A model that combines thumb movements with English-language tweets created a new keyboard layout to optimize thumb typing on tablets. Typing with KALQ was 34 percent faster than on QWERTY. A free Android app will be released in May. Read more »
I tested both of Zagg’s iPad mini keyboard cases and either is a nice accessory. There’s a difference in typing, however, due to the two sizes. That means you’ll have to figure out if you value portability or a better typing experience when choosing. Read more »
Looking for a wireless iPad keyboard? There are plenty of choices on Kickstarter and this one has a slick feature: The hinge rotates 360-degrees allowing the device to double as a stand for touch input. If you want in, there’s not much time left! Read more »
A Nokia Conversations survey suggests the U.S. alone prefers touchscreen devices for input while the rest of the world still wants a QWERTY keyboard. That’s ironic as touchscreens dominate the market and Nokia opted for numeric keypads in lieu of QWERTY for so long. Read more »
While a hot accessory alone won’t sell a mobile device, it never hurts to generate buzz and interest. Microsoft is doing just that by announcing relatively inexpensive and eye-catching new keyboards and mice for Windows 8 computers and tablets. One keyboard case doubles as a tablet stand. Read more »
There are no lack of Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad, but the newest one Kickstarter is impressive. Called Brydge, the wireless keyboard makes the iPad look like a MacBook Air. Backing starts at $150 and for $30 more you can get a Brydge with integrated speakers. Read more »
Logitech introduced its newest iPad keyboard / cover combo on Wednesday and if you could imagine Apple designing such a product, this is what it would look like. The $99 accessory works with the iPad 2 and the new iPad, pairing a smart case with Bluetooth keyboard. Read more »
Apple users who also type like the wind are in luck: Das Keyboard took the wrapper off a version of its impressive mechanical switch keyboard that’s designed for Macs. In addition to tactile feedback, the Das Keyboard for Mac offers special keys designed for Apple machines. Read more »
Kickstarter continues to impress as a go-to resource for accessories that tread somewhat off the beaten path. Two recent discoveries fit that description, and offer smart solutions for folks looking to shore up commonly cited iPad and MacBook Pro deficiencies, like keyboard complaints and heat management. Read more »
Voice-technology company Nuance Communications has confirmed that it has scooped up mobile text software provider Swype for $102.5 million, according to an SEC filing, adding Swype to its stable of voice and text input technologies. It’s just the latest pickup for Nuance. Read more »
Logitech’s new Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac looks a lot like the Apple keyboard at first glance, but adds a strip of solar panels above the function keys. It also has a numeric keypad, slightly indented keys, and a 2.4 GHz wireless connection. Read more »
Like many others, I find the iPad on-screen keyboard lacking, and the problem with a combo keyboard and case is that the keyboard is limited in size by the size of the iPad. Luckily, Logitech has introduced a new accessory that works around that limitation. Read more »
There are some Unicode characters which are useful (and fun) to be able to type. However, while some of them are readily accessible using the keyboard, most are hidden away in the Character Viewer. Here’s how to use actual Unicode codes to type these special symbols. Read more »
I love the iPad, but I miss having a hardware keyboard at hand. You could carry around Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard, but additional devices sort of defeats the purpose. The keyboard case seems like a good alternative. Does Kensington’s KeyFolio live up to the hype? Read more »
While it may be intended as a tool for adding photos to your iPad, the Camera Connection Kit can do more than Apple tells you about. I’ve tested what capabilities the kit has, and what secrets are hiding under the white casing. Read more »
Soon after receiving my bluetooth Apple keyboard, I found that most of the keyboard shortcuts I was hoping for were not there. So, after trying every keyboard shortcut I could think of, here’s a rundown of all the shortcuts that work on the iPad. Read more »
After almost three years of obsessive iPhone typing, we have grown accustomed to its keyboard. When the iPad was released, things changed. Read more »
During today’s unveiling of Apple’s long-awaited tablet, now officially known as the iPad, Steve Jobs also briefly detailed a couple of accessories that will be making their way to market to go with the new 9.7-inch device, one of which is a keyboard dock, with another […] Read more »
Barely a week into the New Year I wrote an article entitled Magic Mouse Drains Keyboard Batteries. The clue is in the title. According to reports on the Apple Support forum, people were discovering that their diminutive Apple wireless keyboards were suddenly chewing through battery life […] Read more »
This is the first in a series of 7 posts in the 7 days prior to Apple’s January 27 media event in which I explore various possibilities for an Apple Tablet and other potential announcements. The world is expecting Apple to announce a new tablet, or […] Read more »
So the holidays are over. The food portions are returning to healthy sizes but the damage is done. New Year resolutions you’ve been ruminating on for weeks must now be taken seriously. It’s time to get in shape. No more excuses! No more distractions. You have […] Read more »
Steve Jobs is “extremely happy.” But it’s not because Psystar is dead. And it’s not because he’s been named CEO of the Multiverse or some other such end-of-year award. He’s happy because that Tablet he’s been working on almost exclusively since he returned to Apple in […] Read more »
There are no shortage of iPhone apps that function as remotes for your Mac, Apple TV, or just about anything else. Keymote (iTunes link), by Iced Cocoa, takes the concept to a new level by allowing custom “keysets” for all of your favorite applications. So why […] Read more »
One of the most common complaints I hear from non-iPhone users (and some who have them, too) is with regards to the on-screen keyboard. BlackBerry users revere and lionize their precious hardware QWERTYs, and people with landscape sliders from LG and others never stop rubbing it […] Read more »
At my desktop workstation I use an external keyboard and mouse with my Mac notebooks, and one keyboard function I really miss when I use them in actual hands-on laptop mode is the freestanding keyboard’s dedicated Forward Delete key. It’s something I’m accustomed to having, use […] Read more »
