6 ms·

>Yet people insist on putting lipstick on this pig, trying to believe that text editing on a tablet doesn't suck. They're great media consumption devices. 2009

by batista 15y ago

>Yet people insist on putting lipstick on this pig, trying to believe that text editing on a tablet doesn't suck. They're great media consumption devices. 2009 called, they want their argument back. Lots and lots of people have created media (and even programs) on their iPads. From writers, to musicians, to programmers even (actually, just the other week, the first ever game created solely on the iPad was published to the App Store --it only needed external compilation and signature on XCode, all the actual coding and testing was done in the iPad). >Don't try to use them in contexts where they work poorly Really? Because for a "consumption device" I think my iPad is the best DAW controller available on the market for the money, to name just one use. It used to cost like $3000 for a comparable device just a few years ago. And it's much more portable and distraction free to use with a bluetooth keyboard for writing than any laptop... >nor fool yourself into thinking they can be "fixed". Really? What exactly can't be fixed? We already have experiments with haptic feedback, and of course one can always use one with a wireless keyboard --you know, like the one Apple sells or the tens of keyboard+case combos. Also, check out technologies like Blind Type (proximity to intended letter and word statistics based inference): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gDF4ocLhQM&feature=player_embedded# http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gDF4ocLhQM&feature=playe...! Which was acquired by Google: http://business2press.com/2010/10/01/google-blindtype-acquisition/ http://business2press.com/2010/10/01/google-blindtype-acquis...

ianstormtaylor 15y ago
That we are hearing of things "created only on an iPad" is often only because they are not the most efficient means of creating those things in the first place. Otherwise it wouldn't really have been news.
ori_b 15y ago
> Lots and lots of people have created media (and even programs) on their iPads. Lots and lots of people have created programs in ed on a teletype. Something being possible doesn't equate to it being efficient. > Really? What exactly can't be fixed? Good, intuitive text editing with an on screen keyboard.
- batista 15y ago
  >Lots and lots of people have created programs in ed on a teletype. Something being possible doesn't equate to it being efficient. The difference is people have created content EFFICIENTLY on the iPad, including people that would not even know what button to press to start a PC so to speak. >Good, intuitive text editing with an on screen keyboard. "Good" is subjective. If we are talking "words per minute", something like BlindType (see my link above) shows that writing with an on screen keyboard can be improved in major ways. Not to mention that nobody said you can only use the on screen keyboard.
  - ori_b 15y ago
    > Not to mention that nobody said you can only use the on screen keyboard. Since the topic of discussion was how on screen keyboards compared to physical ones, I assumed we were talking about on screen keyboards.
  - tjoff 15y ago
    Talk about being in a reality distortion field. If we talk efficiency, speed or ergonomics the ipad is a joke. Simple as that. And yes, if you want you can use a keyboard on the ipad, as if the workflow wasn't awkward enough, how well does ctrl+z work on the ipad? BlindType is neat but compared to a real keyboard? BlindType, compared to a real keyboard, is just another text predicting tool that must compare everything to a glossary meaning that mixing languages is hard, writing words that isn't in the glossary is awkward (especially considering that you don't know what words are in the glossary to begin with). Yes, BlindType looks awesome, for a virtual keyboard.
    - batista 15y ago
      >Talk about being in a reality distortion field. If we talk efficiency, speed or ergonomics the ipad is a joke. "Reality distortion field"? Classy. Also a "fanboy", right? Last time I checked, the iPad is touted by UI experts everywhere for it's ergonomics and efficient interface for tons of functions. It's so easy and ergonomic that even babies, non-tech-savvy elders and lizards (sic) can use it [google the last one]. It's true that its' touch screen is not the most efficient interface _for_writing_, but that is because writing is not its target use. Though, I don't know with what you compare with -- PC's with keyboard? If so, it too can be paired with a wireless keyboard just as easily as any PC. Who said it should not? I don't use my PC mouse when I draw, I use a Wacom tablet. Similarly, I don't use the iPad's keyboard when I write lengthy texts, I pair it with a keyboard. In the future, as tablets get more powerful, we would pair it to other stuff too, from monitors to external controllers etc, just as we do with out PCs now. That doesn't mean my PC is not for creation --it just means I need an additional tool (in my case, my beloved Intuos 4) for my creations. >And yes, if you want you can use a keyboard on the ipad, as if the workflow wasn't awkward enough, how well does ctrl+z work on the ipad? Actually, several people prefer the "workflow" of the iPad better. YMMV. Less distractions, not worrying about your data, great battery life, plug in and write. Including several writers --as in professional writers-- are using it for their everyday work, from Shawn Blanc, to Harry McCraken, to random authors and journalists.
dean 15y ago
>Lots and lots of people have created media (and even programs) on their iPads I have read a few articles about people creating documents and programs on their iPads. The one thing they have in common is they use external keyboards. No one uses the on screen keyboard for that kind of work.

by batista 15y ago

ianstormtaylor 15y ago

That we are hearing of things "created only on an iPad" is often only because they are not the most efficient means of creating those things in the first place. Otherwise it wouldn't really have been news.

ori_b 15y ago

> Lots and lots of people have created media (and even programs) on their iPads. Lots and lots of people have created programs in ed on a teletype. Something being possible doesn't equate to it being efficient. > Really? What exactly can't be fixed? Good, intuitive text editing with an on screen keyboard.

batista 15y ago
>Lots and lots of people have created programs in ed on a teletype. Something being possible doesn't equate to it being efficient. The difference is people have created content EFFICIENTLY on the iPad, including people that would not even know what button to press to start a PC so to speak. >Good, intuitive text editing with an on screen keyboard. "Good" is subjective. If we are talking "words per minute", something like BlindType (see my link above) shows that writing with an on screen keyboard can be improved in major ways. Not to mention that nobody said you can only use the on screen keyboard.
- ori_b 15y ago
  > Not to mention that nobody said you can only use the on screen keyboard. Since the topic of discussion was how on screen keyboards compared to physical ones, I assumed we were talking about on screen keyboards.
- tjoff 15y ago
  Talk about being in a reality distortion field. If we talk efficiency, speed or ergonomics the ipad is a joke. Simple as that. And yes, if you want you can use a keyboard on the ipad, as if the workflow wasn't awkward enough, how well does ctrl+z work on the ipad? BlindType is neat but compared to a real keyboard? BlindType, compared to a real keyboard, is just another text predicting tool that must compare everything to a glossary meaning that mixing languages is hard, writing words that isn't in the glossary is awkward (especially considering that you don't know what words are in the glossary to begin with). Yes, BlindType looks awesome, for a virtual keyboard.
  - batista 15y ago
    >Talk about being in a reality distortion field. If we talk efficiency, speed or ergonomics the ipad is a joke. "Reality distortion field"? Classy. Also a "fanboy", right? Last time I checked, the iPad is touted by UI experts everywhere for it's ergonomics and efficient interface for tons of functions. It's so easy and ergonomic that even babies, non-tech-savvy elders and lizards (sic) can use it [google the last one]. It's true that its' touch screen is not the most efficient interface _for_writing_, but that is because writing is not its target use. Though, I don't know with what you compare with -- PC's with keyboard? If so, it too can be paired with a wireless keyboard just as easily as any PC. Who said it should not? I don't use my PC mouse when I draw, I use a Wacom tablet. Similarly, I don't use the iPad's keyboard when I write lengthy texts, I pair it with a keyboard. In the future, as tablets get more powerful, we would pair it to other stuff too, from monitors to external controllers etc, just as we do with out PCs now. That doesn't mean my PC is not for creation --it just means I need an additional tool (in my case, my beloved Intuos 4) for my creations. >And yes, if you want you can use a keyboard on the ipad, as if the workflow wasn't awkward enough, how well does ctrl+z work on the ipad? Actually, several people prefer the "workflow" of the iPad better. YMMV. Less distractions, not worrying about your data, great battery life, plug in and write. Including several writers --as in professional writers-- are using it for their everyday work, from Shawn Blanc, to Harry McCraken, to random authors and journalists.

dean 15y ago

>Lots and lots of people have created media (and even programs) on their iPads I have read a few articles about people creating documents and programs on their iPads. The one thing they have in common is they use external keyboards. No one uses the on screen keyboard for that kind of work.