

The iPad keyboard: Atari 400 all over again. - technologizer
http://technologizer.com/2010/01/28/hey-ive-felt-that-keyboard-before/

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blahedo
The iPhone has one property that improves its keyboard that will presumably be
inherited by the iPad: predictive algorithms make "more likely" keys have
larger zones, even though the keyboard graphic isn't redrawn, so that if your
finger hits an area between two keys, or even slightly onto an adjacent key,
the "right" key will be interpreted instead. (The author also mentions
autocorrection, which is not quite the same.)

But yeah, it still is just not going to be as good of tactile feedback as an
actual keyboard, and virtually impossible to type on without looking at the
keys---small hand placement errors will compound without constant feedback and
will eventually cause "keyboard drift".

(And the most infamous example of a membrane keyboard that I'm aware of is the
IBM PCjr... it's certainly the example that I use when I'm explaining to
people why touch screens suck for typing.)

~~~
Zev
_But yeah, it still is just not going to be as good of tactile feedback as an
actual keyboard_

This was one of the most common complaints about the iPhone when it first came
out. Now? Its not complained about nearly as often. I think its safe to say
that for most people, the lack of a physical keyboard on the iPhone isn't a
negative.

~~~
baddox
I still don't like the iPhone keyboard. I don't perpetually complain about it,
I just elect to never buy one.

~~~
mbreese
If you don't own one, then why are you commenting about it? Until you've used
the iPhone keyboard for a significant length of time, how can you claim that
you don't like it?

I don't know anyone that would claim that the iPhone has a great keyboard or
would want to do any lengthy typing on it. By and large though, people I know
think that it's 'better than expected'.

Perhaps with the larger size of the iPad, it might work well for a keyboard.
I'm still not typing for hours on it, but for emails or notes during a
meeting, it might work just fine.

~~~
baddox
Perhaps I'm biased. Unfortunately, people who purchase an iPhone may also be
biased by post-purchase rationalization. I actually have used touch-screen
keyboards, especially the iPhone's, many times. I'm not saying it's the worst
experience ever. It's far better than typing on a number pad with T9 or
another predictive algorithm. With time it would certainly be doable, maybe
even unnoticeable to the user. Still, it is far worse than even the worst
tactile qwerty phone keyboard.

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mechanical_fish
Has Apple officially announced that they will sue anyone who develops a third-
party external keyboard?

Perhaps, but I doubt it. Ergo, I suspect that there will be lots and lots of
third party keyboards for those of us who insist on trying to write novels on
this thing. Or, you know, we will buy laptops.

It's worth noting that the Atari 400 had a terrible keyboard because... it
wasn't really designed for writing. It was a gaming platform masquerading as a
computer. Of course, many people tried to make it stretch, because at the time
actual computers cost many thousands of dollars more...

~~~
tvon
For the iPad anyway, any bluetooth keyboard will work.

~~~
lurkinggrue
As long as Apple didn't disable that.

~~~
tvon
It's been reported by multiple sources to be a feature of the device, not a
"this should work" but "this is made to work".

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rbanffy
I think the size puts it closer to the Sinclair ZX-80/81 family.

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AndyDent
I owned various Palm models for years along with folding keyboards. I could
take notes in meetings and seminars with that setup without having to look. My
typing speed on the folding keyboard was enough to max out the Palm III
models. The iPhone keyboard doesn't come close to matching this experience and
I'm highly skeptical that even a bigger onscreen keyboard will meet the same
need for eyes-off typing.

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asmithmd1
One HUGE difference. The Atari 400 was the first computer I bought - for about
that same price as an iPad if I remember correctly. I also bought a surplus
real keyboard and wired it to the membrane keyboard's connector. That kind of
hacking is not possible Now without license agreements, propriatary
connectors, etc

~~~
protomyth
or just buy any bluetooth wireless keyboard for the iPad.

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protomyth
I had an Atari 400 and typed quite a bit on it. I assure you the iPad is
nothing like an Atari 400. The Atari 400 required a bit of pressure that made
it truly unpleasant.

~~~
mbreese
I hated typing on the 400... the pressure was always hard to judge, and I
always made mistakes when typing commands. Then again, I was a young kid, so
I'm sure my dad appreciated the membrane keyboard when I was using it.

Now, when I hand my toddler my iPhone to watch one of his videos, it always
comes back all grimy. I think I'm starting to appreciate the 400's keyboard
more and more...

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Luc
Cute comparison, but do you really need key travel when there is great visual
and audio feedback? It's not like you have to hammer the iPhone like you did
the ZX-80...

