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Tablets for easy typing, not just e-books? New Apple interface might help
October 2, 2009 | 8:58 am
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By David Rothman
Tablet are one of the best ways to enjoy traditional books in E format.
Alas, however, you can’t type on a tablet easily. Virtual keyboards aren’t that great.
But recently patented technology from Apple could help.
AppleInsider says Apple has “again disclosed plans for a multi-touch surface that could accommodate two full hands and distinguish between palms and individual fingers for typing, gestures and more.”
Will these improved virtual keyboards be as easy to use as traditional ones? I won’t bet on it. Still, Apple’s technology could be a major improvement.
Related: Google news roundup on the ramifications of the Apple tablet for printed media, including newspapers such as the New York Times (thanks to David Faucheux for the latter link).
Image: From promo for Gizmodo’s Apple tablet Photoshop contest. Notice the date of the accompanying post? November 8, 2007. Yep, speculation about the Apple tab has been going on forever.
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Comments:
Even if Apple has those plans, a friend of mine frequently expresses pessimism about how helpful they’ll be to use. In the context of “netbooks” that have two facing screens, he refers to the act of typing on a virtual keyboard as hammering one’s fingers against a pane of glass. Whether you can type effectively or not, you end up with sore fingers.
Hi, Chris. Maybe your fingers won’t have to touch the surface except when resting—just come close. For now, though, as mentioned, I’m skeptical.
Thanks,
David
Concerns like this have been kicked about since the world was being weaned off of Royal upright typewriters. Though it may be different, I think people can get used to virtual keyboards with the right interface and feedback mechanisms in place (it’s the feedback that’s important).
And of course, I’m still committed to Jordan’s Theorem: You get used to what you want to get used to.