Tech Trends

Apple Magic Keyboard (for iPad Pro; $299, Apple)

Apple has long advertised that its iPad Pro series of tablets can replace traditional desktop and notebook computer devices. While its specifications do support that claim in regard to processing power and other features such as Face ID and touchscreen capability, users have not considered it as a substitute for the original computer. One of the major factors hindering this shift was the lack of trackpad accessory support, which Apple addressed with the release of the latest version of iPadOS. Most recently, Apple has released the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, further closing the gap by matching both keyboard and trackpad experiences from its MacBook series for the tablet.

The Magic Keyboard attaches to the back of the iPad Pro using powerful magnets and has a cantilever mechanism that suspends the tablet in midair, giving it a floating appearance with an adjustable viewing angle. It is able to do this because the keyboard base is very heavy and the viewing angle range is limited, allowing basic physics to do its work. The combined weight is nearly equivalent to that of a similarly sized MacBook Air. Although this keyboard acts as a cover for front and back protection, it is unable to fold back on itself and be used in portrait mode like the Smart Keyboard Folio. A USB-C port at the hinge provides passthrough charging, leaving the iPad Pro USB-C port available for connecting other accessories. The keyboard is backlit and full sized and brings back the scissor-switch mechanism for its keys. The typing experience is pleasant and near identical to Apple desktop or notebook keyboards, but lacks a row of function keys. The trackpad is highly responsive throughout, has a physical click mechanism and brings the same multitouch gestures found in MacBooks to the iPad. With the trackpad, users can use two- or three-finger gestures to swipe between apps, switch apps, scroll, go to the home screen and right click. The latest iPadOS with trackpad support also introduces a new contextual cursor experience. Unlike a mouse cursor, which is always present on the screen, the cursor in iPadOS appears as a translucent circle when in use, disappears when not in use and transforms into buttons, text and app icons to highlight its focus.

— Hubert Chan, DDS

Think Dirty (Free, Think Dirty Inc.)

Think Dirty is a mobile application that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate ingredient lists of beauty and personal care products. After evaluation, the app assigns a product a single score on its “Dirty Meter,” which is a 0–10 scale that rates the toxicity of the ingredients based on publicly available information. Among the nearly 1.6 million products reviewed by the AI, many are oral hygiene products like mouthwashes, toothpastes, whitening strips and floss.

Think Dirty is a Toronto-based company that launched its app in 2013. The purpose was to educate and empower consumers regarding the environmental impact of cosmetics on health. The app has been made with the average consumer in mind: Users can quickly search for products (or even scan their barcodes), evaluate their “Dirty Meter,” then choose to like, review or add a product to their personal list. Links to affiliated partners like Amazon are present so products can be purchased with minimal effort. While the concept of analyzing ingredients according to potential harm is sound, leveraging AI for the execution can be hit or miss. Ingredient lists are often incomplete. For example, ACT Anticavity Fluoride Rinse does not have fluoride or any of its derivatives listed as an ingredient. The rating of ingredients is suspect — while ethyl alcohol is rated as a “Clean” ingredient, titanium dioxide is listed as a “Dirty” ingredient. The “Dirty Meter” itself addresses toxicity but leaves out efficacy. There is a “Clean” toothpaste that contains no cariostatic agent, but has goji berry and pomegranate extract, both supremely acidic and sugary. Think Dirty emphasizes that its app is an educational tool to empower consumers, not a replacement for professional or medical guidance. As consumers become more sophisticated thanks to apps like Think Dirty, dental practitioners need to be aware of how their patients arrive at their conclusions and be ready to support their recommendations with evidencebased science.

— Alexander Lee, DMD

Would you like to write about technology? Dentists interested in contributing to this section should contact Andrea LaMattina, CDE, at andrea.lamattina@cda.org.