No arrow keys, a real drag!

You missed your chance to design the perfect product. It is what it is. You can give Apple your feedback here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

You can go to you Safari bookmarks and select the iPad User Guide link at the bottom of the list. When it opens, tap "At a Glance" and read about using the on screen keyboard.

You have the greatest arrow key in the world-your finger.
It makes more sense with a touch interface than a key, I guess.
Works a lot quicker just to touch the screen where you need the cursor, but that's just me I guess.

Use the link above to send apple feedback.

This was an initial frustration I had with the iPad keyboard. But I have become very good at using by finger to point to cursor insert points. It's almost second nature as you learn to use the iPad. Just try to forget everything you know about old school computing, and make the paradigm shift to the new computing of the future.

Sorry to you people who think it's perfect but it does need arrow keys for editing I can't get it to put the insertion point where I want it very easily it takes multiple tries which is frustrating especially when you want to edit several things close together, as more people use it such problems will show themselves and hopefully they will be corrected in the future to make the iPad a more useful and versatile device. Do the arrow keys on a Bluetooth keyboard work?

iCreature wrote:
Do the arrow keys on a Bluetooth keyboard work?

I have not got the ipad yet and was waiting on the 3G version. I do have a blue tooth keyboard for my macbook pro and the arrow keys do work just fine.
My assumption is that the ipad works just like the iphone with regard to edits and I have no problem hitting the insertion point with the iphone. Just tool practice.

iCreature wrote:
Sorry to you people who think it's perfect but it does need arrow keys for editing I can't get it to put the insertion point where I want it very easily it takes multiple tries which is frustrating especially when you want to edit several things close together, as more people use it such problems will show themselves and hopefully they will be corrected in the future to make the iPad a more useful and versatile device. Do the arrow keys on a Bluetooth keyboard work?

I thought this way myself at first but I have become much more adept at using the finger/magnifier for cursor positioning. It does require some practice. Increasing the size of the text by stretching may help. I haven't tried it but I expect that the cursor keys on a Bluetooth keyboard will work.

Oh heck, somehow I was missing out on that magnifier bubble, now I got it easy, thanks! Trying to learn too much at once I guess 🙂. I still would like a smaller keyboard with more symbols as an option though. Sometimes the auto correct puts in the apostrophe correctly sometimes not.

I had look at this topic just to see what the fuss could possibly be about. Obviously between being able to use your finger instead poke a key is far better. As for using an external keyboard, i actually nought a bluetooth keyboard when I bought this device b/c i figured I'd need it. I haven't even opened that box & will probably return it. This device is not perfect for extended writing...I wouldn't write a novel on it...but I could certainly edit the pages of a novel. That would be a pleasure on this device.

I'm surprised at how well the virtual keypad on the iPad works. I find it easier than a real keyboard because it needs only the lightest of touches. I can go all day as long as the iPad is correctly positioned. However, I would definitely appreciate arrow keys on the thing. I just would rather stay on the keyboard and not have to break away to position the cursor. A home and end button wouldn't be bad either. Since we're using this much more as a computer than we did the iPhone (on which I definitely would not like typing all day!), I think a more fully functioning virtual keyboard is in order. My guess is that it will come with future upgrades of the OS.

I am also disappointed by the lack of arrow keys. Editing web addresses in the top bar can be a pain if the address is longer than the bar. You can can not change http to ghttp to import into good reader for example.

If God (instead of Steve) had wanted us to be able to act as arrow keys, He would have made us with 10pt fingertips.

Justinmg wrote:
I am also disappointed by the lack of arrow keys. Editing web addresses in the top bar can be a pain if the address is longer than the bar. You can can not change http to ghttp to import into good reader for example.

It's actually quite easy to edit the URL field (web address) using the magnifier. To do this simply tap the URL field (this will bring up the key board) then place your finger over the text in the field and press. A magnifier will appear. You can then slide your finger left or right to position the cursor where you want. It can be positioned at the very beginning of the field or the very end. If the text in the field exceeds the width of the field the text will scroll when the cursor is moved to the edge of the field. With a bit of practice you can get quite good at this.

That's not to say that an option to have arrow keys couldn't be provided, but every key added means that all keys have to be smaller.

For reference see: http://help.apple.com/ipad/mobile/interface/ section Typing and section Editing.

iPad fails in many areas. To heavy. Later versions will fix this. My finger is still to large to position cursor effectively. Magnifier is still to dumb, hard to edit the most obvious area, top of screen. Needs more predictive interface. Needs to shift screen at edges to allow easier editing. Arrows are great to "nudge" an object.

I have a feeling this is your first Apple multitouch product.
I agree that the iPad is heavier than it looks...but give the multitouch a lil more time because there's no better touch screen on the market.

Whether it is the addition of arrow keys or, better yet, the addition of a "swipe" motion to move the cursor one space (the way it was in Grafitti) there needs to be something. For a short text message, fooling around with the magnifying glass is okay but it gets really tiresome when creating a document of multiple paragraphs or pages. One of the outstanding things about Apple product interfaces is that there are always more than one way to do important things. For any kind of efficiency there needs to be a better way to move the cursor around.