No spell check... What?

[kj46969]

Coming from a blackberry, I cannot believe the G1 does not have spell check for email and text messaging. How do you have an email app on a phone come without spell check? It's hard enough to write any length of text on a small device, and to have to go back and manually check whether or not your finger slipped on the tiny keyboard and misspelled a word is just a pain. Come on Google, you even offer spelling suggestions on your search results!

 

[Cryptic79]

Something will become available. Either Google will release it in an Android update or some 3rd party will do it.

That being said, I don't trust spellcheck anyway. I always read what I type before sending.

 

[rogue6]

It would be nice if you could edit the auto-text library.

 

[punkzanyj]

Coming from a blackberry, I cannot believe the G1 does not have spell check for email and text messaging. How do you have an email app on a phone come without spell check? It's hard enough to write any length of text on a small device, and to have to go back and manually check whether or not your finger slipped on the tiny keyboard and misspelled a word is just a pain. Come on Google, you even offer spelling suggestions on your search results!

I've never had spell check on a phone. I just read as I type, don't look at the keys, look at the screen. That's how you improve your typing and then don't need spell check. It's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[Sundog]

Once again, the best way to appease people unhappy about this or that missing feature is probably NOT to tell them "you don't need it anyway".

Of course this is a silly omission in this day and age, and I'm someone who never needs or uses one.

 

[punkzanyj]

Once again, the best way to appease people unhappy about this or that missing feature is probably NOT to tell them "you don't need it anyway".

Of course this is a silly omission in this day and age, and I'm someone who never needs or uses one.

Sundog, I never signed up to "appease" anyone who's unhappy. Sometimes I think it's important to point out to people that getting "X" isn't the only solution.

Is spell check a nice thing to have? Sure, I have used it before. But a "silly omission" ? hardly.

You have to admit that being able to type eliminates any "need" for it. Typing is a skill, anybody can aquire it, and anybody can improve it. There's nothing insulting in suggesting someone can improve their skills.

Sometimes the solutions to our problems are literally in our hands. There's nothing wrong with pointing that out. Sometimes our high-tech problems have low-tech solutions. I'm not a luddite, but there is something to be said for being able to do for yourself instead of waiting for others to do for you.

Or am I wrong? Is tech the only realistic solution for every and any problem?

 

[Phases]

Well I for one would like spell and grammar check in an email application, I would quite appreciate it.

I'm not the best speller out there and it helps me get my learn on, and keeps me from showing everyone just how bad I really am.



Maybe even optionally for texting but honestly I'd just find that annoying. Often times I'm purposely shortening words because I'm working on a 160 char limit and have a lot to say. And in texts I'm far less insistent on having stuff spelled right anyway.

But, that's just Phases. Indeed I should, and do, take punks suggestion and try to improve my spelling inadequacies, but in the meantime....

 

[rogue6]

Sundog, I never signed up to "appease" anyone who's unhappy. Sometimes I think it's important to point out to people that getting "X" isn't the only solution.

Is spell check a nice thing to have? Sure, I have used it before. But a "silly omission" ? hardly.

You have to admit that being able to type eliminates any "need" for it. Typing is a skill, anybody can aquire it, and anybody can improve it. There's nothing insulting in suggesting someone can improve their skills.

Sometimes the solutions to our problems are literally in our hands. There's nothing wrong with pointing that out. Sometimes our high-tech problems have low-tech solutions. I'm not a luddite, but there is something to be said for being able to do for yourself instead of waiting for others to do for you.

Or am I wrong? Is tech the only realistic solution for every and any problem?

Typing != spelling

 

[Sundog]

Sundog, I never signed up to "appease" anyone who's unhappy. Sometimes I think it's important to point out to people that getting "X" isn't the only solution.

Is spell check a nice thing to have? Sure, I have used it before. But a "silly omission" ? hardly.

Whether you or I use a spellchecker has nothing to do with anything. For the record, I never use one; I don't misspell words. The person asked why a pretty common feature he was used to on his Blackberry isn't on this great new phone. As I said before, "you don't need it, learn to type" simply isn't an acceptable answer. A silly omission? Yes, absolutely, on a phone trying to compete at this level.

Again, we're looking at this from different points of view. To someone who DOES need a certain common tool and is asking "why isn't it there", I can hardly imagine a more irritating answer than "you don't need it anyway, learn to type". I think both of us are lucky enough not to work in sales, but any salesman would see the point immediately.

 

[natv]

Auto complete is actually something I'd like. I got used to that on Windows Mobile, if it guesses what I'm typing correctly (esp. if it's a long word) it's faster to just select that word than type the rest of it out.

Plus it gets spelled correctly.

 

[punkzanyj]

Whether you or I use a spellchecker has nothing to do with anything. For the record, I never use one; I don't misspell words. The person asked why a pretty common feature he was used to on his Blackberry isn't on this great new phone. As I said before, "you don't need it, learn to type" simply isn't an acceptable answer. A silly omission? Yes, absolutely, on a phone trying to compete at this level.

Again, we're looking at this from different points of view. To someone who DOES need a certain common tool and is asking "why isn't it there", I can hardly imagine a more irritating answer than "you don't need it anyway, learn to type". I think both of us are lucky enough not to work in sales, but any salesman would see the point immediately.

Common is debatable. There's no spellcheck on my T-Mobile Wing, not even in Word -- where you'd most expect it to be. Wasn't on any of the nokia's I've owned in the past, or the Motorola I chucked to get the Wing.

I think a lot of people get a phone they like, get used to the features on it, buy a new device, and then are shocked when their favorite features aren't there. They assume this is a mistake or a "silly omission". They assume this feature is "common" when in fact, it may not be. It's a phone, you should expect it to place calls and receive them, have a contact list, and text messaging application. Since this is a google phone, you should expect easy access to most of the popular google products..or special links in the browser to them.
Perhaps spellcheck should be common, but in my experience it isn't...and to be perfectly honest, if it is common, it's not being used!

 

[steventhebrabe]

The important point is that being a bad typist is not the same as being a bed speller. I can type very well but can't spell. So the solution isn't to become a better typist as I'm already good enough not to make typos. The solution is a spell checker.

 

[punkzanyj]

The important point is that being a bad typist is not the same as being a bed speller. I can type very well but can't spell. So the solution isn't to become a better typist as I'm already good enough not to make typos. The solution is a spell checker.

Spelling is part of typing. A bad speller, by necessity, is NOT a good typist. Just as someone who cannot stay in their lane cannot be considered a good driver.

Clearly you have NEVER taken a typing test for a job. Spelling mistakes count against you. You can't say "I type 60wpm" if all 60 of those words are misspelled. No one would hire you. So yes, being able to spell is, in fact, in reality, part of typing.

 

[DDV]

Well for what it's worth here is my opinion:

Not all of us have English as our first language, but most of our business corespondance these days are English. I had a HTC Touch before I got this "phone" it had auto correct and spell check, so way go backwards on a more advanced handset? I don't think that coming from the Touch it's so ridiculous to expect to find those same features on the "upgrade" handset.

If I wanted to get a phone just to dial and text with, I would definitely not go for this one, or a blackberry or any other PDA type phone, so in my most humble opinion, I believe that the phones we use today has moved on from just being phones, and fall more in the class of PDA's with dialing and texting capabilities.

Technology is there to improve quality of life and to assist us in doing day to day tasks, If you can't spell (like me) get spellcheck, if you can't lift a 10ton steel beam, get a crane.

This phone was sold with a lot of hype around it, I think it's very fair to expect certain "standard" htc features on it.

 

[steventhebrabe]

Spelling is part of typing. A bad speller, by necessity, is NOT a good typist. Just as someone who cannot stay in their lane cannot be considered a good driver.

Clearly you have NEVER taken a typing test for a job. Spelling mistakes count against you. You can't say "I type 60wpm" if all 60 of those words are misspelled. No one would hire you. So yes, being able to spell is, in fact, in reality, part of typing.

You're getting into semantics and avoiding the point. OK, fine, by your definition I am a bad typer. But then you said in your first post that looking at the screen as you type is the way to become a better typer. That will NEVER make me a better typer beyond a certain point without a spell checker indicting when I'm getting things wrong. So, yes, a spell checker is important.

 

[CRPercodani]

Ok well instead of bickering about whether it's needed or not how about I tell you how to get it. It's called HTC_IME and I will find the link for you in a minute, you will need a file browser or Apps Installer (on the market) to install it from your micro sd card. Once its installed go Menu>Settings>Locale&Text> then deselect Android keyboard and select Touch Input, under that click Touch Input (with the downwards arrow) and then click Text input, make sure you have the first 4 boxes checked. Now when you are in gmail or anything else touch the text field once or twice and you will get a black bar along the bottom of the screen which will auto correct and auto complete.

http://n0rp.chemlab.org/android/apps/HTC_IME.apk

 

[Shep]

Does the HTC_IME spell checker work on the Motorola Droid?

 

[VistaProp]

Search the market for "AdvTxt"

Advanced Text is lightweight text editor. Current features include Spell Check and QuickText

More info:
http://lxdroid.blogspot.com/2009/12/advtxt-spell-check-and-quicktext.html

 

[ecocentrik]

Please vote up this request to add spell check functionality to Android:

Issue 5758: Enhancement: Autocorrect/Predictive Text for Physical Keyboard Use - Project Hosting on Google Code

Issue 4939 - android - Support spell-checking when typing with the hardware keyboard - Project Hosting on Google Code

 

[punkzanyj]

You're getting into semantics and avoiding the point. OK, fine, by your definition I am a bad typer. But then you said in your first post that looking at the screen as you type is the way to become a better typer. That will NEVER make me a better typer beyond a certain point without a spell checker indicting when I'm getting things wrong. So, yes, a spell checker is important.

Uh, that's what they teach you in typing class. Look at screen, not at keyboard. And if you are looking at the screen, why would you need a spell checker, you'd be able to see the mistakes yourself as you are typing.

 

[WDHohl]

Punk: you're a buffoon.
I am typing this on my Droid and look only at the screen. That said, I can't spell words like, 'schedual' 'contaguous' 'comentator' not because of my inability to push keys accuratly, but becauce of my inability to spell corectly. You should appoligise to the people in this forum for being cantancorus and intentionally quarlsome. It's rude and so are you. And so is using spelling mistakes. At least I'm aware of my flaws and am activly working to combat my dyslexia and mask it with a spell checker. You should consider an introspective look at your social interactions and get a crowbar to remove your head from your heind end while you're climbing off your tower.

Done.

 

[aldaris]

Punk: you're a buffoon.
I am typing this on my Droid and look only at the screen. That said, I can't spell words like, 'schedual' 'contaguous' 'comentator' not because of my inability to push keys accuratly, but becauce of my inability to spell corectly. You should appoligise to the people in this forum for being cantancorus and intentionally quarlsome. It's rude and so are you. And so is using spelling mistakes. At least I'm aware of my flaws and am activly working to combat my dyslexia and mask it with a spell checker. You should consider an introspective look at your social interactions and get a crowbar to remove your head from your heind end while you're climbing off your tower.

Done.

and you revive a month and a half old thread to rant. niceeeee

 

[NexuSix]

Punk: you're a buffoon.
I am typing this on my Droid and look only at the screen. That said, I can't spell words like, 'schedual' 'contaguous' 'comentator' not because of my inability to push keys accuratly, but becauce of my inability to spell corectly. You should appoligise to the people in this forum for being cantancorus and intentionally quarlsome. It's rude and so are you. And so is using spelling mistakes. At least I'm aware of my flaws and am activly working to combat my dyslexia and mask it with a spell checker. You should consider an introspective look at your social interactions and get a crowbar to remove your head from your heind end while you're climbing off your tower.

Done.

Just wanted to note that the Google Nexus One (ATT 3G version) has spell check enabled by default and it is the best spell checker I have ever used. It is an active spell checker that works predictively no matter how bad I spell a word it gives me the correct option(s).

 

[steventhebrabe]

and you revive a month and a half old thread to rant. niceeeee

It might be a bit ranty but aldaris makes an important point also! A point missed by punk. To reiterate:

Some people make spelling mistakes not because they are not looking at what they are typing but because they don't know how to spell a word.

 

[InfoJester]

Please vote up this request to add spell check functionality to Android:

Issue 5758: Enhancement: Autocorrect/Predictive Text for Physical Keyboard Use - Project Hosting on Google Code

Issue 4939 - android - Support spell-checking when typing with the hardware keyboard - Project Hosting on Google Code

As both of these requests referred to predictive text functionality for hardware keyboards but many/most of the comments where regarding a retrospective spell checking facility, a new enhancement request, 10332, was opened specifically for the retrospective spell check. If you feel this is a priority (as I think many of you do) please pop over and your star.

Retrospective spell checking on all input fields as an OS feature (input device agnostic)