Many people find that trying to use a phone keyboard can be tricky. They are not as easy to type with nor are they comfortable. So, what can we do? Unless you plan on not using your phone for certain functions, you are going to need to connect a wireless keyboard.
It can be a little tricky, especially if you are using a new phone or a new keyboard. If you are someone who uses an iPhone, you will be in for an easier time. There are specific keyboards designed for Apple that easily sink with their phones.
Unfortunately, android is a far broader marketplace so you aren’t going to be so lucky. Luckily for you though, this article is here to help. By the end, you will hopefully have no trouble connecting your wireless keyboard, or understanding why someone might choose to use one of them in the first place.
Table of Contents
What are the problems with a phone keyboard?
Phone keyboards have developed very quickly over the last 10 years alone. 10 years ago the majority of people were using a number pad keypad, having to press the number nine four times just to get the letter Z. The predictive text helped, but it was still rather limiting.
Then, came larger phones with a full keyboard. Like the Blackberry. These two were eventually phased out, what we were left with is pretty much what we imagine today when we think of a phone keyboard. A touchscreen qwerty keyboard with predictive text and predictive sentences to speed things up.
How much have they sped up? ..The answer is – not a lot.
Typing on phone keyboards is not only incredibly slow but full of errors. Someone who has accidentally sent not only a word wrong but an entire sentence before they could correct it knows the horror of sending a suddenly now inappropriate text to their parents, their boss, even their grandparents’ god forbid.
For the majority of us though, the problems arise when we try to work from our phones. Sending long emails can take as much as five times longer when using your phone than when using your computer. The BBC found that people who type on their phone can type as little as 10 words per minute. Those same people could type 50 words per minute from the laptop or desktop PC. This is a HUGE difference.
This paragraph that you are reading now is about 150 words long, meaning it would have taken you 15 minutes to type this out yourself. The standard marketing email contains just over 400 words. This would take 40 minutes to type on phone. There isn’t enough time in the day to get by typing this slowly.
Can phone keyboards cause injuries?
Phone keyboards are interestingly one of the biggest reasons people get carpal tunnel syndrome. According to WebMD, the carpal tunnel syndrome caused by phone use is far more prevalent in young people than older ones. As they are more likely to be excessively using their phones.
If you were to get severe carpal tunnel syndrome in your thirties you would be forced to deal with it for the next 50-70 years most likely. That is a LONG time. If you are interested in finding out for yourself whether or not your phone is giving you carpal tunnel syndrome you can find a very interesting article right here:
Also, here is a video talking about a similar problem caused by excessive texting:
The phone keyboards are also very small, as the screens themself are very small. By choosing to use a wireless keyboard, you won’t have to focus so closely on the tiny little keys on your phone. Eye strain can not only be painful and give you headaches in the short term, but it can also be pretty bad for you in the long term.
If your parents told you not to sit too close to the TV as a child because it will make your eyes square, they were lying. It won’t. But, it will give you eyesight problems. These problems could be as “mild” as minor headaches or as severe as blurred vision and migraines.
What are the benefits of using a wireless keyboard for your phone?
There are so many great benefits of using a wireless keyboard for your phone rather than the inbuilt one. Especially if you are someone that needs to work from their phone a lot.
If you are someone who spends their days replying to endless emails, you will want to maximize your efficiency as much as possible. As mentioned above, if you are only typing 10-20 words a minute from your phone and you can type 70 words a minute from your keyboard you are limiting yourself.
It only goes to reason that you could do 3-4 times as much work from your phone if you started using a keyboard. This also means you could get your work done 3-4 times faster. If you have X amount of work to do each day, then speed means less work, not more work.
If you are a writer, blogger, author or content writer then you are going to be typing a lot. If you are going to be typing in bulk then you will prioritize ease of use over pretty much everything else.
Being able to work from your phone as if it were a computer is far more preferable than using your phone keyboard. Imagine if you need to type 5000 words a day for work and that all needs to be done form your phone keyboard.
Can you imagine sending a 5000-word text? There literally isn’t enough time in the day to do so.
If you are someone who already suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, or you are a particularly cautious person, then you may be in the market for a proper keyboard for your phone. As someone who knows people that have such problems, I can attest to the difficulty they face using their phones.
Not only is the range of motion not there that typing can be somewhat impossible. It can also be excruciating. It is a horrible feeling that no person should have to feel. Using a proper keyboard is not the perfect solution, but it will help. Even if only minimally.
If you are someone who has poor eyesight, has to use glasses, or simply can’t see very far you may find that using a wireless keyboard is much better for you. Because you will be typing from muscle memory, rather than looking at what you are pressing.
Phone keyboards are so small that typing without looking is near enough impossible. Proper desktop keyboards are a different story altogether. If you have been working with computer keyboards all of your adult life, you probably don’t look at them all that much. It is pretty much all done by muscle memory.
The only time we look at the keyboard is when we miss a key and have to reset our fingers. Typing from muscle memory is part of the reason that using a wireless keyboard is so much faster and more efficient.
Lastly, using a wireless keyboard as opposed to a wired one is more convenient. Wires get in the way, wires can be damaged, wires just cause problems.
A wireless keyboard can be connected via Bluetooth which isn’t as simple to do as just using a wire but works a little easier. Imagine if you are on a plane or a train, space is precious. Keyboard wires can make you feel cramped and crowded. Wireless is certainly the way to go.
How to connect a wireless keyboard to android phone:
Connecting your wireless keyboard is not quite as easy as a wired one, you don’t have the luxury of just plugging it in. However, after the first connection, it should be as easy as turning it on. So, you could argue that it gets easier over time.
Here is the step by step instructions for connecting a wireless keyboard:
First, make sure that both your keyboard and phone are next to each other. Bluetooth works over long distances but is far more effective the closer they are. For the first connection, its best they are together.
Next, you will want to find your phone’s Bluetooth settings. When you open the settings on your phone you will be prompted to turn Bluetooth on. Do so.
After that, you will want to set your keyboard to pair mode. There is often a pairing button, that should be held down for about 5-10 seconds. This button is normally on the side of the keyboard, often by the kickstand. Or along the back of the keyboard itself.
Once your keyboard is set to pair, there will normally be a light that comes on to show you it is in pairing mode. Though not always, so don’t worry if there’s not.
Now its time to search for your keyboard on your phone, you should see it listed as XXX Keyboard. Replace XXX with whatever brand or model you are using. Click that and you should be good to go.
Sometimes, your phone will ask you for a pin code to connect. That is almost always 0000 by default. You can change this if you wish, though there is no need to.
To test your keyboard is working, open your search engine and try searching with your keyboard.
Conclusion:
Hopefully, you now have a good idea about the benefits of using a wireless keyboard for your phone. If you have yet to purchase one, you probably should. Not only for your efficiency as a worker but your comfort and health.
Also, If you follow the above steps for how to connect a wireless keyboard to an android phone, you shouldn’t have to much trouble getting it setup.
I hope I was able to help you in some way!
