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Android 4.0 makes some of the biggest changes to the Android ecosystem since it first hit smartphones, many of which tweak the way the OS handles things behind the scenes. Those change don’t necessarily play nice with some currently available software, as is the case with a change in how Android registers the screen resolution of any given handset. The tweak has sunk alternative keyboard Swype’s battleship for the time being.
Swype’s method of text entry — swiping a finger across letters to spell out words — relies heavily on knowing the relative position of your finger in relation to the screen and software as a whole. While new Galaxy Nexus owners will be unable to install Swype on their phones, the company says it is currently working on pumping out a solution. No word was given on the time frame, but the vastly improved stock keyboard found in Ice Cream Sandwich should suffice until our little swiping friend finds a home in Android 4.0.
Swype isn’t that great. There are better alternative keyboards. This one was the first to go mainstream though. To each his own.
Not related to ics, but to swype. Anyone having issues with it? I have a nexus s, swype keeps locking up when i text. The keyboard doesn’t come up or if it does, i can’t type anything. Closing messaging (stock app) either manually or through a forced close solves it most of the time. I have to reset the phone on several occassions. I stoped using swype for that reason around 3 weeks ago. Anyone having the same issues?
It doesn’t happen all the time, but enough times to be annoying.
Had it on my NS. It suddenly stopped accepting swipe actions saying “Please try again”. Uninstalled and reinstalled with the same issue.
I haven’t had any issues on my Nexus S.
I love Swype. I cannot stand how they handle updates though. Having to run their installer, uninstall the old one, install the new one, oops! Forgot to back up my user dictionary. Now I have to make it relearn everything yet again. Back it up manually, you need root! It’s been in beta long enough for them to improve on this type of stuff. Not to mention that it will randomly just stop working and not accept swiped words. I am trying out other keyboards now but I realllllly miss Swype.
You no longer have to jump through the update hoops. They’ve updated it to show a notification when an update is available and you can update within the app settings without doing all the uninstall/reinstall steps. Try it out.
SwiftKey works on my GN, fwiw, but the little microphone button doesn’t trigger the “new” voice dictation (semi-realtime you’ve seen demoed), it triggers the old “you get to say one burst of words then stop” version. I’m hoping they fix it because, while the ICS keyboard is decent, I want my SwiftKey back.
Swift key sucks!!! It always fills in words and stupid predictions without even asking.
The best swiping keyboard was the (now discontinued) Shapewriter. I’ve held onto that APK for as long as I can. And while it does work on the Nexus, the high-res screen makes the keyboard too small.
Sigh. I need a good swiping keyboard. Swype doesn’t exist. I tried SlideIT, but it’s giant flaw is that it doesn’t auto-space between one-letter words.
Frustrating. I hate pecking out words on a keyboard.
It’s giant flaw is that it’s ugly as sin.
Under Preferences, turn on Auto-space after tapping. Since one letter words are taps, it’ll do it for you.
And the default skin is ugly, but I installed the Black Licorice and ICS skins and they look decent. Not as nice as Swype, but it was 10c and I don’t have to bother with the annoying Swype beta procedures. :P
My only issues so far is that the autocorrect still activates in password fields (in Swype it doesn’t), which you can disable by switching it to ABC instead of Slide mode, but that’s an extra step every time you’re in a password field.
Also, it doesn’t do .com and with the autospacing turned on, it automatically turns it into . Com. :| I need to find a way around that.
I love Swype, but I hate how Swype automatically adds words that you type. Sometimes I need to type something out and I don’t want it to be automatically added to my dictionary. So I always have to type it out, and then select it and remove it from the dictionary. This is especially annoying if you make a typo while typing something out – it automatically added the typo to your dictionary. There should be an option to NEVER add words to dictionary unless you do so manually. For instance, type out the word, highlight it when you are finished, and press the Swype key to add it to the dictionary instead of the current method, which is auto add to dictionary and then highlight it and press the Swype key to delete it. I don’t know Swype did this. It just doesn’t make sense and is extremely frustrating and time wasting.
Then don’t use it. And stop crying about it. Its Android you have choices.
ORLY? I can decide for myself to not use it? I have choices other than Swype? Thanks for enlightening me on that secret, moron. You’re a total prick. No one is “crying” about anything. (Why do douchebags on the internet automatically make the jump that people are “crying” or “whining” about something just because they have something particular to say and don’t get on their knees and blow it?) I still use Swype because it is faster than any other typing app. I’m just giving an example of how it could be better. I never said it sucked or said anything derogatory about it, I simply spoke of something that I did not like about it that I thought would make it better for many people that use it. We should be critical and open about apps, and the technology in general that we use, because we want it to be the best that it can be. You’re a complete idiot. Stop trolling.
I’ll be the prick and you’ll be the idiot. Thinking that bitching on a blog on Phandroid will help you or us out with Swype. Contact the developers. Trolling am I suppose to know what that means. Or maybe I don’t blog enough to follow that dumb ass term. Or maybe if I was black and you called me a nigger that would be equal to your word “Trolling”. Laughing at how much of an idiot you are and how u bite into this blogging lingo like a little isheep. Don’t be mad at me because you don’t have the Nexus. I really think I struck a nerve with you with the whole ” crying” bit because u seem mad. Do you get told this alot. HAHAHAHAHAHA Your a joke.
HAHA, wow, you’re an idiot. I have contacted the devs. I was just pointing something out that I encountered and thought of as a flaw to see if other people felt the same as I did. And I suggested a solution. What have you done to contribute besides attack people? That’s what these tech blog things are for: to comment and discuss on the topic at hand. But why would you know that? You’re an insecure moron who attacks people over the internet and says that they are “crying”. WOW SUCH A TOUGH GUY BEHIND THE KEYBOARD! Probably because you have such a feeble mind and a decrepit emotional system, so that’s your defense mechanism to make your lonely worthless self feel better. And what’s with the racial slurs? That just shows your idiocy and ignorance even more so than you already have. Phandroid should ban you. Oh, and it’s spelled “you’re” not “your.” But I don’t expect the daft tool that you are to know that. Say whatever you want, I’m not going to continue to waste any more of my time on a blundering loser like you.
there must be an option, because whenever i type a word that swype doesn’t “know” it asks “Add word to Dictionary?”
Maybe you have a different version than me. I have an EVO 4G and Swype is preinstalled since the Gingerbread update. I think the only way I can get a Swype update is if HTC or Sprint pushes an update, and the phone is too old that they won’t. I’m basically stuck with this version. When I was on Froyo, I could just uninstall Swype and install the latest version. I should have never upgraded to Gingerbread. I don’t have the latest version of Swype, and the launcher is constantly crashing and has to reload. I’ve also noticed that even though I have auto display brightness enabled, the screen brightness will randomly change itself to the max setting, and remove the auto option. But those are for another day.
root and throw a custom rom on thats probably one of the top 5 most well supported phones on XDA
Tell them to hurry. I was really starting to like swype on my old phone. no swype on GN is a bummer although I am starting to get decent at thumb pecking again.
How is Swype incompatible with ICS? I’ve been using it with TeamHackSung’s AOSP ICS builds (pre-alpha CM9) since November, and haven’t had a single issue with it.
I had CyanogenMod9 pre-alpha ICS running on my SGS. And the Swype Beta was running flawlessly.
Swype totally rocks once you get use to it and figure out its settings! I’ve been using Swype for a year on the old OG Droid and with the Nexus I feel totally lost without it…please Swype get it done!
Who needs swype when you have the default 4.0 keyboard (built from BlindType)…I’ve fallen in love with the new keyboard and don’t see myself changing it anytime soon!
Swype worked as soon as my manual update to ICS on my Nexus S was installed
Yeah, with out swype the stock keyboard is not so hot.
Just updated my Nexus S to ICS, and Swype works just fine. I guess it’s specifically an issue with the Galaxy Nexus, ICS, and Swype?
Probably not compatable with the large resolution. Or maybe the installer only accepts certain versions.
Yep. I tried to install the beta version on my nexus, and it specifically says the screen size is not supported. It also points to beta.swype.com/android/faq for a list of supported sizes.
Root your phone and rename Swype.apk in your system folder, and you’ll be able to install Swype again.
For people that havent rooted or hacked their phones, SlideIt is pretty decent equivalent. Been using it for the past 3 days and no issues. The add a word feature is nice too.
I’m using Swype on my Nexus S with CM9 Alpha 12 and it works perfectly. Maybe the problem is Nexus Prime not ICS.