Evaluating the Input of Characters using Software Keyboards in a Mobile Learning Environment: A Comparison between Software Touchpanel Devices and Hardware Keyboards

This study was conducted to compare the typing performance of subjects inputting random alphabet characters using software keyboards on touchpanel mobile devices and hardware keyboards (subjects n=67, 31.0 ± 11.1 years of age) Hardware keyboards showed significantly better performance for input speeds, error rates, and subjective rate of usability. As a result, even those who showed slow input spends using hardware keyboards, did not show much slower speeds in using software.