iPad Touch Typing

Ars Technica and other sites have written articles about the iPad as a full-fledged PC replacement. While Xcode ties me to a laptop for now, I have fancied a keyboard for writing and planning days so I can pack light.

Speaking of iPad workflows, I think it's awesome how cafés and restaurants are using them as point of sale devices, or for table and order management. But when I was in LA, I went to a diner descriptively named "Pie & Burger," where they had an antique, mechanical cash register, and watching the dials spin madly felt like the (analog!) clock was turning back and the chime announced that we had arrived in the 50's... It was magical.

The fresh strawberry pie (Strawberries. On top of a delicate, crunchy crust. And something jello-like, desperately attempting to hold it all together, even though things fall apart.) was great, but if you asked me why I have to go back the next time I'm in town, it's really for the cha-ching! of that register.

I digress. At any rate, iPad keyboards.

I tried out a couple of Brookstone products, both their case + keyboard and a floppy rubber keyboard. The case felt nice and was very grippy, but it was heavy. It felt like it doubled the weight. It also lacked the clever magnetic wake/sleep on open/close, which I love. Worst of all, it was very much in the way during casual usage, whenever I didn't need the keyboard. So I tried the floppy keyboard instead, going for portable and lightweight.

That was a disaster. Key presses didn't register, and using a keyboard apparently turns off autocomplete, so typing with it was actually slower and less accurate than with the software keyboard. I gave up after one paragraph with it.

Fortunately, Brookstone has a generous return policy. They also have a case like the first one I tried with a removable keyboard, but after looking at that and the Zagg case + keyboard, I just find that neither of them really beat the Apple smart cover for versatility and ease of use.

Move "Zagg" for great justice!

My current experiment involves a Zagg standalone rigid keyboard. It comes with a nice cover that can be used as a stand for the iPad in a pinch. It's a little bit smaller than an Apple keyboard and has some iPad-specific functions. It can be used for Android as well, though I haven't tried it.

So far I've typed up a couple of blog posts with it, and I'm well pleased. It has a number of special keys on the function row which I'm more used to keyboard shortcuts for. And the keyboard shortcus work! O frabjuous day! It's a smooth and natural transition, with very little need to touch the screen except when I'm switching between apps. And perhaps there's a shortcut for that too. I need to just start experimenting with key combinations.

Even though I don't use the copy/cut/paste keys, for people who used to use their mouse to do that, the added accessibility is probably a good thing.

I have at least one more iPad workflow post in me (iPhoto, I'm looking at you.) But hopefully the keyboard setup will get me back into posting more frequently.