Jason Snell on the Brydge Pro+ iPad Keyboard With Trackpad

Jason Snell, writing at Six Colors:

Still, I figured that the Brydge Pro+ would find an ecological niche to fill. It’s going to be $100 or $120 cheaper than the Magic Keyboard, and will probably offer a more traditional laptop feel than Apple’s cantilevered design.

Unfortunately, none of that matters if Brydge doesn’t get the trackpad right on the Pro+, and I’m sorry to report that it hasn’t. The trackpad on the Pro+ isn’t remotely close to Apple’s trackpads in class. Sometimes I move my finger across the trackpad and the cursor appears, but doesn’t move. Other times it moves, hesitates, and then moves some more. Two-finger scrolling is similarly unpleasant. The result is an imprecise, jerky experience. It’s no good. And there’s no support for navigating between apps via three-finger gestures, either.

I’ve been using the Brydge Pro+ to write this article, and I find myself actively avoiding using the trackpad, because every time I try it, I just end up frustrated.

Federico Viticci:

Unfortunately, have to agree with Jason. I was sent a final production unit a couple weeks ago, and I had all the cursor issues Jason mentions too. Also: no three-finger gestures. I’ll be waiting for the Magic Keyboard.

Aaron Vegh:

I guess Brydge is finding out what most PC trackpad vendors have known for ages: trackpads are hard.

★ Wednesday, 8 April 2020