I am using the Clam Case with my iPad 4 and loving it. The greatest thing is how you can easily switch from a keyboard/writing mode to a tablet/reading mode. I don’t think there is any other product out there that can handle the transition so quickly and smoothly.
It’s a great keyboard, the best bluetooth keyboard for iPad I ever tried. I am not the only one saying this. Check the reviews.
My only initial disappointment was that the case is actually white. You don’t realize this from the videos and pics on the web. I would have preferred aluminum. At any rate, I got over it now. It doesn’t get dirty, and it doesn’t look bad. I still think they should make it aluminum/silver, but at the moment you have no choice, it’s only white.
It’s a little heavy, although I think there is also a weight-size illusion factor (we tend to estimate small things as light and big things as heavy). But it’s also very solid.
But it’s not! Or better, it’s aluminum on the inside, where the keyboard is, but the outside (what you actually see when the case is closed and the keyboard is facing the screen of the ipad) is white. This is why it’s a little deceiving.
Those of us waiting with baited breath for the long promised iOS version have a temporary alternative!
While we’re waiting for what I’m certain is going to be an incredible iOS app, there’s a top solution to tide us over!
I’m using Parallels Access, which is available for both PC (Beta) and Mac.
Only downside, it is a subscription for $85 p/a, but given how much I use my iPad for remote control to the office, it’s a good deal, for me. Unlike all the other so-called remote software in the app store, this works perfectly with either platform and you get gesture controls in the end application. With Scrivener, it’s as close to actually running the program on the iPad as I imagine you could get.
I’ve tried them all, and this is a superb app. can’t recommend it highly enough.
There’s a 90 day trial for PC, until the beta runs out, and 14 days for Mac.
Note: I have no affiliation to Parallels, just a VERY happy user.
I tried this with Scrivener as well and, overall, it’s a nice solution. I have two main problems with this approach:
The resolution on your system changes to match the iPad so things in Scrivener get a little “scrunched” around. Not a big deal if you’re used to working with Scrivener on a MacBook Air or Netbook, but users of large monitors might feel a little claustrophobic.
The app seems to be very sensitive when entering and leaving controls that use keyboard shortcuts and/or navigation. This causes the on-screen keyboard to excessively slide up on the screen.
But, it’s far better than the traditional remote access apps like LogMeIn and Splashtop, both of which tend to stutter with bad connections. I’m not so sure it’s worth $80 per computer/year, though. $80/year, for all computers seems more appropriate.
Sadly, short of a miracle, it’s not going to happen, sorry. Although we are currently testing an iPhone version in-house, it is not ready for public release and cannot sync with the Mac or Windows versions yet. We are gutted too as we really wanted to get this out for NaNoWriMo (2012)…
Can the iOS version stand on its own? Or will it be a companion to the desktop version? Can it understand the regular Scrivener file format? Or does it use one that plays better with Dropbox?
How disappointing! I have been putting off writing my novel until I have Scrivener for my iPad. Guess The world will just have to wait a bit longer to enjoy the brilliance of my prose.
/s
Shall we give the L&L crew a little break? They want to release a product that is as good as Scriv on MacOS, and iOS ain’t MacOS. They also had their own personal issues along the way. Let’s just wait until the thing is really ready for release. What’s the point of asking when iScriv will be out? I am pretty sure they’ll be delighted to release iScriv and they’ll definitely announce it as soon as the thing is ready. But to do it right, they need to take all the time they need.
I don’t think anyone is getting on the L&L crew about this. They had announced a hope of having an iOS verision out by NaNoWriMo. It’s to be expected that we might be getting a bit anxious as we get closer to that time. Any ‘pestering’ just shows how eager we are to have the Scrivener experience on our iOS devices.
The fact that they’re not rushing to just ‘get it out’ and instead are taking the time to produce a version that lives up to what we see on the Mac and PC, while disappointing on a personal level (I want it now, dangit!), shows how much they care about their work. Which is something I think you’d want from someone making a product you’ll be spending your money on.
To the L&L team, keep up the good work, and keep us in the loop when you can!
Firstly, politely asking a question about the realistic likelihood of it being released in time is hardly something they need a break from.
Secondly, the point of asking is that in 6 weeks and 4 days NaNoWriMo will start, as will my feeble attempts at getting a story out of my head. Now that I know that Scrivener for iOS is at best unlikely to be out, I can put me efforts into finding another solution for using my iPad (which will be used for maybe 50% of what I write).
I too want a good, reliable, working product that, most importantly, senselessly synchronises with my Windows version. So please do not mistake my keenness, or polite question, as anything other than part of my planning process.
All these questions seemed polite and reasonable enough to me - I’m fully expecting some much angrier emails soon. It is disappointing all around, and it’s a little bit ridiculous, too, seeing as the iOS version has now taken us longer than it took me to write and release the first version of Scrivener for Mac. So if anyone wants to say that there is no excuse for it taking this long, well, we haven’t got a leg to stand on there. In retrospect, my approach was probably all wrong. I wanted to find someone to write the app who was passionate about Scrivener, as opposed to a gun-for-hire, so that we would have someone likely to stay on beyond the end of version 1.0 and so that I wouldn’t have to micro-manage every stage of the project. Had we just found a hired gun, it would have almost certainly been done by now (although at some expense to Scrivener and Scapple on the Mac).
The good news is that Tammy, our new developer, who was previously splitting her time between Scrivener and working for another company, was able to go full-time on Scrivener as of a fortnight or so ago, and we now have milestones set for the road ahead.
To answer curiouspeter, the iOS version will stand on its own, but will work best as a companion to the desktop version. It understands the regular Scrivener file format, although to facilitate syncing for the package format there will be some special considerations (but nothing onerous on the user).
It is a shame that the iOS version of Scrivener won’t be available for NaNoWriMo, I’d really hoped to give it a serious word bashing for the month… but… as with Literature and Latte, their attention to releasing good, stable, usable software is right decision…
I know (unless it’s ridiculously priced) I’ll buy Scrivener for iOS as soon as it’s released , L&L’s reputation for quality software is second to none… and I’d like something that syncs between iOS and Mac well…
I really hope it see’s the light of day soon… but keep up the good work guys… everything comes to those who wait
It is disappointing all around, and it’s a little bit ridiculous, too, seeing as the iOS version has now taken us longer than it took me to write and release the first version of Scrivener for Mac. So if anyone wants to say that there is no excuse for it taking this long, well, we haven’t got a leg to stand on there. In retrospect, my approach was probably all wrong. I wanted to find someone to write the app who was passionate about Scrivener, as opposed to a gun-for-hire, so that we would have someone likely to stay on beyond the end of version 1.0 and so that I wouldn’t have to micro-manage every stage of the project. Had we just found a hired gun, it would have almost certainly been done by now (although at some expense to Scrivener and Scapple on the Mac).