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That photograph where Jobs displays the pre-iPhone phones really doesn't prove anything. The Palm Pilot didn't have a keyboard, and it was an obvious idea to ev

by Tichy 15y ago

That photograph where Jobs displays the pre-iPhone phones really doesn't prove anything. The Palm Pilot didn't have a keyboard, and it was an obvious idea to eventually give it calling capabilities (incidentally, my "omg this can't be true, I have been waiting for this all my life" was when I saw the first ad for a Palm Pilot, not for an iPhone). Trust in the big vendors to screw it up anyway, but still. It's not as if nobody besides Job had the capability of envisioning a phone without a keyboard.

pkamb 15y ago
I asked an interesting question here, why the Palm Pilot (and Newton) didn't originally ship with a hardware keyboard. It's fascinating to me that devices originally used handwriting recognition, then moved to physical keyboards, then to on-screen keyboards. http://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-Apple-Newton-and-Palm-Pilot-use-handwriting-recognition-rather-than-a-mini-physical-keyboard http://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-Apple-Newton-and-Palm-Pilot...
- glenra 15y ago
  One reason is because keyboards that small are hard to type on and take up valuable screen real estate. Another reason is that there's something about writing on a pad that seems less intrusive, more casual, than typing. If you take a few notes at a meeting on a pad of paper you're more obviously still mentally present at the meeting - less involved with your note-taking process - than if you type at a keyboard. I still miss the Newton Notepad app and want something like it - including the stylus and handwriting recognition - on an iPhone and iPad.
- officemonkey 15y ago
  Although I really liked Graffiti on the Palm, I think I may be faster on the iPhone keyboard (especially with the basic autocorrect stuff turned on). I wish there was a way to try graffiti on the iPhone and do some basic typing tests to see for myself. On the other hand, I get really frustrated with the autocorrect on the iPhone. It correct proper nouns FAR too often.
mikeryan 15y ago
Gruber, in this case, isn't saying Apple invented the keyboard less smart phone. Its that Apple really got behind a new interface paradigm. For giggle though remember the first Android Emulator? http://www.triviaburst.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/0ff13_android-emulator.png http://www.triviaburst.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-mati...

by Tichy 15y ago

pkamb 15y ago

I asked an interesting question here, why the Palm Pilot (and Newton) didn't originally ship with a hardware keyboard. It's fascinating to me that devices originally used handwriting recognition, then moved to physical keyboards, then to on-screen keyboards. http://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-Apple-Newton-and-Palm-Pilot-use-handwriting-recognition-rather-than-a-mini-physical-keyboard http://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-Apple-Newton-and-Palm-Pilot...

glenra 15y ago
One reason is because keyboards that small are hard to type on and take up valuable screen real estate. Another reason is that there's something about writing on a pad that seems less intrusive, more casual, than typing. If you take a few notes at a meeting on a pad of paper you're more obviously still mentally present at the meeting - less involved with your note-taking process - than if you type at a keyboard. I still miss the Newton Notepad app and want something like it - including the stylus and handwriting recognition - on an iPhone and iPad.
officemonkey 15y ago
Although I really liked Graffiti on the Palm, I think I may be faster on the iPhone keyboard (especially with the basic autocorrect stuff turned on). I wish there was a way to try graffiti on the iPhone and do some basic typing tests to see for myself. On the other hand, I get really frustrated with the autocorrect on the iPhone. It correct proper nouns FAR too often.

mikeryan 15y ago

Gruber, in this case, isn't saying Apple invented the keyboard less smart phone. Its that Apple really got behind a new interface paradigm. For giggle though remember the first Android Emulator? http://www.triviaburst.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/0ff13_android-emulator.png http://www.triviaburst.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-mati...