A couple of meetings ago I mentioned that a Facebook friend of mine had commented that it was odd that most people still used a QWERTY keyboard on their touch-screens, when others are available. The story being that that keyboard layout was deliberately designed to slow typists down, so that the metal letters of old-fashioned typewriters didn’t stick together.
It’s not quite the same thing, but I had a reason to type a dollar sign with my tablet last Monday, only to find that it wasn’t available on the keyboard. Yesterday I worked out how to access a US keyboard with it, without downloading an app. However it wasn’t intuitive.
My Nexus 7 came with the Gboard keyboard already installed. Going to Settings – Language & input – Gboard – Languages, gave me the opportunity to add a keyboard from a large list, which included nine versions of English. What wasn’t explained, and as I’ve said wasn’t intuitive, is that to switch from one keyboard to another I have to hold down the space bar, and then pick one of the options I’ve added.
To go back to my original point, another option is a Dvorak keyboard layout:-
“Dvorak proponents claim the layout requires less finger motion and reduces errors compared to the standard QWERTY keyboard arrangement. It is claimed that the reduction in finger distance traveled permits faster typing while also reducing repetitive strain injuries, although that claim is controversial.” (Wikipedia)
Worth a try?
… for Cardiff u3a