New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support • Hacker News Board

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#171

Post by fmajid » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:49 PM UTC

megous wrote: post #53

> The LiDAR Scanner measures the distance to surrounding objects up to 5 meters away, works both indoors and outdoors, and operates at the photon level at nano-second speeds. Light travels 30cm in 1ns. That's not really a very exciting precision at 5m range. That's like 4bit resolution. Are there any specs aside from this marketing blabber?

It's a ToF sensor array, so you wouldn't expect the range of a Leica Disto, not would it make sense in this use case. Think more of gestures like a Kinect, or realtors making floor plans by scanning a room around.

Probably something like this:

https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/vl53l1x.pdf

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#172

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:49 PM UTC

nemacol wrote: post #20

luigi23 wrote: post #8

Any ideas what you could develop with new lidar scanner?

I would like an app that lets me map the dimensions and floor plans of an indoor space. Without really knowing a ton about lidar or the specific implementation of it in this device, I imagine that could be done? The apps that use the camera are all pretty clunky. If I could just walk around the inside of my house for a while and let it map it out, that would be nifty. (put on tin foil hat) Then the iPad can track my…

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Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#173

Post by HatchedLake721 » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:51 PM UTC

DelightOne wrote: post #157

How much RAM does it have and how many cores? I can't find any mention.

When did this ever matter on an iPad?

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#174

Post by ihuman » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:51 PM UTC

Grustaf wrote: post #163

mstade wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would the escape key do in iPadOS though? There isn't one on the on screen keyboard, never has been.

How else are you supposed to use VIM?

With the caps lock remapped to escape.

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#175

Post by libria » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:51 PM UTC

luigi23 wrote: post #8

Any ideas what you could develop with new lidar scanner?

- How about self-body scanning for dating apps? You can add it on your profile as a "LiDAR 3d-model" bonus so interested parties know they're not getting catfished. Yeah, you can always scan your hot friend, but it just requires another level of deception.

- How about a "night-vision" app? Without needing a flashlight, you can stumble around a dark room (maybe outdoors at night?) without running into walls.

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#176

Post by HatchedLake721 » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:54 PM UTC

hellcow wrote: post #78

baxtr wrote: post #49

So basically it has evolved into a laptop with a detachable monitor that includes a built-in camera (which is for sure awesome)

With a locked down OS where you can only use Safari and devs pay Apple a 30% cut on every sale. Not the future I'm looking for, thank you very much.

You want to go back to Windows Mobile days and deploy your apps as .cab files on xda-developers?

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#177

Post by kache_ » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:54 PM UTC

owenversteeg wrote: post #46

Anyone here use these for webdev (or development work more generally) as a replacement for a laptop? How well does that work? I'm very curious.

I use sidecar when I'm on the go with my iPad.

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#178

Post by lancesells » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:54 PM UTC

Flockster wrote: post #26

filleokus wrote: post #13

Hard to say without knowing the component cost, but I would really like a non backfacing camera (or very cheap back camera) option in the future. I could see myself having a beefy desktop, this iPad with the keyboard, and my phone. But if you're not into the whole AR-scene, the camera seems redundant as I always have my phone with me. But I guess there's not enough people like me to justify that model...

Yes! I'm currently deciding between the new ReMarkable2 and an iPad Pro. Having a cheaper iPad Pro without these AR/Camera-Stuff as an option would make this decision easier.

What about the last generation iPad Pro?

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#179

Post by brailsafe » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:55 PM UTC

It doesn't seem to have any differences with the current model that are really important, so it should bring down the price of 2018 models significantly on the used market. Being a whole 2 years old instead of the latest version is a big difference, and iPad pros in general aren't holding their value like macs do.

For me, they've always been "kind of neat to have, but not for $2200".

Re: New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner and trackpad support

#180

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 1:55 PM UTC

deergomoo wrote: post #14

Yabood wrote: post #9

The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro will be available for purchase in May for $299 (US) for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $349 (US) for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro Wow. This must be one hell of a keyboard..

Even the current one that's literally just a run-of-the-mill keyboard is £159 (£199 for the bigger iPad!). A plain keyboard should not cost more than the Pencil.

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