LAMP Words for Life iPad Keyguard

Keyguard for LAMP Words for Life.

This keyguard is designed to match the 84 key layout of the LAMP Words for Life iPad App.

Please note that this app is NOT supported on the original iPad (iPad 1).  This keyguard is not recommended for use with the iPad Mini, although it can be produced upon request, contact us directly to discuss.

Available in Landscape orientation only, please be sure to select your keyguard to your iPad and the way your LAMP app is setup - here's what we mean:

App Settings and Options

This keyguard supports different designs based on user settings and preferences.  Each of these affects the positioning of items on the screen, and thus the design of the keyguard itself.  Your Lasered Pics keyguard will be truly custom-designed to match every one of the choices you make for the end user.

* IMPORTANT NOTE - Keyguard Inset *

In iOS 11, Apple changed the way the apps handle the status bar at the top of the screen.  As a result, it completely broke LAMP when Keyguard Inset was off.

Keyguard Inset should always be ON when using LAMP with a keyguard.

LAMP fixed that problem with version 1.7.0, but they added a new setting - Status Bar - that completely changes the fit of the keyguard when on.  So it's crucial that you look in the Page Size section of your LAMP settings and order the keyguard to match your settings.

If either of those settings don't match what you order, the keyguard will not fit.

OTHER SETTINGS

Status Bar

In the Page Size section, near the top of the Settings screen.  You'll only have this option in LAMP version 1.7.0 or later.  If you have an earlier version, answer "Off".  

Keyguard Inset

In the Page Size section, near the top of the Settings screen.  Your version of the app may not have this setting, like when running on an older iPad.  In that case only, answer "No", and the rest of this paragraph no longer applies.  When on, this setting causes extra whitespace at the top and bottom of the screen.  It was designed for use with the ChatWrap keyguards, but it also makes the keyguard stronger if you have a case that exposes only the viewable part of the screen.  For those cases, such as the AMDI iAdapter, GoNow Rugged, Griffin Survivor, Otterbox Defender, or any of the rigid foam cases with little room above and below, we recommend turning Keyguard Inset on.  Failure to provide enough room means we will have to put a vertical reinforcing bar (or two) in the middle of the speech display.  

Speech Display

The first setting in the Speech Display Bar section.  Select "Open (Visible)" if you want to show the text at the top of the screen as the user types.  Don't be confused by the double-negative in the setting name.  Hide Speech Display off means it's open!  

Number of Lines

Also in Speech Display Bar, and only used if the Speech Display is open.  Select how many lines of text you want the user to be able to type in a single "sentence".

Button Margin

This is the last setting in the Buttons section.

ALL OUR KEYGUARDS WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH A KEYGUARD BUTTON MARGIN THAT MATCHES 15

In LAMP, Button Margin controls the size of the space between the cells ON THE SCREEN. If you make the button margin smaller than 15, the keyguards we supply will cover the edges of the cells, but not by much. That is not serious with a clear keyguard, maybe more so for coloured keyguards.

The larger the button margin in LAMP, the more space between the LAMP cells but the smaller the message cell.

Similarly, if matched the larger the KEYGUARD button margin, the smaller the keyguard cut-outs but that leads to more material in your keyguard, therefore a stronger the keyguard, too.

Havign said all that, we think a good balance between access and strength is a LAMP and KEYGUARD Button Margin of 15

It's a tricky balance.  You are still able to set your LAMP Button Margin to ZERO if you'd like, when the keyguard is made with a "Keyguard Button Margin" of 15 (see the video below to see how that works). A LAMP Button Margin of 10 will also be OK and of course, a LAMP Button Margin of 15 will fit perfectly.

Here's our video explaining why we are making this change.

Openings for Menu and Vocab buttons

This is not a LAMP setting.  Just indicate if you want openings over these two buttons in the green bar, Vocab, Menu, Neither or Both.  If they're not open, you will not be able to use them without removing the keyguard or rotating the iPad.

Slide to Unlock Button

If you choose Open, the four cells in the center of the bottom row will be combined into one wide one.  This opening is roughly where the iPad used to put the little "Slide to Unlock" message prior to iOS 10.  If you have the speech display open, you can swipe up there to unlock the iPad, so you can leave this setting off (closed), as you can if you're on iOS 10 or newer.

Cell Openings

The default cell openings are rectangles with rounded corners. If you choose circles or squares, they will be centered in the cells, the same size as the cell's shorter dimension. The extra space helps the user differentiate between the cells, and allows a little place for fingers to rest between the cells. If you choose squares or circles, do not choose colored acrylic, as some information will be covered by the keyguard.

Note: Depending on the Speech Display settings, the cells in LAMP are nearly square anyway, so in some cases Squares will make very little difference. Circles will always be significantly different.

Reduce Openings To

If you specify a maximum opening size, the dimensions of the grid cells will be reduced so they are no bigger than the maximum you specified. If the cells would naturally be 1" wide and 0.5" high, and you specified a maximum of 0.75", the cells would be reduced to 0.75" x 0.5". Round or square openings are reduced in both dimensions to the specified size. If the cells are already smaller than the specified size, nothing will change. We recommended specifying "As large as the cell will fit" as this creates a good LAMP keyguard anyway.

You also have the choice as to how your keyguard is attached to your iPad and this will also depend upon the case, cover or cradle your intend to use. As attachment to the iPad is very important, please follow this link to read more about the attachment options that relate to your particular iPad case and use prior to making your decision - Important Information About iPad Keyguard Attachment

This keyguards is cut in clear acrylic offering a transparent view of the screen regardless, as long as they are kept clean and free of scratches.

EVA Foam Cases

Please see this guide of How to Measure a Screen Opening - if you have selected the Foam EVA Case choice below, don't forget to let us know the L and W measurements of the screen opening, to the nearest millimetre. See the link above as to where to measure, it's pretty simplke and easy but it needs to be super accurate!

Swipe to Home

Newer iPads don't have a home button for returning to the home screen, so they require the user to swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to return to home.  If the user doesn't need access to the home screen, or if you're using a virtual home button, you can leave this closed for a much stronger and more esthetic keyguard.  If the user will need to swipe to return to the home screen, you can open this, but note that this leaves an ugly notch in the bottom edge of the keyguard.  The keyguard will be much weaker, and it may allow access to items on the bottom of the screen that would otherwise be unaccessible.

Material

The default acrylic-styrene at 1/8" is more flexible than standard acrylics and is much less likely to crack when bent.  It features a semi-clear, non-glare surface and comes with a 2-year guarantee against breakage.

Thicker materials like 3/16" and 1/4" acrylics are standard PMMA acrylics like Plexiglass and Perspex.  They are more rigid than the 1/8" due to their extra thickness, and they provide more depth to help the user avoid accidental touches, but they are more brittle than the default acrylic-styrene.

Black Polycarbonate is the strongest material, being virtually unbreakable, and comes with a lifetime guarantee against breakage and in two thickness (or hole depth) choices.  Allow one extra week for polycarbonate. A Button margin of no less than 10 is required for coloured keyguards.

Video