Jailbroken iPad Works with Magic Trackpad or Mouse

Jailbroken iPad Works with Magic Trackpad or Mouse
I have never jailbroken an Apple device, and I am not advocating that you should, but I saw this article and video of a jailbroken iPad that is being controlled by an Apple Magic Mouse, and I really hope Apple has the wisdom to turn on the ability to be able to use bluetooth pointing devices with the iPad.
There are obviously many advantages to this including not smudging up the screen with finger oils and being able to use the iPad with the BulletTrain Express, which would be really tight!!!
Apple, please ad this functionality to the iPad. You can't imagine who many people ask me if this is possible, and they really want this feature!!!
Update: A reader wrote in and said "Some of us iPad users jailbreak theirs and use a program called btstacks mouse for mouse support."

Leo Taking A Break At MacWorld 2011 MagicStand for iPad On His Lap

Leo Taking A Break At MacWorld 2011

MagicStand for iPad On His Lap

Leo, is the Director of Marketing for BulletTrain and he is pictured below at Macworld 2011, as he takes a break to catch-up on some emails on his iPad with the BulletTrain MagicStand attached to it. Try doing that with any other stand or case for the iPad, in a footprint that only adds 1/4 inch of thickness to your iPad!!! The BulletTrain MagicStand is really something else!!!!

BulletTrain Express AppStorm Macworld 2011 Gadgets Review...

BulletTrain Express

Macworld 2011 Gadgets Review from AppStorm

"It fits perfectly on your lap, and is definitely an appealing solution for sitting in front of your big HDTV."

If you use your Mac as a media centre, I’m sure there are times when you’ve been frustrated with the options for controlling the computer remotely. I often get tired of using my knee as a Magic Mouse platform, and have wished for a solution that’s a little more Apple-esque.

The BulletTrain Express

One interesting product announced was the BulletTrain Express, an aluminum device that holds both your Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad and recreates the feel of a Macbook keyboard area. It fits perfectly on your lap, and is definitely an appealing solution for sitting in front of your big HDTV.

Chad's BulletTrain Express Station....

My Train!!!

Chad's BulletTrain Express Station

Chad recently purchased a BulletTrain Express keyboard tray and he sent in these photos of his setup and said:

Jake

I am so happy with my BulletTrain Express! It is a work of art on its own. I had to update from the matching iMac aluminum stand to the clear one from Macsessity.

I couldn't hide 'the train' as I did with other keyboards. Even when it's away it's on display.

Bravo sir!

Kind Regards,

Chad

Chad has a silicon cover over his keyboard that gives it black keys, but the only challenge is that version is for a Macbook. In about a month or so we will start selling a similar version but ours will completely wrap around the Apple keyboard, thus giving is a better fit. Here is what it will look like:

Do It Yourself BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform...

DIY (Do It Yourself)

BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform

One of my favorite things is to talk to BulletTrain customers to learn how they are using or intend to use their BulletTrain products. In doing so, it is AMAZING how much I learn. This evening, I had a fascinating conversation with MaryAnne who recently purchased a BulletTrain Express, but has not received it yet.

Of course, I asked her what computer she would be using it with and she said:

"My husband works for Apple and he bought me a beautiful 27 iMac, which I love playing Worlds Of Warcraft on. The challenge is, I had only ever used a laptop with a trackpad and no matter how hard I tried to get used to using a mouse or the Magic Trackpad on the side of the keyboard, I just could not. It always felt awkward, unnatural and uncomfortable to me.

"Out of desperation, I used Velcro to create my own Apple Keyboard tray, by velcroing the Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad to a book.

"It does not work well, but out of desperation I had no other choice. One day my husband came home and mentioned he had seen the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform and I went to BulletTrain.com and purchased it immediately!!! I am so excited to stop using my "What your mother never taught you the pizza Gourmet will" book with velcro as an Apple keyboard and Magic Trackpad tray!!!"

Of course, I was curious to see Maryanne's DIY BulletTrain Express, and I am certain she is going to be one very happy camper when she receives her BulletTrain Express!!!!

Methinks Maryanne and her husband will be much happier with the BulletTrain Express as apposed to her DIY rig which is using a book as a keyboard tray for the Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad...

MacVoices TV: Macworld 2011 BulletTrain Delivers A Sleek Remote Control Surface For Your Mac-Based Home Theater

MacVoices TV: Macworld 2011

BulletTrain Delivers

A Sleek Remote Control Surface

For Your Mac-Based Home Theater

Chuck Joiner from MacVoices TV is a really cool guy, and he interviewed the BulletTrain team at Macworld which you can see in this video...

TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) Video Review Macworld 2011: BulletTrain offers Unique Accessories For Keyboard & iPad...

Another rave review for the BulletTrain MagicStand and Express Keyboard Platform!!! This time from TUAW which is considered to be the Bible of Apple Blogs!!!!!!!

...TUAW Macworld 2011: Review & Video...

BulletTrain Offers Unique Accessories For Keyboard & iPad

"Some of the more interesting folks we saw at Macworld Expo weren't standing behind booths. We ran into the guys from BulletTrain who had two interesting pieces of hardware.

First, the Express Keyboard Platform holds Apple's Bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad in a portable and supremely useful configuration, while the MagicStand for iPad offers multiple viewing angles, durability and good looks. Here's a quick look at each.

The Express Keyboard Platform is for anyone who has a Mac connected to a TV or large LCD display, as well as those who'd rather not sit at a desk to work. It's a big piece of machined aluminum (see above) that first locks the Magic Trackpad into place and then holds the keyboard just above it. In fact, it looks like the bottom half of a 17" MacBook Pro, only with a larger trackpad. The two units are held snugly in place and can't be dislodged by your legs. It's a heck of a lot better than the keyboard balancing act that so many of us endure, and feels just right.

Note: TUAW said:

"It looks like the bottom half of a 17" Macbook Pro, only with a larger trackpad."

Note from Jake:

If you didn't have the BulletTrain Express next to a Macbook it could look like a 17", but the truth is the BulletTrain Express is actually smaller than a 15" inch Macbook keyboard. It is really just a tad bit larger than a 13" Macbook keyboard and weights less than a 13" Macbook Air!!!! In the photo below you see the BulletTrain Express next to a 15" Macbook for comparison:



The guys also showed us the MagicStand for iPad, which again is a piece of aluminum that adheres to the back of the iPad with the help of a removable adhesive. What's nice about the MagicStand is that, thanks to some Velcro and a cleverly-placed kickstand, it offers a huge number of viewing angles. Plus, you can easily hang it on a wall or move from portrait to landscape orientation without having to remove your iPad or reseat anything.

Both devices are made in San Francisco and can be had for US$129 each. You can watch a demo video:

Hangin' Out With Sinbad At MacWorld 2011 in San Francisco...

Hangin' Out With Sinbad

MacWorld 2011 in San Francisco

We attended Macworld 2011, and on the fist day we ran into Sinbad the Comedian/Actor. Sinbad delivered the 2011 Macworld Keynote this year. When we ran into Sinbad we gave him a demo on the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform and MagicStand. Sinbad was extremely impressed with both products and he really freaked out on how cool the BulletTrain Express was.

Sinbad has attended every Macworld for the last 20 years since 2011, and he was such a nice guy!!! I really enjoyed Macworld this year and thought is was a big hit!!!

First BulletTrain Express Video

First BulletTrain Express Video
This is the first video I have seen from somebody made who purchased a BulletTrain Express and I think it is really neat. I have never even thought about putting the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform on a coffee table with a laptop, but as you kinda see in this video, it makes it look even more like it is floating. Of course, the BulletTrain Express in this video is a production model so it has the graphics on the bottom and the new auto-leveleing round feet.
I had to watch this video a few times to realize, that the user was showing how he can use the BulletTrain Express with his Macbook on his coffee table, and then rest the BulletTrain Express on his lap and use it as a remote control to play a Youtube video, which is just far enough a way to simulate an LCD TV. Neato...if you ask me...


As soon as we can shoot new videos we will put them up on the website. I am really excited to see and share more peoples videos and photos of the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform which acts as a tray for the Apple Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard.

GearDiary.com Review of The BulletTrain Express...

GearDiary.com Review

1st Formal Review of BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform

"The BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform; Thankfully Someone Was Listening." –GearDiary.com

Gear Diary recently reviewed wrote the first formal review of the BulletTrain Express and gave it a rave review filled with accolades!!!

The obvious question, is since the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform has been selling for almost 90 days, how is it there have been no formal reviews? The answer is simple, many publications have contacted us and asked us to send them a review unit, and we have not sent out one single review unit, because we have not been able to keep up with the demand.

I realize many people would say I should send out review units to increase sales even more, but my customers come first. As soon as we get caught up, which will be soon, we will send out the review units.

"The BulletTrain Express is the perfect configuration for anyone who prefers the large screen of an iMac but the keying surface they are used to from their favorite Macbook. In all honesty, this is the keyboard that Apple should have offered for sale in the first place...but for whatever reason, Steve and company just didn't feel the need. Thankfully Jake Ehrlich of BulletTrain saw the need, and he decided to create a device that would satisfy people like me."

"The BulletTrain Express is the exact keyboard configuration that I wanted and didn't think I would ever be able to find; it's beautiful, functional, and it is an absolute must for anyone who loves their Macbook, but also uses an iMac. As an added bonus, it is also the perfect solution for anyone who is using a Mac computer to drive their large screen TV. You can sit on the couch and rest the platform in your lap, and you can flip it upside down or sideways without worrying that the keyboard or Trackpad might fall out."

"If you are thinking this is exactly what you've been looking for, then I suggest you place your order and not think twice about the price; I did, and I have NO REGRETS.

–Judie Stanford of GearDiary.com

So how did GearDiary.com get a review unit? They bought one!!! It turns out Judie Lipsett Stanford, who is the Editor and Publisher of GearDiary.com was looking for a solution just like the BulletTrain Express, so when she found the BulletTrain Express she simply bought one.

GearDiary.com's review is superb and Judie perfect sums up the whole BulletTrain experience.

By the way, if you own a BulletTrain Express, you will recognize the photo below of the bottom of the BulletTrain Express, but if you visit BulletTrain.com you will not see any photos of this update design with the half-dome rubber feet or the BulletTrain graphics.

This is because we are in the process of completely overhauling BulletTrain.com, which will include all-new photographs and videos, but we have been so overwhelmed with production and delivery, that we have not updated anything since launch.

BulletTrain Express Jumping Cursor Challenge Update

BulletTrain Express Jumping Cursor Challenge Update

Update: February 14, 2011: Better Touch Tool just released the solution to overcoming this challenge and you can learn all about it by clicking here.

Challenge: A very small percentage of people who purchased the BulletTrain Express contacted us to let us know they have been experiencing a challenge where the cursor randomly jumps around their screen when they use the BulletTrain Express.

Despite the fact that less than 2% of people have reported this issue, it is something I take very seriously. The challenge, is that as hard as I tried, I was not able to duplicate the challenge. I kept experimenting and studying the challenge and we finally figured it out!!!

The challenge is there are many variables that contribute to this. Apparently it has to do with the unique geometry of peoples hands and how they sit and how they type. The culprit is that if your wrest your palm or thumb on the MagicTrackpad when it is in the keyboard it will NOT cause the cursor to randomly jump around.

However, if your palm bounces up-and-down very-lightly when you type, the MagicTrackpad can mistake this as you trying to execute a "Tap to Click" gesture, and it will move the cursor. Once again, this occurs if your palm very lightly keeps bouncing up and down on the left or right edge of the Magic Trackpad while you are typing quickly.

Solution 1: This method is guaranteed to overcome the challenge:

1. Click on the Apple icon located at the left edge of your menu bar located at the top of your screen.

2. Select "System Preferences."

3. On the Hardware section, click on "Trackpad."

4. Notice the first option under "One Finger" is "Tap to Click." Simply uncheck this option and your cursor will NEVER jump around.

Solution 2: It appears many people prefer to keep "Tap to Click" turned on, and the other half seem to prefer it off. I like to use "Tap to Click" and if I had to keep it turned off in order to benefit from all the great features the BulletTrain Express provides, I would, but I would miss it.

A few day ago I spoke with Andreas who is the owner and programmer of an amazing software tool named "Better Touch Tool." If you are not familiar with Better Touch Tool, it will blow your mind!!!! Better Touch Tool allows you to go far, far beyond the standard Apple System Preference options for the Magic Trackpad, and Better Touch Tool allows you to create your own gestures and swipes and assign them to do just about anything you can imagine on the Mac.

I shared the challenge with Andreas and he told me he will build a new feature into Better Touch Tool that allows you to choose to turn-off "Tap to Click" on the left and right edges of your MagicTrackpad. This will make it impossible to have the cursor, randomly jump around. Ironically, Apple used to offer this feature on Macbooks, then they apparently decided to just turn it on all Macbooks, but they did not add it to the Magic Trackpad since they did not foresee the Magic Trackpad being used in the BulletTrain Express.

The image below is a mock-up of how I foresee the Better Touch Tool feature working. On the left side of the image below, we see Better Touch Tool the way it is now. When Andreas adds the new feature it will appear like the image on the right side. You will be able to turn on the blue strips which will turn off the "Tap To Click" for the first Centimeter (3/8 inch), and there will be a second option to turn off the green strip as a "Tap to Click" area for the next centimeter or 3/8 inch.

Turning off the "Tap to Click" feature will not impede the use of the Magic Trackpad in any way. As a matter of fact, those of us who use "Tap to Click" typically never activate it by clicking near the right or left edges of the trackpad, since we typically use it toward the center of the trackpad.

Andreas told me he plans to add this feature in less than a week. In the not so distant future, I plan to do a video-cast that will show you many amazing benefits when you use Better Touch Tool with a BulletTrain Express!!!

BulletTrain Express Velcro Challenge Update...

BulletTrain Express Velcro Challenge Update

When I designed the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform for Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, took a belt and suspenders approach, and as a result, over-engineered the Velcro.

Velcro Challenge #1: Keyboard Rocking

Status: Challenge Overcome

Challenge 1: Some customers have reported that the Apple Keyboard rocks back and forth from the left bottom corner to the right bottom corner. This is because in the first production run, we shipped them with long strips of velcro as seen in the photo below on the top image.

Solution 1: The second keyboard in the photo below, has much shorter velcro strips in the velcro channels, and this is the way we have been shipping the BulletTrain Express since the second production run. If you experience this challenge:

1. Remove the strip of velcro from the back of the keyboard.

2. Smile because you are one of the first people on earth to have a BulletTrain Express ;-)

3. Take the removed piece, and trim off a piece that is approximately 1/2 of the original length.

4. Attach it upside down at the top of the keyboard velcro channel (as seen in the second photo of the BulletTrain Express below).

5. This should work, and if it does not, remove it again and trim it down to 1/3 of the original length.

Velcro Challenge #2: Spongy Trackpad

Status: Challenge Overcome

Challenge 2: Some customers reported that when they depress the Apple Trackpad that is feels spongy and has too much resistance. They say "The Magic Trackpad does not press as easily when it is in the BulletTrain Express as when it is on a desktop by itself."

Solution 2: This is really easy to fix:

1. Remove the Magic Trackpad from the BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform

2. Remove the velcro from the back of the Magic Trackpad

3. Trim off a piece that is approximately 1/2 the original size

4. Place the piece of velcro upside down in the velcro channel at the top (as seen in the photo above) and this will overcome the challenge.

Designer Note: As I mentioned, I over-engineered the velcro. The sole purpose of the velcro is to keep the keyboard and trackpad from falling-off when somebody picks up the keyboard and does not realize it is made from three pieces.

If you have any question, please contact me and I will answer your questions, and or help you overcome your challenge.

Thanks,

Jake

Designer and CEO

Jake@BulletTrain.com