POLL - How do YOU type on your BB keyboard
 

OK, folks. I'm over a month now into owning my 1st BB (Bold 9650) - in fact, my 1st "Smart" phone. I'm not an unintelligent person but I feel like the village idiot when trying to type. I'm 51yo - not a spring chick for whom all this new fangled technology comes easily. I've plowed the Internet for typing techniques, videos, etc. - it would appear that I am the ONLY biped over the age of 13 in the industrialized world who doesn't know how to type on a smart phone w/o fumbling the phone or hitting adjacent keys. I am fairly well coordinated as well as a better than average touch typist on computing keyboards - so one can imagine how frustrating this experience is. I am a woman w/ average sized hands so that's not the issue - in fact I've read posts by folks - fella's - stating they have large hands and type or text just fine on their smart phones.

What I would like to learn here is not about shortcuts, acronyms and the like - there's plenty of info. along those lines on the web - rather I'd like to learn about your smart phone typing techniques.

So, all that said - I'm conducting a poll. If you can think waaaay back to how you 1st learned to type on a smart phone I'm very interested in your story. I'm equally interested in learning how your technique has evolved to what it is today.

Some examples of what you might share are: What precisely is your smart phone typing technique? What part of your thumb(s)/finger(s) do you use? Do you use your thumb/finger nail(s) or the side, tip, under-side of your thumb(s)/finger(s)? How do you hit the right key - hold your phone, etc? I realize this is 2nd nature and terribly simplistic to likely all of you. If you are willing to amuse and enlighten me, I would be very very grateful for your time and effort.


Thank you all in advance for your patience w/ this smart phone newbie!!

Re: POLL - How do YOU type on your BB keyboard
 

Generally I type with both thumbs. Learning to use a small keypad like on a BlackBerry, or any mobile phone for that matter, is a matter of repetition. You just have to keep using it and get used to the size.

Auto-text is one of the greatest time savers ever. AutoText

Keyboard shortcuts like L for calendar, D for notes, etc, are also tremendous aides for getting the most out of your BlackBerry. http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartp...s_38809_11.jsp

Additional tips can be found at http://www.stinsonddog.com/ and also http://www.blackberryfaq.com/index.php/BlackBerry_FAQ

Re: POLL - How do YOU type on your BB keyboard
 

Pterocarpous, I think you've hit on the answer yourself: Everyone is different.

Definitely work on using both thumbs. I don't use the flat bottom of my thumb, nor the tip, but I can't exactly explain it. I would advise not thinking about it, just type. The BlackBerry keys are designed so that the target key is pressed and not the adjacent keys that happen to be under the thumb. Just look at a key and press without concentrating too hard on what you are doing, and your brain will figure out what feels right.

By the way, I have a few years on you. Youngsters have nothing on us. Just don't over think it.

Re: POLL - How do YOU type on your BB keyboard
 

LOL Thank you, aiharkness. Sage advice. I remember what it was like learning to type (on monster typewriters - no electric...). I hated it - used to rip papers out in the middle of timed typing exercises. Straight C's - kept me off the honor roll, that class. But it's probably the most valuable class I ever took. It wasn't until many years later - at the dawn of the computer age - that I began to employ the touch typing I'd learned way back in high school. And, yes, even then touch typing took practice. Lots of it. But I had already learned the foundation - I didn't have to learn from scratch as I'm having to do w/ typing on my BB.

As there are, apparently, no "rules", I'll take your advice and try not to over think it and trust that I am not the village idiot - that I will in time master this feat of typing on a "smart" phone.

I discovered a similar thread on Crackberry today. Folks are sharing their smart phone typing techniques. Their contributions have been very helpful.


Thank you again for your contribution to this thread, ah. As always, your input is much appreciated.

Re: POLL - How do YOU type on your BB keyboard
 

Thank you, rambo47, for your contribution to this thread. I will do as you suggested and practice keeping lotsa patience in my pockets... I know if you fellas w/ mitts much bigger than mine can type on these tiny keyboards I sure as hec' ought to be able to figure it out. Hearing from folks like you is reassuring.

Thank you for the links as well re: Autotext and shortcuts. I can see where those tools will come in very handy.