ShapeWriter vs Swype

[alm0614]

Anyone tried both of these and have suggestions. I am using swype right now but realize that it is not an "official" android app and wont be getting any updates.

is shapewriter just as usable as swype?

Thanks in advance

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

I've used both extensively. I am more accurate and faster on Swype. However, it causes problems on my Droid. It causes force closes and lagging rather badly - on my droid. I seem to one of the few that has these problems. I have uninstalled Swype due to the problems and the concern that it isn't going to be around for ever.

On the other hand, ShapeWriter does some good things - it auto-capitalizes, it allows typing of single letters easier, and it is almost as accurate. I use it now.

 

[alm0614]

what makes swype faster and more accurate?

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

what makes swype faster and more accurate?

Their software seems to "get" the word I'm trying to type quicker and is correct more often than ShapeWriter. But as I said, I found it easier to type an unrecognized word with ShapeWriter than with Swype. I did however just read a post about Swype that said there is an option in Swype that will let it touch type easy too.

But I am still going to go with ShapeWriter due to the perceived better long term outlook. I just don't want to invest any more time in Swype.

 

[alm0614]

But I am still going to go with ShapeWriter due to the perceived better long term outlook. I just don't want to invest any more time in Swype.

sounds reasonable. will check it out tonight.

thank you

 

[lemodular]

I have used ShapeWriter for a few weeks before trying Swype. Initially, because of my experienced with ShapeWriter, I was very hesitant to try Swype, but a few people convinced me to give it a try, and after about a week of Swype, here are mmy opinions on both.

While both programs are obviously similar I find Swype a little friendlier to to use. With ShapeWriter, the keys were alot smaller yet one must be more precise with one's path, in Swype, the keys are larger and thus more fat-finger friendly, and one does not have to be as precise with their path (this part is drastically different between the two programs). I find myself correcting less with Swype than ShapeWriter, but the later's predictive/suggestive interface is cleaner with the suggested words in a row similar to the stock keyboard whereas the Swype's interface is a popup box with words to chose drag from. The vocabulary database of Swype is slightly better than Shapewriter and it is quicker to "teach" Swype new words. I noticed that the stock KB searches for words in your phone similar to how Google may search for a word in a web page as part of the suggested/predictive options but the two subject KB apps do not.

Of course both programs are similar in intent and both have their pros and cons. As most have discovered, it is a little cumbersome to add single letters in Swype and it does not auto-capitalize. Both programs understandably will have a hard time with names, slangs, and some pronouns and it its equally difficult to edit them although I believe Swype will auto add to it's vocabulary database as one manually adds words. There is definitely less page swapping while using Swype because of the dual function keys (long press), with only switching pages for numbers and less used symbols.

I am still not sure if I will keep Swype, even though it is better than Shaperwriter. If the developer is monitoring these boards, they will see similar shortcomings of their programs through member's input and hopefully improve them in their next build. I must admit, that I do find it convenient to be able to quickly type one handed. As a bonus (or not), I find that no one else can use either keyboards when I hand them the phone

 

[Jokool_7777]

Ive used both but prefer swype. I havent had any force closes since I've installed it.

 

[SwordOfWar]

I haven't had any force closes with swype (on 2.0.1). From what I understand, Swype comes on another android phone, and if that phone is hacked, I see no reason why we can't get future ports from those phones over to the droid.

I would probably be willing to pay for this app but they don't offer any way to buy it. But also, it seems they are testing it so they can release it pre-installed on android phones.

If we get it in a future droid update, great. If we don't...then we can just get it ported from another android phone that got it.

We may or may not get automatic updates for it, but I'm sure we will get it ported again in the future if someone has it on a rooted android phone.

I haven't used shapewriter...but swype works good, even if we don't get anymore updates. It works fine for me right now, so I'm not going to sweat if we don't get a newer version soon.

Yes, it has a few issues, but it works fine. My biggest complaint is how difficult and slow it is to add symbols, numbers or the "!" and "?" punctuation marks. Holding a button to get to the "?" key takes too long, and switching keyboard layouts on swype (such as the number/symbols layouts) is a pain. The regular android keyboard is much easier for symbols and has 0-9 number keys listed across the top. Swype should look more like that. its actually faster to type/swype "five" than it is to get to the "5" key.

But if you cut out punctuation, and don't need to type symbols or numbers...its pretty quick.

So with that said, I'll stick to swype for as long as it works. Hopefully we will get a more official release.

 

[ViciousCircle]

I haven't had any force closes with swype (on 2.0.1). From what I understand, Swype comes on another android phone, and if that phone is hacked, I see no reason why we can't get future ports from those phones over to the droid.

I would probably be willing to pay for this app but they don't offer any way to buy it. But also, it seems they are testing it so they can release it pre-installed on android phones.

If we get it in a future droid update, great. If we don't...then we can just get it ported from another android phone that got it.

We may or may not get automatic updates for it, but I'm sure we will get it ported again in the future if someone has it on a rooted android phone.

I haven't used shapewriter...but swype works good, even if we don't get anymore updates. It works fine for me right now, so I'm not going to sweat if we don't get a newer version soon.

Yes, it has a few issues, but it works fine. My biggest complaint is how difficult and slow it is to add symbols, numbers or the "!" and "?" punctuation marks. Holding a button to get to the "?" key takes too long, and switching keyboard layouts on swype (such as the number/symbols layouts) is a pain. The regular android keyboard is much easier for symbols and has 0-9 number keys listed across the top. Swype should look more like that. its actually faster to type/swype "five" than it is to get to the "5" key.

But if you cut out punctuation, and don't need to type symbols or numbers...its pretty quick.

So with that said, I'll stick to swype for as long as it works. Hopefully we will get a more official release.

Actually on swipe, I didn't find adding punctuation too difficult. Just swipe from the key with the punctuation you want to the space bar, and it adds the correct punctuation mark ans a space, which is typically what you want.

 

[SwordOfWar]

I haven't had any force closes with swype (on 2.0.1). From what I understand, Swype comes on another android phone, and if that phone is hacked, I see no reason why we can't get future ports from those phones over to the droid.

I would probably be willing to pay for this app but they don't offer any way to buy it. But also, it seems they are testing it so they can release it pre-installed on android phones.

If we get it in a future droid update, great. If we don't...then we can just get it ported from another android phone that got it.

We may or may not get automatic updates for it, but I'm sure we will get it ported again in the future if someone has it on a rooted android phone.

I haven't used shapewriter...but swype works good, even if we don't get anymore updates. It works fine for me right now, so I'm not going to sweat if we don't get a newer version soon.

Yes, it has a few issues, but it works fine. My biggest complaint is how difficult and slow it is to add symbols, numbers or the "!" and "?" punctuation marks. Holding a button to get to the "?" key takes too long, and switching keyboard layouts on swype (such as the number/symbols layouts) is a pain. The regular android keyboard is much easier for symbols and has 0-9 number keys listed across the top. Swype should look more like that. its actually faster to type/swype "five" than it is to get to the "5" key.

But if you cut out punctuation, and don't need to type symbols or numbers...its pretty quick.

So with that said, I'll stick to swype for as long as it works. Hopefully we will get a more official release.

Actually on swipe, I didn't find adding punctuation too difficult. Just swipe from the key with the punctuation you want to the space bar, and it adds the correct punctuation mark ans a space, which is typically what you want.

Well I be damned! that is MUCH better! I had no idea to try punctuation like that. I was holding the key with the punctuation mark until it poped up the little box showing the symbol was added. This is the way it explaining it in the tutorial, but the way you just suggested is a million times faster.

You just made my day, that was helpful This keyboard sure has a long learning curve, but its worth it once your experienced in how to use it.

 

[Guurzak]

I have not yet tried swype. I kinda like shapewriter, but it has some significant flaws which keep me from making it my main input method.

For one thing, having backspace right on top of enter is just poor planning. I've sent out far too many nonsensical incomplete texts because I hit the enter instead of delete.

Also, the technical vocabulary is pretty weak. For asking someone what movie they want to see it's fine, but for writing a post on droidforums it's awful. (It struggles to recognize 'droid'!)

Words which it recognizes go in more quickly than I could type them by any other method… but I strongly suspect that the time lost on trying 3 times to get some word it won't take, and then finally giving up and tapping it out, more than counterbalances those savings.

So my take is, clever and worth keeping an eye on, but not ready for prime time quite yet.

 

[Mongoose]

I have used them both quite a bit. All of the above comments are valid and describe pro's and con's very accurately.

My problem with Swype was that on a message of any length it "garbled" the message and the recipient got junk. I was never able to detect any consistant reason for this...just that if the message was longer than a couple two or three lines it didn't go through correctly.

Shapewriter is a pain to use. I have pretty big fingers and the keyboard layout is small...but it's accurate and I haven't ever had a garbled message.

The OEM virtual keyboard has always been perfect regardless of the length of the message.

I have to say that I liked Swype but can't tolerate wondering if my message was rec'd as I intended it. I accept the PITA factor of using Shapewriter and hope that they will go back to the original layout of their keyboard which actually kind of similar to Swype's rather than maintain the pathetically tiny thing they have now.

For me, Shapewriter is the way to go and if I have to do complex entry's then I just use the OEM virtual keyboard. My trial has expired on Swype. Maybe I'll take another look at it in a few months. Hope all this helps...:icon_ devil:

 

[dezymond]

I used to use swype for about 2 weeks then i stopped.

I found swype to be very accurate and quick, but i missed the "typing". Yes it made texting easier is some situations, but I don't miss it too much. I still have it, but it's just turned off.

 

[jsh1120]

Keyboard junkie here. I've tried most and come to the conclusion that it takes awhile to evaluate any of them since the brain is adaptable and tends to favor what one has last gotten used to using. (If people can learn to use a QWERTY keyboard, they can adapt to anything.)

I've used the both the leaked and now the beta version of Swype. I find it the most usable of any of the "finger slide" options.

I assumed the leaked version of Swype would eventually "time out" as it has so I began to use both Shapewriter and SlideIt.

Frankly, I was never able to adapt well to Shapewriter. It may have been me but I found it to be the least accurate of the three.

SlideIt is a close second to Swype (imo). My major complaint about it was that the auto-capitalization option had to be turned off via preferences when entering a password that did not begin with a capital letter. Took me awhile to figure out why my passwords kept being rejected.

Unlike Swype, SlideIt "figures out" when you enter a word with double letters like "good." You simply slide your finger over "god" and it gives you the choice between "good" and "god." Some folks may like that; I don't. I have to force myself not to spell the word correctly. Likewise, SlideIt lacks the "upsweep" motion to capitalize a word. I became accustomed to that using Swype and had trouble breaking the habit.

Now that the beta version of Swype is "legal," I've returned to using it. If and when the beta version disappears, I'll go back to SlideIt.

 

[mju1030]

I have used them both quite a bit. All of the above comments are valid and describe pro's and con's very accurately.

My problem with Swype was that on a message of any length it "garbled" the message and the recipient got junk. I was never able to detect any consistant reason for this...just that if the message was longer than a couple two or three lines it didn't go through correctly.

Shapewriter is a pain to use. I have pretty big fingers and the keyboard layout is small...but it's accurate and I haven't ever had a garbled message.

The OEM virtual keyboard has always been perfect regardless of the length of the message.

I have to say that I liked Swype but can't tolerate wondering if my message was rec'd as I intended it. I accept the PITA factor of using Shapewriter and hope that they will go back to the original layout of their keyboard which actually kind of similar to Swype's rather than maintain the pathetically tiny thing they have now.

For me, Shapewriter is the way to go and if I have to do complex entry's then I just use the OEM virtual keyboard. My trial has expired on Swype. Maybe I'll take another look at it in a few months. Hope all this helps...:icon_ devil:

The official release of the beta version of Swype for Moto Droid came out today. It is well worth the time and effort to uninstall the expired version and install the new version--it even has some new features, such as automatic capitalization. They claim it is a limited release, so you might want to get registered right away.