If you understand nothing else about the iPad’s ability to use a hardware keyboard, understand these two facts:
The iPhone’s software keyboard is about as good as a smartphone hardware keyboard for typing speed. It may not feel as good, and reports differ on whether it’s slower or faster, but it’s about as good. The iPad’s software keyboard’s respective competitor is a normal-size hardware keyboard, which is faster by a wide margin.
The iPad was made for lugging around in the same way a laptop is lugged around; the heft of a Bluetooth keyboard or the keyboard dock is comparable to the iPad itself. Maybe iPhone support for Bluetooth keyboards will sneak its way in with the next iPhone OS update to hit iPhone (4.0?), but I’m guessing that it never would have gotten added had there not been an iPad.
I have no evidence to back this up, but at first appearances, I think the iPad keyboard might be slower to type on than the iPhone. Certainly less convenient, given you need to rest it either on your lap (which requires a chair of the correct height) or on a table (which requires unergonomic hunching over in order to see the screen). That said, I can foresee some really interesting applications for this device. Data entry for scientists in the field was my first thought. Of course, it’s a real shame (although not unexpected) that it’s not an open platform.
By Matt J · 2010.01.28 23:26
Matt J, I happen to work at a company with a bunch of scientists in the field. A large number of potential uses for the iPad have occurred to me over the past day and a half, but the fact is that the hardware is not even close to appropriate for field use. What’s more, Apple will never make a ruggedized version; specialized models are not part of the Apple way. Because of Apple’s vertical approach no-one else will be able to either, and cases are a second-rate solution.
With Apple providing a minority desktop platform and one of many types of phone, this kind of thing is not a problem. If Apple manages to dominate this new segment, and it becomes as important as Steve Jobs appears to expect, it will be.
By Jens Ayton · 2010.01.29 16:32
Matt J, I think this was referring to physical keyboards, not the larger software keyboard also available in the iPad. See the “Accessories” section toward the bottom: http://www.apple.com/ipad/design/
By mick · 2010.02.01 19:00
mick: Yes. I figured “normal-size hardware keyboard” was sufficiently unambiguous.
By Jesper · 2010.02.01 21:21