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Google Adds Handwriting Input To Android
BarbaraHudson writes: The Reg is reporting on the release of Google Handwriting Input for Android smartphones and tablets: "The Chocolate Factory's research arm says handwriting recognition is needed because touchscreen keyboards remain modestly effective and while 'Voice input is an option, but there are situations where it is not feasible, such as in a noisy environment or during a meeting." The Google Research Blog notes that it allows recognition both on-device and in the cloud (by tapping on the cloud icon) in any Android app.
It works as advertised on my smartphone, so now I can type, speak, or scribble my searches, texts, etc.
It works as advertised on my smartphone, so now I can type, speak, or scribble my searches, texts, etc.
Wow! We're back to what Palm did quite well 15 years ago! How wonderful!
Actually, it's more like what Apple did 16 years ago, since it's natural handwriting recognition, and the Palm required you to use a special alphabet.
Fact is, Palm had it made. The OS had shortcomings but they had a mini-computer in a handheld device, with adequate handwriting recognition.
Yes, that was truly an epic moment in time.
hey threw it all away to compete in the "mainstream" cell phone business, and producing "mainstream" cell phones, giving up all that made them unique at the time. What a waste.
And here's where you go straight off the rails. See, space curved there. In specifics, the PDA market went away, and was replaced by the smartphone market.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Actually, it's more like what Apple did 16 years ago, since it's natural handwriting recognition, and the Palm required you to use a special alphabet.
The original palm pilot is 18 years old, and the original Newton is 22 years old.
Though Palm required you to learn a modified alphabet in the form of Graffiti, it had simpler strokes that were faster to enter, and it allowed more differentiation between characters by the device, and higher accuracy.
Then Graffiti 2 came out, which sucked, but was due to patent problems.
Galaxy Note uses a handwriting as a premium value-add.
By Google making handwriting apps commonplace, any cheap Android OEM vendor can bundle phones with styluses.