iPad mini Basic Training - iPad Mini - page 42

Dictation: Tap the Microphone key and start talking. As you speak, a larger key
withaMicrophoneicononitappearsabovetheDictationkey,andtheiPadlistenstowhatyou
have to say. Tap the key again and the iPad attempts to convert your words into text. You can
use this dictation feature in many of the instances in which you can summon the keyboard,
including the built-in Notes and Mail apps, as well as any third-party apps you have on your
mini. See Chapter 14 for more on dictation.
When you use dictation, the things you say are recorded and sent to Apple to
convert your words into text. Just make sure to proofread what you've said because the pro-
cessisn'tfoolproof.Applealsocollectsotherinformation,includingyourfirstnameandnick-
name, names and nicknames of folks in your Contacts list, song names in Music, and more.
Apple says this helps the dictation feature perform its duties. If any of this freaks you out,
however, tap Settings ⇒ General ⇒ Keyboard and slide the Dictation switch to off. You can also
restrict the use of dictation in Settings, as explained in Chapter 15 .
If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, it's worth noting that keyboards on the iPad mini
more closely resemble the keyboard layout of a traditional computer rather than those
smaller-model devices. That is, the Delete key is in the upper-right corner, the Return key is
just below it, and the Shift keys are on either side. This similarity to traditional keyboard lay-
outs certainly improves the odds of successful touch-typing.
Finger-typing on the virtual keyboards
The virtual keyboards in Apple's multitouch interface just might be considered a stroke of genius.
And they just might as equally drive you nuts.
If you're patient and trusting, in a week or so you'll get the hang of finger-typing — which is vital to
moving forward, of course, because you rely on a virtual keyboard to tap a text field, enter notes,
type the names of new contacts, and so on.
As we note earlier in this chapter, Apple has built intelligence into its virtual keyboard, so it can cor-
rect typing mistakes on the fly and take a stab at predicting what you're about to type next. The key-
board isn't exactly Nostradamus, but it does an excellent job of coming up with the words you have
in mind.