Just Have to Share - What happens when a keyboard changes from 3D to touchscreen

On the iPad’s virtual keyboard there is a raised bar on the F and J keys. On physical keyboards, these raised indicators allow typists to fix their eight fingers on the central row of the keyboard easily and without looking. So why would a flat touchscreen keyboard need raised indicators? The answer according to the Smithsonian is. Skeuomorphism.

'Skeuomorphism' is a design principle in which an obsolete design element is brought into a new object quite often as a superficial design detail as it's no longer functional or necessary.

Digital skeuomorphic elements can help give us a sense of familiarity when dealing with a new technology for example a notepad app that looks like a lined pad, the page-turning animation on a digital book, or the sound of a shutter clicking on digital cameras and mobile phones. Perhaps these elements may outlive their usefulness or take on a new meaning, but for now these vestigial details work as sensory cues.

To read the entire article on this fascinating subject visit:
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/design/2013/05/what-happens-when-a-keyboard-goes-from-tactile-to-touchscreen/