Tablets, like their smaller smartphone cousins, are a hotly debated tech item. Some people love them while others refuse to use them. One thing that's certain is that they can be useful, if used correctly. The tablet of choice for many business owners is the iPad, largely because it's easy to use, and it can help improve productivity. One area where productivity isn't generally improved is typing, but luckily there is way around this.
Here's a tip on how you can improve typing on your iPad through the use of keyboard shortcuts.
What are they? Keyboard shortcuts are a built-in feature of iOS that allow you to type in a few letters and have your iPad input full sentences or words. This is similar to a Web browser's autocomplete feature which will fill in forms when you enter a few letters or even a word.
How it works Keyboard shortcuts require manual setup, you will have to set a phrase, sentence, word, etc. as well as the letters that will input the phrase. For example you can set the letters 'beml' to be a shortcut for your business email; when you type 'beml', your iPad will input your email address.
These shortcuts could be quite useful, especially if you find yourself continually entering the same word or sentence. This will make you more productive and, as long as you have the correct information, will ensure that there are no typos in important words or phrases. How to set it keyboard shortcuts Taking the business email example from above, here's how you can set keyboard shortcuts. Note: These instructions relate to iOS 6.1 (the latest version of the operating system.)
- Open the Settings app (gray box with three cogs).
- Select General followed by Keyboard.
- Scroll down and select Add New Shortcut.
- Enter the full word/phrase/sentence in the Phrase section. In this case you would enter your full email address.
- Enter the shortcut letters that will be related to the Phrase. In this case you would enter beml.
- Tap Save in the top-right of the window.
How to edit keyboard shortcuts You may notice that when you navigate to the Keyboard section in the Settings app, there is a number of existing shortcuts. You can edit these by:
- Opening the Settings app (gray box with three cogs).
- Selecting General followed by Keyboard.
- Tapping Edit and selecting the shortcut to edit from the Shortcuts box.
- Editing the phrase and shortcut associated to it in the window that opens.
- Pressing Save in the top-right of the window.
If you are looking to learn more about the iPad, or how using one can help improve your productivity at work, please contact us today.

When it comes to mobile devices like tablets and smartphones, there is an abundance of technical terms and jargon thrown around, often confusing average users. A common term seen on many blogs and mobile carriers’ websites in relation to tablets is tethering. If you have an Android tablet, do you know what tethering is?
One of the more popular reasons users pick Apple's iPad is because of the apps available. There are numerous high quality apps that business oriented users can use to help increase their productivity, or make their roles more efficient. One of the major weaknesses of the tablet, however, is typing. The touch keyboard isn't ideal for typing longer messages or documents. Luckily, there are apps that make up for this downside.
The cloud has been an instrumental driver of the success of modern tablets. When it comes to tablets using the iOS (iPad and iPad mini), the cloud is often used to integrate files across devices, as often more than one service is utilized. This means that if you use the cloud, you likely have more than one app and likely struggle to manage or share files across different services. A new app makes managing all your different cloud storage services far easier.
Tablets are gaining traction in businesses, many are starting to integrate them in some function. One of the more popular tablets is Apple's iPad. One of the reasons people love it so much is largely because of the sheer amount of apps. Some of these help users increase their productivity, something that many businesses can benefit from.
Thinking of buying the new iPad? The one released only six months ago? Well Apple has decided to answer that question for you. On October 23, Apple introduced not one but two new iPads. The first is the iPad 4 - an upgraded version of the iPad 3 - and the second is the iPad mini. How do these new iPads stack up? And, should you buy one?
As mobile devices like the iPad continue to make inroads in companies, more business functions will be assigned to it and companies will be tempted to adopt more of these devices for use in day-to-day operations. While the iPad is a sturdy machine, it’s just that, a machine, and machines need to be taken care of properly if they’re to last.
When Apple released the original iPad a little over two years ago, they revolutionized the tablet and set a high benchmark that no other manufacturer has been able to meet since. Two years on, and a new tablet has been released by Google that according to many reviews, challenges iPad superiority. This has many small business managers wondering which tablet is better for their business.
The Apple iPad is one of the most important technological devices of the decade, with many small businesses adopting it for daily use. As the platform matures, app developers are starting to introduce apps specifically for small businesses. One such app turns the standard iPad into a point of sale (POS) system, allowing you to replace your clunky old register while being able to accept mobile payments.
When Apple released the first iPad, the business community knew, almost straight away, that it was the next step in the evolution of computing. Three versions later and the number of managers and business owners using their iPad for business purposes has done nothing but increase. While it’s great, it’s not perfect, and one thing the iPad could improve upon is its integration with printers.

