The iPhone’s virtual keyboard is definitely my type
Bob is back. Today we get a video walkthrough of the iPhone’s virtual keyboard, one of the most contentious features of the device. Many of us have dealt with virtual keyboards in the past (my old Handspring Visor had one), and know that they’re little substitute for a fullsize keyboard. The question is whether or not the iPhone’s keyboard can surpass the tactile keyboard that most other smartphones use.
From what today’s video shows, that’s a possibility. Bob runs through all the intelligent features of the keyboard, including the built-in dictionary that figures out what you meant to right write [Update: oh, the delicious irony!], the fact that the keyboard differs depending on the application you’re in (Safari features no spacebar, but a period, forward slash, and “.com” button), and—very cool—a predictive system that makes the letter “hot zones” larger by predicting what key you want to hit.
We also get a look at one or two features that we haven’t seen before. For example, you can reposition the cursor with your finger, and iPhone pops up a magnifying glass that gives you more precision, and the iPhone will also auto-complete names of contacts in your address book.
As many of the reviewers have said, the keyboard seems to work best when you just plunge ahead and not worry about individual letters. And indeed, if you watch the end of the video, in which a two-thumbed typist writes an email, the predictive intelligence seems to do pretty well.
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Comments (7)
Even a dictionary can't help you write what you meant, if you spell it right but just can't write.
Posted by AronT | June 27, 2007 10:34 AM
"including the built-in dictionary that figures out what you meant to right, the fact"
I am sure that was what he meant to WRITE!
Now that's funny!!!
Posted by Thomas Tukker | June 27, 2007 10:43 AM
Haven't seen any video of someone typing in the landscape orientation - but surely that's possible?
Posted by Bob | June 27, 2007 11:00 AM
I have to say, this is the most exciting thing I have seen this week. The keyboard is impressive. Most importantly, it looks pretty easy to write words and abbreviations that aren't in the dictionary (my big question about predictive keyboards). Although I wonder if a "reject suggestion" on the keyboard wouldn't be faster.
One thing I found interesting is that even though it's a multi-touch display, you hit the shift key then the letter, rather than hold the shift key down.
Posted by Dave-O | June 27, 2007 11:27 AM
And there are a few more. Such as, "..and iPhone pops up a magnifying glass that give you more precision..."
Sorry Dan, but you should have written the posting using the new iPhone's keyboard. ;0)
Posted by Markito | June 27, 2007 11:28 AM
"Haven't seen any video of someone typing in the landscape orientation - but surely that's possible?"
Posted by Bob | June 27, 2007 11:00 AM
Despite the plethora of video guides, demos and columnist tech reviews, we have not seen any evidence of a landscape/widescreen layout for the virtual keyboard, whatsoever.
My guess is that it means that the wider keyboard layout doesn't exist. It makes so much sense to have it, but with all the critics lamenting a cramped, virtual keyboard, surely Apple wouldshut them up with one if it actually existed. Sad really.
'kito
Posted by Markito | June 27, 2007 12:04 PM
If Mossman is "write" and there is no copying and pasting (why oh why Apple?), then I'm perplexed. Surely this magnifying glass view could be used for such a thing. Maybe the Mossman simply didn't know how to use the finer nuanced features the The Device.
Posted by Jack | June 27, 2007 12:50 PM