I scanned endless "Help" documents, searched Google to fill in the blanks, and took blind guesses when all else failed. Over the course of a week, I forbade myself from reaching for a mouse or trackpad to do anything on a computer, without at least looking to see if a keyboard shortcut was available to do the same thing. Delete voice model on device: Remove what you've taught to Google to recognize your voice on that device.Such is the sharp vacillation that is trying to live a keyboard-only life, or at least a keyboard-whenever-possible experiment (touch-based smartphones were a notable exception). Try this if Google isn’t recognizing your voice when you say 'Hey Google.' If you don't see this setting, make sure 'Hey Google' is turned on. Retrain voice model: Teach Google the sound of your voice again.'Buying a SIM card from TextNow gave me cellular service so I can use my new phone number anywhere. Download and use TextNow on any device to get a free phone number, and call and text anywhere in North America for free. Back up all of your content to the cloud easily access your files in Google Drive and your photos in Google Photos. Day one: Shattered assumptionsDownload Drive for desktop.
![]() ![]() ![]() Windows 7 and a Chrome browser make a great key-friendly duo, but newer web-based apps can muck up your flow Day three: Finding the places your keyboard fits inA few days in, I found that both Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) do fairly well at providing keyboard operability, with deeper offerings given if you head into the accessibility settings. But nobody said going cold turkey would be easy. Even when there's no Flash, as with addictive group music site Turntable.fm, you're using your mouse exclusively to pick your songs and give your friends props.It’s a weird thing, being mad at an amazing free music service for a functionality that must be far, far down on their list. If you're using a Flash-based webapp, you're effectively surrendering your keyboard. When you’re working with others, or working to keep your spouse happy, it’s a different thing. Day four: Trial by fireWhen I’m by myself, I set the parameters of how I’ll work and fiddle with things, and I can subtly choose to avoid tasks that might not fit into this week-long experiment. Skype starts users off in a search bar, automatically shortens lists based on typing, and offers shortcuts for every function - A++, would key-type again. On the web front, Google’s webapps stand out as having a semi-consistent shortcut scheme, one adopted by many other sites - including a Google search alternative, DuckDuckGo, that allows for very fast, intuitive navigation. What happens once you're in that app or tab depends on lots of factors, but at least you can get there. I said a kind of secular “Hail, Mary,” reached out my hand, and slid the cursor to “Cancel.” Holding Alt is a classic strategy for discovering keyboard shortcuts. I returned to find some kind of settings window open on my chat client, Adium, which I could not escape through any combination of keys. And when the wife asks that I move around some videos so that she can stream television episodes to her iPad while working out - let’s just say I didn’t come out looking like I was a capable man with immense digital powers.The final humiliation of the day, albeit minor, came when my lovable but curious cat, Cork, stepped across my keyboard while I was grabbing a beverage. Seagate for mac windowsI was impressed at how much I could get done with just the keyboard, and how, despite the opposing research, I felt a connection between my conscious, working brain and my hands.I was also annoyed at the quirks I found at the margins, and a bit dismayed at the seeming trend toward modern, minimalist web sites-with almost not keyboard functionality. Still, whenever Gmail was checked, or lumber stores searched for, keyboard shortcuts were used)After a week-long campaign to try and never lift my fingers, I felt like I’d come to understand those friends of mine that can’t help but tell you how much they love their Apple products for their touch-based gestures. Days five, six, and seven: Final thoughts(Note: On this particular weekend, the writer made an unexpected trip to the Adirondacks of upstate New York, where typing is generally frowned upon. Short Up For Pulling Up Google Search By Voice On Software Continues ToIf you have a challenge for one of our guinea pigs (by which i mean "brave volunteers") or want to take the challenge yourself, let us know in the comments. What you'll read in these pages is a day-by-day accounting of their successes, failures, frustrations, and flashes of insight. That way, those of us with a mind for typing can spend more time smiting our adversaries as Cybernetic Warriors, and less time wearing out our Tab key with our toddler-like tantrums.Editor's note: This part of a series of " I'll try it" articles, in which brave volunteers agree to take a 7-day challenge to try something that puts them out of their comfort zone. Truly, though, this experiment leaves me hoping that voice recognition software continues to develop and improve at a rapid clip, as it’s amenable to both quick keyboard taps and motion gestures.Here’s hoping that all developers and administrators carry the torch for keyboard navigation into the future. For the rest of us, cutting-edge webapps and software, and our personal mixes of productivity tools, leaves us halfway between two distinct systems of screen navigation.
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