Or - perhaps Apple should enable bluetooth to work with a separate slick keyboard that can snap on to the device so that when you need to type a long email you have a choice!
It does this already, as long as the phone is not set to the vibrate mode.
Not quite. The keyboard will "click" when you have "Keyboard Clicks" turned on. Which just makes for a bunch of clicking noise (IMO)..It doesn't have to do with vibration mode.
I have no idea why AppleInsider would help publicize a study that was so limited in scope and so subject to over-interpretation. If you read elsewhere on the Internet, you'll find that the participants were given only 30 minutes of exposure to the iPhone prior to the test. And of that 30 minutes, you can guess how much was spent actually working with the keyboard. Apple recommends an evaluation period of 5 days. During this time, not only the user learns how to use the keyboard but the iPhone learns about the user. Mutual training. This study should only be viewed as initial impressions. A similar study should be conducted with people who have used the iPhone for 1 week and several weeks. From my own experience, I would guess that the results will be far more favorable to the iPhone.
Or - perhaps Apple should enable bluetooth to work with a separate slick keyboard that can snap on to the device so that when you need to type a long email you have a choice!
What's the point of bluetooth if you have to physically connect it? Isn't it all just software anyway? I mean, you're already connected to a keyboard (by way of the computer USB) when you sync the iPhone anyway, right?
Participants were given little time to familiarize themselves with the iPhone's touch keyboard ahead of the study and therefore their texting abilities were still at the novice level. Throughout the study, however, User Centric said there were some "limited improvements in keyboard comfort as users progressed through the tasks on the iPhone."
"Overall, the findings in the study can be taken as a good representation of what iPhone text messaging is like for a customer who has just bought an iPhone and is using it for the first time," said Gavin Lew, Managing Director at User Centric. "It's important to consider the changes a person has to make when they switch to the iPhone.
I hate to say it, but this is a self-evident study. New users who didn't have any time to read the Owner's manual, didn't practice on the keypad, and were sending their first messages on the first day of using an iPhone.
What else did you expect?
And the study specifically says that participants were improving their typing skills as time went by.
Tactile vs non tactile asside, I'd have to agree with the interface complaints. The auto correct feature has had me RETYPING words too often - and to catch it in mid-word with it's imminent sabotage means slowing down typing altogether. If it would stay the hell out of the way (by default) it would be a big help.
I have no problems with the keyboard. Without cut-and-paste and a whole host of interface improvements, it's very much a version 1.0 product.
What's the point of bluetooth if you have to physically connect it? Isn't it all just software anyway? I mean, you're already connected to a keyboard (by way of the computer USB) when you sync the iPhone anyway, right?
i meant snap on (so I don't lose it) not connect through the charge adapter - agree that bluetooth avoids the necessity of this.
I came to the iPhone after never having used a Blackberry/anything of its ilk. I found the keyboard dead easy and I can zip along on it just fine. (Rule number one: touch lightly. It doesn't take much. If I can accurately hit a link on a non-magnified page in what would be about the equivalent of a 5-point font, it's sure as hell possible to hit the right key on a much, much bigger keyboard.)
Since then, I've been handed someone else's Blackberry to enter my contact info. I found the keys perfectly usable but the navigation & methods for getting to special characters more than a bit clunky. I'm pretty sure long-time users wouldn't.
So... to each their own, basically, but I'd be far more interested in the first impressions of people who'd never used either type of phone before, because of course your existing assumptions are going to skew things. Methodology 101. \
And it's bad enough that they're trying to spread this FUD, did AI really need to run it with a headline that's just as misleading as the study itself?
Makes it look like AI may have actually bought into this tripe.
It might be nice if Apple released an iPhone with physical QWERTY keyboard alongside the current one. The screen would be smaller, but still be multi-touch.
Most people would go for the current (no keyboard) phone. It'd be better for surfing the web and watching videos. But the keyboard version would be picked up by a lot of businesses and all those people who just can't live without one.
Apple will never do it of course. It'd complicate the product line.
I've never used an iPhone, but am looking forward to doing so. I currently use a phone with just a numeric keypad. If I can get a decent typing speed on that, I can't imagine a virtual QWERTY keyboard being too much trouble
And it's bad enough that they're trying to spread this FUD, did AI really need to run it with a headline that's just as misleading as the study itself?
Makes it look like AI may have actually bought into this tripe.
More likely than AI buying into the tripe, I'd believe AI was bought off--paid to post the study. Now who might be willing to pay for it? Try Verizon, Nokia, or RIMM.
Comments
It does this already, as long as the phone is not set to the vibrate mode.
Not quite. The keyboard will "click" when you have "Keyboard Clicks" turned on. Which just makes for a bunch of clicking noise (IMO)..It doesn't have to do with vibration mode.
I haven't read all the comments left here before typing this, so I'm sure I am just repeating.
Then why are you wasting everyone's time?
Or - perhaps Apple should enable bluetooth to work with a separate slick keyboard that can snap on to the device so that when you need to type a long email you have a choice!
What's the point of bluetooth if you have to physically connect it? Isn't it all just software anyway? I mean, you're already connected to a keyboard (by way of the computer USB) when you sync the iPhone anyway, right?
Participants were given little time to familiarize themselves with the iPhone's touch keyboard ahead of the study and therefore their texting abilities were still at the novice level. Throughout the study, however, User Centric said there were some "limited improvements in keyboard comfort as users progressed through the tasks on the iPhone."
"Overall, the findings in the study can be taken as a good representation of what iPhone text messaging is like for a customer who has just bought an iPhone and is using it for the first time," said Gavin Lew, Managing Director at User Centric. "It's important to consider the changes a person has to make when they switch to the iPhone.
I hate to say it, but this is a self-evident study. New users who didn't have any time to read the Owner's manual, didn't practice on the keypad, and were sending their first messages on the first day of using an iPhone.
What else did you expect?
And the study specifically says that participants were improving their typing skills as time went by.
What more could you ask for?
I sm wrtiing ghis on my iPhone nuw ans is finr, 40-50wpm. qhat os wrongf wirth rverybody????
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2. just the fact that someone bothered to do a study on this confirms iphone's immense popularity.
I have no problems with the keyboard. Without cut-and-paste and a whole host of interface improvements, it's very much a version 1.0 product.
...until I got my thumbs narrowed. Now I'm super fast.
Those iGrinders work great for that don't they?
What's the point of bluetooth if you have to physically connect it? Isn't it all just software anyway? I mean, you're already connected to a keyboard (by way of the computer USB) when you sync the iPhone anyway, right?
i meant snap on (so I don't lose it) not connect through the charge adapter - agree that bluetooth avoids the necessity of this.
Since then, I've been handed someone else's Blackberry to enter my contact info. I found the keys perfectly usable but the navigation & methods for getting to special characters more than a bit clunky. I'm pretty sure long-time users wouldn't.
So... to each their own, basically, but I'd be far more interested in the first impressions of people who'd never used either type of phone before, because of course your existing assumptions are going to skew things. Methodology 101.
And it's bad enough that they're trying to spread this FUD, did AI really need to run it with a headline that's just as misleading as the study itself?
Makes it look like AI may have actually bought into this tripe.
would you trade in that keyboard for an iPhone???
20 would say yes
it's one of those "generate news and buzz about yourself" meaningless surveys
have 10 50 year olds go against text messaging against 10 teenagers......gee old people can't text
Sample size: 20 people.
Time to familiarize with phone: 1 MINUTE
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007...iphone_keypad/
What moronic 'scientists'.
Most people would go for the current (no keyboard) phone. It'd be better for surfing the web and watching videos. But the keyboard version would be picked up by a lot of businesses and all those people who just can't live without one.
Apple will never do it of course. It'd complicate the product line.
I've never used an iPhone, but am looking forward to doing so. I currently use a phone with just a numeric keypad. If I can get a decent typing speed on that, I can't imagine a virtual QWERTY keyboard being too much trouble
Amorya
What an idiotic study.
And it's bad enough that they're trying to spread this FUD, did AI really need to run it with a headline that's just as misleading as the study itself?
Makes it look like AI may have actually bought into this tripe.
More likely than AI buying into the tripe, I'd believe AI was bought off--paid to post the study. Now who might be willing to pay for it? Try Verizon, Nokia, or RIMM.
So tell us, AI, why did you post it?