Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The iPad as mobile journalist studio

I've written about this before, and here is a nice article from a journalist who prefers his iPad to a MacBook for mobile production of text and images.
The iPad Air isn’t just for capturing images; it also does a decent job of editing them. [...]  I remain primarily the writing kind of journalist and require hardware suited for that purpose. In this regard, the iPad Air has performed splendidly when outfitted with an add-on physical keyboard.

I'm still waiting for somebody to make a purpose-made portable writing machine. One of the early devices which came close, I had briefly but sadly it had a hardware fault, this was the beautiful eMate.



You may say: what's wrong with the Macbook Air (or a knock-off), isn't that the perfect portable writing machine? Well, it's close, but primarily the keyboard is too flat for me. If they could make it deeper and more clicky, without raising the weight significantly, we'd have something. The Logitech Wired keyboard I acquired recently is the thing, near-perfect for typing, to my taste. It's not the smallest, but it is full size, the same size as the Apple Wireless Keyboard To my surprise, I can write about as fast and comfortable on that 300gram thing as I can on my big, professional German keyboard.

iPad Mini + Logitech Wired kb. Total 620 grams.
And the iPad can at any moment be taken off
to be used as e-reader. 
Update:
TCG said:
I used to wonder if I would like the Macbook Air keyboard, myself, and have to report that I LOVE it!! In fact, I can whiz along faster on this keyboard, than anything else I have had before this... WEE!!!! :-P Have you tried it, yet?? It feels "deep" (and clicky!!) enough for me... :-D


That's very cool.

Taste vary. And I won't deny it is a good keyboard. I just prefer, personally, a deeper "travel", and a tactile feedback in the *middle* of the travel so you know you hit it without having to bottom it.

Also, it is so flat along the top surface of the keys, it makes for further uncertainty about the placement of my fingers.

Of course, it just might be great if I used it for a couple of months. And some love it. (I have mostly heard this from women. And I admit I have large hands.)

5 comments:

TC [Girl] said...

... the keyboard is too flat for me. If they could make it deeper and more clicky, without raising the weight significantly...

Gotta say, Eo...I used to wonder if I would like the keyboard, myself, and have to report that I LOVE it!! In fact, I can whiz along faster on this keyboard, than anything else I have had before this... WEE!!!! :-P Have you tried it, yet?? It feels "deep" (and clicky!!) enough for me... :-D

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

On the Macbook Air?
That's very cool.

Taste vary. And I won't deny it is a good keyboard. I just prefer, personally, a deeper "travel", and a tactile feedback in the *middle* of the travel so you know you hit it without having to bottom it.

Also, it is so flat along the top surface of the keys, it makes for further uncertainty about the placement of my fingers.

Of course, it just might be great if I used it for a couple of months. And some love it.

TC [Girl] said...

On the Macbook Air?

Yes, Dear... :-D

That's very cool.

Yes... In hindsight, I wish that I had tried one years ago... :-)

Taste vary.

Most definitely...

And I won't deny it is a good keyboard. I just prefer, personally, a deeper "travel", and a tactile feedback in the *middle* of the travel so you know you hit it without having to bottom it.

Understand...

Also, it is so flat along the top surface of the keys, it makes for further uncertainty about the placement of my fingers.

But you do feel the little lines that are placed on the lead keys, for your "pointer" fingers, don't you? Once your fingers and hands are in position, there, "all systems" should be a "go!" ;-)

Of course, it just might be great if I used it for a couple of months.

Yes, I think that you would enjoy it... You should have a go w/it, Eo...really!! I don't know how the other Mac keyboards have been, before this one, but...for instance, I am on my old [PC] laptop, right now, and...although it's got sufficient travel and depth, I have to PUSH like a Dickens to make the keys depress, so that makes my hands tired more quickly and it's not an enjoyable experience, after having been on the MacBook Air...in fact...not at all!! :-(

And...I just can't go without commenting on your last sentence...so that you will know that "they" are appreciated: large hands are sexy! :-P

And some love it.

Unknown said...

Alternate keyboard suggestion:
Logitech K811. Bluetooth backlit Mac keyboard that can connect with both 3 apple devices, such as iPad, iPhone & main mac. You switch between devices via function keys.

Great keyboard.

The K810 is for windows users

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

U, Thank you, I'll have a look.