Thumb typing on the iPad works great… if your hands are huge

Posted by | 04/03/2010 | 3 Comments

Of the folks I’ve talked to about the iPad keyboard (Xavier and my wife), we’ve agreed using two thumbs to tap out messages is challenging in portrait mode and darn near impossible to landscape mode. But then I watched this video on LAPTOP Magazine and realized we just have small hands.

Seriously, looking at this guy reach across that screen in landscape mode is like watching Mister Fantastic or Plastic Man work an iPad. This guy working it in landscape mode is like me working the keyboard in portrait mode. Kudos to banana hands here for making it work. Check out the video at LAPTOP. Hat tip to Liliputing.

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Category: Mobile

About the Author (Author Profile)

My name is Mark Sumimoto; I am Sumocat. I dabble in all areas of mobile computing, but my focus is Windows-based Tablet PCs and pen input. They’ve been part of my arsenal since 2004, and I’m proud to have pioneered the field of ink blogging, earning a spot as a Microsoft MVP for Touch and Tablets in the process. My current tools include a Fujitsu Lifebook T900, TEGA v2, and iPhone 4. Email me: sumocat [at] notebooks.com
  • http://twitter.com/c0rinne Corinne

    How heavy is it? I’d be afraid I’d drop it.

    • http://sumocat.blogspot.com Sumocat

      1.5 lbs, .5 inches thick, and well-balanced. As long as you skip the buttered popcorn, it’s very easy to handle.

  • gmich

    I got my iPad today — after saying I definitely wasn’t getting one — and I find the typing experience surprisingly good. I guess my hands are on the larger side, so thumbing the portrait keyboard is great and even the landscape version is not too bad. As for the commenter above saying they’d be afraid to drop it — I actually think we’ll be hearing quite a few stories about that. When not in a case the back is actually rather slippery. I could easily see it slipping out of people’s hands. A couple grip strips on the back would be useful, I think (though I know it would kill the clean look).

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