Remote Conductor: Turn iPad Into a Mac Input Device | Hacker News Reader

Remote Conductor: Turn iPad Into a Mac Input Device

macworld.com

28 pointsBud15 comments

I'm one of the Remote Conductor devs, and this is the first product from our bootstrapped two person startup, m3me. If you have any questions, let me know!

The OSX part of the application crashes after resuming from suspend. Correction: switching wireless networks.

1/2/11 15:39:24 com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[152] ([0x0-0x253253].com.m3me.Conductor-Server[4603]) Exited abnormally: Broken pipe

I just bought it because I was curious. It works well. I just wish it was possible to keep the application in switcher mode. Once you switch apps it drops back into trackpad mode.

Still, this will be pretty useful with my bluetooth keyboard. I now have a wifi trackpad.

There is a way to keep it in switcher mode: just tap the little lock icon in the bottom left corner. When the icon is locked, tapping on a window will keep switcher mode active (tapping on the background will bring you back to track mode).

Oh cool, missed that. Now I don't mind having paid $10 for it.

Just got it and I'm pretty impressed. Two things I'd like to see though:

1) the ability to bring up a keyboard (I had to lean forward to type something in. C'mon! :-)

2) the ability to pinch-zoom Switcher window previews. One of the frustrating things about Exposé for me is the unpredictable size & location of windows, especially when they look similar shrunk down. I'd like to peak closer at a window before I select it.

One note I had: I originally thought, "this'll be great because I'll be able to have an interactive animated trackpad!" but after using it, I feel like the use-cases for the Trackpad vs. the Switcher & Application chooser are slightly different. As a trackpad, I'm sitting closer to the computer and hardly looking at the iPad (but I do like the extra space), but I feel like the other two modes are better for sitting back and doing more casual surfing activities. Dunno if that's just me getting used to it though.

Anyway, good job and good luck!

When I first saw this I couldn't understand why it was needed. I mean who wants a $500 mouse?

After thinking about it though it starts to make sense to me. Of course no one in their right mind would buy an iPad to use Remote Conductor, but those of us with iPads can take advantage of the "Launch Mode". I'm sold.

Reading the headline, I thought "if this can output the computer's display to the iPad, I might consider buying one".

Pen-on-screen graphics tablets don't come cheap. Wacom's entry-level Cintiq is priced at $999. Add a pressure-sensitive stylus and the iPad may very well have a viable market for this kind of application.

AirDisplay (http://avatron.com/apps/air-display/) lets you use the iPad as an extra touch-screen display over WiFi.

Friends who tried the initial releases said that it felt like a 'slow VNC connection', although I think they've improved responsiveness in later releases.

Would be nice to have the iPhone as a Magic trackpad :)

Like this? http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touchpad/id297623931?mt=8

Thx, I will try it out! Looks neat

The reason I think the iPad is a neater idea is that we already have an iPhone-sized trackpad/input device for the Mac. It's called the trackpad. :)

I know but understand that I don't want to waste 50+ bucks on that for my desktop when I have the iPhone and with an app I can do the same for 5 $

Giant, configurable trackpad, with a display and multiple modes.

I can really see this working as a desktop control or app-launching device for some users.

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