SlideIT

SlideIT is a text input method for touchscreen devices developed by Dasur Ltd based on pattern recognition.

Product

SlideIT allows a user to enter a word by sliding a finger or stylus from letter to letter on a virtual keyboard, lifting only between words. SlideIT uses advanced pattern recognition and error-correction algorithms together with a complicated language model and word database to ensure maximum accuracy of outputted text while allowing the user a lot of freedom and inaccuracy in entering text. This allows for text input at much higher rates than normal mobile phone and other small touch-screen keyboards.

Developer

Dasur is a technology company that specializes in complex mathematical applications. Over the last 20 years, Dasur has developed a powerful pattern recognition engine which can be the basis for many applications. Based on this engine, Dasur has developed this generation of text input solutions for mobile phones and PDAs.

History

The first version was released on 2007 as two separate keyboards, ThumbKey and SlideIT. ThumbKey's technology brought the touchscreen method with the option of using only one hand. Dasur's ThumbKey used an algorithm that allowed users to just press in the general vicinity of the required key for the intended word to appear on the screen. The algorithm processed the typed letters and its disambiguation feature suggested the intended word and also displayed additional possibilities next to the keyboard.

In 2009 the two keyboards were merged into one product branded SlideIT which offers an 'ABC' mode with the ThumbKey unique algorithm and the 'Slide' mode with the sliding algorithm. At the end of 2010 Dasur released a new version for Symbian and in early 2011 a version 3.0 for the Android was released.

Languages

The keyboard can be customized with a primary and secondary language, and the user can switch between them at any time by pressing a button.

Speed

The average computer user, using a standard full-size QWERTY keyboard, types 33 words per minute.[1] PDAs and smartphones allow much slower speeds. Sliding style keyboards for touch screens can increases typing speed by 30-40% and yields potential typing speeds of more than 50 words per minute – matching the average speed of a professional typist.[2] A comparable sliding style keyboard, Swype, as of late 2010, holds the world speed record for text input into a mobile phone.

Availability

SlideIT can be run on any Android phone or tablet computer, Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 v5. SlideIT for iPhone and Windows Tablet PC will be available soon.

Competitors

SlideIT is similar in concept to Swype, SwiftKey Flow, Fleksy, SwipeIt, TouchPal, Adaptxt, ShapeWriter, Multiling O Keyboard, Sony Gesture Input, and Android 4.2 Gesture typing, all of which also involve tracing a path over letters on a virtual keyboard. A little different approach yet still similar in concept is found in MessagEase and Minuum.

Keyboards with optional tracing mode include HTC Touch Input, and Ultra Keyboard for Android.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Karat, C.M., Halverson, C., Horn, D. and Karat, J. (1999), Patterns of entry and correction in large vocabulary continuous speech recognition systems, CHI 99 Conference Proceedings, 568–575.
  2. ↑ Ayres, Robert U; Martinás, Katalin (2005), "120 wpm for very skilled typist", On the Reappraisal of Microeconomics: Economic Growth and Change in a Material World, Cheltenham, UK & Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 41, ISBN 1-84542-272-4, retrieved 22 November 2010

External links

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