Physical keyboards vs. on-screen keyboards, what do I do wrong?

Question

I have been typing on computer keyboards since the Eighties. Naturally, I have become a very proficient typist.For the past decade or so, I have been trying to do the same thing with on-screen keyboards (tablets, phones). It's been a total failure - and I'm quite annoyed by my lack of progress with those. No matter what I try - pecking the screen with my indexes, trying to use my thumbs (seriously? how do people do it? thumbs are the largest fingers, how do you hit the letter you want with them?), using a wavy movement with my index, without lifting it until the desired word is suggested - everything I've tried is far less efficient than typing on a keyboard, even on a lousy one.What am I missing? How did you get proficient with on-screen keyboards, fellow HNers?

sethammons · Accepted Answer

Define proficient. On a keyboard, I type at 70-80 wpm. According to a random website I just tried, my mobile typing is 16 wpm and I'm in the 90th percentile. I'm constantly frustrated typing on a phone. I use the thumbs and constantly hit 'b' instead of space. I frequently miss my target key. I rely on auto-suggestion and/or swipe typing. My kids type faster than me. My eldest can type without looking on her touch screen; that baffles my mind. Maybe just a coordination and practice in youth thing.

swah · Answer

I don't really enjoy typing on screen and abuse the autocorrect on my entry-level Android.
But: every time I use an iPhone (even an iPhone 6) my "precision" is much better - not sure why. Its even more pleasurable and tactile.
(I remember back in the day people said that "iPhones had a faster display update" - maybe that is still true?)

muzani · Answer

I actually practice typing on a phone but it's so inefficient. Swiping helps a lot and it's the equivalent of touch typing, but it falls apart with multiple languages. A big phone helps too.I noticed a substantial improvement when using Colemak, perhaps this is where QWERTY really falls apart.

marssaxman · Answer

I gave up on the whole mess and bought a BlackBerry KeyOne, later replaced by a Key2, on which I have disabled all the autocomplete/suggestion stuff. It's quicker, simpler, I get what I want, my mistakes are my own and not the phone's, and I no longer hate using phones.

i0nutzb · Answer

You should rely more on autocomplete/suggestions.Typing on a screen it's harder because you can't touch typing (since you don't have any home row bumps); you must gaze at your keys, therefore your eyes HAS to move back and forward between the keys and the whatever text you type.

pfortuny · Answer

It is indeed less efficient despite there being people who seem to be very fast. What they write takes much less with a true keyboard.

Physical keyboards vs. on-screen keyboards, what do I do wrong?

I actually practice typing on a phone but it's so inefficient. Swiping helps a lot and it's the equivalent of touch typing, but it falls apart with multiple languages. A big phone helps too.
I noticed a substantial improvement when using Colemak, perhaps this is where QWERTY really falls apart.

I gave up on the whole mess and bought a BlackBerry KeyOne, later replaced by a Key2, on which I have disabled all the autocomplete/suggestion stuff. It's quicker, simpler, I get what I want, my mistakes are my own and not the phone's, and I no longer hate using phones.

You should rely more on autocomplete/suggestions.
Typing on a screen it's harder because you can't touch typing (since you don't have any home row bumps); you must gaze at your keys, therefore your eyes HAS to move back and forward between the keys and the whatever text you type.

It is indeed less efficient despite there being people who seem to be very fast. What they write takes much less with a true keyboard.