8pen

[triviadave]

Don't know if anyone has seen this app, but it looks quite interesting. Typing is one thing I struggle with on my Milestone, and this sounds like it might work quite well once you have got past the learning phase.

8pen

If anyone does pick it up please can they let me know if it is any good, as Motorola haven't seen fit to update the Milestone to 2.2 in the UK yet, I can't try it.

 

[lexluthor]

Looks crazy. I can't see that being an effective way of typing, but I'm curious to see what people think once they try it out.

Here's the video embedded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo&feature=player_embedded

 

[b.kim]

this is pointless in my opinion. it's too complicated and takes longer to type any sentence. Swype > 8Pen. fail.

 

[mcnutty]

I definitely want to try it. Should be available later today.

 

[KlaymenDK]

Custom strokes for preprogrammable text entry!
Timing adjustment for sp

 

[bagged00]

i just downloaded it, its not to bad. pretty easy to use just need to learn where the letters are. i think it looks hard, but once you learn the letters, i can see how itll be faster.

 

[GrdLock]

I just downloaded it myself. Gonna try it out for a week or so and see how I like it.

 

[CartOverlord]

i would pay for swype if they have me the option, but now i will buy 8pen instead. sorry swype
*edit* my mind is blown

 

[andygu3]

Looks pretty cool might have to try, I'm using Swiftkey right now and it's pretty nice too. I agree, a trial version might be nice just to give it a try

 

[Szadzik]

Thank God for physical QWERTY keyboard on my Milestone! I would commit a suicide before I actually learning how to type using these.

 

[BY724]

Used the barcode off the site from my Eris (KaosFroyo 35.1) and it said the requested item could not be found.

 

[sherri]

Thank God for physical QWERTY keyboard on my Milestone! I would commit a suicide before I actually learning how to type using these.

Thought I was the only one who felt that way! Now I can tell my kids! (Actually, I just upgraded my 18 year old's phone from the Razr (Yikes!) to the Droid 2. She wanted the physical keyboard!)

 

[Maris]

Well I'm trying it out now and I'm not sure what I think. I can see typing words will eventually speed up as I learn where the letters are, but for typing numbers I think it's a fail. It takes much longer to swirl around to get a number in a position other than the first one on the list than to just hit it on a keyboard.

Word prediction is pretty similar to most quality keyboards, but the version I got from the market was missing the microphone. They advertised it with a microphone for TTS, so not sure what's up with that.

I think I'll probably not keep it, but return to SwiftKey which I've been using since I got disillusiioned with Swype after the last upgrade.

 

[sherri]

My favorite keyboard is Smart Keyboard Pro (For what it's worth!)....

 

[Ngo93]

Downloaded it, seems like it'd take me a long time to actually become proficient at this. Memorizing where all the letters are is gonna be tough. I'll keep using this as my main input method though, I wanna get good at it!

 

[Syrenz32]

Used the barcode off the site from my Eris (KaosFroyo 35.1) and it said the requested item could not be found.

Try appbrain: 8pen - Android app on AppBrain

I'm interested in this, but waiting for some reviews to surface.

 

[mightymax]

It should really be free. 24h is not enough for it to win me round - which it really has to do. I'm not convinced at all upon first impression, it seems like there's a steep learning curve and the whole time I'm very aware that I have to cancel my order soon if I'm to get a refund.

 

[Szadzik]

Thought I was the only one who felt that way! Now I can tell my kids! (Actually, I just upgraded my 18 year old's phone from the Razr (Yikes!) to the Droid 2. She wanted the physical keyboard!)

Too true. Physical QWERTY keyboards rule.

 

[doublee22]

Does not show up in market. AppBrain just sends me to the market which does not have the app. What is causing this? (Phone = At&t Samsung Captivate)

 

[sal_shawn]

this is pointless in my opinion. it's too complicated and takes longer to type any sentence. Swype > 8Pen. fail.

I am interested in trying it but I would have to agree with what I saw in the video.

 

[firechicken]

Heres a daily tech article on it

DailyTech - Keyboard Optimized for Mobile Launches Today

 

[triviadave]

Too true. Physical QWERTY keyboards rule.

Having had two Windows Mobile devices with hardware keyboards and handwriting recognition, and now using a Motorola Milestone I have to say my preferred method of text entry on a phone is probably a T9 keypad followed by handwritten, the only problem is that holding a stylus for long periods of time kills the fingers.

I haven't really found either a software or hardware keyboard that I really like. Finding the right punctuation mark or number always takes too long, or the keys are too small and fiddly (or in the case of the Milestone, too flat).

I found picking up the different ways to right different letters with handwriting reconition to be relatively straightforward, and meant typing was quick and easy, althought not really possible to do whilst walking (unlike the T9 keypad). This sounds like (after the learning period) texting while walking will again be possible, and I won't have to hope that I hit the right key enough for the predictive text to correctly identify the word I am trying to type.

I am looking forward to trying it out as soon as possible.

 

[Hiquin]

I've never tried swipe.. I gave 8pen a try today.. did NOT like it.. returned it after trying to type with it for 30 minutes.
I then put swype on and realized that THIS is what single handed typing is supposed to be line on a mobile! in portrait mode anyways. love it!(swype, not 8pen...)

 

[CartOverlord]

just wait till your swype trial expires

 

[MisterMixelpix]

I'm writing this post with the thing, and it really does take a wile to get the hang of, but I'm slowly getting there.

Will it replace Swype? I doubt it, but the idea has potential.

Unfortunately, it's crippled by the "rotary phone" problem in that you need these big movements for some letters.