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SwiftKey for Android is like Swype, but for hyper-conservative Amish types that love tap-tap-tapping
If you own an Android phone, I hope you have Swype installed. I don't think I'm overstating it when I say that Swype is by far the most awesomest input mechanism ever invented for software keyboards.But maybe you don't like swiping your finger across your screen. Maybe you like jabbing away at a hard, low-feedback, RSI-inducing touch screen. Maybe you're a closet masochist who likes antiquated, backwater input methods. Well, in that case, SwiftKey is really rather good -- it is, in essence, predictive text on steroids. It's a free download, too!
It has some rather neat features, as you can see in the screenshot to the right. It has a big, fat smiley button -- because everyone likes smileys. If you tap space, it inserts the emboldened suggestion in the middle. It also has a horizontal version that's a lot easier to use because, of course, the buttons are wider.
Like almost every probabilistic predictive text engine, SwiftKey learns as you type. For every SMS that you send, SwiftKey is one step closer to predicting your next SMS's format with rather scary accuracy. The SwiftKey site claims that typing a 55-word, 273-character message requires just 108 key presses. Of course, with Swype that would be just 55 key presses, but who's counting...
The magic doesn't end there, though! According to Engadget, SwiftKey actually scans the SMSes you sent prior to installation. This way it can quickly get up to speed on your writing style; very neat.
Anyway, there's a couple more screenshots, some tech specs and a video of SwiftKey versus standard predictive text on the Google Nexus One, after the break.
SwiftKey Tech Specs
- Installed Size -- 2-5MB, with one language pack, including 'dynamic learning' data
- Speed/Responsiveness -- Not lightning fast, but quick enough (Android 1.6 @ 600MHz, LG GT 540 Swift)
- User Interface -- Excellent, easy access to options, can swipe to change upper/lower case, delete words
- Configurability & Extensibility -- Has language packs for every major European language, and different keyboard layouts!
- License -- Free, closed source. It might cost something once it leaves Beta testing?
Comments
10
Subscribe to commentsRichardJul 15th 2010 9:37AM
I would have loved to install Swype but it wasn't available in the UK market and the download link on their website failed every single time I tried it.
Now the website doesn't offer it any more.
If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open ears...!
Sebastian AnthonyJul 18th 2010 6:17AM
I thought they opened up the Beta -- as you say, you have to download it from their site.
I don't think it's on the Market in the UK or the US.
Johan GustavssonJul 15th 2010 10:16AM
Yes this is a good keybord for my HTC Desire
tommyJul 15th 2010 10:37AM
No swype comparison? Hw many seconds to write the same with swype?
Sebastian AnthonyJul 18th 2010 6:16AM
I would guess Swype still has a speed advantage -- but with SwiftKey the number of key presses is probably similar. SwiftKey will have a quicker learning curve too!
EatmoldJul 15th 2010 1:15PM
Looks good but can't bring myself to switch of Swype to try it :-)
EatmoldJul 15th 2010 1:18PM
Oops... FAIL for Skype. Of course I ment to type "off"
JonsiJul 18th 2010 5:58AM
Also thought I would mention SlideIT, which is a replacement keyboard similar to Swype and is available already for Windows Mobile Symbian and Android as a free trial and a paid app.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRkRaoIw8Io
Sebastian AnthonyJul 18th 2010 6:15AM
Looks pretty cool! Let's hope Swype comes to other non-Android platforms though!
Tim van der LeeuwAug 20th 2010 7:06AM
Hi,
Regarding the comparison with Swype, well Swype and it's competitor SlideIT have some disadvantages of their own. It often happens to me that while trying to swipe long words, my finger accidentally looses contact with the screen, or the touch-sensitive portion of it, causing totally incorrect words to be inserted.
Swiping out long words is also not always a win, when regular predictive input guesses a correct word within 3 or 4 taps, but granted, both Swype and SlideIT let you tap out your words.
Between Swype & SlideIT I prefer SlideIT btw, since it instantly inserts the charachters you typed and therefore works better with search-as-you-type searches.
Anyway, I'm togging between keyboards quite a lot, and find that with SwiftKey I'm banging out texts quite rapidly, and with Swype/SlideIT I get quite frustrated from time to time when they pick up completely incorrect words, loose the trace of my finger halfway, etc.
So no need to come down so hard on each and every non-swyping type of keyboard!
Cheers,
--Tim :-)