iPad mini Basic Training - iPad Mini - page 45

Because Apple knows what you're up to, the virtual keyboard is fine-tuned for the
task at hand. This is especially true when you need to enter numbers, punctuation, or sym-
bols. The following tips help you find common special characters or special keys that we
know you'll want to use:
Putting the @ in an e-mail address: If you're composing an e-mail message (see Chapter 5 ),
a dedicated @ key pops up on the keyboard when you're in the To field. That key disappears
from the first view when you tap the message body. You can still get to the @ by tapping the
.?123 key.
Switching from letters to numbers: When you're typing notes or sending e-mail and you
want to type a number, symbol, or punctuation mark, tap the 123 key to bring up an alternat-
ive virtual keyboard. Tap the ABC key to return to the first keyboard. This toggle isn't hard to
get used to, but you may find it irritating.
Adding apostrophes: If you press and hold the !/, key, a pop-up offers the apostrophe.
We already mentioned that the iPad mini, unlike some tablets from the past (and a few
in the present), eschews a pen or stylus. But there are occasions when you might want to call
upon a digital pen, and products from companies such as Wacom fill the bill. Wacom sells the
Bamboo Stylus for around $20 to $30, a potentially useful tool for those with fingers that are
too broad, oily, or greasy or who sketch, draw, or jot notes. You can find lower-priced
styluses as well.
Editing mistakes
We think typing with abandon, without getting hung up over mistyped characters, is a good idea.
The self-correcting keyboard can fix many errors (and occasionally introduce errors of its own).
That said, plenty of typos are likely to turn up, especially in the beginning, and you have to correct
them manually.
A neat typo-correcting trick is to hold your finger against the screen to bring up the
magnifying glass, as shown in Figure 2-9 . Use the magnifying glass to position the pointer on
the spot where you need to make the correction. Then use the Delete key (also called Back-
space) to delete the error, and press whatever keys you need to type the correct text.