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New iPad could get Surface-style keyboard cover
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MacNN Staff
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Apple could be preparing a keyboard cover for the fifth-generation iPad similar in style to the Touch Cover for the Microsoft Surface, says ex-Apple worker Jamie Ryan. The company has reportedly been working on "a few different styles" of keyboard covers for some time. Ryan comments that although there are a "1000 no's [sic] for every yes" when it comes to Apple prototypes, a first-party Bluetooth cover might make the iPad more appealing to professionals. Other "cover-like" accessories are allegedly being investigated.
Third-party Bluetooth keyboards have become commonplace accessories for the iPad and the iPad mini. Usually, though, these take the form of complete keyboard cases, rather than cover-only accessories. Even then most of the covers use rigid buttons, instead of soft-touch keys woven into the fabric of the cover itself. If Apple does have a soft-touch cover coming, it could be announced at Tuesday's iPad event.
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Does that mean Apple is going to have click-clacking dancing commercial?
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That's definitely one of things that irks me about Microsoft's Surface ad in attacking the iPad (Siri voice over). It states that the Surface comes an external keyboard when in fact, it's a separate purchase. Therefore, it's no different than purchasing a separate keyboard for the iPad like the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover (albeit not from Apple itself...yet).
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Grizzled Veteran
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MS copied Apple's smart cover for iPad with the magnets. Apple isn't copying anything MS even if they do a keyboard cover.
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I think the title of Apple's invite to the event - "We still have a lot to cover" - is indication that a new type of cover for iPads is coming.
The Surface covers are miles ahead of anything third parties have been able to come up with. Also, having the cover powered by and connected to the tablet instead of an awkward bluetooth/battery solution is something Apple sorely needs here.
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Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 
The Surface covers are miles ahead of anything third parties have been able to come up with. Also, having the cover powered by and connected to the tablet instead of an awkward bluetooth/battery solution is something Apple sorely needs here.
Those seem like subjective points. Seeing Bluetooth/battery as awkward can also be seen as better than a forced connection of keyboard to tablet or batter drain on the tablet. Likewise, I find the flat surface keyboard of Touch Cover to be inadequate for extensive typing (beyond messages). The iPad external keyboards as well as Microsoft's own Type Cover provide a better tactile response keyboard, in my opinion. That most definitely will be of interest to me with Apple's solution, if it does indeed provides one.
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Last edited by pairof9s; Oct 22, 2013 at 11:42 AM.
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