I may favor many aspects of Android over other mobile platforms, but there’s one area that sucks pretty bad all around — soft (onscreen) keyboards. The iPhone’s keyboard is still the one to beat. Android’s default keyboard as well as just about every other keyboard I’ve tried are marginal at best. Of course, 3rd part options such as Swype do go a long way into introducing new and innovative methods of inputing characters on a screen.
Another newcomer however has quite a bit of potential as is shown off in the video (inside). Not only is the prediction algorithm eerily amazing, the keyboard changes orientation on the fly depending on where your digits land, to keep the keyboard constantly in the right position. Even more mind boggling is the “invisible mode” where the keyboard completely disappears, leaving users the ability to simply tap out messages onscreen wherever they please. Of course, some basic knowledge of a standard keyboard layout is needed. Even then, the feat is pretty astounding to witness. Sounds impossible doesn’t it? Well, hop inside and prepare to be flabbergasted.
After spending slightly over one year with an iPhone, I have become pretty well versed in the world of soft keyboards. Though with my Moto DROID I’m finding myself using the real keyboard more often than not. Part of the reason is that I just like the real keyboard better. Chalk up a second reason to the soft keyboard in Android being just “ok”. The great thing about Android however is that it’s open to be everything and anything you want it to be. With that said, if you don’t like the stock keyboard, just change it.
Those in the world of Windows Mobile or Android may already know of a great app called “Swype” that makes texting much easier by allowing you to drag your fingers from letter to letter instead of tap-lift-tap-repeat. Added gesture support for things such as capital letters and so on is an added treat. But Swype isn’t alone in this mobile soft keyboard war.
Introducing “ThickButtons“, a new soft keyboard text entry app that is a little more “old school”. While Swype uses a new and innovative method for onscreen text entry, ThickButtons attempts to breathe new life into an old method. Instead of dragging your finger from letter to letter or the old tap-lift-tap-repeat, ThickButtons uses text prediction algorithms to enlarge the keys you’re going to use next in order to make typing easier, faster, and with less errors. The increase in size is roughly 15-20% — just in case you were wondering.
The concept is pretty intriguing and something I’ll definitely want to check out in the months ahead. Look for ThickButtons to drop for Windows Mobile 6.x and Android devices this March. Stay on top of the news by following ThickButtons at @Thickbuttons.
Droid Forums
I know. It’s Monday morning. It’s hard enough to wake up and crawl in to work let alone actually focus on small organizations and patterns of text on a screen and try to even remotely grab any of the information. Besides, we all know the saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words”. So we’ll give you just that. The BlackBerry Storm 2 was spotted recently getting some more hands and eyes on time with Benez Blog (German). While there isn’t any new information or pictures that we haven’t seen before, another look at a refined and hopefully much better attempt at this whole touchscreen thing certainly can’t hurt. Right? Click the link above for a few more pics of Storm 2 action.
Source: Berry Review, Benez Blog
