Judy Dixon
In part 1 of this article, we took a thorough look at the many ways to enter text on an iPhone using the phone itself. In addition to the onscreen keyboard and many of its settings, we also looked at Braille Screen Input, Handwriting, and dictation.
In Part 2, we will look at the range of external devices that can be used to input text. Some of these are mainstream devices while others are devices specifically manufactured for blind users. Certainly, inputting text from the phone itself can be convenient, no second device to carry around and keep charged, but using an external input device can be much faster and, yes, after the initial setup, much less stressful.
Most hardware devices connect to an iPhone via Bluetooth, a wireless connection that functions over short distances. It is possible to connect a USB keyboard or an hid-capable braille display via USB cable using an Apple accessory called a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter. Many USB keyboards require the USB 3 version of this accessory which has a lightning port for supplying additional power to the keyboard so its use may not be terribly convenient.
SpeedDots
Before we dive into looking at true hardware devices, let's have a look at a low-tech product that can definitely help with entering text on an iPhone.
SpeedDots are tactile overlays for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. They are essentially transparent screen protectors with dots on them that stick on with an adhesive backing. They are designed for VoiceOver users, and not only help with text input but also screen orientation and navigation.
SpeedDots are available for all four of the iPhone 13 models as well as for models back as far as the iPhone 5. Versions are also available for many models of the iPad and iPod touch.
For the iPhone, four separate layouts are offered: Standard, Advanced, Phone Keypad, and Braille Screen Input. Standard and Advanced layouts contain dots to help navigate most native iOS and many third party apps. Standard has dots for every key on the keyboard except F and J while Advanced only has dots for F and J. The Phone Keypad layout is helpful for people who use telephone functions a lot. The Braille Screen Input layout is great for people who do a lot of typing with braille screen input in screen away mode, that is wrapping your fingers around the ends of the phone to input braille. A complete description and ordering details are available on the SpeedDots Website.
Mainstream Devices
Bluetooth QWERTY Keyboards
Bluetooth keyboards are certainly the most widely used phone accessory to assist with input. For many people, they offer an opportunity to enter text with a familiar QWERTY keyboard layout. The first time you use a Bluetooth keyboard, you will need to pair it with your phone. This one-time process takes only seconds. Some keyboards will enter pairing mode when you turn them on while others have a dedicated key or switch to enter pairing mode. With your keyboard turned on, go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and double tap on your new keyboard's name, usually at the bottom of the list. Older keyboards may require you to enter a pairing code at this point but this practice seems to be all but gone.
With hundreds of models of Bluetooth keyboards available, they vary considerably one from another. They vary in price from less than $20 to well over $100. But most importantly, many don't have all the keys you might expect. Some keyboards don't have function keys; many don't have an Fn (function) key that is often used for changing keyboard layouts so it can be used with a variety of devices.
Make sure when selecting your hardware keyboard that it has all the keys you need.
Bluetooth keyboards are also available in many sizes from full-size ones complete with a numeric keypad to very tiny ones with keys about the size of a Tic Tac. Some can be folded small enough to fit in a pocket and some are flexible enough to be rolled and stuffed into a backpack. For iPads, there are many covers and cases that include a keyboard.
When VoiceOver is on, there are numerous commands available on the keyboard which allow you to navigate your phone. Generally, these are executed by pressing specific keys on the keyboard with the VO key. the default VO key is Control+Option. If you wish, you can change the VO key to Caps Lock or have both. For a complete list of VoiceOver commands for a Bluetooth keyboard, see Use VoiceOver on iPhone with an Apple external keyboard. Even though this document is titled Apple Keyboard, these commands will work on all Bluetooth keyboards.
The Tap Strap 2
The Tap Strap 2 is a mainstream device designed for quick and flexible text input on an iPhone. It is a wearable Bluetooth keyboard that consists of five rings held together by a thin strap. The rings slide onto the five fingers of one hand much like jewelry. It can be used on either hand.
With the strap of rings securely on one hand and the device paired, you can input text by tapping on any reasonably hard surface. You tap with single fingers or combinations of fingers to get all the letters, numbers, and symbols of the keyboard. For example, a single tap with the index finger is the letter e; the index finger and the middle finger together is the letter t; and the thumb, index finger, and ring finger together are the letter F.
Representatives from Tap Systems, Inc. showed the Tap Strap at several blindness conferences in 2017. The Tap Strap 1 began shipping in spring of 2018. They have taken an active interest in how the Tap Strap can be used with VoiceOver. They have created a VoiceOver mode with taps for the most commonly used VoiceOver functions. For example, a double tap of the index finger is Activate.
They have also created a series of tutorials specifically developed for VoiceOver users that can be played from the Tap Accessibility page.
In addition to iOS, the Tap Strap can be used to input text on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, and Android devices.
The learning app for the Tap Strap, TapGenius, is not accessible with VoiceOver but the company has developed an app for VoiceOver users called TapAloud that offers instructions, lessons, and games for learning to use the Tap Strap. The app for managing the Tap Strap, TapManager, works well with VoiceOver and is used to set preferences for the Tap Strap.
The five rings, connected with their cord, fit into a charging case. The case can charge the Tap Strap eight times before needing to be charged itself. The Tap Strap lasts for eight hours of use and seven days on standby.
The Tap Strap is available in two sizes, small and large. For more information about the Tap Strap or to purchase one for $199, go to the Tap Strap 2 website or Amazon.
Input Devices Designed Specifically for Blind Users
A number of input devices have been developed specifically for blind users that can be used to enter text on an iPhone. Not surprisingly, they tend to be more expensive than mainstream devices but many of them are multifunctional and can make the process of using a smartphone much easier.
Traditional braille displays have been available for more than forty years. In the early years, they connected to computers via serial ports. More recently, with the development of smartphones and their Bluetooth connectivity, braille displays now all have Bluetooth capability allowing them to connect quickly and conveniently on the go.
Because many blind and visually impaired smartphone users find the onscreen keyboard difficult to use, a number of companies have developed input devices to make this process easier. Most of these are braille-oriented devices. it is a huge boon for blind users that braille input devices can be made in such small packages. This is possible because braille input needs only eight keys.
An input device not oriented around braille is the Rivo 2. This multifunction device is unique among input devices, and stands alone as a specialized input device for those blind persons who are not braille users. The Rivo 2 will be discussed thoroughly in the next section.
The Rivo 2
Rivo 2 is a multifunction input device created specifically for VoiceOver users.
It is 3.7 inches long, 2.1 inches wide, and 0.5 inches thick (94mm by 52mm by 12mm). It is about the size of a thick credit card and weighs 2 ounces (54 grams). It can connect to up to six Bluetooth devices and switch among them with a keystroke. The device can be used with iOS, iPadOS, and Android devices.
It is made by Rivo, Inc. in South Korea and is available in the United States for $329 from LS&S Products and Independent Living Aids. The first version of this keyboard, called Rivo, came out in 2012. The Rivo 2 was completed in the spring of 2018 with many improvements.
Rivo 2 has 20 keys arranged in 4 rows of 5 columns. These keys are pressed individually or in combination, and can be used for inputting text, navigating the device, controlling media playback, dial phone touchtones, and more. In iOS and iPadOS, it supports 27 different languages. In Android, it supports English and Korean.
The Rivo 2 does not support braille input. However, there are several ways to enter text. Rivo QWERTY is a special mode that groups letters on keys according to their relative position on a QWERTY keyboard, and how frequently they are used. A more traditional ABC, telephone-style, input mode is also available.
The Rivo 2 has a speaker and a microphone. You can route all audio from the iDevice to Rivo's speaker.
You can also make and receive phone calls directly from Rivo and even put a call on hold, answer a second incoming call, and switch between them. During a call, you can enter touchtones from the Rivo keyboard for interacting with banking, voicemail, and similar systems that require touchtone input. You can also activate Siri and use it with the built-in microphone and speaker.
You can get more information about the Rivo 2 from the Rivo website.
Braille displays
There are many configurations of braille displays, all of which can work with an iPhone. These devices vary in size, in available features, and in price. Most braille displays have 10 or more hours of battery life, and offer much longer standby time.
Most braille displays on the market today contain a Perkins-style braille keyboard. A few have a QWERTY keyboard. Either style can be used to input text just like a Bluetooth keyboard. Just as with the onscreen or hardware keyboards, you can type text into any edit field, password field, or anywhere else that allows the input of text.
When used for the first time, braille displays also have to be paired with your iPhone. In almost all cases, this pairing is not done in the Bluetooth part of Settings but rather in Accessibility then VoiceOver then Braille. Usually, a pairing code is required.
In addition to typing text, you can use the display's keyboard to perform all the VoiceOver gestures. This means you can navigate your iDevice as well as summon Siri, do a long press, and even a double tap and hold.
The keys on the various braille displays vary greatly from device to device but Apple has created a set of navigational commands. A full list can be found at Common braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You will usually find that other keys on a particular display have been mapped to additional functions.
Orbit Writer
The Orbit Writer is a Bluetooth braille keyboard from Orbit Research. It measures 6.3 inches long by 2.6 inches wide by 0.3 inches thick, (160mm by 65mm by 8mm), and weighs 3.2 ounces (90 grams). It has a battery life of more than 3 days. The six-key Perkins-style keyboard plus dots 7 and 8, and cursor cross layout on the Orbit Writer is identical to that of the Orbit Reader.
On an iPhone, the Orbit Writer is paired under the Braille section of VoiceOver settings, and mimics a braille display. It can be used to enter text and navigate the phone.
In addition to iOS, it can also work as a keyboard for Windows, MacOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Amazon Fire OS. It can connect to 5 devices simultaneously over Bluetooth and to one more over USB and allows switching between devices with a simple key combination.
The Orbit Writer can be purchased for $99 from A T Guys, National Braille Press, Orbit Research, and other vendors of assistive technology.
Hable One
The Hable One is a small Bluetooth braille keyboard manufactured by Hable One B.V. in the Netherlands. This device pairs with an iPhone in the Bluetooth section of Settings. It measures 5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide and 0.75 inches thick (127mm by 63mm by 19mm), and weighs 3 ounces (85 grams). It has a battery life of 50 hours. It can be used with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac devices. It supports 10+ languages.
The keys on the Hable One are oriented vertically in two columns of three keys each. There is one larger key on either side of the columns. It is meant to be used by holding with both hands in the air, not on a table. The fingertips of both hands are facing each other, very like using Braille Screen Input in screen-away mode. If you do prefer to use it flat on a table, you can reverse the braille dots to make the keyboard more comfortable to use in this orientation.
Most of the default shortcut keys are not consistent with the usual VoiceOver shortcuts on a braille display but they are logical and easy to remember. The Hable One includes a contracted braille translator so it is possible to type in contracted braille.
You can order a Hable One directly from the Hable One website for €249 which includes shipping and taxes.
Bdot and Tdot
Bdot and Tdot are Bluetooth braille keyboards manufactured by Kunyoong IBC in South Korea. They can both be used as keyboards for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. Both units can be connected to up to 3 Bluetooth devices. In iOS, with both devices, it is possible to input text, navigate the phone, and perform all VoiceOver functions. An iOS app, doTnB, allows the user to easily update firmware and adjust settings such as low battery alarm, power save time, and default language.
The Bdot is a wearable Bluetooth braille keyboard. It is a flexible band of keys and is designed to be conveniently carried on a wrist. In the middle of the band is a 1.75-inch (43mm) square section that folds out to reveal two spacebars. When unfolded the unit automatically turns on and connects to the paired device. Along each side of the band are four rubber braille input keys, making a total of eight. The Bdot has a battery life of 40 hours with a standby time of 70 days.
When opened, the Bdot is 10.2 inches long, 3.39 inches wide, and 0.22 inches thick (260mm by 86mm by 5.5mm). It weighs 1.3 ounces (36 grams). When closed, the Bdot can be comfortably fastened around a wrist using its Velcro backing. The unit cannot be used while it is on your wrist.
The Tdot is a folding Bluetooth braille keyboard. When folded, it forms a compact triangle that is 5.1 inches long and 1.2 inches on each of its three sides (130mm by 30mm). It is a triangular prism, shaped like a Toblerone bar. It has a single attachment point at the top for a lanyard. Two flat "wings" fold out from the triangle making the Tdot roughly T-shaped. Each wing at the top of the T contains four braille keys.
When unfolded, the Tdot is 8.7 inches long, 5.9 inches wide, and 1.2 inches at its thickest point (220mm by 150mm by 30mm). It weighs 2 ounces (59 grams). In the center at the top is a 5-way joystick. Coming down the center column is the spacebar, Shift, Control, and Mode keys. The battery life of the Tdot is about 35 hours of continuous use and about 50 days of standby time.
Kunyoong IBC plans to make both keyboards available for purchase through Amazon. You can get more information and current pricing for these keyboards from the Kunyoong IBC CO., LTD website.
MyKey
MyKey is another small Bluetooth braille keyboard being developed by the German company BBTF. It measures 6.3 inches long, 1.8 inches wide, and 0.8 inches thick (160mm by 46mm by 20mm) and weighs 4.3 ounces (122 grams). It has a battery life of more than 100 hours.
MyKey has eight braille input keys along the back edge of the top of the device, and four additional keys along the front edge of the top. The additional keys are used in combination with each other and the braille keys to enter text and navigate the device. On the front two corners, MyKey has two attachment points for a lanyard.
MyKey functions as a standard Bluetooth keyboard. It can be used to wake up an iPhone and optionally automatically send the passcode. Also, the phone can be turned off directly from MyKey.
The firmware and configuration files can be easily updated from a PC or MAC.
You can get more information about MyKey and its current availability at the MyKey website.
Conclusion
There is a vast array of input devices that can be used with an iPhone. Most are quite straightforward and traditional while a few are unique and clever. With more being developed all the time, there is no shortage of options.
If you are uncomfortable inputting text with any of the methods used on the phone itself, then have a good look at the external device options. They may be just what you need to make your iPhone experience all that you had hoped it would be.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
