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How do you get on with the keyboard?

Xorro

Xorro

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 19, 2008
129
0
UK
I thinking of getting an iPhone, but my main concern is using the keypad. I have a touch phone at the moment, which I added a 'phone' style keypad to. The benefit of this is that I can text using my thumb, like you would on a normal phone.

The problem I have had when trying out the iPhone in the shop is that I can't use it with my thumb, I also tried with my index finger but mostly kept hitting the wrong letter (although it didn't look like I was).

Anyone else have difficulty with the touch qwerty keyboard, is it something you adjust to over time?

And before anyone says, I don't have big sausage fingers either!
 
Did you try landscape keyboard? Buttons are farther spread out and easy to not make mistakes. It just takes time to get used to. The phone mostly spell checks everything.
 
I can type just as fast on my iphone now as my old phones but the only bummer is that you have to be looking at the iphone when doing so. Just go kinda fast and forget about typing the wrong letter because spell check does a pretty good job and figuring out what you are trying to spell.
 
After using the iPhone keyboard for 2 years now, I have to say it's probably the best phone keyboard I've ever used. I'm also faster than any other cell phone keyboard that I've ever used. I just took the mobile speed test here are my results:

img0170.png


img0171.png


My point is, all it takes is practice...and, in my case, a LOT of texting :D
 
I've never really had any trouble with the touch keypad, and autocorrect takes care of 99% of any mistakes I make. Yesterday I used my sister's slideout keypad and it was a major pain. Practice, as mentioned above, and if you like it, you'll never want to go back.
 
I had issues using the keyboard when I first got it, hitting the wrong keys, etc. It just takes a little time getting used to but it is a great keypad.
 
rburly said:
I've never really had any trouble with the touch keypad, and autocorrect takes care of 99% of any mistakes I make. Yesterday I used my sister's slideout keypad and it was a major pain. Practice, as mentioned above, and if you like it, you'll never want to go back.
Click to expand...

To expand on this, I know the iPhone gets compared to the Pre a lot. I had the chance to use a Pre for a day or so straight. Great device don't get me wrong, but the keyboard is lacking. Since I text a lot, it was definitely a deal breaker for me. Plus as mentioned here:

citron230 said:
I keep forgetting it has a landscape keyboard now.
Click to expand...

The ability to go into landscape mode to type is something I can't do without now.
 
It took me a while to get used to it but now I can certainly type on it faster than I could with my old phone which had that three letters per key system. I've never been a superfast texter though.

I find that the English spellcheck works better than Finnish, most likely because English is a lot easier when it comes to inflections, conjugation etc. Not to mention the general slang (shortened words etc) people use in Finnish will make it more difficult for the spellchecking to correct.
 
I hated mine when I first got it, I think most people do. Just like I hated my blackjack keyboard until I got use to it. Just like you wouldn't expect yourself to go out and shot a perfect round of golf the first time you pick up a set of clubs. You have to get used to it.

Yes you can type with your thumbs once you get use to it. In fact I find it hard to use anything but my thumbs to do anything on the phone.
 
Excellent responses, thanks all.

So, are thumbs the preferred digit, or do others use a finger (or two)?
 
I use both my thumbs in both portrait and landscape. I just type away and not try to hit all the letter. Sometimes i even hit the e 3 time when writing there or where because i know that it will just correct it. You only have to type a little slower when in all caps because the phone thinks your typing something special so it wont correct as much.

But its a pretty smart keyboard that even remembers the why you type certain words after a while.
 
I found myself able to use the iPhone keyboard almost instantly when I picked up the original iPhone in an Apple Store all those years ago. These days I still love typing with it and can type quite quickly with two thumbs.

Not everyone likes it, but you will get used to it. Spend some more time with one in an Apple Store and see how you get on.
 
I use my left thumb and my right pointer finger. Do yourself a favor and learn on the portrait keyboard. It's much faster, due to the fact that the keyboard is smaller and you don't have to move your fingers such great distances.
 
The General said:
I use my left thumb and my right pointer finger. Do yourself a favor and learn on the portrait keyboard. It's much faster, due to the fact that the keyboard is smaller and you don't have to move your fingers such great distances.
Click to expand...

If you think the distance between the keys is a long way on the landscape keyboard, just wait until you use a real computer! :p
 
The General said:
I use my left thumb and my right pointer finger. Do yourself a favor and learn on the portrait keyboard. It's much faster, due to the fact that the keyboard is smaller and you don't have to move your fingers such great distances.
Click to expand...

In the landscape keyboard it's easier to hit the right letters if I'm typing drunk... :p
 
Cousin Dirk said:
If you think the distance between the keys is a long way on the landscape keyboard, just wait until you use a real computer! :p
Click to expand...

On a real computer, I type with all of my fingers, not just thumbs. I also don't have to hold the computer in my hands while I type.
 
I wondered how I would get on with the keyboard when I got my iPhone this week after using Window Mobiles with QWERTY keyboards for the last 3 years. So far I have found it much easier than I thought I would, even with the keyboard in portrait mode. The auto correction works well and I can get up quite a head of steam when typing.
 
I have relatively small hands (half-Asian ftw), but I type two-thumbed in portrait mode and can type pretty darn quickly when it comes down to it. Not quite desktop-speed, but certainly faster than any other portable device I've used. The auto-correct is tremendous, about 90% of the time.
 
Love the keyboard, its a far cry away from when I had a Dell Axim and used the stylus to type on the screen.

The truly great thing about the keyboard is that like you'll always get faster at it, it can go as fast as you can, lots of upside.
 
Two thumbs, in portrait, here.

I'm a pretty good touch typist, and I found it very interesting that my thumbs had a feel for what keys were where.

It would be a HUGE mistake for Apple to put a physical keyboard in.
 
I can type really fast on the iPhone using either thumbs or fingers. The keyboard is great. I tried a BB Bold for a couple of days and the keyboard killed my thumbs. I much prefer the iPhone keyboard.
 
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