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Next Generation T9 Keyboard Technology

Posted by samzenpus on from the type-in-a-new-way dept.

Iddo Genuth writes "Cliff Kushler, the inventor of the T9 keyboard technology for numeric keypads, has developed a new alphanumeric entry technology for touch-screen laptops and Smartphone devices. This latest technology, named Swype, works with an on-screen QWERTY keyboard similar to ones found on Windows Mobile and the iPhone. The difference from the usual method of typing in the letters is that a finger or stylus is used to slide in the first letter, then without lifting the finger, the user continues writing the entire word. Only once the word is completed can the finger be lifted off. According to the developers, this leads to a much faster way of 'typing,' or as we might call it soon, 'swiping.'"

12 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. An entire generation will be thinking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Swyper no swyping"!

  2. Finally by Anthony_Cargile · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Touchscreen keyboards to me have always been hard to use. On both the plasma-screen smartboards at my friend's A/V workplace and the ones I've seen in modern (i.e. well funded) high schools, the windows on screen keyboard and the keyboard prepackaged with the smartboard software is just terrible, partially due to the heat-sensitive surface being activated wherever my finger's heat first hits it, i.e. NOT where I wanted it to be.

    This looks much more promising, and will hopefully be preventing the smartboard users from running back to a physical keyboard just to type something after using the mouse in front of the actual screen.

  3. Dvorak? by XanC · · Score: 5, Interesting

    All these virtual keyboards are hard-coded for QWERTY, which makes even less sense for that kind of device than for a modern keyboard!

    Dvorak should be an option, along with alphabetical order.

    Actually for this thing, there's probably a whole new layout that's optimal. (That's an exercise for the reader to invent.)

    1. Re:Dvorak? by zappepcs · · Score: 4, Insightful

      say what? Dvorak keyboards are great if you want to type in what amounts to two different languages, and it's designed to accommodate speed and efficiency for ten fingers, not one finger and two thumbs.

      If you are going to break away from the standard qwerty keyboard, why not try to do something that makes sense for two thumbs and a finger? Understanding that you would have two circular areas for common keys, and best to have them arranged so that you get best efficiency switching between thumbs on alternating letters.

      T9 is meant for touch tone keypads, this swipe is designed for efficiency on soft keyboards. If you want to maximize efficiency for thumbs, start all over again please.

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    2. Re:Dvorak? by Anthony_Cargile · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually for this thing, there's probably a whole new layout that's optimal. (That's an exercise for the reader to invent.)

      Introducing the patented, copywritten hunt-and-peck touchscreen keyboard! Perfect for touchscreens of all types, and optimized for the elderly! And as an added bonus, pay shipping and handling to receive 2 hunt-and-peck keyboards! Only 2 easy payments of $19.95!

      and one very difficult payment of $49.99

      Order now!

    3. Re:Dvorak? by cgenman · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Having been in mixed Dvorak, Qwerty, and Abcdefg environments, and having been on a quest for the ultimate keyboard for the past 10 years, I'm pretty confident that Qwerty is *good enough* until something truly different comes along.

      Dvorak *can* run a little faster than Qwerty for typing, but not so much that you'd see an appreciably speed increase for nomal use. And as Dvorak has been around for about 80 years now, I don't think anyone is getting in on the wave of the future by using it. Similarly, you'd be surprised how hard it is to use an alphabetized keyboard after years of Qwerty or Dvorak usage. The brain just doesn't change over that easily.

      Unless an alternative layout increased speeds 100% or so, I'd keep things accessible. Just use Qwerty, and move on.

      --
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    4. Re:Dvorak? by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 5, Interesting

      This might be the optimal layout: HexInput. Or at least, it's designed to work in a similar manner to what's described.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
  4. Re:bleh by scoot80 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I find it works well, unless I want to type a message in a different language. Then it really goes bad. But, I've got a Nokia, and it works great. once you make it learn a few words by spelling them yourself (usually suburb names) its great. If you wanna use slang, hit the hash key a few times, and it takes it off T9, so you can free type.

    But when typing a normal SMS, T9 predictive input makes it so much easier for me.

  5. WritingPad by blacklint · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've had an iPhone application for quite a while that uses this. It's called WritingPad, and the about screen has a link to http://shapewriter.com/.

  6. What Google thinks of Swype by Animats · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google's ad engine selected "WI Portable Restrooms -- We Offer Portable Restrooms in Every Configuration & Price Range" for this page.

    OK, back to the drawing board on product name.

  7. This was "swype'd" from Dr Zhai, of IBM, research by mTor · · Score: 5, Informative

    Take a look at this demo of ShapeWriter from IBM. It's the same thing as Swype and was invented 5 years ago. Dr Zhai has formed a company around the tech and you can see it here: ShapeWriter.

  8. Re:bleh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I usually dislike people who don't use T9;

    Holy crap, you are an idiot!