Wider Landscape Keyboard Not One But Five!

[thetoothfairy]

Well as I was cruising the AppShopper site I noticed that there was a app for a landscape keyboard.... which Apple should have included with our iPhones in the first place....

Not only was there one app released BUT five of them in a short time and only two of them have feedback.....

Now I am trying to decide what one I should buy... what one is the best for the money..... three of them are $1.99, one is $0.99 and the last one is $4.99

Take a look and let me know what one your going to buy?

1. Wide Email..... $1.99


http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...289274499&mt=8

Write emails using the wider, landscape keyboard, which is easier and faster to type on than the vertical keyboard in Mail. Compose quick emails — or long letters to distant friends — while holding the phone sideways. The horizontal keyboard has wider keys that are easier to see and to hit, even for people with big thumbs. Write the email then, with one tap, transfer it to Mail to add recipients and send it.

Also good for writing longer notes to yourself, or for jotting down part of a story, paper, or article when inspiration strikes, then emailing the text to yourself.

Features:

• Use wider, horizontal "landscape" keyboard to write emails
• Works for replying to emails from Mail, including reply all (see below)
• Turn phone to any orientation (even upside down!) and interface rotates
• Save drafts to finish later — great for writing long emails to friends
• Automatically saves copies of sent emails, just in case
• Automatically saves drafts if program is interrupted, e.g. by home key

You still must send the email through the built-in Mail program. Just tap "Send to Mail", add recipients, and send. To reply (or reply all) to emails in Mail, first choose reply from within Mail, and when the compose window comes up, quit Mail by pressing the home key. Open Wide Email and write your reply in a new draft with an empty subject line. When you tap "Send to Mail", your message will be inserted into the reply email, ready to send!

2. Lettera...... $1.99 <------- Don't care for this one myself --------->


http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...289247074&mt=8

Enjoy old-fashioned writing on your iPhone and iPod Touch, with this replica of an Italian modern design classic. Type on a full-sized keyboard, send your friends and co-workers beautiful, elegant notes with a touch of personality.

Features

- Touch-type your notes on the screen
- Enjoy the typewriter sound effects
- Use the iPhone accelerometer to start a new line
- Share your notes as beautifully formatted PDF pages
- Choose among different paper textures and colours
- Use your notes to compose emails in Mail application
- Choose between US and Latin keyboard

3. Sideways...... $1.99


http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...289146621&mt=8

Make a lot of typing errors while authoring email?

This application is for you.

Optimized for typing with your iPhone or iPod Touch held horizontally (landscape orientation), Sideways presents a wider keyboard, giving you extra room for increased typing speed and fewer mistakes. Tap the action button and send the text to Mail.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Wider keyboard for better accuracy and increased typing speed.
- Text is saved between launches.
- Tap Trash to delete current text.
- Action button for sending to email or restoring default help text.

SIDEWAYS TIP
Sideways can also be used to reply to or forward an email. Start in Mail and initiate the reply or forward. Open Sideways and type your text. Then just tap the "Send to Mail" action and the text will be inserted into the already-initiated message.

COMING SOON
- Multiple Pages of storage
- Send text to Twitter (and possibly other services)

4. TouchType....$0.99


http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...288916937&mt=8

This application allows users to compose and reply to email messages in either portrait or landscape mode. Once typed, messages can be sent to the iPhone's Mail application for dispatch.

5. Compose...........$4.99


http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...290987348&mt=8

At last: compose new emails with a large keyboard in landscape mode.

If the small size of Mail's keyboard gets you down, fire up Compose and go horizontal! Big keys and more space means you can type faster.

Then, at the push of a button, send your newly-composed message to Mail, where you can address it and mail it wherever you need.

[TheOrioles33]

I really like these but it annoys me that I have to use a 3rd party app just to get landscape typing.

[aresinferno]

I was amazed when i came across these on app shopper in netnewswire on my iphone. I saw one, then another, and then the others and they were all right after each other. WTF. Anyway, i go for looks over functionaility TBH. Alot of them seem to do exactly the same, maybe some kind of dev breakthrough maybe. I would say sideways as it looks best but i would wait for better ones first as they have all seemed to appear today, how many do you expect to see in the future?

[ripped53]

Hello....what about for text messaging? It would seem so obvious.

[cpjr]

Nice, but I hate the fact that I have to use another program "just" to have this function. Come on Apple!

[thetoothfairy]

I was amazed when i came across these on app shopper in netnewswire on my iphone. I saw one, then another, and then the others and they were all right after each other. WTF. Anyway, i go for looks over functionaility TBH. Alot of them seem to do exactly the same, maybe some kind of dev breakthrough maybe. I would say sideways as it looks best but i would wait for better ones first as they have all seemed to appear today, how many do you expect to see in the future?

LOL I said the same thing! WTF! I then went and studied each one of them and looked at feedback for each one and when they were released as well.... one or two is ok but five all at once?

I feel sorry for the dev's as they have some competition right from the start.....

Since there were so many of them at once I wanted to add as much detail as I could for all of them so people could decide what one is the best for them....

Nice, but I hate the fact that I have to use another program "just" to have this function. Come on Apple!

I agree with you as well....

Ok people I am going to buy one of these and let you know what I think....

[CausticGrip]

Sry but I could use these as I am sick of cramping my hands up to compose.

What are the names of these apps? and "AppShopper"? Is that the App store or some other installer I am only now hearing about.

Thanks.

[Poseidon79]

If it worked for SMS i'd buy one.

[soulthoughts]

If it worked for SMS i'd buy one.

+1

[thetoothfairy]

Sry but I could use these as I am sick of cramping my hands up to compose.

What are the names of these apps? and "AppShopper"? Is that the App store or some other installer I am only now hearing about.

Thanks.

The AppShopper is a easier way to view all the apps in the app store since Apple changed it all.... you can view all the new released apps, updated apps etc.... much easier..... trust me this is a nice site!

AppShopper: iPhone App Deals and Discovery

The apps to these keyboards are all listed here... just look under each number.... 1 through 5..... under the picture of each one it will take you to itunes so you can purchase one.....

At this time I am going to buy one or two so I can give feedback... I am going for the sideways and touchtype....

[marchi]

Wonder which ones work with new keyboard artwork through winterboard, right now it appears 3,4 and 5 would since they use the original keyboard layout. Would be great if someone tested that as well.

rob

[3dguymwm]

Wide email just went to .99

[thetoothfairy]

Ok.... with the money I won during the contest I bought these apps so that I could give back to this forum in some way.....

I bought Sideways.... after you install the app there is the directions in how to use it on the screen.... you can tap the recycle bin to delete the directions.... then you type your message and then tap the email text and it will load the mail program and everything that you typed will be in there..... I felt there was some hesitation within the keyboard with this app... not much but felt some....

Its nice and works well.... BUT ONLY WORKS FOR EMAILING!!!!!!

Now for TouchType.... after I installed it and loaded it the screen was blank and I could start right off my typing my letter.... then hit the email text everything went smooth as well.... when you are typing your letter with this program the typing was blue in color but once it was transfered to mail it was black.... with this program if you want to remove your typing and start over all you have to do is tap the clear button....

This program ONLY DOES MAIL ALSO.... but felt a smoother run with it..... no hesitation...

Over all both are nice if you need this type of keyboard and I like them but I like the TouchType better... and the best part for all of you is its the cheaper one!

I also have seen that the TouchType is selling better as there is more feedback for the two of these... probably because everyone wants what is cheaper.... and I also see within the feedbacks in itunes people are requesting that they make this work with SMS

BUT you must load these program first to use the keyboard in this fashion and then it will transfer you to mail..... you can not start your email message out first with mail.... as you will not be able to access the keyboard.....

Ok don't ask me what I am going to do with all these keyboard apps... LOL but bought Wide email as well....

It does the same thing as the other two... no hesitation within the app...... once again this is only for EMAIL.... NO SMS guys!

So far all three are really nice.... btw none crashed either on me....

Its really something that they come out with five all at once.... I wonder why this is? Now we are seeing a price war start.... whats next?

So far get the cheaper ones.... I am not disappointed at all with them...

Wonder which ones work with new keyboard artwork through winterboard, right now it appears 3,4 and 5 would since they use the original keyboard layout. Would be great if someone tested that as well.

rob

I am sorry Rob.... I do not have winterboard or I would be more than glad to help you out here...... maybe some wonderful person will help add to this thread and give us input.....

[vandy1997]

I believe that the SDK will not allow this. Here is a response by the developer of one of the apps: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...1&postcount=15 . That's why none of those apps have it. It is allowed in e-mail because e-mail also interacts with other apps, such as MobileSafari and Notes. So unless Apple opens up the SDK, landscape SMS will not happen. Apple should be doing this anyhow, but seeing that it released these apps, it may not add these functions within the near future; I hope that I'm wrong about this!

If it worked for SMS i'd buy one.

[nickboeka]

one thing that I've noticed here in most of these descriptions, is that the program runs separately from the mail app, and then "transfers" your message into the mail app, so you can address and send it.

isn't this basically an implementation of the copy and paste functionality that we are looking for. This app is basically copying the data to a temp file, and then opening up mail, and then pasting that temp file into the message body....

wtf apple!??

[thetoothfairy]

[QUOTE=nickboeka;2408001]one thing that I've noticed here in most of these descriptions, is that the program runs separately from the mail app, and then "transfers" your message into the mail app, so you can address and send it.

In my trial run on these apps... I stated...

BUT you must load these programs first to use the keyboard in this fashion and then it will transfer you to mail..... you can not start your email message out first with mail.... as you will not be able to access the keyboard.....

[dominic56]

I don't like the idea of launching an app to type an email, then sending it into another app... Sounds like crashing to me... Unreal that apple doesn't landscape sms and email.. I will add it to my list of things that I'd do better if I was the genious behind the iPhone...

[lillewis51]

email ok. but what i really want is texting. then the app is worth it

[Carrbone]

email ok. but what i really want is texting. then the app is worth it

Seriously-

and not some 'overlay' app.

we want intergration not this app to app crap.

[Nukie]

Hey theetoothfairy,

Can you also give a test to the apps you bought and try the Reply feature? The apps state that if you reply to an email, hit the home button when the reply screen comes up, open the keyboard app, type your reply, and hit send to email, it will show up in your reply screen. Just wondering if that truly works. Sounds kind of wonky. Thanks in advance!