The Apple iPad was the first iOS-based product that would allow you to use an external keyboard. Apple offers two options for keyboard support: the Apple Wireless Keyboard and the Apple iPad Keyboard Dock, both going for $69. The former connects to the iPad or any iPhone running iOS 4 using Bluetooth. This week, we'll take a look at some tips on how to get the most out of these keyboards.

Swap Between Virtual and Physical Keyboards

If you are using a Bluetooth connected keyboard on either an iPhone or iPad, the virtual keyboard will disappear. If you want to toggle between either keyboard without having to unpair the Bluetooth keyboard, simply hit the Eject button. This will work on an iPhone running iOS 4 and on an iPad.

The iPad Keyboard Dock has a dedicated key for accomplishing the same thing:




Cut, Copy, and Paste

You can edit documents on your iPad or iPhone just like you can on a Mac. The keyboard commands for Cut (CMD + X), Copy (CMD + C), and Paste (CMD + V) are all the same. You use a combination of a shift key and the left, right, up, or down arrow keys to select text.


iPod Controls

The Apple branded keyboards I mentioned above have row of function keys at the top. You can use the reverse, play/pause, forward, mute, lower and raise volume keys to control the iPad's iPod app.


Screen and Miscellaneous Controls

On both of the keyboards, you can manipulate the screen brightness up or down, but the iPad Keyboard Dock lets you do a bit more. Using that keyboard with an iPad, you can press one key to: jump to the Home screen, launch Spotlight Search, lower and raise brightness, view your photos in Picture Frame mode, show and hide the keyboard (dedicated key), or lock your iPad (at the end) below.

Hardware keyboard support isn't limited to Apple branded Bluetooth keyboards since others are reported to work, but none were tested for these tips. It is interesting to note that Andy Ihnatko discovered that the iPad Keyboard Dock actually works with the iPhone 3GS. Owners of the iPad Camera Connection Kit will also discover that some USB keyboards will work when used with one of the adapters in that kit.

These features are old news to saavy iPad and Mac owners, but new users and people upgrading to iOS 4 may not be aware that keyboard support is available now. So, if you have big fingers that don't work well with the virtual keyboard, or you just want to type a little faster on either the iPad or iPhone, then these tips--along with one of the above keyboards--might have been just what you were looking for.