Using iPad Air's split keyboard blocks view of text entry window

I'm just venturing into mobile use of the Logos app and I'm in the process of deciding whether to go with an iPad, a standard Android device, or the Kindle Fire HDX.

I make quite a few notes while reading, and one frustration I'm having with the iPad Air I'm trying out, is that I don't see any way to use the split keyboard in a docked mode. I'd have no problem with that, except when it un-docks from the bottom of the screen, it moves up and covers a good portion of the text entry window so I can't see what I'm typing. Now that's really helpful! Sad

I went through the iPad settings and didn't see any way to keep the keyboard docked when in split mode, nor am I'm able to drag the keyboard sections off of the text entry window.

I then installed an alternate keyboard from the app store, but don't see any way to select it for use from within the Logos app.

Is there any way to use the iPad's split keyboard without it covering up the text box window???

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Comments

Philana Crouch

When you have the keyboard in split mode, hold down on the screen and you should be able to move the split keyboard down below the note imput.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549774#Comment_549774

Philana,

Thanks for the quick reply. Is there a particular place on the screen or method for doing that? Before submitting this post I had tried holding down on the individual keyboard sections to see if I could drag them but that didn't work. I then tried holding one finger on the screen but not on a keyboard section, then using one finger on the other hand, I tried holding and dragging a keyboard section. But that didn't work either.

Is there a specific technique that has to be used?

Philana Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549795#Comment_549795

Hi RAusdahl,

You'll need to hold the hide keyboard button. This blog post might help: http://teachmeios.com/how-to-use-split-keyboard-and-undock-on-ipad-mini-for-easier-typing/

It has some good instructions. I'm actually typing this on an iPad, so I think that post might help explain things more in depth.

Simon’s Brother

I would recommend against the Android option if you are in a position to make that choice. The Logos mobile app on Android lags behind the iOS version in functionality. l highly recommend the iOS app. Neither app is a replacement for the Desktop version.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549876#Comment_549876

Philana,

Thank you for your help! The link provided a work-around. Without it, having the text entry window partially covered would have been a show-stopper for me and taken the iPad off my list of considerations. It might still rule the iPad out for me, but it's nice to know there's a work-around.

But I can't imagine that having to move the keyboard to uncover the text entry box is a design feature. And it's not like one move solves the problem either, because the location of the text entry box changes/moves with the location on the page of where your note will be inserted. So while moving the keyboard may uncover the text entry box for one note, it may be right in the way again (covering the text entry box) for you next note. (And on, and on, and on.)

I think I'll check with support. Hopefully they'll see it as a bug--one that could easily be solved by always having the text entry box come up in the same place on the screen, preferably above the split keyboard.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549894#Comment_549894

Doc,

Thanks for your suggestion. I'm currently playing with the iPad Air and a Kindle Fire HD (not the HDX) and have to say there are some things I prefer on iOS and some I prefer on Android. And with the latest release of the Android version, it seems to me that the Android version is now very similar to the iOS version.

One thing I really like on the iOS app is the "Lookup" feature. It's take you right to the English (or other language) dictionary of your choice and it does NOT require an internet connection. You can "get there" on the Android app, but the process is a little convoluted and it DOES require an internet connection. Another thing I like with the iOS app is the sepia color scheme option. The Android app doesn't have it. Another thing I like about the iOS, is that no matter what color scheme is selected for viewing, highlights and markups display with the right colors. They may vary a little in shade, but their close. It's a whole different story on the Android app. E.g. A blue underline shows up as blue when using the "Normal" color scheme (black text on white background), but it shows up as dark red when using the "Low Light" color scheme (white text on a black background). Why they think it's easier to see dark red on black, than blue on black, I don't know.

On the flip-side, I think the keyboard and note-taking setup on the Android app is much better the on the iOS app. I also like the fact that on the Android app, if you select the low-light color option, it sticks, no matter what you're doing. On the iOS, some features/functions that I use often, come up as black text on a white background, no matter what color scheme is being used for your reading pane/panel. That's hard on the eyes. On the Android app, you also have a "search" icon and a "back" icon on most screens, whereas on the iOS app, you have to tap the screen to get to anything similar.

There are other pros and cons with each app as well, and it's leaving me going back and forth. At this point, I think I'm leaning slightly toward a Kindle Fire HDX, because it's less expensive, very light weight, and much higher resolution than the iPad Air. But it's not an easy call, and I realize there are probably pros and cons with both systems that I don't know about, but might be game changers if I did.

Life is just too hard, isn't it. iPad Air or Kindle Fire HDX. iPad Air or Kindle Fire HDX. [;)]

Drew Hannay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549894#Comment_549894

I would recommend against the Android option if you are in a position to make that choice. The Logos mobile app on Android lags behind the iOS version in functionality. l highly recommend the iOS app. Neither app is a replacement for the Desktop version.

With the latest release of the Android app, this is (mostly) no longer true. There are a few more minor things missing from Android that iOS has, but for the most part we've reached feature parity.

At this point, I think I'm leaning slightly toward a Kindle Fire HDX, because it's less expensive, very light weight, and much higher resolution than the iPad Air. But it's not an easy call, and I realize there are probably pros and cons with both systems that I don't know about, but might be game changers if I did.

My personal opinion here (not speaking for Logos): I would recommend a Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 over a Kindle Fire device. The Nexus devices are updated immediately with the latest version of Android whereas Kindle Fire devices run the risk of Amazon changing or modifying features of the Android operating system. But that's just my two cents. [:)]

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549919#Comment_549919

Good to heat that Drew for Android users but still even in last few days issues have come up on the forum that show Andoid apps are behind in areas like filtering library - that would be very frustrating to me. Hope you do get that one sorted and bring it up to complete par.

I would recommend against the Android option if you are in a position to make that choice. The Logos mobile app on Android lags behind the iOS version in functionality. l highly recommend the iOS app. Neither app is a replacement for the Desktop version.

With the latest release of the Android app, this is (mostly) no longer true. There are a few more minor things missing from Android that iOS has, but for the most part we've reached feature parity.

At this point, I think I'm leaning slightly toward a Kindle Fire HDX, because it's less expensive, very light weight, and much higher resolution than the iPad Air. But it's not an easy call, and I realize there are probably pros and cons with both systems that I don't know about, but might be game changers if I did.

My personal opinion here (not speaking for Logos): I would recommend a Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 over a Kindle Fire device. The Nexus devices are updated immediately with the latest version of Android whereas Kindle Fire devices run the risk of Amazon changing or modifying features of the Android operating system. But that's just my two cents.

Drew Hannay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549927#Comment_549927

Good to heat that Drew for Android users but still even in last few days issues have come up on the forum that show Andoid apps are behind in areas like filtering library - that would be very frustrating to me. Hope you do get that one sorted and bring it up to complete par.

As far as I know, the library filters work the same way on Android and iOS. Android actually has the added feature of auto-completing the filters while iOS does not.

The one feature that iOS is still "ahead" on is the recently added fine grained controls for things like notes and reading plan markers but this is planned for Android as well.

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549998#Comment_549998

Hi Drew

As far as I know, the library filters work the same way on Android and iOS

The iOS library supports the "edition:" filter whereas the Android one does not

The iOS library filter supports combining filter conditions "mytag:fiction and ToRead" (where "fiction" and "ToRead" are tags I have created) whereas the Android one does not

Graham

Drew Hannay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/550005#Comment_550005

The iOS library supports the "edition:" filter whereas the Android one does not

The iOS library filter supports combining filter conditions "mytag:fiction and ToRead" (where "fiction" and "ToRead" are tags I have created) whereas the Android one does not

I'll write up a case for looking into this. I don't think we were aware there were differences in behavior. Thanks Graham.

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/550010#Comment_550010

The iOS library supports the "edition:" filter whereas the Android one does not

The iOS library filter supports combining filter conditions "mytag:fiction and ToRead" (where "fiction" and "ToRead" are tags I have created) whereas the Android one does not

I'll write up a case for looking into this. I don't think we were aware there were differences in behavior. Thanks Graham.

Thanks Drew

Appreciated, Graham

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/550019#Comment_550019

Yes this is good news for android users Drew if you can get this fixed.

The iOS library supports the "edition:" filter whereas the Android one does not

The iOS library filter supports combining filter conditions "mytag:fiction and ToRead" (where "fiction" and "ToRead" are tags I have created) whereas the Android one does not

I'll write up a case for looking into this. I don't think we were aware there were differences in behavior. Thanks Graham.

Thanks Drew

Appreciated, Graham

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/549998#Comment_549998

Thanks for the update Drew.

Good to heat that Drew for Android users but still even in last few days issues have come up on the forum that show Andoid apps are behind in areas like filtering library - that would be very frustrating to me. Hope you do get that one sorted and bring it up to complete par.

As far as I know, the library filters work the same way on Android and iOS. Android actually has the added feature of auto-completing the filters while iOS does not.

The one feature that iOS is still "ahead" on is the recently added fine grained controls for things like notes and reading plan markers but this is planned for Android as well.