I've tried 4 or 5 remote desktop apps, the most notable being Jump Desktop and Splashtop Streamer. Most of these remote desktop apps have some sort of on-screen keyboard for typing with the IPad, including special keys like shift, control, alt. The special keys act like "sticky keys" meaning they stay depressed until another key is pressed, to make it easier to do key combinations. Even non-standard keyboard combinations like shift+enter work, in this sticky sense.
When using a Bluetooth keyboard with the remote desktop apps, both Jump and Splashtop Streamer recognize the shift + letter combination for doing capital letters. However, generically pressing shift, cntrl, or alt does not depress the sticky on screen shift buttons or do anything at all. Only a few combinations are recognized (again like shift+letter, cntrl+C). Most combinations do not work (shift+enter, alt+tab). Even having the keyboard shortcuts work like sticky keys (press shift then enter, not both at once) would be much better than the limited functionality they have now.
Is there an app, jailbreak app, or workaround that lets me use bluetooth keyboard properly with remote desktop on the ipad?
Best Answer
I'm one of the developers on Jump Desktop.
The current version of Jump on the App Store (4.0.6) lets you use many shortcut combinations (including Ctrl+C) using macros: http://support.jumpdesktop.com/entries/188429 .
We're beta testing the next version of Jump that has 100% bluetooth keyboard support (i.e. you won't need to use macros and all keys work like on a regular keyboard). If you'd like to help us by beta testing it send mail to our support team and they'll add you into the beta group.