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New Windows Virtual Desktop Feature Will Finally Make the iPad Useful (mspoweruser.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the new-and-shiny dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from MSPoweruser: Last year Microsoft released Windows Virtual Desktop, an Azure-based service that delivers a multi-user Windows 10 experience on any operating system. Now Scott Manchester, Group Manager for Microsoft's Remote Desktop Service, has shown off a new feature for the iOS version of the app which makes the client much more powerful on the iPad. Windows Virtual Desktop will soon support mice in the virtual environment. Unfortunately, only specific mice will be supported -- in the video the Swiftpoint GT and eventually Microsoft's own Bluetooth mice. The feature is said to becoming soon.

4 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Hey Apple, see what Microsoft did? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I can remotely access a Windows box from my iPad... when will you release an app that let's me access a Mac the same way?

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    #DeleteChrome
  2. For anyone wondering why it's only specific mice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    iOS doesn't support mice at all, so there's no way for Microsoft to simply support generic Bluetooth mice. Instead, they have to connect to the mice using a non-standard Bluetooth profile to bypass the restrictions built-into iOS. But that requires the mice themselves to have support for the aforementioned non-standard profile.

  3. Issue with subject - iPad More useful with MS? by mykepredko · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If I link back to the original article from September, I can see that with the Windows desktop, you will be able to run Office 365 and some Windows Apps but I think there's a lot of hubris on Microsoft's and TFA's writer to assume that the iPad needs a Windows desktop or would be better because of it.

    I'm sure there are some people and companies out there that with this desktop will consider the iPad over Android and Surface tablets but I would have to think there are a lot of people and corporations would just as happy being able to run their apps, businesses, etc. without a Windows Virtual Desktop (especially one that you have to pay for).

    I would think a better subject line would be "New Windows Virtual Desktop Provides iPad With Windows Capabilities".

    Saying that this desktop *finally* makes the iPad useful is marketing hype at its worst.

    --
    Mimetics Inc. Twitter
  4. Jump by dissy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Jump Desktop, an RDP and VNC client, works with mice in the same way.
    Except it's done so for 8-ish years now instead of 'coming soon'