iPAD Keyboard - Is it a joke ?

[peled]

Don't tell me you noticed it from day one .

I just recently noticed the special signs on the letters J & F On a physical keyboard they do make sense. the letters J and F have lines on the keys for finger placement when typing properly. they indicate where your pointer finger should be placed, also used for blind people, so they can type.

Now the people at Apple are not stupid. I am sure that they argued a lot in regard to whether to put that sign or not.
I just wander what is the real reason.
Is it regulation of some kind ?
Real stupidity ?
Slipped without any one noticing what the Graphic people did ?
Do the evaluation guys at Apple really have a super sensitivity on thiner fingers ?

 

[freebirdforever]

why does it matter? Seems to me that some people around here are finding things to nitpick at these days...>.>

 

[Wakawaka]

I noticed it on the first day I had it. I noticed it because at first I thought J was underlined for some weird reason.

I think it's there to be more realistic.

 

[SBHOKC]

I noticed it on the first day I had it. I noticed it because at first I thought J was underlined for some weird reason.

I think it's there to be more realistic.

I think you are right and I bet Apple did this on purpose.

 

[Khanandranii]

I noticed it the first day i had the ipad. I thought it was a bit starnge too and i thought the same thing about blind ppl. There is no real need for for it but then there is no harm in having it there either. Apple might just want it to look like a real keyboard.

 

[DDustiNN]

I noticed it the very first time I looked at the keyboard, actually. It's just to give it a more realistic look... really not that big of a deal.

 

[Jon]

It is not there'd o,n the iPhone. I think it is there partly for looks and partly to help with correct finger placement, sans the tactile sensation. The keys in horizontal mode is sized as an proper keyboard.

 

[Hasty]

What's more annoying is the space wasted with the top keyboard bar which is only partially filled with Previous, Next and AutoFill.
Wouldn't it be easy to add those often lamented arrow keys on the other side?

 

[RAC]

What's more annoying is the space wasted with the top keyboard bar which is only partially filled with Previous, Next and AutoFill.
Wouldn't it be easy to add those often lamented arrow keys on the other side?

I have always assumed that these were in anticipation of a tactile virtual KB on the iPad 2 .

And, yes please, can we have cursor (arrow) keys that can be used to select text more easily.

 

[David Vice]

I never thought about it before this thread, but it's actually pointless. I also believe it's for looks and presentation. Not a big deal.

 

[SweetPoison]

why does it matter? Seems to me that some people around here are finding things to nitpick at these days...>.>

I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading.

 

[wrecklass]

Actually those marks serve a purpose. Even though you cannot feel them they do serve as a visual cue when glancing at the keyboard. Professional typists and UI experts will point out that simply having the ones in the same place as they are on a physical keyboard helps the user to orient their hands as they glance at the keyboard.

This is the subtlety of Apples UI design department who notices every thing and you can believe they tested this thoroughly with a number of people before deciding.

You may call it nitpicking, but a professional UI designer would call it "paying attention to the details."

Just like the reason that Apple places their Menubar on the top of the screen and the primary menu items are on the extreme left side of the bar. They tested that with several hundred people before deciding on that placement. I've asked UI designers why Apple did that as a part of my interviews, and gave extra credit to the people who knew the correct answer.

It's no accident that people feel that Apple has the best designs. They put a lot of effort into making it "just feel better."

 

[Hasty]

Naw it's a joke!
Apple's just winding you up.

Dieter Rams has a lot to answer for..........

 

[Yakuzagang5]

It's for looks, no need to freak out about it. Makes it look like a real keyboard, and apple does everything it can to make something pretty. Surprised there's a whole thread on the subject...

 

[Frankmezz]

The majority of the answers above appear to be from NON touch typists. its for finger placement on the keyboard when you don't have to look at the keys to type. As a CPA I can also use a 10 key calculator without looking and need the 5 to have a similar raised point to make sure i keep my fingers on the right keys.