It calls for more than two commands, but hey, at least it works

Mar 12, 2008 13:15 GMT  ·  By

iPhone users have longed for a Copy/Paste feature on their touchscreen Apple devices for quite some time now. Apple reps have talked about it, merely pointing out why it couldn't be done and that it might be coming to the device some day, but the feature still isn't available. Oh, let me correct that: "wasn't" available, until now. iCopy is here!

iCopy not only works with iPhone, but with iPod touch as well, since the latter uses pretty much every feature present with the iPhone, except telephony. Right. iCopy is, seemingly, the first copy past app for the two Apple handhelds, allowing users to copy and paste text and URLs between web pages, but also email copied blocks of text or URLs.

All you need to do, according to Preston Monroe, is to install iCopy as a bookmark (directions and everything you need right here), browse the web as you normally would and when you find yourself on a page that has something you want to copy, just click your bookmarks' icon and choose Copy/Paste.

To paste, you'll need to tap bookmarks again and choose paste this time. The whole process includes a one-second redirection to biocow.com.

Some while ago, SvenonTech mentioned an Apple representative at Macworld who willingly spoke about Copy/Paste for the iPhone and why it was not yet available with the device. According to the web site, the feature was actively being developed.

"The trouble it is having is implementation. How to easily call up a copy or cut option and then the paste action," said the website. "It's probable that the zoom bubble (the one that brings up the edit cursor) is the issue, as it has removed the obvious tap and hold position from Apple to use for a pop-up menu of some sort. Text selection is another difficulty to sort out. Certainly, the cursor could be added to the menu selection; however, Apple wants to keep this as simple as possible and that added step would not lend itself to simple."

Sure enough iCopy isn't exactly the simplest way to copy and paste a block of text, URLs and so on, but as long as it's the only method available for now, it can't hurt to at least check it out.

Via IntoMobile