Quick Look – Vibrating Email Keyboard

I love typing on my iPhone’s keyboard. In fact, when I did an experiment a bit back and tried a physical keyboard again I discovered that I PREFER the virtual one. That noted, however there is no question that my accuracy increases significantly when the audible feedback (aka keyboard clicks) are turned on. The problem with that is the way in which it compounds the rudeness quotient of typing in the presence of others. It was for this reason that I was excited to see this app make an appearance in the App Store. According to its description-

We’ve all been in a meeting or class and wanted to type an email, putting the iPhone in “mute” mode and ended up with a funny looking email because you were unable to receive ANY feedback from the keyboard. With this application that problem is over! Every time you type a key the phone vibrates!
Thats not all this keyboard also talks! Tired of not being able to see clear which key you are pressing when typing an email on your iPhone? Whether it’s because the keys are too small to see or your fingers end up pressing the wrong letter or number because the screen is too small; that all is now over! This simple yet helpful application also works by playing the key you pressed every time you do, so you know which one you pressed without having to guess or reach for your glasses! There is a switch to mute the talking keyboard. It will only vibrate if do not want to hear the actual Voice.

It sounds good in theory due to the promise it held for increasing the accuracy of typing silently but I am, by and large, completely underwhelmed by it. There are a few reasons for this.

First off it is portrait only. That is a huge limitation with regard to speeding up the process of typing. Second, while the vibration is not a loud “click” it is absolutely noticeable, thereby limiting the very usefulness and purpose of this app. And finally, because I am fairly quick when it comes to typing on the iPhone, the vibrations from any one letter overlap with the next letter. The result is a mishmash of vibrations that don’t help with accuracy at all.

If you are an exceptionally slow typist on the iPhone this might be a helpful app. For the rest of us, however, it doesn’t bring anything worthwhile to the table.

It is available HERE in the App Store for $.99.