The Tap: An Ipad Keyboard Without The Actual Keyboard
Macworld|May 2018

Tapped out with traditional typing? This new wearable might provide a situational solution.

Leif Johnson
The Tap: An Ipad Keyboard Without The Actual Keyboard

I’m a bit of a fussy writer. Sometimes I even find the mere sight of my words dropping across the screen as I write discouraging and intimidating, so I’ll drop a sheet of paper on my MacBook screen to keep from seeing what I’m writing. I’m thus always hunting for something that removes this frustration from the process.

Imagine, then, my curiosity when I was told about the Tap (go.macworld.com/ tapp), a Bluetooth “wearable mouse and keyboard” that lets you “type” on iPhones and iPads (and Android devices) without touching a keyboard or touchscreen. Instead, it uses a system of finger taps from a single hand that works with varying degrees of success on any surface. It looks a bit like cyberpunk brass knuckles, or perhaps a minimalist 21st-century update to the Nintendo Power Glove. And somehow, unlike similarly ambitious devices such as the Google Glass, the$150 device even looks kind of cool.

Tap co-founder Sabrina Kemeny demonstrated the Tap while attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. It’s a testament to how well she feels the device works that she evaded telling me how to use it directly; instead, she watched as I opened the box, slipp edit on, and learned to type by making gestures alone by following the instructions in the Tap Genius app (go.macworld.com/tpgn). Jony Ive, Apple’s design guru, might be proud.

This story is from the May 2018 edition of Macworld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2018 edition of Macworld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MACWORLDView All
Apple connects Podcasts app with Music, News+, and other subscriptions
Macworld

Apple connects Podcasts app with Music, News+, and other subscriptions

Subscriptions to eligible services automatically appear in the Podcasts app.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2023
How to insert fractions in Word and Pages
Macworld

How to insert fractions in Word and Pages

Microsoft and Apple try to help you put the numbers in the correct place and have it look good, too.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2023
Three overlooked Apple apps you should start using right now
Macworld

Three overlooked Apple apps you should start using right now

The company has spent a lot of time working on several of the core apps across its platforms, trying to ensure that they provide a great experience.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023
RIP Lightning: In lieu of flowers, please send dongles
Macworld

RIP Lightning: In lieu of flowers, please send dongles

A eulogy for the little iPhone port that could.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023
How to create and customize your Contact Poster in iOS 17
Macworld

How to create and customize your Contact Poster in iOS 17

It's an all-new way to express yourself to those you call or message.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
3 new Apple features I'd literally be lost without
Macworld

3 new Apple features I'd literally be lost without

iOS 17 and watchOS 10 get new features to help you find your way (and your remote).

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023
LIMINK AL ALLOY PORTABLE TRIPLE MONITOR (LK14)
Macworld

LIMINK AL ALLOY PORTABLE TRIPLE MONITOR (LK14)

While it is easy to connect external displays to your MacBook for expanded desk-based screen space, you can't easily take this set up on the road with you or pack it neatly away in a drawer.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023
Intel announces Thunderbolt 5 with double the bandwidth
Macworld

Intel announces Thunderbolt 5 with double the bandwidth

The new standard will likely be available on Macs in 2024 or 2025.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
Safari 17: Everything you need to know about the new features
Macworld

Safari 17: Everything you need to know about the new features

In Sonoma, Ventura, and Monterey, Safari helps you be more productive and secure.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2023
How to add widgets to the macOS Sonoma Desktop
Macworld

How to add widgets to the macOS Sonoma Desktop

Widgets provide quick access to the information you need

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023