OMFG TECH

Microsoft explains the making of the Windows 8 touch keyboard:

MG Siegler (parislemon):

thisistheverge:

Microsoft has posted its latest entry on the Building Windows 8 blog exploring some of the ergonomic and functionally challenging aspects of typing on a touchscreen versus a more traditional keyboard. In order to offer its users the most comfortable and accurate on-screen keyboard, Microsoft did copious amounts of research ranging from ergonomics trials to adaptive key layouts.

It’s interesting (and good) that Microsoft is doing all this work/research on touch-typing even though they are hedging the bet with the Surface keyboard cover. 

Seemingly every day I see more and more people typing on their iPads without a keyboard attachment of any kind. I saw one guy a couple days ago typing just as fast as I type on a physical keyboard. 

It’s especially true of teenagers and other little sprogs growing up with touch devices and no keyboards. It’s all the same to them, except touch devices are now the primary go-to rather than the keyboard and mouse. Even I fly on the touch keyboard on the new iPad.

Microsoft are wrong to give Surface a weird, keyboard smart cover. They need to abandon these things.

Supporting legacy software is one thing, clutching legacy hardware is another.