My favorite (the best?) text input method...

[Scubamike]

The best method for text entry that I found for my Droid X is TouchPal. I used to use this for Windows Mobile back in the day and this was almost a deal breaker for me getting an Android phone. Luckily it was indeed available. I can type as fast or faster using this than I can on a regular computer keyboard.

One of the other users here pointed out that it requires an internet connection and a warning pops up upon installation that says your input might not be secure.

The manufacturer says this input method connects to the internet only to update the text prediction dictionary. I love this keyboard, but I don't input sensitive passwords with this entry method... because I'm a little paranoid. I know that sounds scary to some, and myself as well, but it is a good enough keyboard that I use it as my primary and thought I would share this, apparently, little-known keyboard with everyone else.

Give me your thoughts. Let me know if any of you appreciate this thread.

Here is a youtube link of me using it on my DX.

[video=youtube;EHGQvHZvDEA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHGQvHZvDEA"]YouTube - TouchPal on my Droid X[/video]

 

[carlz28]

Thanks for the post. I downloaded it from the market and gave it a try. Seems pretty neat. It'll probably take a bit getting used to, but definitely seems like a nice alternative to the stock keyboards!

 

[christim]

The two fastest methods that have worked for me is Swype and the voice to text feature. Long ago someone posted a phrase to use and I use that phrase all the time to impress folks.

Whether in Colornote, a text message or an email you can click the little mic graphic and speak into your phone, as fast as you can, "how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" and it spits it right out into the text box and even has it all spelled correctly. The downside is you aren't always in a place where you might feel comfortable talking a message out loud to send to someone. Other than showing off I always use Swype.

For anyone used to the 3x3 phone pad who could text fast, the above video looks like it will be a good one for them.
Nice post and presentation with the video!

 

[Scubamike]

Whether in Colornote, a text message or an email you can click the little mic graphic and speak into your phone, as fast as you can, "how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" and it spits it right out into the text box and even has it all spelled correctly.

Speech to text is, by far, the fastest way to input text. The only reason I don't rely on this, besides not being able to talk in all situations, is the absence of proper capitalization and punctuation. I am extremely O.C.D. when it comes to that sort of thing, much to my chagrin.