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iPad Pro Do you really need a keyboard?
- Thread starter Zest28
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I don’t think you *need* a keyboard. I’m a touch typist and can type fairly fast, so for me a keyboard is an asset. But in your personal workflow it may not make that big of a difference.
Yes. I have hand tremors and a pencil is useless for me. And I've always been able to type faster than I could legibly handwrite and would prefer the keyboard even without the tremors.
I can type a lot faster than I can freewrite so if I am working on a report or other writing project then I certainly want the keyboard. I use my iPad keyboard free most of the time however. I generally fall on other devices (i.e. MacBook) for longer writing assignments. So in that regard, I could probably get away with just the pencil. But since the keyboard doubles as a case, I get the best of both worlds.
MKB has been a joy on my 12.9 5th gen. Can't imagine using it without it..
I agree. I love the Magic Keyboard!
In 2020 the MKB transformed my 11” iPad Pro from a device that I’d carry with me and use occasionally for work tasks to my main computing device on the job. Whether it’s remotely accessing a server, directly SSHing into a piece of network equipment, or just writing a report or email, the keyboard and trackpad quickly made my iPad an invaluable part of my workflow.
Well, *I* sure the bleep need the bleepin’ keyboard.
For one, I type somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 WPM (if I just sit down and copy something that already exists). You need some pretty serious shorthand chops to get that fast with pen-and-paper — and who knows shorthand any more? I sure don’t — and, if there’s a shorthand-to-text input for iPadOS, I’ve never heard of it.
Next, there’re plenty of times I’m writing computer code. I know of literally nobody anywhere who does that with pen-and-paper. Maybe pseudocode on a whiteboard, but that’s as close as it gets.
And on non-trivial occasions I’m working in a console shell. I have no clue how one would handwrite control characters? And then most of my console time is in Vi, and I simply can’t imagine the horror of trying to handwrite the escape key.
All that writ, I should not that the plurality of the time I spend on my iPad Pro is taking handwritten notes with the Apple Pencil (in Notability). Typing just simply doesn’t work for taking class notes, at least for me. Speed in that setting isn’t of the essence. Very often I’ll be scribbling on a PDF provided by the professor; the keyboard would be worse than useless for that sort of thing. And if I want to sketch something, like a graph … the trackpad would suck for that, and no way would I be typing something like that up in real time in TikZ.
In other words … horses for courses.
And the iPad without the keyboard would be far, far, far less useful and interesting to me.
b&
For one, I type somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 WPM (if I just sit down and copy something that already exists). You need some pretty serious shorthand chops to get that fast with pen-and-paper — and who knows shorthand any more? I sure don’t — and, if there’s a shorthand-to-text input for iPadOS, I’ve never heard of it.
Next, there’re plenty of times I’m writing computer code. I know of literally nobody anywhere who does that with pen-and-paper. Maybe pseudocode on a whiteboard, but that’s as close as it gets.
And on non-trivial occasions I’m working in a console shell. I have no clue how one would handwrite control characters? And then most of my console time is in Vi, and I simply can’t imagine the horror of trying to handwrite the escape key.
All that writ, I should not that the plurality of the time I spend on my iPad Pro is taking handwritten notes with the Apple Pencil (in Notability). Typing just simply doesn’t work for taking class notes, at least for me. Speed in that setting isn’t of the essence. Very often I’ll be scribbling on a PDF provided by the professor; the keyboard would be worse than useless for that sort of thing. And if I want to sketch something, like a graph … the trackpad would suck for that, and no way would I be typing something like that up in real time in TikZ.
In other words … horses for courses.
And the iPad without the keyboard would be far, far, far less useful and interesting to me.
b&
I hated having to part with the money for it but I have to say the Magic Keyboard for my 12.9" has really transformed the way I use it. I do use the Pencil some of the time for a diagram or idea of some sort but it's largely redundant still on hand if I do need it.
This would be a great idea though…. I might consider learning shorthand just for that purpose.
I don’t know anyone who can write longhand anywhere near as fast as a decent typist.
I type fairly quick but am by no means an expert. I think I’m around 80 WPM. I doubt anyone can write longhand that fast.
No keyboard on my iPad. I am not a very good typist. I do most of my writing with dictation. I wonder why nobody else has mentioned dictation?
It's awkward to get it to accept non-dictionary words (abbreviations, names, things in other languages, etc) and editing can be finicky. For basic notes and jotting stuff down, the handwriting recognition thing is fine. For longer stuff, it's pretty clumsy. I believe it only works in a small range of languages too.
Writing with the Pencil is very handy if I’m already using the Pencil for drawing.
But if I’m not already using the Pencil, then I would prefer to use a physical keyboard. If that’s not available then I would use the virtual regular keyboard with two hands or the virtual QuickPath keyboard with one hand.
But if I’m not already using the Pencil, then I would prefer to use a physical keyboard. If that’s not available then I would use the virtual regular keyboard with two hands or the virtual QuickPath keyboard with one hand.
You're doing most of your writing on iPadOS with dictation?
I prefer dictating for work but find that dictation on Apple devices very limited and full of limitations that require so many corrections that it's faster to type (using aText, a text substitution app) than to dictate more than brief occasional sentences. That's still true even on the Sonoma beta.
Do you need a computer, maybe a pencil and paper will work better then emails....
Clearly your work is not very demanding, otherwise if you think you don't need a keyboard.
Clearly your work is not very demanding, otherwise if you think you don't need a keyboard.
everything about the ipad including the ipad is not ‘needed’ but i enjoy having it especially having got it for a third of MSRP (open box, but looked BNIB-ish to me)
Not my experience if you often capture text in more than one language.
Can’t imagine using it without a keyboard. Trying to type with the onscreen keyboard is so uncomfortable.