Re: 8pen input device

I used this for about two months. I'm switching back to a normal (dvorak
layout) keyboard now for my Droid phone.

The concept is noble but there are some flaws that make daily use quite a
hindrance.

Passwords: if you use their recommended typing method where you return to
center but don't lift your finger in order to continue your word, then lift
your finger when the word is done so that it can enter a space, the program
still does this for password fields. Thus, with a space on the end of the
password, it's wrong and if you didn't notice that the dots got one dot
larger it sometimes takes a few tries to realize what's going on.

Passwords: Many passwords require numeric characters, but the method to get
to numerics sometimes won't trigger in the middle of a word so you have to
let go (insertting a space as above) backspace and then press the numeric
button to get the numerics and type them in.

The keyboard can be really hard to see what you're doing because you have to
keep your finger over the lower part of the display, but there's an option
to show the keyboard also at the top of the display while you're typing, but
when you use it, often you can't see what you're typing as the display on
the top is doubling over it.

Even after two months, I'm still slow as all hell. In fact, what made me
change my mind - the final tipping point - was that my Mom sent me a text, I
was trying to send back a short text - maybe 12 letters total and it took me
so long that I just got done putting it in and my Mom called me because I
had not responded. (Rightfully so - she was trying to make sure I was up in
time to not miss a flight because I asked her to check in case I had alarm
clock problems.)

The letter layout might be optimized for "swirly motions" but it is FAR from
intuitive. I still can't tell you where the letters are when I need them. I
thought some on this and I think that this would be one of the major
advantages of something like Swype over 8pen.

Predictive text (the little text helpers that pop up over words as you type
so you can use them to finish the words) is unusable. You have to lift your
finger to press a predictive text word, but lifting your finger ends the
word, causing the predictive text to stop. This is an increased problem by
the next fact:

There is no backspace while writing a word. You can cancel a letter in
progress, but if you make a letter mistake, you have to end the word before
you can attempt to correct the letter. This often results in the predictive
text choosing different words, one being defaulted that is different than
you intended and when you lift your finger, you get a completely wrong word
typed that you have to completely back out and try again.

In conclusion, the idea sounds good on paper. (Or youtube) But I can't
recommend it to anyone.

Kind of like screening by the TSA.

--Keith

On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 01:45, Eduard Werner/Edward Wornar <[email protected]
> wrote:

> **
>
>
> On Monday 09 May 2011 07:59:09 Keith Ratliff wrote:
> > I think it looks interesting. Ill install it and try it out. Thought I
> > don't text often.
>
> Could you post your experience when you've tried it out, please? My killer
> features would be customization for other languages and unicode support -
> can
> I input šćł and friends?
>
> Edi
>
>
> > --Keith
> >
> > On Sun, May 8, 2011 at 22:53, Shane Duan <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Simplified gesture, it actually sounds interesting. The only question
> is
> > > that are those skill easy to learn, and are they easy to forget unless
> > > you use your phone to type like a teenager?
> > >
> > > -- Shane
> > > http://www.shaneduan.com
> > >
> > > On Sun, May 8, 2011 at 10:18 PM, Aroleon Grunow <
> [email protected]
> > >
> > > >wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Anyone seen this?
> > > >
> > > > http://www.the8pen.com/
> > > >
> > > > My immediate reaction is "eewwwwww...", and I don't have an Android
> to
> > > > try it on, but I'd be interested in what other people think.
> > > >
> > > > cheers,
> > > >
> > > > aroleon
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >
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> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


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