There are times when punctuation is necessary (as in mail or sms) and times when it's optional (as in entering names, calendar events, etc).

The iPhone keyboard could adapt to these cases and squeeze somewhere a comma and a period. Just like it does with the ".com" button in Safari.

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Can't you just double-tap the spacebar to produce a period and a space after it, like you can on a blackberry?

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I guess it doesn't steal a trick from the Blackberry and convert to spaces into a period, space and auto capitalization of the next character?

Andy

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It was the Lisa group, which invented the pull down menu http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=On_Xerox,_Apple_and_Progress.txt&topic=Origins&sortOrder=Sort%20by%20Date&detail=medium, so it is quite natural for Apple to turn the special character key into a kind of pull menu. Much better than the "Press, type and hit" concept.

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Easier still might be to combine Pogue's tip and yours - it's quicker to slide down to the larger target of the spacebar than the ABC key without lifting your finger.

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Once the iPhone is released in the UK this will become the "Full Stop" trick - it sounds more final than "period" as though it'll shut the whole thing down.

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Maybe I'm a luddite, but you lost me at the "simply press that "" key normally" comment. Which key does the "" represent?

I think a combination of both your and Pogue's tips will work best. For the period, yours seems best, but keep in mind that Pogue's tip is supposed to work for all characters on the number keyboard, i.e., nice way to enter a comma or other punctuation. Also, there are times using a "." might not be the end of a sentence (3.1, myfolder.server.net, etc.). Pogue's tip is cool for the whole number keyboard, but in practice, without more practice, the tap/slide/release isn't a natural feeling movement for me (yet).

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The Pogue 'press and slide' works well for me...thanks for the tip...

Hopefully there will be a software update shortly to address some issues and add other improvements.

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Actually, it appears it should be the McCallum 'press and slide' after reading Pogue's blog. :)

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Here is what I duscovered : If you are using two thumbs to type, this method is the fastest. Using the left thumb, keep the "?123" button PRESSED. Now if you move the right thumb around on the screen, only one area is active - and thats the "." button ! As soon as the right thumb presses the "." button, the screen switches back to the main keyboard. Try it out

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it seems to me that it automatically puts a space after a period, which i find TOTALLY annoying. has anyone else experienced this?

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Yea, that's one thing I miss about my blackberry, AutoText and double spacing for a period and a space. :( Please do something about this apple!

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You tip assumes you are needing the period for the end of a sentence. It's also not really a 'tip' as it's something that the Apple user interface engineers designed. The press and slide technique (while also a UI design in that the .123 button works on the touch, not the release) is more obscure, and therefor to my mind qualifies as a 'tip'. It also works for all punctuation.

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This guy's review definitely makes me want to go out and buy one:
http://www.orato.com/node/2928

iSaw.iPhone.iBought.iHappy

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@12
i'll have to pay closer attention when i type in, david -- thanks for letting me know this isn't normal behavior. maybe the software can learn that i'm fat-fingered monkey when i type, eh?

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I use an iPhone, and I find Pogue's method to be very helpful. Your method, which I use many times, requires 3 clicks (123, ., space) whereas Pogue's method requires only a press and quick slide (I mean, it's right there, it's not hard to do). Yes, if you wanted to start a new sentence it would require a second click (spacebar), but for ending emails or SMS messages, his method works very well I've found.

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How do you make a period?

Lol.

Best! Gadget! Ever!

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you can't just tap the spacebar twice like on a blackberry?

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I'm with you steve! The Blackberry trick for a period (or full stop to us brits) is the simplest solution and I hope Apple steal it for future updates.

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