The software and language engineers at Swiftkey have been toiling on this app for the past two years, and at long last, it's being made available for precisely nothing to anxious Android users. Hot on the heels of Swype's own beta, the Swiftkey beta is now available to download directly from the App Market, and once installed (along with language packs of your choice), it can be used in place of your stock Android soft keyboard. We've never been the biggest fan of Google's factory keys, and while we still feel that Swiftkey's letters are a tad on the skinny side, it's definitely an improvement. But that's not where the magic's at -- this software has an uncanny ability to guess what your next word will be, and it actually looks at your prior SMS list (if allowed) in order to "learn" how you converse. In our early tests, we're pretty darn impressed, and yes, it's definitely worth the $0.00 price tag. Get your download on right now, or hop past the break for a video demonstration if you still need convincing.
@SolidSnake It sweet stuff like this that makes me want my next phone to be "Android" and not an iPhone... you get some apps Apple Garden will probably never carry
@aznipredroid Even if they'd consider approving a 'duplicate functionality' app like this it could never exist in the first place because iOS doesn't support changing the keyboard.
@Bratyr The iEmoji application on the iPhone App store installs as a keyboard.
You download the application, then go into your phone settings:
General > Settings > Keyboard > International
And you can configure which keyboards you want to use, and once you install the iEmoji application it appears under keyboards for you to select.
The Keyboard does not have to take the traditional layout, so i could see third party keyboard with different functionality coming to iPhone soon enough.
@gwhat88 agree. withour the microphone id rather keep using swype. microphone support needs to be built into every keyboard, it really comes in handy when im driving and want to keep my focus on the road as much as possible.
@aznipredroid I know how you feel. As soon as I saw this article I was like:my next phone is going to be one of the Droids. I wonder... what if you could use this in tandem with Swype? Hmm...
@SolidSnake Follow all their predictive messages. You don't just get i am a beautiful person. They have put in loads of different messages. Some of them are quite good, definitely clever
@Firehazel You can install as many layouts as you like and switch between them by holding your finger on any text box. You then can select any of the installed and activated keyboards.
This keyboard sounds tempting, though I really like SlideIT. Great UI, and works better/faster than Swype IMHO (which was simply too slow on my phone. Though I did use Swype with 1.6 or Eclair and SlideIT with Froyo, so perhaps the performance gains came from Froyo rather than SlideIT). It really sucks if you swipe something and then have to wait for the phone to calculate which word you might have meant.
@chansthename I type quickly enough on my phone that usually my left thumb is still on one key when my right thumb hits the next. The hardware and software on a physical keyboard can handle this, but not all touchscreen keyboards can. That's what I'm referring to. You'll see it called "chording" which is accurate, but normally keyboard chording refers to something else entirely.
@chansthename I've never used an android with a non multitutch keyboard, but the one on nokia 5800 was not, and I konstantly cept pushing the buttons to fast so that it did not register my initial pres(pres1+pres2 seemed like a moved finger to it), while on my desire, this never ocures.
Try alternatively typing two letters very quickly. For example, A and H to spell "ahahahahahaha"
On my nexus one, the keyboard just thinks that I'm sliding my finger across the screen or something and doesn't register a lot of my presses. So instead of "ahahahahahahaha" I get "aaaaaahaaahaaah"
I've tested this with the stock Android keyboard, the HTC keyboard, and better keyboard. They all have the same problem. The iphone keyboard does a much better job :|
@sockatume I just downloaded it, it is not multitouch. I will be switching back to Smart Keyboard Pro with the default iPhone skin, which IS multitouch and works very well already :)
@sockatume You can download the apk for the new Droid X keyboard if you want. That's multi-touch. That's a huge positive of Android, if something doesn't suit your needs, no worries. Download something that does and you're good to go!
@sethmo just downloaded this and it feels so much better than the stock on my Nexus. Thanks so much. I had been debating whether or not to get a different keyboard and hadn't jumped on one yet, but this ones feels great so far.
The Droid X keyboard, which is multitouch, was ripped... Get it for free by searching through google and sideloading it on your Android phone. It's as easy as eating pie.
And Smart Keyboard Pro in the market is multitouch... it also features much more.
I use either one or Swype. They're all great. Gotta love choice.
For all you guys who can type ahahahahaha fast. Do you have a screen protector on your phone?
That's the only thing I can think of that might be messing up my typing, and I really don't feel like ripping off the screen protector now and risk getting scratches :\
Maybe my phone just has a faulty screen and I need to return it...
@sockatume one of my 17 android keyboards is the multi-touch keyboard from the droid x, which that works just fine in it. i personally still prefer the xda keyboard though. testing swiftkey today, lets hope it doesnt drain battery like swype does.
@davebu3 I downloaded it onto my Evo, if you type fairly slow its a good keyboard, but if you type to your hearts desire stick to the Sense UI keybaord...
Nice, wonder if it can be installed on any android device? ( like HTC with sense UI, Motorola with motoblur, samsung Ui, Dell streak). Does the it scale well for bigger screen (4 to 5 inch)?
A more important question is whether or not it is better than the Skinned version of the keyboard you would be replacing? For example, the Sense keyboard is better than the vanilla android one, so how does the swiftkey one compare to this?
I never understood the comments about the letter keys being too small. Every on-screen keyboard is limited by the width of the screen, and since every virtual keyboard ever stretches the keys to the edge, all keys are pretty much the same exact size if you use them all on the same device. The separators in the middle usually don't matter because fingers aren't skinny enough to hit just that and not a key next to it.
Furthermore there *are* no gaps between the keys. It just looks like there are in the graphics. I don't know what engadget are on about; the keys are exactly the same size.
Also the comparison video is slightly biased - you don't need to switch to punctuation mode for most punctuation. Just drag your finger up off the top of the keyboard and you get an extra panel!
@ChrisK15 I would argue that the keys are slimmer in portrait on Nexus One/Desire/Droid/Incredible then on a iPhone because the phones are narrower despite the bigger diagonal.
I am able to type with two thumbs in portrait on my N1 but it's a little more error prone then on a iPhone. I believe that's one of the main reason Apple chose that form factor.
That being said, you are totally right. Not much you can do when comparing keyboards for the same device...
Please note that this app has the internet communication permission turned on. Chances are they aren't stealing your data, but if you're at all into security I'd advise against installing it.
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posted July 14th 2010 3:43AM
All your texts are belong to us.
@SolidSnake It sweet stuff like this that makes me want my next phone to be "Android" and not an iPhone... you get some apps Apple Garden will probably never carry
@aznipredroid
Even if they'd consider approving a 'duplicate functionality' app like this it could never exist in the first place because iOS doesn't support changing the keyboard.
@SolidSnake
Limited language support, limited keyboard layouts. Only one language pack installed at any time.
Nice beta, but needs to offer more support to be useful for the "rest of us" (a few dozen million of us potential users).
Also, will DL a 3MB language pack straight to phone memory (no SD-option that I can find).
@SolidSnake
Add "." after double space like in regular android keyboard. Add microphone option also. Otherwise I like so far. Good predictive texting.
@Bratyr
The iEmoji application on the iPhone App store installs as a keyboard.
You download the application, then go into your phone settings:
General > Settings > Keyboard > International
And you can configure which keyboards you want to use, and once you install the iEmoji application it appears under keyboards for you to select.
The Keyboard does not have to take the traditional layout, so i could see third party keyboard with different functionality coming to iPhone soon enough.
@gwhat88 agree. withour the microphone id rather keep using swype. microphone support needs to be built into every keyboard, it really comes in handy when im driving and want to keep my focus on the road as much as possible.
@neeko18
Bah no google voice support.... I use that for my texting!
@SolidSnake
It doesn't matter how much faster it is when he has no network!!
@aznipredroid I know how you feel. As soon as I saw this article I was like:my next phone is going to be one of the Droids. I wonder... what if you could use this in tandem with Swype? Hmm...
Engadget, you should really add QR codes to all posts about app downloads.
@airbag888
Android doesn't waste prime real-estate telling us what network it is on.
@SolidSnake
Follow all their predictive messages. You don't just get i am a beautiful person. They have put in loads of different messages. Some of them are quite good, definitely clever
@Firehazel
You can install as many layouts as you like and switch between them by holding your finger on any text box. You then can select any of the installed and activated keyboards.
This keyboard sounds tempting, though I really like SlideIT. Great UI, and works better/faster than Swype IMHO (which was simply too slow on my phone. Though I did use Swype with 1.6 or Eclair and SlideIT with Froyo, so perhaps the performance gains came from Froyo rather than SlideIT). It really sucks if you swipe something and then have to wait for the phone to calculate which word you might have meant.
Is it multi-touch? That's the main nagging absence in most Android keyboards IMO.
@sockatume
I'm still not entirely sure how multi-touch keyboards are a must, really other than shift type keys they are useless.
I would rather see a well functioning keyboard without multi-touch than one that isn't as good with.
@sockatume no, but it can play crisis
@chansthename I type quickly enough on my phone that usually my left thumb is still on one key when my right thumb hits the next. The hardware and software on a physical keyboard can handle this, but not all touchscreen keyboards can. That's what I'm referring to. You'll see it called "chording" which is accurate, but normally keyboard chording refers to something else entirely.
@chansthename I've never used an android with a non multitutch keyboard, but the one on nokia 5800 was not, and I konstantly cept pushing the buttons to fast so that it did not register my initial pres(pres1+pres2 seemed like a moved finger to it), while on my desire, this never ocures.
@chansthename
Try alternatively typing two letters very quickly. For example, A and H to spell "ahahahahahaha"
On my nexus one, the keyboard just thinks that I'm sliding my finger across the screen or something and doesn't register a lot of my presses. So instead of "ahahahahahahaha" I get "aaaaaahaaahaaah"
I've tested this with the stock Android keyboard, the HTC keyboard, and better keyboard. They all have the same problem. The iphone keyboard does a much better job :|
@emceephi
Just tested that...worked fine. What are you on about?
@emceephi That doesn't happen with my Nexus One, so its strange that it happens for you.
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Typed using my Nexus One as fast as humanly possible and it came out perfect.
@prewreckless
Same here with Droid 2.2 stock keyboard. I can type hahahahahahahaha as fast as my fingers can move.
@sockatume I just downloaded it, it is not multitouch. I will be switching back to Smart Keyboard Pro with the default iPhone skin, which IS multitouch and works very well already :)
@sockatume You can download the apk for the new Droid X keyboard if you want. That's multi-touch. That's a huge positive of Android, if something doesn't suit your needs, no worries. Download something that does and you're good to go!
@sethmo just downloaded this and it feels so much better than the stock on my Nexus. Thanks so much. I had been debating whether or not to get a different keyboard and hadn't jumped on one yet, but this ones feels great so far.
@prewreckless
Well then, something's funky with my N1 because typing too fast will not register some key presses
@JXCGunrunna
The Droid X keyboard, which is multitouch, was ripped... Get it for free by searching through google and sideloading it on your Android phone. It's as easy as eating pie.
And Smart Keyboard Pro in the market is multitouch... it also features much more.
I use either one or Swype. They're all great.
Gotta love choice.
@prewreckless
For all you guys who can type ahahahahaha fast. Do you have a screen protector on your phone?
That's the only thing I can think of that might be messing up my typing, and I really don't feel like ripping off the screen protector now and risk getting scratches :\
Maybe my phone just has a faulty screen and I need to return it...
@emceephi
The brilliant Sony Ericsson X10 copes just fine too. Though using HTC IME keyboard.
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
@sockatume one of my 17 android keyboards is the multi-touch keyboard from the droid x, which that works just fine in it. i personally still prefer the xda keyboard though. testing swiftkey today, lets hope it doesnt drain battery like swype does.
@davebu3 I downloaded it onto my Evo, if you type fairly slow its a good keyboard, but if you type to your hearts desire stick to the Sense UI keybaord...
@emceephi I can't even get the h to type on my Moment - it prefers the j! But I have the same problem: instead of ajajajajaja I get aaaaajaaaaa
@emceephi
this does not happen on my Sprint's Hero...
@TechBubba
I just peeled off the screen protector on my nexus one to try this and I still can't type ahahahahahaha perfectly. It comes out as aaahaaaaghaad
WTF, does my N1 have a faulty screen? It's unrooted and running froyo. And now I don't have a screen protector on it anymore :(
Nice, wonder if it can be installed on any android device? ( like HTC with sense UI, Motorola with motoblur, samsung Ui, Dell streak). Does the it scale well for bigger screen (4 to 5 inch)?
@NextGen
Sense, MotoBlur and other skins do not and have not ever stopped you from installing or running any app. If you were told that you were lied to.
@NextGen
A more important question is whether or not it is better than the Skinned version of the keyboard you would be replacing? For example, the Sense keyboard is better than the vanilla android one, so how does the swiftkey one compare to this?
@mattpez Works on a Galaxy S (ie TouchWiz)
@NextGen works on HTC Inc
Anyone know that take on 'House of the Dead' called 'Typing of the Dead'? Get that on Android with this keyboard and that dudes thumbs = WIN!
@hazardouswaster Typing zombie is a real game on the marketplace, it's pretty fun.
@syrne
You Sir, just made my day!
Amazing
I never understood the comments about the letter keys being too small. Every on-screen keyboard is limited by the width of the screen, and since every virtual keyboard ever stretches the keys to the edge, all keys are pretty much the same exact size if you use them all on the same device. The separators in the middle usually don't matter because fingers aren't skinny enough to hit just that and not a key next to it.
@ChrisK15
Furthermore there *are* no gaps between the keys. It just looks like there are in the graphics.
I don't know what engadget are on about; the keys are exactly the same size.
Also the comparison video is slightly biased - you don't need to switch to punctuation mode for most punctuation. Just drag your finger up off the top of the keyboard and you get an extra panel!
@ChrisK15 I would argue that the keys are slimmer in portrait on Nexus One/Desire/Droid/Incredible then on a iPhone because the phones are narrower despite the bigger diagonal.
I am able to type with two thumbs in portrait on my N1 but it's a little more error prone then on a iPhone. I believe that's one of the main reason Apple chose that form factor.
That being said, you are totally right. Not much you can do when comparing keyboards for the same device...
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/iphone_keysuck.gif
Please note that this app has the internet communication permission turned on. Chances are they aren't stealing your data, but if you're at all into security I'd advise against installing it.
@jamesots It needs it to download the language packs but I understand your concerns.