Who do you think makes more typos or mistakes, desktop or mobile typists? According to a recent infographic from Fenetic Wellbeing, desktop users are making 3X more errors than mobile users.
Even though the technology of what we type on has changed, the concept is pretty much the same since 1829. This was the year the first American patent was granted to William Austin Burt for what will eventually become the typewriter.
Typing Statistics
During all that time, being able to type fast and accurately has been a source of competition around the world. Barbara Blackburn has clocked in an amazing 212 words per minute (WPM) on a keyboard. And when it comes to a smartphone, Grace Pak managed to type a 264-character message in 56.5 seconds.
The question is, how long are we going to be typing on a keyboard?
If the technology in speech recognition keeps advancing the way it is, it is just a matter of time before the keyboard becomes obsolete.
But not so fast, because the keyboard on a computer is still one of the best ways for inputing data. And even if speech recognition is perfected, it might be a long while before people stop using keyboards.
The Reliability of the Keyboard
Speech recognition is a software-based technology and there is always a chance it can experience a glitch and stop working. Granted this can also happen with a keyboard, but the work around with a keyboard can be quick. On the other hand, a speech recognition application can be down for some time.
As of now, the keyboard is a proven and reliable hardware. And it doesn’t look like it is going away any time soon, nor is there a technology which will replace it in the near future. Eventually we will probably be talking to our computers like Scotty on Start Trek, but until that time comes, the keyboard will do just fine. But in the meantime, smartphones are taking over when a keyboard is not available.
The Growth of Mobility in the Workforce
With more people now working in the office as much as they do remotely, smartphones are becoming a key piece of technology. You can do almost everything on your smartphone that you can on your PC. And this is why typing on a smartphone has become a good skill to have.
You probably won’t type a whole report on your device. But if you are going to write a short letter or have a quick conversation it will do the job.
The takeaway from this survey is you have to be able to communicate effectively no matter where you are. Whether you are on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC, knowing how to type is a required skill.
Here’s all the typing statistics:
