Understanding the iPhone Custom Dictionary July 25, 2008
Posted by Pip in Explanations.Tags: dictionary, frustrations, praise, typing
9 comments
In order to make up for the less-than-stellar performance of a touch-screen keyboard, Apple’s done some really really excellent work with auto-correct and predictive type. Whenever you type, the iPhone is constantly second-guessing you, offering you words it thinks you’re trying to type, regardless of how many times you hit x instead of c.
Day 3: Typing Sucks Less July 24, 2008
Posted by Pip in General.Tags: typing
add a comment
Okay, I can admit when I was wrong. I’m still not as fast as I was on the Blackberry, or as accurate, but you do get used to this after a while and my speed is really improving.
It still sucks but I feel marginally less like jamming a spoon in my eye.
Day 2: Typing Gets A Little Better July 23, 2008
Posted by Pip in General.Tags: advice, keyboard, typing
add a comment
I’m getting a bit faster at the keyboard. Apple suggests starting out by finger-pecking, which in my infinite wisdom I scoffed at and started trying to double-team it right away.
Turns out, this was responsible for a lot of my mis-types. The way my thumbs are accustomed to working on the BB simply doesn’t fly on the iPhone; I’m used to keeping my thumbs tilted at a certain lazy angle, and that’s been causing accidental key-presses.
iPhone really needs finger-tip presses, so I’m learning to angle my thumbs at a sharper tilt, and tap rather than sliding my thumb to the next letter and pressing down. If you’re experiencing the same frustrations, try experimenting with a lighter and more deliberate tapping maneuver.
Day 2: AIM = FAIL July 23, 2008
Posted by Pip in General.Tags: aim, frustrations, typing
add a comment
Arghhh. Typing on this thing makes me want to weep, and then die. I’m going to trust this will get better with time.
Best to simply trust the auto-correct, though since my line of work has a lot of lingo, that can get very annoying at times.
Right now, though, my chief frustration is the inability to run my IM program In the background. I used to use JiveTalk on my BB a lot to chat with people on their computers. iPhone has an AIM app, but without notifications from the background it is completely pointless.
The whole charm of IM is the ability to put it on the backburner. To surf or check your email while you wait for a response. When you have to sit there staring at the bloody screen while you await a response, well… I just don’t like people enough to do that I suppose.
Also, so far Google Maps just quits if I try to open it from my home.
