What Id like for the iPad landscape keyboard is if the left and right half were rotated inward a little, for ergonomics.
Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
31–38 of 38 posts
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#32Hey, let's just buy another iPad and use that as the other keyboard!
I'm actually surprised this concept isn't in the works. A nice multi-touch display for looking, with a nice multi-touch reconfigurable display for typing and other stuff would be great.
Microsoft had a video about this idea a few months ago.
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#33In Android, you can write custom method input providers. It'll be an easy concept to realize once the Android tablets started getting released. Maybe the Android slogan should be "there's an API for that" :)
This is a huge part of Android that, IMO, doesn't get enough press. On the iPhone, an "app" is a silo. You run it, it takes over, you go back to the home screen, it stops (modulo some limited background processing in iOS 4).
On Android, an "app" can be seamlessly integrated into the entire system. Think "extension" in classic Mac OS. My first experience with this in Android was "Rings Extended," one of the first apps in the market. It can (at your option) COMPLETELY REPLACE the ringtone selector, system-wide. Other "apps" can completely replace the home screen (OpenHome, aHome were two early examples). Other "apps" can complete replace the system-wide keyboard.
[disclaimer: I work for Google but not on Android stuff. My experience on Android is 100% based on phones my employer gave me for free.]
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#34Hey, let's just buy another iPad and use that as the other keyboard!
I'm actually surprised this concept isn't in the works. A nice multi-touch display for looking, with a nice multi-touch reconfigurable display for typing and other stuff would be great.
A bit like the Nintendo DS?
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#35In Android, you can write custom method input providers. It'll be an easy concept to realize once the Android tablets started getting released. Maybe the Android slogan should be "there's an API for that" :)
This is a huge part of Android that, IMO, doesn't get enough press. On the iPhone, an "app" is a silo. You run it, it takes over, you go back to the home screen, it stops (modulo some limited background processing in iOS 4). On Android, an "app" can be seamlessly integrated into the entire system. Think "extension" in classic Mac OS. My first experience with this in Android was "Rings Extended," one of the first apps…
...and Apple had SO MUCH luck with that in the classic Mac OS, along with its recapitulation in the form of InputManagers in OS X.
Apple wants everyone to be able to take the same basic UI for granted. They still have a few more years of iteration to go before their UI paradigms solidify, and they really don't want a bunch of fucknuts spoiling their future by dragging in a bunch of WIMP shit. They want nothing to do with the adolescent themers on xda-developers, and are happy to be the Facebook to your Myspace.
They know full well that if they allowed side-loading, their active userbase would mean that there'd be lots of mainstream press coverage of shit like UI full conversions. DO NOT WANT.
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm actually surprised this concept isn't in the works. A nice multi-touch display for looking, with a nice multi-touch reconfigurable display for typing and other stuff would be great.
Microsoft had a video about this idea a few months ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmIgNfp-MdI
While their example use cases are pretty limited, I like the elegance this concept.
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm actually surprised this concept isn't in the works. A nice multi-touch display for looking, with a nice multi-touch reconfigurable display for typing and other stuff would be great.
A bit like the Nintendo DS?
Except in more of a laptop form factor, but yeah. I think the DS has proven pretty well that the concept is sound.
Re: Concept: iPad Split Keyboard
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, because a netbook is so much easier to type on while holding it up with both hands...
A netbook is its own stand.
Which requires that you put it on something. I was trying to point out that even with the existing software keyboard on the iPad, it's easier for me to type standing up one handed than on a laptop or netbook, simply because of the form factor. If you have a surface to place the netbook on, then great... if you don't then you are facing the same problem the peice is trying to address, but with fewer options for solving it.