One year iPad report

[Ibill]

I purchased my iPad about a year ago and used it as my primary bill paying and surfing source. I came to this conclusion after after this time period.
Paying bills is a total frustrating appearance. Keyboard is the culprit. Entering numbers is a hair pulling experience. Jumping to the next number box on a web site causes the keyboard to switch back to alphas. Telephone numbers, payment amounts doesn't matter. Typing something like ($2 to $4) and (5 + 5 = 10) is nearing a circus act. Why cant the USER decide when to change the keyboard? Auto cap is a great feature when typing a letter but entering a log on name and password and an email address with alphas and numbers becomes a chore. Word selection is OK, but what if you don't want a space behind your selected word? Back you go. Finding a #$%&@ :"?><,. is a time consuming job switching keyboards back and forth.
Surfing is sometimes very frustrating. Some sites open a response in a new window but iPad wont let it return unless you delete the new window and go back to the old window. Works in Windows like it should. Putting emotions in a response or adding a pic is impossible in many forums. How come they work in Windows and/or Android? Since iOS 8 keyboard actions sometime lock up Safari or Chrome. Going back to the iPad home screen and swiping the browser off the screen and reloading the browser is the only remedy. All thread responses are gone. WHY?
Back to paying bills on the lap top. Takes half the time and some sites don't like iOS that well. Will suffer through the surfing problems with the iPad because of its convenient size. Playing my slot game on the iPad is wonderful! Buy the way I'm typing this on my lap top for fear of the iPads keyboard locking me up on such a long post.

 

[twerppoet]

Part of this might be solved with a third party keyboard. Several include the numbers row. In the case of bill paying, you'll want to be careful to choose one that does not require a server connection to work.

You still have to use Apple's native keyboard for password entry. They won't let you take chances with that.

 

[giradman]

Part of this might be solved with a third party keyboard. Several include the numbers row. In the case of bill paying, you'll want to be careful to choose one that does not require a server connection to work.

Agree completely, I've had the iPad 2 since spring of 2011 and also a BT keyboard - I dislike the on-screen KB except for minor entires, so whenever I need to type in a LOT of information (e.g. answering forum posts on a trip w/o my laptop, entries into a variety of apps, etc.), I always use the BT keyboard - makes like a LOT easier. Dave

 

[twerppoet]

Agree completely, I've had the iPad 2 since spring of 2011 and also a BT keyboard - I dislike the on-screen KB except for minor entires, so whenever I need to type in a LOT of information (e.g. answering forum posts on a trip w/o my laptop, entries into a variety of apps, etc.), I always use the BT keyboard - makes like a LOT easier. Dave

I cheat. For anything more than a couple paragraphs I put down the iPad and use the computer. I only have one chair in the trailer, and it's right by the computer desk.

Or, if I'm out and about, I send the link to myself, then wait until I can get home and sit down at the computer.

 

[s2mikey]

The stock keyboard does need some work. It's got some nifty hidden features like holding a key down to get other options and finger swiping up also reveals more options for each key. But, yeah, the lack of a row of numbers across the top does irritate me too. No reason they can't at least make it an option for people to use it or not.

It will require more screen real estate or slightly smaller keys though which could be an issue. I do find the keys to be the perfect size right now for accurate typing. Wouldn't want them to get too small.

 

[Ibill]

I tried several keyboards and settled on the Touch Pal. After the learning curve I gave it a go. But after having many swiping errors I gave up. Still the same go back and correct problem. Settled on TPs methoud and use the computer. Kind of disappointed as I wanted to use iPad my one source tool. Maybe some day they will give better keyboard options for all.

 

[giradman]

I tried several keyboards and settled on the Touch Pal. After the learning curve I gave it a go. But after having many swiping errors I gave up. Still the same go back and correct problem. Settled on TPs methoud and use the computer. Kind of disappointed as I wanted to use iPad my one source tool. Maybe some day they will give better keyboard options for all.

Well, despite my positive post about using a BT KB w/ the iPad, I still dislike the need to both type on keys and also touching the screen for certain purposes; at home, I virtually always use my Macbook Pro to respond in forums. Dave

 

[LannyC]

I tried using the BT keyboard that came with my iMac. I hated it for the same reasons I use my ancient Extended Keyboard II on my desktop: the BT's touch is awful and it doesn't have enough keys. To me, it's no better then the onscreen keyboard in iOS, which I've gotten used to, mostly. The only place it's really bad is this forum, where editing is really difficult because the normal iPad selection gestures don't work.

Still...I'm looking at an empty horizontal space above the prediction choices, to the right of the Save/Fill buttons. It could easily be filled with number keys.

 

[Ibill]

I also found the annoying edit function with the keyboard on this forum only. I even quit coming here for awhile. It started working again but I don't know why. It could have been the last update or one of my reboots.

THE KEYBOARD LOCKED UP MAKING THIS POST!!!

 

[col.bris]

I have never had my keyboard lock up

 

[Ibill]

Hitting the back space button to erase or change a word will trigger a lock up at times. If you don't make mistakes as often as I do you may not have my problem. I try to slow down my typing to alleviate the problem. For some reason it happens more often on some forums then others.

 

[twerppoet]

Forum software varies a lot for editing. Most of it uses javascript, which is more powerful than older methods, and at the same time subject to more issues; since not only the browser but also the script can have bugs.

If you have not done so recently, go to Settings > Safari and Clear History and Website Data. This purges the data the forum uses, forcing the website to upload a clean version of it's scripts and buffers. You'll have to sign back in, since it also clears your login credentials.

I'm pretty sure I've given this advice before, maybe even to you, but it's worth repeating. As is the procedure. No telling what may have change recently that 'might' get fixed.

Good luck.

 

[Ibill]

Will give it a try. Right now I'm dealing with my iPad shows it sees my printer but printer won't print. worked great for almost a year. Lap top works, however. Any ideas here?

 

[Ibill]

Well, this is embarrassing. I had a refilled ink cartridge and the light was flashing on the printer but it still printed on the laptop. Bought new cartridges and installed and all my devises started working. Even the iPhone 4 I bought to replace a Tracfone.
I know the iPhone 4 is pretty obsolete but it sure is better than the androids that they offer. Plays well with my iPad.
Getting happier with my Apple products.

 

[Jax]

We bought the new Air Pad 4g128, a few months ago. This is the second iPad we own, the first being the iPad one 3g16. We got a Kensington case with a BT keyboard. WOW, lots more keys and functions. Can actually move the curser without deleting. But keys are awkward at best, and too small. And the keyboard made the pad hard to hold in travel position, where we mostly use it. And you have to remember to charge the keyboard, with a different charger cord. Just made the iPad too much more trouble with the KB. I have a laptop that is 10 times easier to type on, with passwords saved and it will work off of my iPhone or iPad hot spot. But we carry the iPad just about everywhere we go, restaurants, car and motorhome travel . We probably use Maps more than any other app, and it will access our most important e mails, access our home cams and it will access CC accounts or my bank site when I have the immediate need. We like our iPhone5 and we like our iPad air, a place for both, one does not take the place of the other and neither take the place of the lap top. We will buy a new iPhone6 soon, and we don't feel the 6plus has a place for us, but I can see where if would be ideal for some.