Swype has been given the what-for on Windows Mobile for a while now, and it's gained a bit of a following, coming standard on the Samsung Omnia II. For the uninitiated, it's an on-screen keyboard on which you drag your finger across the screen instead of picking it up every time you type a letter.
MobileCrunch has gotten an early look at Swype on the Verizon Droid Eris, and it looks exactly the same as what I've used on Windows Mobile (as it should). If you've never used Swype, it's a very odd feeling. I'm not sold on it, but to each his own. (And it should be noted that you can still use it as a normal keyboard.)
What do you guys think? Anybody else used Swype?
Reader comments
Early video look at Swype on Android
Although i haven't tried it yet, it does seem interesting. I really hope it doesn't become a standard for all future phones... Maybe just an added feature.
I would rather use a full QWERTY keyboard for typing, not for swyping. If it does happen to become a standard for phones in the future i hope they come up with a different more "fitting" interface for it.
Meh... pass on Swype. It's cool technology... I've really tried to like this and well, it works okay, but I can still enter text faster the good old fashioned way, especially with the robust Hero auto complete. I guess if I really buckled down and spent a long time perfecting my technique, I'd improve. But honestly, I've only got so much time in the day and can think of lots of other things I'd rather spend time improving upon instead, hence the uninstall.
My feelings haven't changed since the last time I saw Swipe. Not impressed, not interested. It might offer improved typing speed for those single-digit typists, but by its nature it prohibits the use of multiple digits, and I think it would slow down any decent typist.
Its not natural feeling to type a word that way , I have used it as well and simply did not like it and was far more comfortable typing the normal way, nifty idea but not for me . I can type just fine the traditional way
Useful for one handed typing i would think, other then that i dont really see a point.
how do you get this app?
i just cant see it working for a bilingual or multiligual like me.
The Hero keypad really is the best in my opinion. I was very impressed. Worked better than I imagined when described to me. I was looking forward to it with the Android release. I happy to found Swype on Android here. Thank you so much for informing us!
I suggest having a look at
http://mobiletextinput.com/Product/SlideIT/SlideIT.php
They have a similar and very good keyboard
I have tried swype during a research trial and found that it was pretty cool for entering any kind of text. I didn't like it so much for entering symbols or stuff like websites, but i personally don't see the downside since even if you have it, you don't have to swype. If you are finishing an incomplete word you can just tap the letters like a normal touchscreen phone. I would also say that it is remarkably accurate for such an imprecise action. I was instructed to type a very long word that I forgot how to spell half way through swyping, and just stumbled through trying to get the rest right. Lo and behold, it gave me the exact word I was trying to type in the first place. I personally can't wait for the app to come out for android.
is there anyway to get pre release version on my moto droid?
thx
I have gotten the Prerelease, works very well. I am running it on a Moto Droid.
Where do I go to get Swype on my Motorola Droids? It isn't on android market place
search "shapewriter" in Android Market
search "shapewriter" in Android Market
I absolutely love Swype!! It is so fast to text on and it only took me a few days to get faster at Swyping than I am at any other method of test input! It is already out on the Omnia II and I can't wait until Swype comes out on the Andriod! A guy posted on here that Swype prohibits the use of double letters but thats not true at all, all you have to do is squiggle over the letter to make it double. Swype is so fast and I wouldn't rather you any other text input method!
So, I downloaded 'ShapeWriter', and I am loving it so far. It even has a mini-game installed, to help you get accustomed to this new way to text. I can't wait for the 'real' Swype to hit my ( 1.5 :-( ) market, but in the meantime, I'm all about some ShapeWriter.
Go here http://droidmuff.in/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Swype-trial-release.zip to get Swype for the Motorola Droid
so I tried installing it and it gave me this error message: "The swype package you installed does not match the screen size of the device. Please contact swype about this issue. Screen size; 480x320"