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Mobile software keyboards explained
#291 | 21:18 |
Monday October 3, 2011
Lab Rats
Monday October 3, 2011
Do you like sweet mobile technology? How about chocolate? Well if you like both then you'll be doubly pleased as the Lab Rats explain how software keyboards work through interpretive chocolate smearings and quick wit. Laugh as Sean and Andy explain the difference between software keyboards on iPhones and Android phones and cringe as Andy tries to use chocolate-covered fingers to pick up his Nexus S.
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iTunes Show Notes
Mobile phone keyboards
Mobile phones have always been cool, even back in the '80s when they weighed a couple of pounds and were almost a foot long (without the antenna). However since they've gotten smaller and we've started using them to type out quick messages to friends, the keyboards our phones are equipped with have caused users some pain and trouble. Not only do most modern smartphones not feature hardware keyboards (with buttons that click), software keyboards (the kind without buttons that click) require a great deal of precision due to the fact that screen sizes are small and touchscreens are annoyingly sensitive and accurate.
Fortunately, technology has not only made our smartphones smaller, but also, well... smarter. Software keyboards now come with a number of features such as autocorrect, suggestions, and quick grammatical fixes. Not only that, the software also adapts itself to your use, recognizing the blunders you make with your meaty fingers, figuring out what you really meant to say and making the appropriate corrections. This way, it's likely that text messages to your significant other don't land you on DamnYouAutocorrect.com.
The iPhone software keyboard
In addition, there are a number of improvements that have been made to both the iOS and Android platforms over the years that make each easier to use, for different reasons. The iPhone has an interesting way of digitally increasing the size of letters that it expects you to type, reducing errors. More improvements may very well arrive with iOS5, which is apparently right around the corner.
Android software keyboards and alternatives
As for Android, the fact that the operating system is open source means that other keyboards can be downloaded to replace the keyboard that comes stock. This can give you an entirely different interface for entering text and can save you a great deal of time. Take SlideIT for example. This product lets you bang out messages through gestures rather than individual tapping motions, allowing for more fluid text entry. Swype is another popular keyboard alternative but requires that you root your phone, so it's a bit more complicated to install.
SlideIT Keyboard
$free to try for 15 days
Swype
$free
Mobile phones have always been cool, even back in the '80s when they weighed a couple of pounds and were almost a foot long (without the antenna). However since they've gotten smaller and we've started using them to type out quick messages to friends, the keyboards our phones are equipped with have caused users some pain and trouble. Not only do most modern smartphones not feature hardware keyboards (with buttons that click), software keyboards (the kind without buttons that click) require a great deal of precision due to the fact that screen sizes are small and touchscreens are annoyingly sensitive and accurate.
Fortunately, technology has not only made our smartphones smaller, but also, well... smarter. Software keyboards now come with a number of features such as autocorrect, suggestions, and quick grammatical fixes. Not only that, the software also adapts itself to your use, recognizing the blunders you make with your meaty fingers, figuring out what you really meant to say and making the appropriate corrections. This way, it's likely that text messages to your significant other don't land you on DamnYouAutocorrect.com.
The iPhone software keyboard
In addition, there are a number of improvements that have been made to both the iOS and Android platforms over the years that make each easier to use, for different reasons. The iPhone has an interesting way of digitally increasing the size of letters that it expects you to type, reducing errors. More improvements may very well arrive with iOS5, which is apparently right around the corner.
Android software keyboards and alternatives
As for Android, the fact that the operating system is open source means that other keyboards can be downloaded to replace the keyboard that comes stock. This can give you an entirely different interface for entering text and can save you a great deal of time. Take SlideIT for example. This product lets you bang out messages through gestures rather than individual tapping motions, allowing for more fluid text entry. Swype is another popular keyboard alternative but requires that you root your phone, so it's a bit more complicated to install.
SlideIT Keyboard
$free to try for 15 days
Swype
$free
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