A Great Idea to Make Text Editing Easier on the iPad [Video]

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Posted May 4, 2012 at 3:22pm by Shalom Levytam

Daniel Hooper has posted a new YouTube video demonstrating a great idea for making text editing easier on the iPad.

Tapping directly on text to move the cursor works well for small portions of text, but we don't just write short portions of text anymore! When performing lots of edits in larger documents the direct interaction metaphor falls apart for cursor control. Even short portions of text can be painful to edit when you need to move the cursor to a precise location. Would you ever want to write a document on your computer without using the arrow keys? This is the reality iPad users face because they do not have the equivalent of arrow keys. There is a better way.

Take advantage of gestures by making a drag over the keyboard UI move the cursor. Move the cursor in word increments when dragging with two fingers. And finally, let the user select text while dragging when they hold down shift.

Hooper is asking viewers to help make the idea a reality by filing a new feature request with Apple. There are instructions on how to do this in the description of the video.

Take a look below!

[via Kim]

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Jonathan - May 5, 2012 at 10:11am

It seems I was right, it's already been done: https://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=21779

Jonathan - May 5, 2012 at 9:31am

I hope this will end up in Cydia, because I'm fairly sure Apple will never make something like this.

Budsby - May 5, 2012 at 3:36am

It would be ashame if Apple doesn't seriously consider this. I'm a slow typer but not only its awesome it's also so much convenient making jailbreaking definite consideration

Mourad - May 5, 2012 at 3:11am

Thanks for this awesome effort, but it is not working with new iPad . Is there any missing tips in setup of the key board.

Danny - May 4, 2012 at 5:40pm

That is an awesome idea. I hope Apple implements it. We should also email Scott Forstall.

budsal - May 4, 2012 at 4:23pm

if this guy was able do it for himself he should put it into cydia and make money rather than giving the idea to Apple.

joyz - May 4, 2012 at 3:59pm

Yep love the innovation here, now only if apple would bake it into the iOS :-/

Samit - May 4, 2012 at 3:41pm

A brilliant ui !! Hope apple is receptive to this or comes out with something better.

James - May 4, 2012 at 3:38pm

The video is sped up a bit but still that's an awesome idea. The current text editing is horrendous. At the very least making this a jailbreak app/addon would be welcomed.