A new version of the Swype keyboard from Nuance is heading our way. The update features a voice dictation system and handwriting recognition and users of Android are able to test the software in the beta program offered by Swype.
Swype for Android update brings Siri engine voice recognition, handwriting recognition, next word prediction
For those who do not known, the Swype is Nuance’s custom keyboard which users type on by swiping their thumb or finger over the letters on the keyboard to make words. The keyboard is said to make typing faster and more accurate on touchscreen devices. We tested it in 2010 and found it to be the best on the market at the time.
Both Samsung and Motorola, including others, license the keyboard and it is seen preloaded on numerous Android smartphones. Individual users are also able to use it through the beta program and it has become very popular. Due to this, similar third party keyboards cropped up. Nuance is also known for the Flex T9 keyboard which they built when they acquired ShapeWriter in 2010. The Flex T9 keyboard included the mobile speech and recognition technology partnered with the swiping keyboard.
The input method behind the keyboard came from creator Cliff Kushler, who was one of the original inventors of the T9 system which predicts words. T9 is at the moment owned by Nuance too.
The update to the Swype keyboard is the first since Nuance acquire it and it is a mixture of the Swype keyboard and input features from the Flex T9. It also comes with new features, including a next word prediction, which is very slick.
Predictions for words are given based on common language patterns. For instance if you were to type the word “this” the keyboard would suggest that the next word could be “is” or “will” and would be seen above the keyboard on a bar. The intended word is then tapped and the keyboard fills it in. Over time the system analyses usage and improves its guesses.
The mobile speech recognition technology is different from that of the built in speech recognition system that comes with Android phones, but it does still need a remote server to process. This is said to be the same server that Apple use with their Siri software and it is a superb addition to Swype. During tests of the beta on a Nexus One device the keyboard performed as well as it had in the past and maybe even better. At the moment it is the best single handed input for touchscreens and is a must have for Android phone users.
