Swype vs SlideIT vs Shapewriter? All look great (and similar)!

[wernst]

BTW, the Swype is officially in free Beta for Android. You have to go to their site and register, and then an email comes with a download link, and then you're off to the races. I've never used such a keyboard before, and after only using it for 5 minutes, I'm kind of stunned by how well it works.

Swype | Text Input for Screens

-Warr

 

[nighthawk700]

I tried the swype beta for a while, but maybe I was just spoiled from using SlideIT, the Swype didn't work so well for me. I wasn't crazy about the way words popped up vs. how they appear on the horizontal bar in SlideIT, and I seemed to have more accuracy with SlideIT vs. Swype. However, I did like the ease in using the symbols on Swype (and Shapewriter for that matter). Too bad we can't mix and match the features.

I'll try it a little bit longer, but I have the feeling I'll soon be looking for the correct way to remove Swype (since it seemed to be a non-standard way to add it on in the first place)

 

[Phillipsave]

I'm sticking with SlideIT. I also also like the horizontal editing features better, I don't like the Swype download hassle, and I don't like Swype's lack of customer support and their treatment of the individual download customer. Now they have everyone's email info for testing a time-limited beta for them, or at least the ones whose phones didn't crash or take hours trying to install. Who knows when the beta will suddenly disappear, or if and whether Swype will start charging whatever they want, to their hooked data base.

 

[jsh1120]

I'm sticking with SlideIT. I also also like the horizontal editing features better, I don't like the Swype download hassle, and I don't like Swype's lack of customer support and their treatment of the individual download customer. Now they have everyone's email info for testing a time-limited beta for them, or at least the ones whose phones didn't crash or take hours trying to install. Who knows when the beta will suddenly disappear, or if and whether Swype will start charging whatever they want, to their hooked data base.

Considering that Swype has not charged anyone a cent for their application, I think the term "download customer" is a bit off target.

I, too, purchased SlideIt and when/if the beta version of Swype is withdrawn, I'll return to using it. For the time being I'm happy to use the downloaded version of Swype. It's worth every cent I've paid for it.

 

[billyk]

I am a paid owner of SlideIT, but I am back to using Swype again. There are pros and cons for both apps and from a usability perspective, the new beta version of Swype only marginally edges out SlideIT, IMO.

If Swype goes to the Market at a reasonable price, I might buy it. If it doesn't, or if it expires or acts up in any way, I've always got SlideIT.

If you haven't tried SlideIt, I'd suggest doing so. It's interesting (for me at least!) to see a slightly different approach to accomplishing the same thing.

 

[jsh1120]

I am a paid owner of SlideIT, but I am back to using Swype again. There are pros and cons for both apps and from a usability perspective, the new beta version of Swype only marginally edges out SlideIT, IMO.

If Swype goes to the Market at a reasonable price, I might buy it. If it doesn't, or if it expires or acts up in any way, I've always got SlideIT.

If you haven't tried SlideIt, I'd suggest doing so. It's interesting (for me at least!) to see a slightly different approach to accomplishing the same thing.

+1 on all these points.

 

[butch350]

It's most likely an individual choice versus one being better than the
other.

I think some people will not like any of the newer typing methods
based just on the fact that some people don't like change.

Others will choose based on the system they prefer to use.

Me I love SWYPE. (at least, right now)

 

[Malvado]

I did swype. I haven't tried any others. How do you do names on swype? It ALWAYS fuggs that up.

to make SWYPE learn a word, dont SWYPE it, simply TYPE the name or word and followed by a space...then next time u SWYPE the name or word it wont give you another word

 

[dfmember]

I'd like to try SlideIT but neither Safari nor Firefox recognizes the download site. How do I download it?

 

[jsh1120]

I'd like to try SlideIT but neither Safari nor Firefox recognizes the download site. How do I download it?

SlideIT is available in the Market.

 

[dfmember]

Thanks....I download it but it doesn't show up in my Apps. Does it go by another name, I don't recognize anything it could be in my list of apps.

 

[jsh1120]

Thanks....I download it but it doesn't show up in my Apps. Does it go by another name, I don't recognize anything it could be in my list of apps.

It's not considered a "downloaded" app. (I know, that's odd.) In Settings>Applications>Manage Applications set your filter to "all" rather than downloaded apps and you'll see it.

 

[Merire]

Excuse me guys, what is the difference between the free and the paid SlideIT versions ? I hope it's something like a nicer keyboard, because it really looks ugly, but I like the way it recognizes words better than shapewritter (and swype isn't available for french language right now...)

 

[dfmember]

jsh1120, I followed your directions and changed the filter to 'all' but when I look in my apps, it's still not there. It 'is' in the manage apps list, but there's no way there to activate it.

 

[LrdElderon]

I've tried swype and shapewriter quite a bit. SlideIT i have not tried as it just came out and I am kind of annoyed with all the stupid spamming they or whoever it is, has been doing, even before it was released.

Note: most of my swype experience is with the leaked copy. I have only used the beta a little bit.

Swype seems a little easier for sloppy people. Or if you kinda forget how to spell and mis-slide a bit and then correct yourself it usually can figure it out. I don't know what lexicons they start out with but I think swype might have a larger one of common words to start, which makes it appear more accurate for first impressions / initial use. I didn't like backspacing to delete stuff with swype, it's sooo slow and I really don't enjoy doing the little swirlies to get double letters. works most of the time. Keys are big, can be a plus or a minus.....

overall Good software, I hope with this beta it means they are changing their tune from the backlash of people upset over their oem only approach. no reason they can't do both. or at least let carriers push it out to older phones if they want.

Shapewriter initially when the leak of swype first came out wasn't so hot. It had accuracy issues and some common errors always seem to pop up like four instead of for ...etc. It does have smaller keys and for some that's a turn off, personally I like the keys better since you have less chance of sliding through the wrong keys.

Since then, there have been several updates to shapewriter and it's free on the market. I don't know if this is a temporary promotion to get a user base going, or if they will start charging again, but for now it's free and I'm happy to use it. Initially shapewriter will seem a bit less accurate vs swype. I emailed someone at the company and they told me they use a very minimal lexicon and prefer to keep a minimum set of words if possible to improve system function. Which makes sense. You can have a huge dictionary with every word possible but if you don't use 80% of them they just take up memory and slow the recognition down.

I have found especially with the updated versions that after a few days of use and letting it add in some of my words that it's accuracy is just as good if not better than swype. I'm not sure, but I think the program starts to recognize how you slide? I don't know if that's true or not, but it does seem like it gets more lenient with your sliding the more you use it. I also like the nice quick tap to hit the number pad as well as the cool commands you can do like sliding from command a to l which will highlight everything making deleting a selection basically 1 button delete :icon_ banana:.
Theres also slide command copy / paste / cut / lit (literal mode, ie no spaces auto caps... good for addresses and passwords things like that).

Only downside I really see now is that some characters like _ are a bit hard to find in shapewriter. I think you have to use the @ sign and then use the word prediction box to slide over to find it. As a positive they seem to have quite a bit of support for multiple languages and you can change the language by hitting one key I believe.

Overall? I think swype wins initially and depending on how oems intergrate with the hardware on new phones and theming swype might be the top. However, at least for me and as it stands now, if you give it a few days time and let the program learn the words you use, I think shapewriter has enough little "cool" things going for it that it's the better of the two. I really like not having to slide or swype double letters. nifty once you get used to it. I think if people give it a few days or a week the program really starts to shine. It did for me and I really appreciated the fact that they supported android by selling to us users through the market and now it's even free, while swype..... well as far as we know right now, you will not be able to use it without getting a new phone....or someone rips the program and pirates it out to roms...:icon_ devil: They seem to have a spam problem on their forums last I looked, but if you email them, they seem open to feedback, criticism and all and I like they have really worked and gotten quite a few updates and revisions out.

SlideIT I have no clue, I think winmo people like it maybe? I haven't heard much good on the android front yet.

anyways, this is getting a bit long. Use what you are happy with, swype and shapewriter are both great programs and will work equally as well. Just I hope people give shapewriter a little more use to break it in a bit before deciding to stick with swype.

just my opinion.