Swype versus iPhone (And the end of T9?)

[Stazy]

Swype is a new text input software for touch screen phones. It is pretty slick...

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[Douglas]

I don't love my iPhone typing interface but the lack of instant feedback (e.g. the lag you see as the computer tries to calculate the word you just spelled) would drive me freaking nuts. You'd be two words ahead by the time you saw that it read "full" as "gull," and then where would you be in terms of going back and correcting?

Also not sure how you input double letters.

Lastly, because my mind still thinks of typing as a point-by-point operation (with different, unconnected fingers doing the work) as opposed to a point-to-point operation, I don't think I'd be a very good swiper/tracer.

A cool idea, and I'd have to try it before totally panning it, but I don't think it will be as great as it looks in that demo.

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I don't love my iPhone typing interface but the lack of instant feedback (e.g. the lag you see as the computer tries to calculate the word you just spelled) would drive me freaking nuts. You'd be two words ahead by the time you saw that it read "full" as "gull," and then where would you be in terms of going back and correcting? Also not sure how you input double letters. Lastly, because my mind still thinks of typing as a point-by-point operation (with different, unconnected fingers doing the work) as opposed to a point-to-point operation, I don't think I'd be a very good swiper/tracer. A cool idea, and I'd have to try it before totally panning it, but I don't think it will be as great as it looks in that demo.
I actually tried it out today so I can answer your questions... 1. To input double letters you just have to make a little circle on the letter you want twice. 2. In terms of the wrong words being spelled, you just have to click on the word and a list of suggestions pops up. Once you select the correct word the curser automatically moves to the last word inputed so you can continue texting. There is definitely a learning curve but after a few minutes of fooling around with it I was getting the hang of it. As an aside, the software is also available for tablet pcs.

 

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by Stazy

I actually tried it out today so I can answer your questions...

1. To input double letters you just have to make a little circle on the letter you want twice.
2. In terms of the wrong words being spelled, you just have to click on the word and a list of suggestions pops up. Once you select the correct word the curser automatically moves to the last word inputed so you can continue texting.

There is definitely a learning curve but after a few minutes of fooling around with it I was getting the hang of it. As an aside, the software is also available for tablet pcs.

Cool feedback. Thanks.

I'm still not sure I could get the hang of it, for the reason #3 indicated. Even the iPhone can be a bit tough for me, as touch typing in the traditional 8-finger plus thumbs fashion is essentially second-nature at this point, so even typing with two fingers is a bit confusing. Going to a full swipe would confuse me to no end.

Ultimately, I view it a little like the multitouch interface someone posted a few weeks ago. Very cool, interesting, groundbreaking, but when I see it I realize that my old ways just aren't necessarily going to be relevant in a few more years. The same way I get frustrated watching my Dad putz around on the Internet is the way my now 7-month-old daughter is going to huff when I'm impossibly slow and error prone while using the mindphone and holodeck.

 

[km83]

Swype looks good, but there is no way anyone types that slow on their iPhone. I just timed myself and easily wrote the same text in under 30 seconds.

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by km83

Swype looks good, but there is no way anyone types that slow on their iPhone. I just timed myself and easily wrote the same text in under 30 seconds.

Apparently the average person types 30 wpm on an iphone and 45 wpm on Swype. But yah, there are videos on youtube of people racing (and beating) Swype on their iphone.

 

[MiltonKin]

SlideIT is a better keyboard with more capabilities (shortcuts, graffiti etc..)
http://mobiletextinput.com/
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