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Did you get used to the iPhone keyboard?

shinji

shinji

macrumors 65816
Original poster
On cell phones, I'm used to typing on a QWERTY keyboard where you hold the phone with both hands and then use your thumbs as if they were hands typing on a full-size keyboard.

I was playing with a friend's iPhone today and the best I could do was tapping each virtual key with my index finger, and even that was a bit imprecise.

Is there a trick to this? My contract is up in November...I love the iPhone interface but the typing is a real problem.
 
I use my two thumbs for speedy typing, I had an iPod touch before the iPhone and I got used to it after a day or so
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I tried my normal two thumb method on the iphone and I completely missed nearly every key and the auto-correct/auto-suggest was a bit strange.

So you do get used to the placements and then don't need to rely on auto-correct? It feels weird without tactile feedback.
 
You get very used to it fast. I thought I'd never get the hang of it but like many people said its a learning curve. I tried typing on a sidekick after having an Iphone for a year. I must say a normal qwerty keyboard feels clumsy with my big thumbs. I can type faster with one thumb on the iphone than my friend who uses two on his sidekick. Then again he just might be slow lol.
 
shinji said:
I tried my normal two thumb method on the iphone and I completely missed nearly every key and the auto-correct/auto-suggest was a bit strange.

So you do get used to the placements and then don't need to rely on auto-correct? It feels weird without tactile feedback.
Click to expand...

I also worried about this before I bought the 3g iphone, but you definitely get used to it. Took me about a week to type with both thumbs, however my girlfriend has had the phone as long as I have and she still can't get the 2 thumb typing down. So who knows

As with the tactile feedback....you can download an app that implements it
 
I still type with one index finger..feel like i'm going to drop it when i use both thumbs. I don't type much anyway so it doesn't matter.
 
Loved it as soon as I got my first generation iPhone on June 29th, 2007. It did take awhile to become extremely proficient with it, but I by far prefer it to physical keyboards on portable devices.
 
At first it was a little weird but now I can smoke the iphone keyboard. I love it! And, despite what alot of other people say I like the autocorrect function as well....it works very well for me.
 
I think that it will probably be different for each person, but I got used to the keyboard very quickly. I hand't had a qwerty keyboard on a phone before so maybe that helped (didn't have to unlearn anything)

I think the biggest part is just trusting that you know where the buttons are at, just like typing on a regular keyboard, once you've learned you don't need to keep looking down at the keys to know where each of them are, you just look at the screen. I'm the same way with my iPhone now, I look at what is being typed not what buttons i'm pushing because I know about where they all are with my thumbs and I know the auto correct will fix most of the mistakes i would make.

I know there are people that can speed text on other phones (even ones without the qwerty keyboard) but I used to be so slow texting on my old RAZR and know I can text so fast with my iphone. I think I did a typing speed test around the time that I got it, I think I should probably do it again just to see how fast I actually am.
 
shinji said:
I tried my normal two thumb method on the iphone and I completely missed nearly every key and the auto-correct/auto-suggest was a bit strange.

So you do get used to the placements and then don't need to rely on auto-correct? It feels weird without tactile feedback.
Click to expand...

I have become a master.....
here are some suggestions

I find I am alot more accurate when my elbows are closer together. Not sure why, but when I rest at my desk, with my elbows on the desk (spread wide apart, i always miss type) something about having your elbows about a foot or so gives me perfect accuracy.

also, learn to over touch the letter. what I mean is, if you go for the D button, kinda aim a bit higherfor the E or R, remember, the very middle of the bottom of you thumb is whats goings to touch the phone. you cant see it, but you have to adjust for those few milimeters.

or just start off slop, when you hit the first key , it pops up, just write sentences very slowly, and you will find you comfort zone. I can type as fast as i can on my old blackberry
 
nop. although, I do type alot faster than when I first got it, but still not compared to the speed on a qwerty button keyboard.
 
I'm quicker typing on the iPhone than I have been on any other phone, and I was pretty good with the old T9 keyboards. I know a lot of people don't get on with it but I don't really know why.
 
craigverse said:
I find I'm much better at drunk txting with the iphone than I ever was with my blackberry. I feel as if it reads my mind. haha
Click to expand...

Not me. I can't focus enough to write anything decent. Also it's very easy to press send by mistake. With a physical keyboard it helps to "feel" the keys. I love the virtual keyboard when I'm sober though 😀
 
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