Should You Use a Non-QWERTY Keyboard on Your Phone?

As I started experimenting with new keyboard layouts I felt that holding the Qwerty layout in my mind just for when I used my phone felt like it was unnecessarily taxing.
So I jumped in and changed the layout on my phone as well as for my computer.
In this video I look it the brilliant xKeyboard app for iPhone that lets you build your own multi-layer keyboard in whatever layout you want as well as looking at the downsides of changing.
This video is the fourth in this series looking at changing to non-Qwerty keyboard layouts like Colemak, Workman, Dvorak and ISRT. The previous three videos in the series are here:
Switching From Qwerty To Colemak DH (via Workman)
• Switching From Qwerty ...
What’s The Best Size & Style Of Keyboard For Learning Non-Qwerty Layouts
• What’s The Best Size &...
Why I Stopped Using The Workman Keyboard Layout
• Why I Stopped Using Th...
Next videos:
Tools & Tips For Learning A New Keyboard Layout (Or How To Type Faster!)
• Tools & Tips For Learn...
How To Type Faster By Cheating (Alt-Fingering)
• How To Type Faster By ...
Links from the video:
colemak.com/FAQ
My xKeyboard Colemak DH Layout:
benvallack.com/downloads/Colem...
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[@sumnerd69]

I also use colemak dh with my ergonomic keyboard but qwerty anywhere else. I think mastering qwerty as well as an efficient alternative layout is the best approach since you don't have to worry about typing at 15 wpm when you have to use qwerty (say you are using someone else's laptop for a moment) or installing some obscure layout on every device you touch. Using an alternative layout on just ergonomic keyboards also helps your brain making the switch between layouts. Of course it messes with you for a little longer than ditching qwerty entirely but personally I think it's worth the effort

[@BenVallack]

Yeah it is an appealing way of doing it.

[@thedrumify]

Like you mentioned, the fact that qwerty is basically optimized for swiping, this works best for users how many swipe. When I started to learn Neo2, where the vocals are on the left home row, this became blatantly obvious.

[@BenVallack]

Yeah quite interesting isn’t it. Qwerty finds its usefulness on a device that didn’t exist when it was created!

[@benlu]

Yup, I never unlearned qwerty on phone, it's a sufficiently different skillset that it doesn't help / hinder typing on a full sized keyboard I think

[@brianwong1766]

I just installed xkeyboard with your custom keyboard. I am learning Colemak DH. Thanks, Ben.

[@amcks]

This is very interesting! When I made the transition to Colemak-DHm, I didn't consider also changing my phone's keyboard layout away from QWERTY; I thought the muscle memory of normal touch-typing was too different from typing with two thumbs on my phone. To add to this, I seem to be relying a lot on my phone's autocorrect function anyways, that learning a new layout for my thumb-typing may not be a good form of practice to begin with. Although it's very interesting to hear that the inefficiencies of the QWERTY layout that made me shift to Colemak turns out to be useful for thumb-typing since we're dealing with a smaller interface, and having the common key presses further away from each other actually helps.

[@maxxiong]

I type Dvorak but I still use Qwerty on phones, and I get no accuracy problems at all. The biggest advantage actually is that I can get pretty good (like 60-80) wpm on QWERTY still if I look at the keyboard. For reference I type 100wpm on Dvorak.

[@shapeless8]

i use gboard on android, which lets me use colemak on my phone as well to immerse myself more - i think it helped me quite a bit in the long run, though other people's experience may be different.

[@BenVallack]

Subscribe to my new custom keyboards channel! www.youtube.com/@BenVallacksKeyboards

[@tw2210]

Great videos. Thanks Ben. Subscribed. Tim

[@The8merp]

I think swiping is the way to go when it comes to smartphone or any small touchscreen based devices. While all swiping keyboard support the qwerty layout, I wanted to see if there are any layouts designed to optimize the swiping input and I found the Flow keyboard by Peter Eastman on the google play store, the layout is designed with efficient swipe input and I found it very intuitive and quick to pickup.

[@BenVallack]

Awesome thanks for sharing!

[@ArleyMcBlain]

Yes! The phone keyboard is the one you have to look at anyways. Good viddy, i am about to use iOS for the first time and trying to find out why there's no default colemak

[@jammies701]

Like the thoughts

[@TechSupportDave]

Yeah I'm looking for a keyboard layout that basically minimises thumb travel on Mobile. The reason for this is because I find minimal-finger-travel layouts EXTREMELY comfortable, this is one reason I really enjoy typing on DVORAK, however on Mobile I don't enjoy Dvorak just as much, and it is mostly because of the fact that it obviously doesn't really work very well for two-finger typing, or when one of my hands is preoccupied with something else.

[@paperclipbike]

An interesting conundrum, but for me, with the Moonlander with Colemak-ModDH at home, and QWERTY at work, I'm condemned to trying to keep both in my head, which is now beginning to calm down after the initial "head asplode" of the first weeks. So, the virtual keyboard on phones and tablets can stay QWERTY, and, more significantly, swipey. Fun times, though!

[@BenVallack]

Great stuff, do you play musical instruments? Strikes me that kind of ability must translate well to playing instuments!

[@paperclipbike]

@@BenVallack Ha, as it happens, yes, but I happened to choose an instrument with almost the least use of fingers imaginable, the trombone. But I'm sure there is something in there with the idea of building muscle memory rather than interpreting every single note into individual slide positions, for example.

[@paperclipbike]

It's also true that I did try other instruments before and around the trombone, though; piano, guitar, drums, so perhaps that was also a form of unplanned keyboard layout switch training ;-)

[@leesanurse6474]

They should make a keyboard made just for your thumbs for sure

[@primarkbargainbin9847]

Optimize your life. Truly the limits of human computer interaction is in our input methods. Through radical changes in input we could really push the speed of our communication with our artificial counterparts. To the future.

[@nrrgrdn]

Thanks, somehow I didn't even think of also changing mobile

[@BenVallack]

Yeah I actully decided to stick with swiping on qwerty on mobile. I do use a clone of my 18 key layout when using iPad with Vim though (if I don't have my physical keyboard)

[@FelixSargent]

Would you share your xKeyboard config?

[@BenVallack]

Added to description cheers!

[@user-rk1fq1zw7g]

would ortholinear layout make any difference on an iphone

[@BenVallack]

I actually tried with and without a row stagger, strangely Colemak seemed to work best with a row stagger but ISRT seemed perfect without the offset. I think the offset should reduce errors though. (talking just about phones here)

[@VD-cc4hx]

Either or, whichever layout you type on the most is what you will have a higher wpm on. I type 60 wpm and higher with qwerty staggered on my phone. I use ortho split keyboards with qwerty and it's comfortable for me. ortho is comfortable when its split so that your wrists aren't turned and cramp up like the plank keyboard instead of the moonlander keyboard since it feels way smaller than staggered on a keyboard. I don't really care enough to try ortho qwerty on my phone, sorry I couldn't exactly answer your question.

[@allanmaple4676]

Interesting! Why is Colemak better?

[@ManuelTransfeld]

copy and paste to Google. you won't believe me, how good the answers are

[@lordvalen8133]

STFW

[@derbybOyzZ]

What keyboard layout are you teaching your kids? What is your philosophy on that?

[@BenVallack]

Reluctantly they are using normal Qwerty keyboards! While they are sharing school equipment I don’t think there’s any logic to getting them doing something different. Once they are proficient on Qwerty I’ll see if I can get then to learn something cool but keep good on Qwerty too.

[@sillynapalm]

Ben, dude I love your videos but we need to talk about 0:39 that iPhone layout. Why so many pages?! Optimize it man. Not efficient

[@BenVallack]

Ha! My phone is a bit like ’that drawer’ where stuff just piles up in a mess! One day I will have a go at organising it!

[@Matonias]

No one is perfect :)

[@sillynapalm]

@@BenVallack I love your commitment to your work on KZbin. Keep pumpin' those awesome videos. I'm just bustin your balls. Take care and stay safe.

[@potatoeater5987]

Isrt? I can see the colemak server has greatly influenced you

[@BenVallack]

😉

[@TyroneSama]

Nintype (iOS) / Keyboard 69 (Android) is the fastest and most comfortable I've ever been on mobile, with the caveat that it was designed by aliens from another planet. The idea is that you can swipe with both thumbs simultaneously, reducing "travel"-swipe M-O with your right thumb, then V-E with your left, and it'll complete to "move" without requiring the drag from O to V. You can also tap single letters that are far away from a swipe path to save time and stress. The learning curve is insane, and you will probably need to spend some time tailoring the dictionary to your needs, but if you're scrolling the comments on this video you're probably the target audience.

[@BenVallack]

Wow this is super interesting! Will check it out. Cheers.

[@user-pinky3272]

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[@ww2airborne]

keyboard layout doesn't matter for ergonomics or wps, but best luck and god speed!

[@skyhappy]

Ask me how I know you know nothing about keyboard layouts