Swype becomes smarter in latest update, now a ‘four-in-one’ keyboard
Swype, the keyboard application made famous for its once-unique swiping gesture input, is receiving one of its biggest updates to date, in no small part thanks to the acquisition of the company by Nuance last year. The latest edition of the software keyboard is being dubbed a “four-in-one” input method and has more brains than ever thanks to the inclusion of Nuance’s XT9 technology.
Predictive text capabilities are enhanced by new voice-text dictionary syncing, which will add every new word a user inputs with Swype to their personal dictionary, with Swype adding the word to its vocabulary immediately in both text and speech modes. The dictionary can be further built up by allowing Swype to comb over texts and emails to gain a better understanding of the way individual users type.
While Swype still makes its name with its namesake swiping input, three other input modes round out the new “four-in-one” tag. Users can input text in a more traditional manner by tapping each individual letter, press a Dragon button to call up speech input, or draw individual characters using their fingertip. All is improved by the ever-learning predictive text input technology of XT9.
There is more in the latest version of Swype, including expanded language support, all of which gives Swype a new edge in the predictive software keyboard department. Check out the press release below for more info.
Nuance Launches Next Generation Swype
Swype’s New Living, Learning Keyboard Gets Smarter Every Time You Use It
Burlington, Mass. – June 20, 2012 – Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced the next-generation Swype keyboard, a four-in-one keyboard that is a revolutionary step forward in the way people communicate and input text on their mobile devices. Swype now combines touch and voice input with unique adaptive capabilities to understand users’ preferences over time – becoming smarter and more personalized every time they swype, speak, tap and write.
Staying connected has never been more exciting as Swype provides consumers with more choice in how they input text, and now interprets a user’s personal language style – ultimately providing an amazingly fast, flexible, and accurate experience. New features include:
· Next Word Prediction: Swype’s next word prediction is amazingly intelligent as Nuance has integrated capabilities from its renowned XT9 portfolio. Swype gets smarter based on historical usage, so prediction becomes more accurate with each use.
· Voice-Text Dictionary Syncing: Swype now includes a personal dictionary. Every new word a user enters on the keyboard gets added to their personal dictionary for speech and text, and you can even have Swype learn from emails, texts and posts. These updates are then mapped into Swype’s unified language model, so people can immediately speak or write that same word no matter how unique or specialized.
· Language Downloads: Swypers everywhere can communicate in any language they speak, as Swype now supports the download of over 55 languages right from the device.
· Four-in-One Keyboard: Swype now delivers a four input modalities in one keyboard. People can swype from letter to letter; type rapidly with predictive text input powered by XT9; speak their text naturally through a fully integrated Dragon button; or, simply write letters, words and symbols using their fingertip. Further, users can switch back and forth between modalities on the fly – providing the ultimate in keyboard personalization.
“People use their keyboards every day in every way – so input needs to be fast and simple,” said Michael Thompson, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile. “The new Swype living, learning keyboard ushers in a new era of input, where the keyboard adapts to the users’ unique way of communicating every time they swype, speak, tap or write.”