RUMBLINGS: Apple pondering 'Touch Cover keyboard' for iPads

Re: Surprised they haven't already

>Surface looks so much thinner and slicker than other Windows tablets

Well, no 3rd party has put that much effort into Win RT Tabs, and as for full-fat Windows tablets 3rd parties have been concentrating on tablet/laptop hybrid styles that lean more towards the laptop side - i.e devices that can look like tablets but don't have detachable keyboards, such as the Lenovo Yoga, some Sony effort.

Windows without a keyboard is dependant on software that only requires a touchscreen, and most (but not all*) people will find their needs met in that regard met by a cheaper Android tablet.

*Windows tablets have been around for years; my mechanic uses one in the workshop for diagnosing vehicle systems, I've seen surveyors use them, and Wacom have just released a Win 8 tablet incorporating the best of their digitiser technology (want).

Re: Surprised they haven't already

I agree it would be rather welcome but I see a couple of problems. The iPad connector is not on the side, so there is nowhere easy to plug it in. Without the integrated plug, the keyboard must be wireless and therefore needs a battery which would make it a poor cover. I'd love to see this though.

Re: Surprised they haven't already

Apple copying Microsoft yet again, after ripping off Metro in IOS7. I suspect we will see a Magnesium widescreen iPad soon...

Re: "... brushed aluminum and all"

Just like Sodum, Lithum, Magnesum, Calcum, etc?

Even if it had been a $25 extra, it could have been a killer feature. According to a teardown analysis, the component cost of the Touch Cover was just around $16, making its $120 price tag almost pure profit. Or at least, it would have been, had the Surface actually sold. The cost to manufacture the Surface RT itself was estimated to be well under $300, so Microsoft could have priced it far more aggressively than they had. You can't expect to charge the same premium for a new product that the established leaders in the field with rabid fanbases are charging, especially when your platform has a significant lack of software compared to the competition. Had Microsoft priced the surface RT around $400 from the start, with the Touch Cover either bundled or an inexpensive extra, they could have established themselves as a major contender in the field. The platform would have sold itself. Instead, they spent more on advertising the product than they made on sales.

Re: I sometimes bait my friend with this thought,

Please point me in the direction of that Android phone with a 64 bits processor and a Biometric scanner.

Hang on. I already have that on my iPhone/

Re: Old Idea

And Commodore in the same year:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_SX-64

Re: Quick question:

I have one for the iPad, works a treat (useful for editing documents on the fly as well as blog posts).

This is really where it works best, iPad with a 3G connection, sat with a coffee in a cafe (or via wifi if in a slightly better establishment) or even in the bar with a pint. Prop up the iPad in it's stand, pull out the keyboard and as soon as it's turned on it's away you go and comments are posted on El Reg shortly after (minus the typos from using the onscreen keyboard).

If it's anything like the 3rd party covers it'll close keyboard to screen with an auto-off feature so while the cover's closed the iPad is in sleep mode.

Re: It needs to make sure....

@hardboiledphil

That's actually exactly what it does. I use the Apple wireless keyboard with my iPad and the onscreen keyboard is absent as long as the wireless keyboard is paired and present.