Typing Tips?

[Pr3mier]

Hi all.

I have been using my iPhone for months now, but I still can't type on the virtual keyboard any better.
Does anyone have any tips on typing with the iphone? Preferably typing in portrait mode?
I'm not asking for shortcuts and unique keyboard features. I want to know how you actually press/touch on the screen. Do you use the very tip of your finger? How do you hold the phone?
What's been aggravating me is that very often I hit the c/v/b/n/m key instead of the spacebar, therefore giving me one big misspelled word instead of two. I am also having trouble tapping the correct letters. I would get the one next to the letter I intended.
Does the jailbreaking community have a hack for a better portrait keyboard?

The iPhone has been one of the greatest devices I have ever used. I just want to be able to enjoy using it more. Thanks ahead for your tips.

Oh, and for those of you who have nothing positive to say, don't waste your time commenting so I don't have to waste my time reading it. Thanks!

 

[Jeremy]

The stock keyboard is hands down the best software keyboard available on any smartphone today IMHO. I type various ways - sometimes with two hands using only my thumbs and most of the time with one hand and only one thumb. No problems what so ever but of course that varies person to person.

 

[DainBramage1]

Unless the app doesn't support it, or I'm only typing a few characters, I prefer the landscape keyboard. The keys are bigger, so you're less likely to get the wrong character. Plus, my thumbs sort of cramp up if I type in portrait mode a lot. So if I'm really typing something, I'll flip it landscape and use both thumbs.

In either orientation, if you hold the key you'll see which character it thinks you're on, and if that's not the right one, slide your thumb or finger around until you get the character you want, then release. There are definitely some characters that are tougher to hit than others.

 

[PinkBanana]

I don't have any issues with it. I just type as though using a standard laptop/pc keyboard. More often than not my iphone will spell the word i want and i just need to space to move to the next word. Thats my thought anyway. Landscape is much easier to type in.

 

[Greg Orlando]

There is no typing tips discovered yet. It completely depends on how you are used to with your device, in another way I would like to say that it is a matter of practice. The keypad of the iphone is very comfortable and I think you will also be used to with it soon.

 

[lungho]

It took me a couple of months to adjust to the virtual keyboard. Since I was coming from a Razr instead of another smartphone w/ a hardware keyboard, I don't have any ill will toward the virtual keyboard. Also, I truly believe that landscape is the key for those of us with larger hands.

Keep practicing. Eventually the phone will learn what words you type most often. That's when autocomplete comes in handy. A year and a half later after initial purchase of my 3G, I type pretty darn fast and accurate.

 

[BLiNK]

@ the OP
you're putting wayyyy too much thought into this.
like Jeremy Sikora has hinted towards, its gotta be the easiest keyboard to type on.
i was having issues coming from a tactile keyboard to the virtual and thought it was not worth it
but after time i can honestly say it IS the best.
just give it time and once again try not to concentrate on every letter, let the software do that for you.

 

[spyles9]

Landscape is the way to go!

 

[John T]

Personally, I find the portrait keyboard the easiest to use. As has already been said, practice makes perfect and don't worry too much about exact placement of your fingers, just let the auto-correct software do it's job.

 

[drian]

Do you have a case? That can sometimes lead to hitting the b instead of space, I find.

Other than that... practice.

I still can't type 100% on the iphone after a few months, and I'm a great typist on a keyboard.

 

[flyingember]

2.5 years. I hit N and enter way more than I like but otherwise I'm as fast as typing on a desktop keyboard

 

[Brickman]

I hope this makes sense. Don't "press" just touch the keys. Use the "flat" of your Thumbs, not the "edges". When I had a Treo with physical keyboard, I had to use the edges of my thumbs to be accurate and not hit two keys at once. I found I was much more accurate with my iPhone when I used the "flat" of my thumb (where your finger-print is) to hit the keys. I also hold the iPhone much "looser" than I held my Treo.

Also, this is the MOST IMPORTANT tip. "Use the Force Luke" Trust the Auto-Correct! It REALY works.

Now that is for Portrait. I HIGHLY recommend using landscape. Much more comfortable.

 

[WoNGsTeR#IM]

like others said.. i trust the auto-correct.. i still make occasional mistakes.. but got to the point where i can type with out looking most of the time..