i'm trying to set up email on my new iPad, and my email address needs to start with "recent:", but the virtual keyboard seems to be context-dependent, and the one that appears while entering email addresses doesn't have a colon, even after pressing the numerical or symbol keys. Anyone else had this problem?

You can copy and paste it in. (This used to work anyway, not tested it right now)

It seems copy and paste is the only option. If you google the problem you can find no end of forum threads going back to when the iPad 1 was brand new asking the same question. With no other answer bar copy and paste.

Thanks for replies. It's weird! The colon is on the normal keyboard.

A colon is not technically meant to be in an email so Apple hide it.

Yes, I've just found that out; I copied and pasted the "recent:" and iPad said "Not a valid email address"

Are you sure the recent: bit is part of your email address? I've certainly never seen or heard of a colon in an email address.

I'm trying to set up "recent mode" for my Virgin Media mail account, but I now realise I'm probably going the wrong way about it (I'm still getting to grips with the iPad).

Thanks for all replies.