Hands On: Luna Display Turns Any iPad into a Second Monitor — and It’s Great!
Just over a year ago, SolidSmack reported that Astropad creators Astro HQ had successfully funded their latest project — Luna Display — on Kickstarter, having raised over $645,000 to bring the project to life. The (minimal) hardware and accompanying app claimed to seamlessly turn any iPad into a second display.
Well, now it’s here; we tried it, and it’s freakin’ awesome.
The magic behind the platform comes from its ability to source power directly from an existing graphics card—as opposed to “hacking” it to power a simulated display like similar apps on the market. Frankly, if you’re used to working on two displays, then you know the drill. But as a surprisingly easy-to-set-up experience for designers and productivity ninjas on-the-go, having the ability to essentially pack your two-monitor setup into the back sleeve of a backpack feels unnatural (in a good way) and surprisingly powerful.
For our test, we used an iPad Pro as the second display to a MacBook Air. The setup experience took less than 3 minutes and involved downloading (free) apps to each hardware device—with the tiny pink Chiclet-sized dongle (available in USB-C or Mini Displayport) connecting to the MacBook Air—and connecting both over WiFi. From there, dragging a processor-heavy Photoshop CC window back and forth between the screens was comparable (both in latency and picture quality) to dragging the same window between the two Cinema Displays behind it. Except, with Luna Display, I could actually fit the two-monitor workflow setup inside of a backpack and still have room for some IPAs and a sandwich.
“We developed Luna because we knew there was a better solution than relying on software to turn an iPad into a second display,” explain Astro HQ founders Matt Ronge & Giovanni Donelli, who previously worked as engineers at Apple.
“Software apps literally hack your graphics card, delivering a glitchy and unreliable picture. Software tricks your Mac into thinking a display is attached, when in fact they get no benefit of graphics acceleration or Metal GPU support. It’s like buying a car and only using half the engine. So unlike software apps, Luna harnesses the raw power of your graphics card, giving you the full benefit of its graphics acceleration — delivering a stunning second monitor that’s 100% wire free.”
Today Luna is available to the public for $79.99. Each purchase includes the Luna hardware unit (USB-C or Mini DisplayPort) along with access to the free Luna Display Mac and iPad apps. And for those wondering; yes, Luna fully integrates with Astropad, the company’s drawing software that turns the iPad into a graphics tablet for Mac.
The post Hands On: Luna Display Turns Any iPad into a Second Monitor — and It’s Great! appeared first on SolidSmack.
Read more about CAD, product design and related technology at SolidSmack.com
Source: https://www.solidsmack.com/3d-cad-technology/luna-display/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!
Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!
HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.
Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.
MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)
Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!
Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.
Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).