Apple iPhone Keyboard Video

[veneficuss]

Landscape KB would be nice

Very nice features, however a landscape option for the keyboard would make this ideal. There MUST be a reason why they have not included this, maybe due to the modularity of the keyboard code (used for web, email, SMS and contacts...)

 

[roland.g]

Each time I look at another one of these instructive videos I start thinking about eating my $175 early out fee at Verizon.

True.

Not to happy to read though that as per Apple's usual battery disclaimer that the phone supports 300-400 charge cycles. For many people's use, that may be 1 - 1 1/2 yrs. How much will you have to pay Apple to change it out, assuming that the extended Applecare doesn't cover battery replacement.

Also not wild on the idea that I can't use songs or partial songs as ringtones or no voice dialing. I would think with the headphones or bluetooth headset voice dialing would be integrated.

And the question of call quality concerns me as well.

 

[sionharris]

apple are playing this perfectly. the day after they knew some reviewers would slate the keyboard, they release a video showing how easy it is to use.

they have saved so many tricks for the final few days... friday will be huge.

so glad i bought AAPL yesterday

 

[koobcamuk]

Am I the only one who has never really been concerned about the iPhone keyboard??

No, I doubt it.

I've been a cell phone user since 1988 or so and I've found all of the standard keys on my phones virtually unusable for anything other than dialing phone numbers. (I have never taken the plunge with any so-called "smartphones" that have actual keyboard layouts because none of the phones seemed that fantastic to me, but I did have an early Palm/phone combo which got old quick.)

I actually shelled out a few bucks for software solutions (an SMS Dashboard widget and BluePhoneElite) to use on my laptop, just to type SMS messages to my wife because I hate doing it on standard phones.

But you probably are one of the only one's doing this.

 

[Chaszmyr]

???

http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/fsk/screenshots.html?en

It's landscape, too. Use it all the time.

I can't think of anything on the iPhone that hasn't been done before. Its genius is that many little previously known things are melded together.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it not the case that those keys are static on the screen and don't expand the way iPhone's keys do? My point wasn't that there's never been another touch sensitive keyboard, it was that I believe there's never been a keyboard with dynamic key sizes.

 

[Thataboy]

Add me to the chorus of people who think Apple should steal the Blackberry 2-spaces-equals-a-period method. Or maybe holding down the Space bar key area?

Actually that makes a lot of sense to me... mapping a few of the letters to use punctuation by holding down a key area... like Space for period, Z for comma, M for question mark, Q for ampersand, P for underscore. Make these the defaults, and have a setting to remap them.

 

[ajhill]

Talk about a moot point!!

ALL of this keyboard talk goes away with the first software update, when you can just simple flip the iphone horizontal and the keyboard will be twice the size with a big couple of entry lines on top. That's the beauty of having a 3.5" 160dpi screen.

Of course, the CNBC negativity will probably continue (Doesn't CNBC have ties to MSNBC, that's owned by Microsoft, that really doesn't like Apple? ), I had a good laugh when I saw someone complain that you could not type while driving down the street!!! Personally as a fellow driver on that street, that sounds like a safety feature.

The power of the iPhone lurks in the ability to update the product with software.

 

[PBz]

On a Blackberry, if you space twice, it automatically adds one. I wonder if the iPhone will do the same...

They have to add this IMO. The double-tap period is the greatest.

 

[zedsdead]

i am also wondering if apple will probably come out with a new video every day until friday. since they had the activation and syncing one yesterday and now this one today

I think they will have a "Ringtone" tutorial by tomorrow with the release of the iPhone version of iTunes. Should also incorporate Address Book as well since there is a new Ringphone Tab in the tutorial.

 

[thomasfxlt]

Just watched the demo. Brilliant software overcomes many of the predicted shortcomings of the touchscreen. Imagine what a little time and further development will do.

(an amusing observation...The presenter in the Apple demo's vocal quality and delivery sounds like he should be doing Blues Clues..."can you find another pawprint...not on our screen"

 

[stockscalper]

The Video Convinced Me Not To Get One

Watched the keyboard video and it convinced me not to get the first generation iphone. There's no way I'll be able to use those tiny keys with my big fingers. My Blackberry is an inch wider and I have problems with its keys. And speaking of the Blackberry, it works on EDGE and page downloads are plenty fast, photos and all. I don't understand what all the criticism is about with EDGE.

 

[anthonymoody]

I really really want to want this phone, but I just don't know if it's for me. I'm a dedicated BB user, and while this video goes a long way to giving me comfort about the keyboard, I'm just not sure I can replace the BB with this long term.

I do love that it's software upgradeable, and funny enough, the contextual web browsing keyboard (which replaces the Spacebar with a period, slash, and .com buttons), gives me hope that Apple will ultimately make the email/sms keyboard a little more user friendly by including a period key and comma key, and/or by implementing the BB two spaces = . + cap the next letter.

At the very least they could shrink the spacebar to add the comma and period.

I think unfortunately I'm going to have to wait to actually try one that's already been set up by another person, with email provisioned, etc. before I can really make the determination for myself. And I hate that b/c usually I'm the first in line for any new toy I want!!

I noticed one other weird choice, if what the demo says is accurate. To accept a suggested word, you tap the spacebar. To reject a suggested word, you tap the suggested word, *not* the word you're typing. Kind of weird. I guess I understand their logic on the spacebar to accept - your fingers/thumbs are already down at the keyboard, so if the suggestion is correct, you just tap the spacebar and keep going. But to reject the suggestion, I would think you'd tap the word you're typing, not the suggestion - no?

TM

 

[jcxstar13]

Landscape keybord

I agree, you would think that will all of the sensors that they would have figured away out to use the keyboard in landscape when you rotate the phone. In doing this you would be able to increase the size of all the keys and there would be alot less typing error. Only reason I see them not doing this is they are so confident in their error correction software that they didnt feel that it would be a problem. The only real complaint I feel people are gonna have is with coverage, its just not as fast as the others out there. Apple really limited themselves by only using one carrier. Like at first with the ipod his steveness only wanted the ipod to work with the mac, kinda putting a cap on your potential customers.

 

[Oogami]

Watched the keyboard video and it convinced me not to get the first generation iphone. There's no way I'll be able to use those tiny keys with my big fingers. My Blackberry is an inch wider and I have problems with its keys. And speaking of the Blackberry, it works on EDGE and page downloads are plenty fast, photos and all. I don't understand what all the criticism is about with EDGE.

Funny, I would think that you would more likely want to get an iPhone after watching the demo.

It shows that you DON'T have to be perfect when hitting the keys, just the general area and the iPhone will be able to predict the letter you actually were trying to type.

But to each their own, if you feel that you want to stick with a BB, more power to ya.

 

[needthephone]

Just watched the reviews and the keyboard video.

Absolutely stunning, the attention to detail and thought taht has gone into this product is staggering-even the setting up your account looks a joy to use.

Hats off to apple.

 

[kironin]

:-(

I still don't understand why I will be stuck with a stinkin' Qwerty layout on a virtual keyboard. I don't use Qwerty on my Macbook, why can't I rearrange the keys to something better on the iPhone ? Had to gag when he talked about most advanced keyboard when I am looking at a layout designed for a 19 century typewriter. If the home row had the most common keys like Dvorak or Colemak, your thumbs wouldn't be diving up and down nearly so much and your error rate would be less.

I am waiting to see what can be done on iPhone 2.0. That and not having 3G are deal breakers for me.

 

[timon]

Yesterday, I'm glad I bought it when it was $52.

Still, they need to add two features right after release.

Voice dialing.

Ability to add your own ring tones.

Sometime in the future I'd like to see real iChat. For now text only when only connected to EDGE and text and voice when connected to the Internet.

AT&T also needs to follow T-Moble's lead on allowing call switch between the wireless network and the Internet. See:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3320089&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Talk about kicking bu.. add that and you'll see even more people moving.

apple are playing this perfectly. the day after they knew some reviewers would slate the keyboard, they release a video showing how easy it is to use.

they have saved so many tricks for the final few days... friday will be huge.

so glad i bought AAPL yesterday

 

[ryano144]

And speaking of the Blackberry, it works on EDGE and page downloads are plenty fast, photos and all. I don't understand what all the criticism is about with EDGE.

I agree, the speed I get using my Cingular 2125 on the EDGE network is nothing like the speeds posted in that NYT review. I can load the NYT page top to bottom in about 20 seconds, and that is in South Bend, IN where the reception isn't too good.

And as far as the keyboard goes, it will obviously be much better than the T9 entry that many people (myself included) have had to struggle with all these years.

 

[Malus]

Where is steve jobs? He should be doing the demos. This guy is just a poser.....hehe.

I want some ouzza....

 

[fanboy]

Hot buttons

One feature I'll miss on my Treo is the ability to map a keyboard button to a function such as making a call. Someone mentioned being able to easily dial a number while driving. This reminds me that I map certain keys on my Treo to people I call often. While I'm driving I can just hit the button and put the call on speaker. It seems with an iPhone this isn't currently possible. Instead, I'll have to wake the phone, unlock the screen, press the phone button, press contacts, and select a contact (hopefully without having to scroll much). That's 5 steps vs. 3 on a Treo (wake, unlock, dial). Also, on a Treo, the 3 steps are simple button presses, but on an iPhone the steps are a combination of button press, swipe gesture, scroll gesture, and virtual key press.

I'm sure Apple will figure out a faster way to make calls. For example, it would be nice if the silent ring button on the iPhone can be assigned functions when it's held for a duration.

 

[Agathon]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it not the case that those keys are static on the screen and don't expand the way iPhone's keys do? My point wasn't that there's never been another touch sensitive keyboard, it was that I believe there's never been a keyboard with dynamic key sizes.

Yeah. Very, very smart of Apple to keep the dynamic keyboard under wraps.

I was puzzled when they said people should "trust the keyboard". Now I understand that this was not a Jedi Mind Trick. Now I can see why the reviewers had initial trouble. They were trying to be too careful.

This should end all complaints about no tactile feedback. You have a choice between tactile feedback from physical keys or dynamic predictive key resizing. I know which I would take.

The more I see of this phone, the more I think it is the greatest piece of consumer electronics ever designed.

 

[Lepton]

I agree, you would think that will all of the sensors that they would have figured away out to use the keyboard in landscape when you rotate the phone.

What will happen if you are web browsing in landscape mode and tap the web address field? Will it force a flip to portrait to bring up the keyboard? Weird.

 

[RnSK]

Someone should have mentioned...

One feature I'll miss on my Treo is the ability to map a keyboard button to a function such as making a call. Someone mentioned being able to easily dial a number while driving.

...that you really should keep your eyes on the damned road and your mind on the driving

The phone was designed by people in northern california, where, quite frankly, you do rapid mass transit or *sit* in traffic moreso than drive anyway...you get more than a second to look.

You know, mobiles are nice, but seriously, if you are some tech geek and not a neurosurgeon on your way to perform life saving surgery, you can wait to make that call. Its odd how luxury becomes "necessity" in the span of a generation.

 

[RnSK]

Yeah awesome..I have an advantage...

Now I can see why the reviewers had initial trouble. They were trying to be too careful.

...as typonese is my native language.

We're getting close to DWIMtech. Fantastic!

 

[fanboy]

...that you really should keep your eyes on the damned road and your mind on the driving

The phone was designed by people in northern california, where, quite frankly, you do rapid mass transit or *sit* in traffic moreso than drive anyway...you get more than a second to look.

You know, mobiles are nice, but seriously, if you are some tech geek and not a neurosurgeon on your way to perform life saving surgery, you can wait to make that call. Its odd how luxury becomes "necessity" in the span of a generation.

Thanks for the advice and the unbiased opinion. I'll now stop using the cellphone while I'm driving.