iPad Dock Cable to VGA Adapter - A Big "Meh." [UPDATED]

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Apr 5, 2010

[UPDATE: It looks like there's a nice app available to jailbroken iPads via Cydia called 'Display Out' that will allow you to use the iPad with any external display, the way it was meant to be! Also, some other interesting comments down below...]

iPad VGA Adapter to Dock Connector
I bought the iPad VGA cable at the store today, hoping to be able to browse the web via Safari, show presentations using Keynote, and view slideshows on my monitor and on the projector, using the cable. A couple of these things are possible, but right now the VGA cable is pretty weak, and probably not worth the money.

You can:

  • View a Keynote presentation
  • View a photo slideshow
  • Watch YouTube videos or other videos through the 'Videos' app
  • View videos through Safari

...and that's it (at least, for now). No Netflix, no web browsing, no flying through photos on the big screen. I was really hoping for more; not having the ability to do anything manipulative or 'real time' through the VGA connection is a downer for me. Couldn't Apple just mirror the internal display?

I'll still use the adapter for presentations, but there are going to still be times where I have to carry my laptop to do more real-time interaction with a website, for instance. (See Apple's Support Article, About iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter Compatibility, for more info).

Further reading: