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SwiftKey Beta - Makes typing faster and easier than ever?
Tested version: 1.0.492
Latest version: 1.1.91
Summary
Are you on the lookout for a keyboard that makes typing easier, but you’re fed up with apps like Swype and the like?
SwiftKey Beta may be the just the thing for you—it’s all about typing, but much faster.
Test video
Features & Use
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Basically, SwiftKey Beta is a keyboard which replaces the original Android keyboard, the differences being that this app “learns” a language and then functions like a T9 dictionary. So if you set the language to English, you’ll be given a choice of about three words for each word you start typing, and you choose the intended word accordingly. A space will automatically appear after you’ve selected the word and you can start typing the next one.
Not only does the app remember entire dictionaries, it also remembers in which sequence certain words are used. For instance, I often start messages to colleagues with “Hey”. SwiftKey knows this, so each time I want to start writing a new message the app suggests I begin with “Hey”. It also remembers recurring conjugations and in some cases it knows which case should follow a given conjugation.
After the app has been installed you’ll have to download a language module. You can then select “learn from sms” under Settings. SwiftKey Beta will then go through all the text messages in your inbox in order to learn words that aren’t included in the language module. This means that you can download the English language module and then write using slang or even in dialect. This is where the application’s strength lies, in my opinion: it’s very flexible and a fast learner (if you can say that about a phone app 
) when it comes to picking up new words or affectations. If the app doesn’t recognize a word, that word will appear in blue font in the suggestions field on the left. In order to save the word all you need do is click on the suggestion—voilà! I still remember setting up my T9 on my old Sony Ericsson—what a pain in the you-know-where, each word had to be saved individually, so that after about half a year I had finally put together my dictionary. It takes SwiftKey Beta about two minutes, and it keeps learning new words until your personalized dictionary is completed.
Bottom line:
This is definitely one of the most practical apps I’ve ever had. I can write much faster now and SwiftKey Beta has completely replaced the pre-installed keyboard.
Screen & Controls
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I’m guessing that I probably don’t have to go into detail about how one uses a keyboard, but here are my - hopefully helpful - observations. For all those of you out there looking to work with German umlauts (ä, ü, ö), or French or Spanish accents (e.g. é, è): you should know that one of the app’s weaker points is that you can’t define or narrow down the selection you are given when you press on a letter. This means that when you press on “a” eight different alternatives are shown, even if you’ve selected German as a language. It would make more sense to me if only an “a” and an “ä” were displayed. However, you can circumvent typing out the whole word by simply selection “a” instead of “ä”; in nine out of ten cases the app will get the word right anyway.
When you press the delete key using the preinstalled keyboard, letters are deleted and then entire words. I always found this to be quite annoying, as too much was being deleted. Even though SwiftKey Beta only deletes letters I wasn’t totally satisfied with it either. If there’s a longer bit of text that needs to be deleted it’s going to take some time. I would’ve appreciated an option that speeds up deleting if you’re pressing on the key a bit longer than you would when deleting just one or two letters.
I tested the app in English, French, and German, and, just as I expected, it works best when the language is set to English. This entire test review has been written using SwiftKey Beta, first of all because I’m on the go, but also because I wanted to find out just how useful this app really is. And the verdict is: it’s made typing a whole lot faster and easier. The only kink I’ve noticed is that there’s a greater risk that one might forget to use the space bar whilst typing.
You can download the different Language Modules under Settings and select the following options under Input Settings:
• Layout
• AutoComplete
• AutoAccept
• AutoCaps
• Acoustic Feedback
• Haptic Feedback
Layout refers to the type of keyboard; you can choose between QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY or QZERTY. Here are the links towards the Wikipedia articles on QWERTY and QWERTZ as well as AZERTY and QZERTY. I’m assuming that a lot of you will be wanting using the QWERTY keyboard as you’re used to that from your computers.
If you activate AutoComplete a suggestion will be made for the middle word as soon as you press on the space key. AutoAccept does the same thing, except that pressing on the space key always results in the middle word appearing, even if you haven’t begun typing yet. If you want your telephone to vibrate or make sounds while you’re typing check out the Acoustic Feedback and Haptic Feedback options.
Bottom line:
Great controls and really cool keyboard. A few more settings options would’ve been awesome, like being able to remove certain characters from the keyboard, but all in all I have to say hats off to you, SwiftKey Beta! Especially considering that this is the Beta version—imagine what’s still to come!
Speed & Stability
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Up until now I haven’t experienced any major issues aside from a bit of lagging. Using the app to write is really fun and easy.
Price/Performance Ratio
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The app can be downloaded free of cost from the Android Market.
Comparable Apps
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Aug 1, 2010 1:13:56 PM
The app looks good, but yet again I'm disappointed. The thing is that I'm constantly texting in Russian and English, so I need an app where you can switch seamlessly between keyboards and have the T9 dictionary automatically switch between Russian and English. Haven't found anything like it yet :(
Aug 1, 2010 10:24:27 PM
Alex, I think there are a lot of users out there who share your frustration, especially considering that you not only need to switch between dictionaries but also alphabets. Could you do us a favour and let us know (via a message in the forum, preferably) if ever you find an app that lives up to your expectations? We'd love to do a review on such an app :)
Aug 3, 2010 5:45:44 AM
Same thing here. I would like to have an app that can switch between German (actually it's Swiss German) and English!
Aug 6, 2010 8:02:03 PM
Why does it need access to SMS history, phone calls etc. Hate possible spyware?
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Market Comments
BillyD, Mar 21, 2011
actually not bad. Keys just too small & no option to keep caps on, on keyboard. That alone would help. SWITCHING back to BigButtons. Much Better.
t4c, Mar 21, 2011
Don't really like it this much. Sense keyboard does a better job. Used for some hundred short messages and let it learn much, no effort - german
Chivo. MEX. JAL, Mar 21, 2011
Very nice and easy to use. I was currently using swype but got annoyed with it. Just bought the full version, you must try it.
Danielle, Mar 21, 2011
after almost 30 days of messages this app still didnt recognize alot of the word i use frequently. It even went as far as change prty to orgy...akward
Jamie, Mar 20, 2011
One of my favorite apps. Awesome at prediction of what I want to type. Best keyboard I've used yet.
Rich, Mar 20, 2011
downloaded the 30 day trial 2 days ago, and now its expired. i keep coming back to swiftkey hoping its gotten better, but so far, nothing.
Byron, Mar 19, 2011
No prediction area shows up! And no predictions! It's just a plain keyboard! Uninstalling.
Marco, Mar 19, 2011
Its ok. It runs slow sometimes but hey its free i can wait. I would recommend this but only to those with the hard keyboard.
brk3, Mar 18, 2011
Nice keyboard but the prediction ended up annoying me more than anything. Gingerbread keyboard is much better and free
Margarita H.
Love it! Works well Droid Incredible..... it would be nice to access contacts in landscape mode.