Those of you without a physical keyboard on your phone (and maybe some of you with a physical keyboard) probably have the same problem that I do: anytime some new keyboard software comes out, you’ve got to give it a try, particularly if it’s free. For Android, you’ve got a few choices, including the stock Android keyboard, HTC’s keyboard if you have one of their phones, and Swype. Since last week, I’ve been using a newcomer to the on-screen keyboard scene called SwiftKey, which is currently in its beta form, and I’ve been extremely impressed, both with its results and its implementation.
For many people, installing a new keyboard can be fairly confusing and SwiftKey has taken this into consideration. When you install SwiftKey, it creates a runnable app that will actually guide you through the setup process, allowing you to choose your language (there is an impressive array available) and even taking you directly to the settings page where the keyboard needs to be enabled. I thought that this was a very nice touch for those that aren’t necessarily techie types.
After selecting your language, the keyboard does something else that’s very cool and actually scans your text messages to get a feel for how you write, and this is where it differs from any keyboard I’ve used. Instead of just trying to figure out what you’re trying to type as you type it, SwiftKey does this and attempts to predict what’s coming next. It does a really good job based on the text messages it scans and only gets more accurate as time passes. After using it for a week, there’s been several times where I’ve simply had to hit the space bar several times in order for it to finish my sentences for me. Good times!
As far as the actual keyboard itself, it has a simple and elegant appearance that will fit in with any theme or Android overlay that may be on your phone. There is also a dedicated key that will take you to the SwiftKey setup menu. The keyboard works similarly to the Sense and Swype keyboards in selecting symbols, allowing you to long press on a particular key to bring up the symbol you need. One odd choice here is that the # sign, a fairly commonly used symbol, is not available as a long press and is buried under two layers of a secondary symbol menu. This is a minor gripe though, compared to the ease of use of everything else.
Since I downloaded the SwiftKey beta, I’ve been using it as my primary keyboard, first to get accustomed to using it, but now because I actually prefer it, using Swype only for instances where one-handed typing is necessary. If you’re looking for a good keyboard and something new, I highly recommend giving SwiftKey a try. I don’t think that you’ll be disappointed. SwiftKey Beta is available for free in the Android Market. Overall, the app received a great score of 9.6 based on the following criteria:
- Ease of Use: 10/10
- Accuracy: 9/10
- Menu Controls: 9/10
- App Appearance: 10/10
- Pricing: 10/10
- Total: 9.6/10
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