This is going to be my attempt at typing on the iPad. I think, so far it is not that bad. Just like the iPhone, the first thing you have to do is let go, and let the auto correction take over. So far it is fixing most of my mistakes not involving the space bar. I have been using the iPhone keyboard for a while and I must say, the experience here is much the same. I seem to be able to type about two-thirds the speed of a regular keyboard. I guess the only real downside to it is I have to keep my eyes on the keyboard. Ironic. My keyboarding teacher in high school threatened to fail me for looking at the keys while I typed. If she only knew.
I have owned the iPad for exactly nine hours and ten minutes. I have been using it, along with my iPhone all day. Leo LaPorte was right. This device can handle about 90% of my day to day computing. The only thing I used my desktop for was to watch a recorded tv show and to deal with an email attachment issue that I couldn’t rectify on the iPad.
As I’m typing, just a note. A couple of times so far in this article, I have had to deal with some stray finger presses on unintended keys. As I am typing, I inadvertently touched the screen with a “dangling” finger and caused an unintended keystroke, most of the time either “A” or return. I am able to us use multiple fingers on each hand, but since there is no al home row position on which to rest my fingers, they just have to “float” above the screen until they are needed for a keystroke. Not really an inconvenience, just something that I will have to get used to.
Compared to my Acer Aspire one, the keys on the keyboard are about the same size and orientation. But again, without the home row position of traditional touch typing, the experience is very different. Just as I have to adjust my typing style when switching from my desktop to my netbook, the iPad also requires the same type of adjustment.
At this point, it should be noted that I have been typing thus far in landscape mode.
For the next part, I will switch to portrait mode
Now for a little portrait mode test. Is experience seems to be about the Sam, however, since the keys are a little smaller and a little closer together, the typing seems to be going a little bit faster. I am using a less number of fingers on each had, though, as the smaller keyboard real-estate has hampered my ability to see around and over my hands.
Next test. Portrait mode, holding the iPad in my hands, thumb typing.
I am hoping that my large hands will be able to reach all of the keys on the keyboard. And my hope is fulfilled. With only a little bit of stretching, I am able to reach the center keys on the keyboard just fine. His method of text input is the most uncomfortable of the three that I have tested so far. The screen is moving around as I flex my thumbs and hands to reach all of the necessary keys. As far a speed goes, I would say that my typing speed using this technique is about the same as when I type on my iPhone. This technique is limiting due to the fact that I have reduced the number of fingers used to two. Still, I have gotten pretty adept at typing on my iPhone, so the speed isn’t too bad. I definitely would not recommend typing for long periods of time using this technique.
Returning to landscape mode with the iPad flat on my desk to finish
All in all I have to say that the typing experience is no where near the train wreck that I had envisioned before owning the device. I wouldn’t write a novel on it, but for Twitter, short email replies, and the occasional comment or short blog post, it seems perfectly adequate.
If you were considering buying an iPad and were worrying about the typing experience, I hope I have helped.
This post was written using the iPad and the Pages application. The entire article was then copy and pasted into WordPress. Any questions or concerns? Don’t forget to leave a comment.
Posted by benandwyattsdad 
