How to use the iPad Split Keyboard Works Nicely in iOS 5 Beta

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We have already shown quite a bit of what iOS 5 has to offer for both the iPhone and iPad. Apple’s new iOS 5 will bring a dramatic improvement to the typing experience with something they call “Grab Handles” which is a split keyboard. One of the things that stood out immediately at yesterday’s WWDC keynote presentation, as a feature with big appeal for iPad users, was the ability to split the iPad keyboard in iOS 5.

I’ve been trying this out, along with a number of other new features, on a V1 iPad running the first iOS 5 beta. It’s a pretty slick feature.

With this new update there is a handle button on the keyboard that you grab with your thumb and it will split the keyboard making the keys reachable from the average person while they hold the iPad or iPad 2 with both hands.

This time we are going to show you something that is specific to just the iPad. Steve Jobs announced a new split keyboard for the iPad at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) back in June.

This will make the iPad easier to use while standing or sitting somewhere other than at a table or desk. There are already similar keyboards available for other operating systems. Until we saw Microsoft’s early previews of Windows 8, we had not seen one built into a mobile OS for quite some time. But this was available in versions of the ultramobile PC years ago.

The split keyboard is currently only available on the iPad and allows for a different typing experience, but one that aims to improve the user experience.

To activate the split keyboard, with the default keyboard visible, drag two fingers from the middle of the keyboard towards each side of the screen. It doesn't make a difference if you are in portrait or landscape mode, the keyboard will then split into two halves, hugging the edge of the screen on each side.