If the thought of turning your G1 90 degrees to the left and THEN sliding the screen up to reveal the keyboard has you chomping at the bit for an alternative input method, you’ll soon be able to use your sweaty, greasy finger to write out simple words – just like a real business man from the 1990s except you’ll be using your finger, not a stylus.
The software will be coming from a company called Diotek and will recognize English and Korean languages. The company already has a relatively robust suite of handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile devices, so it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for it to parlay some of that expertise over to the Android platform.
No word on how much the app will cost or if anyone – and I mean anyone – will buy it. It may very well be that Diotek launches this as a sort of proof of concept for Android in the hopes that people will snap it up on future devices that don’t feature keyboards.
[via Mobility Site]
Nice concept, but as you said, who really will need or use it?
We will!! Some of us have been searching for something to replace the phased-out Grafitti input platform. I have advancing rheumatoid arthritis in hands and wrists and “thumb piano” on tiny little keyboards can be very painful. Husband has low vision and can’t see the tiny little letters on the keys. We are going to end up with an entire generation with screwed up thumbs.
CJK crowd.
I miss graffiti with the stylus. It was a great input method.
I’ll 100% buy it… I hate the touch screen keyboard. Love android, but prefer handwriting recognition
Hi there,
I need it!! I had all the series of the sony ericsson smartphones before having the Magic now. So now I’m not really comfortable with virtual keyboard.
The good thing in the Simbyan was that the screen was divided in 3 parts: buttom for small caps, middle for Caps and accents and top screen for numbers…
I don’t understand how anyone can type effectively with those tiny keyboards – RSI notwithstanding – and I am too old/impatient to text on a number pad. Effective handwriting recognition, like Grafitti was, will be a MUST HAVE for me when I replace my SE W960.