Typing on an iPad
 

Does anyone know of an application that makes it easier to type on an I-Pad?

My wife bought me an I-Pad for my birthday and I really like it for surfing the web and watching movies when I fly, but I find typing on the thing to be laborious at best. I hate the way you have to switch back and forth between numbers, alpha characters, and punctuation symbols to type a message.

I love gadgets and the I-Pad is now my favorite gadget. I just wish using it at work were a little easier. I used to have this little fold-out keypad (from Targus I think) back in the pre-black berry era that I clipped on to my little hand-held what-cha-ma-dinky. If they had something like that, with an AP to go with it for the I-Pad, that would be great!

Has anyone seen or heard of anything like that?

There are Ipad flod out cases with built in keyboard. Try googling for them.

There is the iPad external keyboard, but it will not plug in when the Apple case is on, a major pain. I'd return mine if I could.

http://www.brookstone.com/ipod-acces...st1FDT|9489665

here is one i saw in the airport the other day

I-Pad Keypad/Case
 

Thanks Tentseller.

I am looking at the ClamCase now on-line. It looks like there should be several other choices out there as well. I'll let you know which one I decide to get.

If anyone out there has used anything like this, I'd love to hear a quick review of the product you are using. Likes, dislikes etc.

An external keyboard will be nice, but unless there is a sofware solution to go with it, using the apple method of switching back and forth between the number screen, the alpha screen, and/or the punctuation screen will continue to suck.

thinkgeek.com has a kensington case/keyboard that I purchased and use daily. Works great and is reasonable @$59

edit to add: it has all the Ipad controls on the keys-volume, etc. Bluetooth. Doesn't require any software. Charge lasts 40 hours of use.

Thanks.

I am reading the reviews now. This one looks pretty good so far.

Easy Victor,

When you type using this device, does it simply use the same standard typing screen that comes with the I-Pad (read: do you still have to toggle between the numbers and the letters to type), or does it come with some type of software or AP that makes typing more natural?

No switching or toggling. It's a regular normal keyboard like a laptop or workstation keyboard. No software needed. Sets up in under a minute, also. Great product.

edit: when you turn this keyboard on, the Ipad keyboard disappears from the screen. The Ipad knows that an alternate keyboard is attached.

Here's what you need to type easier on an iPad:

www.usbtypewriter.com

As seen on Martha Stewart. (Click on "Ingenious Inventions" in video clip menu on right hand side)

http://www.marthastewart.com/show/th...ker-faire-show


Also featured on NPR

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/12/131268...-into-treasure

Also featured in Wired magazine, and elsewhere:

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/...typewriter-pc/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20007654-1.html

Hey, Tom Hanks has one. You should too.

So by the time you add the case and the keyboard, you have something pretty much the size of a notebook computer, which is probably what you should have bought in the first place if you don't like the screen style keyboard on the iPad.

Except that the Ipad has a much better screen, operates faster, can change orientation, touch control, and a whole lot more.

No comparison. I have a notebook and it sucks compared to the Ipad.

Another option is the ZAGGMate.

I also hated the iPad soft keyboard initially. I even bought the Apple Wireless Keyboard (bluetooth) for when I need to type a lot. It's small, elegant and easy to pack. But after a while I got used to the iPad soft keyboard itself. Proof: the Apple keyboard is permanently in my desk drawer. :)

My experience as well. I got used to the iPad on screen keyboard.

I found the Apple Bluetooth keyboard to be nicely constructed but I do not want to jailbreak the iPad until the warranty runs out to uncripple the blue tooth so I can use a mouse and found that it was too annoying to still have to touch the screen often. It became more convenient to just use the on screen keyboard.