I just don’t get this Kickstarter project. Called the iKeyboard, the idea is to make the iPad easier to touch type on without adding bulk to either your iPad or your gadget bag.
But as a guy who does a lot of touch typing throughout the day, I’ve got to say, I’m a bit mystified by how exactly trying to type through a bunch of rectangular holes is going to make iPad writing easier for me.
Nevertheless, the creator of the iKeyboard — who describes his project as his put-up-or-shut-up moment — spills over a thousand words promising that the iKeyboard will be the cure-all for would-be iPad touch typists. In his defense, he’s not asking much, though: he wants to raise $4,000 to make the iKeyboard, and a $30 pledge will get you one when it’s released.
Consider me skeptical. Although there is a case to be made that touch typing allows you to more fully immerse yourself in the process of writing, even if the iKeyboard works, it doesn’t address the iPad’s biggest failing as a writing instrument: the autocorrect mechanism that all too often substitutes words you didn’t mean.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
24 responses to “The iKeyboard Tries To Bring Touch Typing To The iPad”
They aren’t just holes. If you look at the last picture on the kickstarter page, you can see that the holes have curved transparent plastic in them to allow your fingers to rest and provide resistance to pressing the keys.
I find it impossibly tiring to touch type on the iPad. You must keep your fingers in a precise hover over the screen. I think this device could work, if moving your fingers from resting on the edges of the cutouts to hitting a ‘key’ is an efficient motion.
Not to mention if you’re a touch typist, like myself, that doesn’t solve the problem of leaving your fingers on the keyboard in home position. If your fingers are resting in home position, it’s spitting out “asdfjkl;” in some random order!! That’s my biggest complaint with the on-screen keyboard….but that’s just me.
Indeed. As a fast touch typist myself, I have to say this looks ridiculous and unworkable.
I’ve found that thumb-typing in portrait mode is best. A good typist can easily get 45 wpm and you can type while walking/standing.
Yea… everyone is dismissing this product without reading the link. I think this may actually work. And if it’s $25, I may just give it a try.
He should have made it the opposite way. A non conducting border where you can rest your hands and fingers, that is conductive where the keys are. So when you press a key it will touch the screen and the letter is displayed. The keys should be in relief instead of being cut out, like in a normal keyboard.
nevermind, what the guy actually did is better than my idea. And the keys are not just cut outs, those are keys you can press.
This is the dumbest accessory I have ever seen.
I actually read the link and for all the ink this guy spills about touch typing, he really does not actually go into a lot of detail about how this gadget actually works. I’ll clarify the post, though.
Mmm.. what’s there to detail though? It’s just a bunch of “keys” made of indented transparent material that mimics the feel of real keyboard keys and works with capacitive screen.
Hmmmm… Lemme see. I could spend $30 on this steaming pile of stupidity, or spend $69 on an Apple wireless keyboard and keep the sliver of dignity I still have left. Lemme get back to you.
It is a good idea per-say, I just do not see a lot of people using this over buying a external keyboard. I will admit that when I travel and workspace is not available. I will edit or type long emails on my iPhone since the typing speed is much faster if I am not able to setup a external keyboard for my iPad.