iPad

From the latest news to the most comprehensive tutorials, learn how to get the most out of your iPad with our step-by-step guides and expert tips.

Typo gives up on iPhone, announces $189 iPad keyboard case

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Following its recent settlement with BlackBerry that forbids it from making iPhone keyboards, the embattled Typo announced today that it is launching a new keyboard case for the iPad. It costs $189, and is available for the iPad Air and Air 2, and soon the iPad mini 1,2 and 3.

For those who missed the news Monday, the Ryan Seacrest-backed Typo said it would no longer sell its flagship iPhone keyboard case. It had been sued by BlackBerry over the case multiple times for design infringement, and it finally decided to give up and focus on tablets.

Fleksy Keyboard introduces Imoji stickers, smart suggestions for GIFs and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 9, 2018

Fleksy, the powerful iOS 8 keyboard which lets you use gestures, GIFs and emoji, has increased its functionality in the latest update issued today.

Now the app features an integrated Sticker keyboard in partnership with Imoji, taking visual communication beyond animated GIFs. You can easily browse, search and send Imoji stickers directly in Fleksy: just tap a sticker to copy it, then paste it in a message.

To add a sticker to your favorites, double tap it from the keyboard. You can access your recently used stickers, browse endless collections of reactions, check out what's trending and more.

SwiftKey keyboard launches theme store

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 20, 2015

SwiftKey, the popular gesture keyboard for iPhones, iPads ands iPods with iOS 8 or later, today launched a brand new theme store featuring a dozen themes for customizing the look and feel of its keyboard.

After debuting on Android in 2014, the built-in theme store is now available to iOS users with twelve newly designed themes, priced from 99 cents to $1.99.

Sunrise Calendar update introduces Meet, the fastest way to schedule one-to-one meetings

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Sunrise, a powerful cross-platform calendar application, on Thursday launched Meet, a companion iOS 8 keyboard specifically designed to make scheduling one-to-one meetings ridiculously easy.

Available as a free update to the Sunrise app in the App Store, Meet lets you schedule one-to-ones with another party like a pro, without having to leave the context of the app you're currently in or switch to Sunrise for that matter.

Fleksy Keyboard goes free for a week, gains millions of GIFs via partnership with Riffsy

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 14, 2015

Fleksy Keyboard, one of the first and most popular software keyboards for iOS 8 devices, has gone free for a week. The app usually retails for 99 cents a pop and has never gone free since its App Store debut as an iOS 8-compatible downloadable software keyboard in September of last year.

In addition, Fleksy's latest update has rechristened the app as 'Fleksy + GiF Keyboard' to reflect its newly gained integration with Riffsy's GIF Keyboard for iOS. The resulting app now gives you access to millions of GIFs on top of Fleksy's existing emoji support and perks like advanced keyboard capabilities with gestures and much more.

Apple quietly purchased Dryft keyboard app last year

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 11, 2018

Apple quietly purchased Dryft, a startup that develops keyboard apps, according to a new report from TechCrunch. The site says that the acquisition happened sometime last year, but the financial terms of the deal are still not known.

Dryft, who TechCrunch notes was a finalist in its 2013 Disrupt startup battlefield competition, gained notoriety for its custom mobile keyboard that would only appear when the user placed their fingers on their device's display.

Fleksy Keyboard gains Tips and Color Pops extensions, three new themes and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 22, 2017

Fleksy, a popular 99-cent keyboard for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS 8 or later, has received another newsworthy update following its equally massive Valentine's Day release.

A dedicated Tips Extension shows you helpful tips throughout the app while a new Color Pops Extension lets you customize the colors of your key pops (disable them completely via a transparancy slider).

Fleksy’s Valentine’s Day update brings Hotkey extensions, animated themes and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 1, 2017

Yesterday, Fleksy announced a major Valentine's Day themed update to its record-smashing software keyboard for the iPhone and iPad.

Fleksy Keboard 5.2, a free update for existing users, brings out a myriad of new features, including animated themes through an Energy Theme Pack, a slew of customizable Extensions, Valentine hearts animations upon each key press, custom phrases or email addresses and much more.

Meet Phorm, an iPad mini case that enhances your virtual keyboard with tactile keys

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 4, 2016

What if Apple's virtual keyboard could give you tactical feedback on each key press? This very idea has led Tactus Technology to embark on a project that'd result in a special case that magically morphs into a tactile keyboard buttons which raise up directly on your iPad mini's screen.

You're still using your on-screen keyboard, it just has a tactile feel to it now. Based on microfluidic technology, the Phorm, as they're calling it, consists of an iPad mini case and a screen protector which does all the magic.

A huge slider on the back of the case lets you dynamically add or remove fluid-filled keyboard buttons that give you tactile feedback. “The anxiety of auto-correct disappears, your productivity increases,” says Tactus.

So, is the Phorm but a gimmick? Read on.

SwiftKey gains iPad gesture typing, 800+ predictive emojis, key click sounds and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 5, 2015

SwiftKey, the popular third-party keyboard for the iPhone and iPad, has received a nice refresh today. The new version brings out support for eleven more languages, enables gesture typing on iPads, implements a new picker which provides access to more than 800 emoticons along with emoji predictions, adds the option to accompany each tap of a key with a click sound and other goodies.

TextBlade physical multitouch keyboard collapses to just a third of iPhone size

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

If you're in the market for a physical keyboard for your iOS device but can't stand the size of existing offerings, a company called WayTools may just have the most curious answer to your needs.

Bringing a whole new typing experience, their new TextBlade keyboard has the same QWERTY layout you're accustomed to but collapses to a tiny rectangle just a third of the size of an iPhone 6, thank to built-in magnets that snap the individual pieces together.

The eyebrow raising design calls for a set of eight large touch-sensitive keys providing full access to the entire alphabet, and then some more.

Weighing just 1.5 ounces, or 43 grams, the device sports an ultra-low profile half as thick as an iPhone 6. And unlike standard rubber spring keyboards, the TextBlade does not suffer from drag, stretch or wear. Inside, it's immense technology based on six issued patents and more than a dozen patent filings.

Next Keyboard could be the first iOS 8 keyboard done right

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

The proliferation of incredibly varied, feature-rich software keyboards has proven that Apple did the right move opening up iOS 8 to third-party developers more than ever before. That being said, the initial crop of keyboards available in the App Store leaves a lot to be desired, in my personal opinion.

None of the keyboards I've tried and tested thus far — and I downloaded virtually every single one out there — come close to touching Apple's stock keyboard in terms of efficiency and usability. It's more often than not that cramming all the features one could think of into a keyboard does the opposite of elevating the experience.

Sure, Swype makes you a faster typist but I just can't get over its sluggishness and the globe icon that's inconceivably nested under a menu. Another example: Tintype may take typing and swiping to the next level but it takes a lot of time getting used to and its appearance can be a little overwhelming for most people.

I could go on and on highlighting weaknesses and bad design choices in other keyboards that are mostly Android replicas anyway, but I won't as I'm sure our readers have their own gripes with them. On a brighter note, looks like search for the perfect iPhone keyboard could be over soon.

Enter Next Keyboard.