VirtualKeyboard
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Google files patent application for touch-based, full-finger keyboard layout
Tapping on glass... it's not the future -- it's the present. Except software-based touch typing solutions haven't really extended beyond the cramped confines of mobile phones and tablets. But what if there were a touch type experience that mapped to the full extent of your digital reach? Something more akin to a typical two-handed physical keyboard? Well, that's just what Google's proposing in a patent application that's surfaced today. Filed back in September of 2011, the USPTO doc outlines a method for displaying "geometric shapes on a touch-screen display... [that correspond] to a respective finger of a user" and allow for text entry via a "sliding movement." So in layman's terms, if this ever comes to pass, you'd be able to type on glass with all ten fingers by, presumably, flicking upwards. Not sure how we feel about that just yet -- it certainly would require some extra screen real estate. Maybe even something as accommodating as this, but Nexus-flavored.
SwiftKey 3.0.1 brings new themes, languages and bug fixes
Rejoice, Android keyboard enthusiasts! SwiftKey announced today that it's pushing out an update to its popular virtual keyboard that brings new themes, languages and bug fixes. Version 3.0.1 incorporates two new summer themes -- Sky blue and Fuchsia -- and bumps the language count to 44 with the addition of Malay and Urdu. The keyboard now also supports continuous dictation with Google voice typing on Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean. Most important, however, are a plethora of tweaks, performance improvements and bug fixes designed to further improve the SwiftKey user experience. We've been using the update for a few hours now on AT&T's red Galaxy S III and it definitely makes our favorite Android virtual keyboard even better. Hit the break for screenshots of the new themes plus the full PR.
SwiftKey 3 Beta launches, no space bar required (video)
Just when we thought our favorite Android virtual keyboard couldn't get much better, TouchType decided to prove us wrong by launching SwiftKey 3 Beta. If you're one of the product's 30,000+ VIP users, you'll want to get your hands on the company's newest creation right now, for free. What's new? The space bar is no longer required, for one -- Smart Space detects and corrects "miss-typed or omitted spaces across whole phrases." Paradoxically, that same space bar is now wider, just in case you're feeling nostalgic. Smart punctuation further enhances the UI, with language-specific improvements in tow. In fact, SwiftKey 3 offers support for seven new languages -- Korean, Estonian, Farsi, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian and Serbian (for a total of 42). Finally, you'll find two lovely new themes, Cobalt and the Ice Cream Sandwich-inspired Holo. We've been playing with TouchType's latest and greatest for a few hours now on both our HTC One X and our Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 and we've stopped using the space bar completely. Did you notice? Wedidn'tthinkso. Check out the gallery of screenshots below, hit the break for a demo video and the full PR, then follow the More Coverage link to sign up as a VIP.
New Swype beta fulfills the Ice Cream Sandwich promise
It may be here a bit later than the 140-character box promised, but this fresh beta version of your favorite third-party keyboard app brings along a treat you'd been begging for. Swype's latest gift to the early-adopting crowd brings along some much requested Ice Cream Sandwich support. And, although all you Gnex-rockin' folks are getting what you wanted, the beta also adds other bits like accuracy improvements, add-ons with DragonGo! as well as downloadable languages for slates. We figured all that tapping's got you fatigued, so we're hooking you up with a clickable link to the download below.
SwiftKey X 2.2 arrives for smartphones and tablets with support for 35 languages
If you're unhappy with your current Android keyboard, TouchType would like to think that it delivers a better option. The company's popular input alternative, SwiftKey X, has just received another major update -- this time with support for 35 languages, along with full localization for the major European ones. Even if you happen to speak plain ol' English, the software promises better accuracy and prediction than before with a new multitouch framework. There's even something for those who like to go really alternative, as Dvorak and Colemak layouts have been added to the mix. Topping it all off, version 2.2 introduces support for Ice Cream Sandwich, along with a host of user interface refinements -- which you'll find in the gallery below. After a quick run around the block with SwiftKey's latest, we must say that we were quite pleased. Then again, we happen to really like Android's stock keyboard, too. As for the complete list of languages, just check the PR after the break. %Gallery-139826%
SwiftKey X for Android hits v2.1, fingers party everywhere
Rejoice, virtual keyboard aficionados! SwiftKey X 2.1 for Android tablets and smartphones just became available today, and brings a bunch of new features and bug fixes to your favorite touchscreen device. Since our hands-on with v2.0, TouchType has updated its on-screen keyboard using the feedback it gathered from its 25,000+ VIP members. The new version of SwiftKey X adds blog personalization, insights about your typing (shareable with friends), heat-map visualization (see screenshot above), localization / language enhancements, and an auto caps toggle. We've been using the final build of SwiftKey X 2.1 on our Nexus S for the past couple of days and noticed some improvements in terms of typing speed and accuracy. Pricing remains $4.99 for SwiftKey Tablet X and $3.99 for SwiftKey X. Full PR after the break.
Apple patent application takes the hard keys out of the keyboard, promises a flat surface solution
Apple's giving us a patent application peek into its post-PC future, and it looks like hard keys will be so 2008. The recently revealed filing shows off a virtual, flat keyboard concept for Cupertino's line of non-iOS products that flirts with metal, plastic and glass form factors. Using a combination of piezoelectrics, haptic feedback and acoustic pulse recognition, these prospective designs will be able to detect your finger-pounding surface input. If you're the fast-typing kind, you're probably wondering how your digits will recognize the keys sight unseen. Well, there's a few workarounds for that. In its metal and plastic iterations, Jobs and co. plan to stamp or micro-perforate the layout into place, while their glass counterpart would receive a graphical overlay. The application also promises an LED-lit display for hard to see conditions and the inclusion of capactive sensors to enable multi-touch functions, so you avoid e.e. cummings-style emails. Of course, applications aren't necessarily indicative of a surefire product, but those interested in tickling their imagination can give the source link a look.
SwiftKey X virtual keyboard launches for Android tablets, we go hands-on (video)
We're no strangers to SwiftKey here at Engadget HQ, and today TouchType is launching a major new version of everyone's favorite Android virtual keyboard -- SwiftKey Tablet X for devices running Honeycomb, and SwiftKey X for devices running Android 2.x. Both applications improve upon the original by using TouchType's Fluency 2.0 artificial intelligence engine, a unique predictive phrase system which learns how you write. New features include cloud learning, which analyzes how you type in Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, and text messages to predict phrases in your style, plus keypress technology which continually monitors your typing precision and adapts the touch-sensitive area for each key to improve prediction accuracy. SwiftKey now supports 17 languages (with more coming soon) and is smart enough to interpret three languages at once. There's also a handful of other enhancements, including support for themes which allow users to customize the look and feel of the keyboard. And that split keyboard option we first encountered at CES? It's there of course, in the tablet version. We've been testing SwiftKey Tablet X on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 for a few days now, alongside SwiftKey X on a handful of phones (including the Nexus S and the EVO 3D), and it's probably the best virtual keyboard we've used on Android yet. In fact, it's now replacing the stock keyboard on all our HTC Sense-equipped handsets. Prediction accuracy improves quickly after you start using the keyboard, and we liked having the option to turn off the spacebar-triggered auto-completion of words and phrases. Another useful feature is the ability to display arrow / cursor keys on the phone version. The supplied themes are attractive (especially Neon), and the layouts are intuitive -- although we'd have preferred the numbers to be arranged in a row instead of mimicking a numpad. Both applications are available today only for $1.99 in the Android Market. Regular pricing is $4.99 for SwiftKey Tablet X, and $3.99 for SwiftKey X. Take a look at our screenshot galleries below, and hit the break for our hands-on videos and more. %Gallery-128376%%Gallery-128378%
New Windows 8 leak hints at SMS support, feature licensing, geo-location
Considering its adoption of the Windows Phone metro style, its not surprising to hear that Windows 8's latest leaked build sports a metro-inspired virtual keyboard and traces of code that could bring SMS 3G enabled Windows 8 devices. An App store and feature licensing, however? That's interesting. Buried in the Windows 8 code, Microsoft enthusiasts have found strings that may hint at a Windows App store, and the ability to activate or deactivate certain OS features through that store. Will this be the end of "Home," "Pro," and "Ultimate" editions of Microsoft's flagship product? We wouldn't hold our breath. Still, Windows à la Carte doesn't sound half bad. Hit up the source link to see the code (and speculation) for yourself.
Exclusive: SwiftKey tweaks its Android keyboard for tablets (hands-on with video)
SwiftKey for Android was one of the breakout stars in the virtual keyboard business last year, thanks to a unique predictive phrase system that learns how you talk (or write, as it were) and recommends entire words based on your personal style. It sounds weird, but it's surprisingly helpful -- and even if you don't use the phrase prediction aspect at all, it's simply a well laid-out, easy-to-use keyboard. The company has big plans for 2011 with talks of OEM deals in the pipeline, UI and functionality tweaks, new utilities for learning your writing habits by ingesting RSS feeds, Facebook posts, Gmail, and other sources... oh, and this: a new app customized for use on Android tablets. Text entry on tablets is a challenge that manufacturers and software vendors have been trying to solve for a long, long time, and one look in a busy airport with dozens of people trying to type on iPads carefully-balanced on their laps will tell you that we've still got a long way to go. We're not sure how SwiftKey's new version will work on 10-inch tablets (take the Xoom, for instance), but we had a chance to check it out on a Galaxy Tab -- and we have to say that it's probably the best landscape virtual keyboard we've used on a 7-inch tablet so far. Swype and other tracing keyboards seem out of place on a screen this big, but SwiftKey takes advantage of the fact that your thumbs are so far apart by splitting your QWERTY into two parts and placing the lesser-used numbers in the center. The keyboard isn't ready for prime time just yet -- SwiftKey still bills it as a prototype -- but we imagine it'll be available before too long. Follow the break for a hands-on video! %Gallery-114022%
Swype for Android gets lightweight build with less language support
Don't need Chinese pinyin support? Well, Swype has a little treat for you: a new version available from the company's beta installer on your handset reduces the size of the final installed package by a whopping 75 percent, down from 10MB to 2.5MB, simply by dropping support for languages other than English and Spanish -- and for a platform where the app storage issue still isn't fully resolved, every megabyte counts. On a related note, Swype has posted a note for EVO 4G owners stymied by Sprint's recent inclusion of the keyboard in ROM: if you were already running the beta, you just need to uninstall it, reboot your phone, and let the official version take over.
Software keyboard pops up in webOS 2.0, dreams of a Palm slate phone flourish
A software keyboard may sound anathema to Palm, with its rich history of wonderful QWERTY keyboards, but you had to feel it was coming, what with the wild consumer adoption of slate devices and, you know, the economy these days. Well, after a short history of hints in webOS 2.0's code and a longer history of hacks, a full-on Palm-developed software keyboard has been found in shipping webOS 2.0 devices. It takes a little bit of a hack and a restart, and apparently it's buggy as well, oh and you have to use the physical keyboard to enter the Opt+Sym+K command that opens the virtual keys. Still, none of these shortcomings are going to stop us from sketching out slick, slim slate phones in our diaries, translating that understated elegance of the Pre 2 into a screen-dominated form factor with our unbridled imaginations, leaving the Pre's cramped hardware keyboard in the past as we sprint into a glorious future of tangible webOS 2.0 market share and maybe a threaded email app or something. Sorry, we're done. Check out a video of the keyboard in action while we wipe the drool off our chins.
Apple patent teases convertible laptop / tablet
Have you seen any of those rumors over the years about Apple making a tablet/laptop combo for the masses? Well, it seems that at least part of the rumor has gone and gotten itself a patent. Calling it a "convertible MacBook-to-iPad-like device," Patently Apple reports that the patent could be for a MacBook-type device that would convert to something like an iPad in horizontal mode. As a laptop, the screen would be propped open at an angle with a virtual keyboard below it; as a tablet, the screen would slide down on top of the keyboard, enabling multi-touch control directly on the screen itself. I could see this being a really popular product, specifically among business users and the traveling sect, as it would give them the ability to have both a tablet and a laptop all in one. I would buy one tomorrow if I could -- it would be great to have with me through all the traveling I will be doing over the holidays. Sure, iPad docks with built-in keyboards are a great accessory, but unfortunately, they still can't do everything that I need my MacBook for. Dell and others have their own version of a hybrid tablet/laptop computer available right now. But Apple doesn't -- and I am sure it wants in on that market. With reports about iOS 4.2 making the iPad a productivity rival for the MacBook Air, and the possibility that the new MacBook Air could be eating into iPad sales, a combination of the two could be a home run for many customers.
Apple awarded patents for Slide to Unlock, keyboard letter pop
In the fast-changing world of smartphone design, often the most valuable thing that a company can own is a patent for a specific feature they've invented. No matter how seemingly trivial the design feature is, a company like Apple will seek patent protection in order to maintain the uniqueness of their product. Three years ago, Apple filed for patents on two features that iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users see every day -- the Slide to Unlock feature of the Lock screen and the pop-up letters that appear when you're typing on the iPhone keyboard. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has today awarded Apple a series of two patents titled "Animated graphical user interface for a display screen or portion thereof " that provide Apple with patent protection for the animated unlock screen and keyboard. Even though most other smartphone manufacturers have avoided having the same design elements on their own phones, the patent protection awarded by the USPTO means that Apple can now require license fees from any company that seeks to use the same or significantly similar elements. You can view the two patents here: D621849 D621848
BlindType vows to autocorrect all wrongs with your iPhone or Android virtual keyboard (video)
Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets too fat to be able to dial a number? Well, he wouldn't have had that problem had BlindType been around. This soft keyboard is described by its makers as being extremely resilient to inaccurate input and looking at the demo video after the break, you kinda have to agree -- it seems to have a pretty kickass predictive algorithm. Aside from that, the keyboard also dynamically adjusts to wherever and however you choose to type, meaning its size and orientation track along to your input, which goes some way to justifying the somewhat odd name (it's meant for blind operation, not blind people). Text can be inserted without the keyboard even being on screen, while spaces are added by swiping to the right. BlindType should be coming to Android and iOS devices some time in the near future. [Thanks, Fadl] Update: We asked BlindType's makers whether implementing their software will require replacing Apple's default button slate and they've confirmed that it would. They're making and submitting it for iOS use, nonetheless, "to put pressure on Apple to finally allow this kind of thing."
Multitouch keyboard swiped from Droid X, hacked and color-matched for EVO 4G
One of the most compelling features of Motorola's upcoming Droid X for Verizon is the multitouch capability of the keyboard, which in theory means you can do things like press shift and a letter at the same time; in practice, it means that you can belt out a message faster. Needless to say, owners of other Android devices want it, and xda-developers members have obliged as usual, even stopping along the way to change the Droid X's red accents to green to better suit the EVO 4G's UI color palette. Once the APK is installed (you'll have to sideload it, naturally), it looks like you'll be able to select and use it just as you would any other input method on the phone. Score one for platform flexibility, and score another for hackers. [Thanks, Chris]
T9 Trace lets you Swype through your text messages
You may or may not yet be aware of the Swype virtual keyboard (comes preloaded on the Cliq XT from Motorola), but you'll definitely be hearing about the T9 Trace from Nuance. This is because, although it's fundamentally the same thing as Swype (but from a different maker), the T9 Trace is on offer from the company behind the T9 predictive text dictionary that pretty much everyone from your 7-year old nephew to your octogenarian grandpa has used. The big idea here is that you trace out the word on your virtual keyboard without lifting your finger off, with short stops at each letter you want to add being taken for input. Once you get over the seemingly unintuitive idea of abandoning those woodpecker taps for the grace of tracing, it promises to be a real fun and rapid way to input text. Nuance has bundled the whole thing with error correction, word prediction and auto-completion, while supporting 70 languages. The company has yet to tell us when the T9 Trace will be showing up on phones (touchscreens only, for obvious reasons), but you can check out video of the competing Swype implementation after the break.
Dell Froot desktop is a concept design that's less tasty than it sounds
Imagine the day when all-in-one desktops really mean it -- no keyboard, no mouse, and not even a screen panel. This is precisely Pauline Carlos' idea with her Froot concept -- supposedly an entry for a Dell sustainable design contest. Sure, the color options are rather odd if not unappetizing, but if it only takes a virtual keyboard, a projector (maybe an efficient pico), a biodegradable chassis and Windows XP to save the planet, then we're happy to oblige. Hey, there's even a slot-loading optical drive, but bamboo discs are hard to come by these days. Now add some touchscreen Light Touch magic and we might be tempted to buy it, otherwise that cursor isn't going to work without a mouse. One more pic after the break.
iPhone and Magic Mouse linked up by BTstack (video)
Even though you probably still can't figure out what good the ability to connect your Bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone will do, the BTstack project is steaming ahead with this demo of a connected Magic Mouse twirling its pointer all over Apple's handset. The driver code is still unreleased, but we get to see some nice lag-free interaction between the two devices, suggesting it shouldn't be too far away from public consumption. As if to answer your earlier quandary, the video also features a Celluon CL800BT virtual keyboard, which projects onto and responds to your touch of any flat surface. A gimmick most likely, but a fun journey into the dream of nomadic computing nonetheless. Check out all the action after the break. [Thanks, Daniel]
Tiki'Labs virtual keyboard for iPhone takes shot at Swype, one-handed typing wars commence
One-handed touchscreen typing is the hip new thing, apparently, since mere weeks after getting our first whiff of Swype, Tiki'Labs has debuted its own free TikiNotes app for the iPhone with a proprietary "large target" sort of keyboard. We've seen the idea before, specifically with some accessibility devices, which lets the user drill down into one of six alphabet sectors, and then pick one of six characters. TikiNotes improves upon that by not only predicting the word you're currently typing, but also often correctly guessing the next word you were planning on typing. To be honest, we find that second feature just a little depressing -- all that money the government spent on our two years of high school education and we still form sentences like everybody else -- but certainly useful (Tiki'Labs claims a 40% success rate). We tried out the free app for a couple of minutes and found it more akin to a Brain Age-type exercise than a typing utility, but we're sure we could get used to it. What we can't get used to, however, is how hilariously great it is that Tiki'Labs spliced a Swype demo video (originally pitted against the iPhone keyboard) to serve as a typing race example... and still only barely squeaked through with the victory. It can be found after the break, naturally. The app will be available on Windows Mobile and Android soon.
