Not sure there would be a point to that. Forgive that pun.


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## mjollymo

Yes, I was just going to post the link indicating support for bluetooth keyboards.

You should know though, that while support for keyboards are there, they can only be used (and this applies to the docked keyboard too) within applications to type text. You cannot use the keyboard on the home screen to cycle applications. It's essentially just a way to input text and that's it.


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## krs

(( p g )) said:


> Apple's specs page on the iPad specifically mentions support for the Apple BT keyboard. As for the mouse? Not sure there would be a point to that. Forgive that pun.


I just looked at this iPad spec page:
Apple - iPad - Technical specifications and accessories for iPad.

Can't find any mention that the Apple BT keyboard is supported. Where on this page does it say that?

As to mouse support - about half the people I know with an Apple laptop prefer the mouse over the touch pad. I don't think that will change with the iPad.
Especially for people who have both a desktop and a laptop and use both every day.
If you only have a laptop, you probably get used to the touchpad since that is all you use.
But if you switch back and forth, I for one find it a lot easier to use a mouse with the laptop especially if I use the laptop on a table.


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## krs

mjollymo said:


> Yes, I was just going to post the link indicating support for bluetooth keyboards.


Would you because I sure as heck don't see it on the iPad spec page.


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## mjollymo

Hands-on, first impressions, and Photo gallery of Apple iPad

Didn't see it on the apple site, but it's been reported in several locations who have had hands on experience with the device. 

I am not sure about your argument with the mouse. I don't see how the trackpad on a macbook compares to the iPad. There is no mouse pointer in an iPad. The OS is like the iPhone/iPod touch. You tap to navigate, or slide to scroll. In that respect, yes it's like the macbook trackpad with the gestures and what not. Still, I find the interaction between a macbook trackpad and iPhone to be very different as an iPhone/iPad are touch based devices.


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## fjnmusic

krs said:


> How do you know?
> 
> Actually also begs the question why Apple would design a specific iPad keyboard if a standard existing bluetooth keyboard can be used.


Seems to me the more keyboards you buy, the more profit Apple can make. There's a lot of money in peripherals.


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## fellfromtree

I can't find where now, but I read/saw something about the iPad Dock keyboard having some iPad specific keys as compared to the regular keyboard, like a home key. I don't see those specifics from the link KRS gave.


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## Snookaroo

This is a helpful discussion. I've been wondering the same. It goes beyond the mouse -- since Apple has taken the time to port iWork, which includes Keynote, I'm wondering if I'll be able to use a BT pointing device with Keynote for presentations. I've been sort of assuming yes, but like all of us, we'll have to see how it has been implemented. A related question is whether Apple will allow 3rd parties to develop these devices.


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## Alex26

As for the iPhone or iPod Touch, there is no pointer on the device... What I mean is your finger is the pointer... so I don't see how a mouse would function.


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## mjollymo

Snookaroo said:


> This is a helpful discussion. I've been wondering the same. It goes beyond the mouse -- since Apple has taken the time to port iWork, which includes Keynote, I'm wondering if I'll be able to use a BT pointing device with Keynote for presentations. I've been sort of assuming yes, but like all of us, we'll have to see how it has been implemented. A related question is whether Apple will allow 3rd parties to develop these devices.


Keynote actually has a nifty feature built in if you hook it up to a projector for a presentation. It has a virtual laser pointer that you can control with your finger on the iPad. I think I read it on Appleinsider and a few other locations.


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## krs

mjollymo said:


> I am not sure about your argument with the mouse. I don't see how the trackpad on a macbook compares to the iPad. There is no mouse pointer in an iPad. The OS is like the iPhone/iPod touch. You tap to navigate, or slide to scroll. In that respect, yes it's like the macbook trackpad with the gestures and what not. Still, I find the interaction between a macbook trackpad and iPhone to be very different as an iPhone/iPad are touch based devices.


This is not an argument - it's just what people do.

If the iPad was just an oversized iPhone or iPod I would agree with you, but as soon as you add a separate keyboard and applications like Excel, that analogy goes out the window.
Suppose you want to create an Excel spreadsheet and you need to select a specific cell to enter some information.
There are several ways to access that cell but most people I know use the mouse rather than pounding on arrow keys or using the keyboard.
With the iPad I assume one can just touch the cell on the screen to select it, but since the external keyboard and that operation is not in the same plane, that operation becomes unnatural and awkward.
With a laptop the keyboard and touchpad is in the same plane - same for desktop and mouse - not so for iPad keyboard and iPad touch screen.

As to a BT keyboard being supported on the iPad - I hope it is, but there is a difference between "working" and being "supported".
I would have expected the BT Keyboard and iPad compatibility to be at least mentioned on the Apple BT Keyboard page but it still mentions OS 10.5.8 as a requirement - nothing about the iPad.


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## mjollymo

Krs, I think you are trying to apply current desktop rules and apply them to the iPad. The iWork apps for the iPad are built specifically for the iPad way of using the program. All the features are there, but how they are accessed and used are different from the desktop counterparts. 

With that in mind, I don't think adding an external keyboard does not make the experience awkward at all. As I stated in an earlier post, the keyboard is primarily a way to enter text. It's not meant to use for navigating around the iPad interface. It has some shortcut keys such as going to the home screen, adjusting brightness, iPod music control. As you stated, if you want to select a cell, you use your finger as it is the pointer. You aren't sitting at such a far distance from the iPad to make it awkward to tap the screen. 

Sorry if I am not understanding the point you are trying to make. To me it just seems they are two completely different interfaces, and whether there is a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard, how a traditional computer/laptop are used are extremely different to a touch based device.


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## krs

> To me it just seems they are two completely different interfaces, and whether there is a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard, how a traditional computer/laptop are used are extremely different to a touch based device.


My point is that Apple is mixing the two.
If everything was touch based fine, but with the external keyboard that is no longer true.

I guess we'll find out how people like it once some iPads have been shipped.

I just opened Excel and pretended I had to touch a cell to select it.
Not only do I find it awkward having to lean forward to touch the screen, but on my 23-inch display the height of the cells is so small that I couldn't select one specific cell with a finger - and I have relatively slender fingers.
The cells would have to become much bigger to be selectable but one doesn't get to see much of the spreadsheet.
So maybe zoom in and out automatically somehow?
It's also awkward that the iPad keyboard dock will only hold the iPad vertically (or does it) - spreadsheets tend to be used horizontally as do power point presentations.
Be interesting to see how this all comes together in practice.


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## chas_m

krs:

Actually watching the keynote video would answer at least some of your questions.

As has already been answered repeatedly, the iPad WILL repeat WILL work with Apple's BT keyboard. Apple's own page says so.

No definitive answer about BT mouse support. PERHAPS if the system detected a mouse an arrow/cursor would appear, but until people can actually hold one and test these things it is unknown.

As for your Excel (you mean Numbers) analogy, again -- watch the keynote (where Phil Schiller actually does some data entry!).


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## krs

Very nice post chas_m, thank-you.
Not your usual style - much appreciated.

OK - the Apple page you posted definitely answers the BT Keyboard question.
Makes me wonder why Apple came out with a "wired" plug-in keyboard as well
especially since the iPad has the integrated touch keyboard that can be used to set up the BT keyboard.

As to Numbers - I actually did watch the keynote adress live when it happened via a CNN link but I sort of turned off when Phil Schiller did the iWork presentation. Not that I'm not interested in iWork, I just find Phil is really wishy washy and has no stage presence at all and his presentation skills are sadly lacking - oh well.
I assume the keynote is still somewhere on Apple's website.


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## screature

krs said:


> I just looked at this iPad spec page:
> Apple - iPad - Technical specifications and accessories for iPad.
> 
> Can't find any mention that the Apple BT keyboard is supported. Where on this page does it say that?
> 
> *As to mouse support - about half the people I know with an Apple laptop prefer the mouse over the touch pad.* I don't think that will change with the iPad.
> Especially for people who have both a desktop and a laptop and use both every day.
> If you only have a laptop, you probably get used to the touchpad since that is all you use.
> But if you switch back and forth, I for one find it a lot easier to use a mouse with the laptop especially if I use the laptop on a table.


Ya but there is no pointer/arrow with the iPad... Your finger is the pointer so I don't see how a mouse could work.


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## fyrefly

krs said:


> So maybe zoom in and out automatically somehow?


I'm sure there's the same Double tap that they have on the iPhone/iPod Touch for zooming into certain areas/cells. 



krs said:


> It's also awkward that the iPad keyboard dock will only hold the iPad vertically (or does it) - spreadsheets tend to be used horizontally as do power point presentations.
> Be interesting to see how this all comes together in practice.


The iPad Dock only docks vertically. 










But if you wanted to Stand the iPad up in Landscape mode, I'm sure you could put it in a different case/stand and then use a BT Keyboard.


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## krs

screature said:


> Ya but there is no pointer/arrow with the iPad... Your finger is the pointer so I don't see how a mouse could work.


Easy enough to generate a pointer as soon as you plug in a mouse.

A finger just can't give you the accuracy that a mouse pointer gives you.
For instance, how would you do something as simple as accurately cropping a photo or even select the space between two letters in a word to add another letter.
I watched the numbers demo again and not only are the cells huge physically - to be able to select individual ones I suspect, they are also very small when it comes to content - just a number or two.
And the part of a spreadsheet one can see is pretty small.
For iWorks the iPad is more of a toy than a serious tool.


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## chas_m

krs said:


> Makes me wonder why Apple came out with a "wired" plug-in keyboard as well


The "wired" (actually doesn't have a wire, it connects directly to the device but nevermind) keyboard for the iPad has iPad-specific keys ... the BT one doesn't, so that's probably why.



> I assume the keynote is still somewhere on Apple's website.


Available as a podcast on iTunes, and yes on Apple's site (link off the main page), though the iTunes idea will get you a much more consistent viewing experience.


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## krs

chas_m said:


> The "wired" (actually doesn't have a wire, it connects directly to the device............


That's why i put quotation marks around the word wired.........

And as to special keys - I'm sure some of the function keys could be used.
That needs to be done for the BT keyboard anyway.


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## fyrefly

I'm really not sure about plugging a mouse into the iPad.

This device seems to be Apple's attempt to migrate people into the "touch computing" platform - and hopefully move OSX in that direction too, imho. To allow people to plug in a mouse to this touchscreen device, would kindof defeat that purpose.


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## chas_m

krs said:


> That's why i put quotation marks around the word wired.........


Ah. Okay.



> And as to special keys - I'm sure some of the function keys could be used.


Apple appears to disagree with you on this one.


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## lipplog

*Good question! I think I figured it out...*

The reason why you won't be seeing a mouse for the iPad is because, like all touch devices (i.e. the HP tablet, the Palm, the Droid, etc) it doesn't have a cursor.

I mean the cursor was invented to be a representation of your hand in a virtual work space. Now that you can use your real hand, why not remove the artificial representation? 

If you put a baby in front of a screen, they intuitively reach out to touch it, right?

To quote the great master "You must unlearn what you have learned."

As for why Apple designed its own keyboard for the iPad when any old bluetooth keyboard will work? Because their keyboard has a dock that not only holds the iPad in the upright position, but charges the battery at the same time. Plus it's heavy enough so that when you remove the iPad the keyboard stays put.


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## iPad

I've got the Apple BT keyboard and it works great with the iPad. Any BT keybard should work and if you buy the USB adapter then some USB keyboards will work too. 

Battery life on the iPad is good enough that you don't really have to worry about the drain. I can't see a use for a mouse though. It's easy enough just to tap the screen with your fingers when needed.


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## krs

fyrefly said:


> This device seems to be Apple's attempt to migrate people into the "touch computing" platform - and *hopefully move OSX in that direction too*, imho. To allow people to plug in a mouse to this touchscreen device, would kindof defeat that purpose.


I sure hope not.


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## CubaMark

lipplog said:


> The reason why you won't be seeing a mouse for the iPad is because, like all touch devices (i.e. the HP tablet, the Palm, the Droid, etc) it doesn't have a cursor.


*ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE* _(sorry, Jailbreak only)_

*Controlling an iPad with the Apple Magic Mouse*





> Redmond Pie wanted an alternative to the iPad's touchscreen, so the BTstack Mouse app was the only logical way to go. This lets users connect any Bluetooth-enabled mouse, including the Apple Magic Mouse, with jailbrokend iPads.


*Yep! It has a cursor too!*





+
YouTube Video









ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.






(TechEblog)


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## Bog

I wish we didn't have to jailbreak to get mouse support.

Imagine using your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad as a thin client. With applications like RDP, VNC, Citric, VMWare View, Wyse PocketCloud and others you can connect your iOS device to a full sized BT keyboard, BT mouse and monitor.

Yes, the touch interface is nice, however, a mouse expand sthe possibilities for improved mobility and productivity without compromising the user experience.


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## imnothng

I always thought it would be really neat to be able to "attach" an iPhone or iPod Touch to the keyboard to use as a trackpad like the Macbook's have.


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