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SlideIT Keyboard – Why Type When You Can Slide?
Tested version: 4.5
Latest version: 6.0
Requires Android: from 2.2
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Summary
Many of you know and love Swype. The name speaks for itself: Swype literally allows you to enter words by swiping your fingers across the screen. Sounds great, but the problem is that it isn't so easy to get one's hands on Swype. The good news is that there are plenty of good – and sometimes great – alternatives out there—and SlideIT Keyboard is one of them. Let's take a closer look.
Features & Use
Section rating:
Test device: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Android version: 4.0.2
Mods: Root
After having downloaded the application an installation assistant guides you through the keyboard's configurations. SlideIT Keyboard supports several languages (45 language packs are currently available): download the ones you will be needing.
The assistant also explains how to activate the keyboard. Another cool option: you can add your contacts to the dictionary and then just swipe away to spell out your contacts' names.
SlideIT works quite nicely after this preliminary set-up has been taken care of, though you will of course have to develop a feel for swiping. Once you've gotten comfortable with it you will find that swiping words is a lot faster than spelling them out, provided, of course, that they are included in the application's dictionary. Words that aren't yet part of the dictionary can be typed out conventionally; they can then be incorporated into the app's glossary—to do so, simply hit the (+) on the left side of the display.
SlideIT supports speech-to-text hit the microphone symbol and start talkin'! Results are contingent on Google. For special symbols hit the '?123' symbol—you'll find four pages worth of characters here. Four buttons for the function 'Settings', 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Insert' are located in the word suggestion bar and can be used on a word via double click.
Let's move on to the application's settings, because this keyboard application harbours quite a few of them.
Go to 'Language & Dictionary' to select a language, links and abbreviations. This is where you can also add or delete language packs. I find the abbreviations option to be especially useful—for instance, enter 'AWHFY ' which then automatically turns into 'Are We Having Fun Yet?'. The app already features a lot of abbreviations and if ever you feel that some are missing you can simply add them to the bunch manually.
You can export/import your dictionary (in case you switch devices, for instance).
The application has a generous amount of available skins—there are currently 30 available from the Android Market.
There are plenty more settings options, including automated capitalisation, the maximal length of a sentence as displayed on the screen, vibration effects, acoustic feedback...
Check out the 'On-The-Fly' option if you which to configure word suggestions.
Bottom line:
SlideIT Keyboard is a user and newbie friendly keyboard that will simultaneously satisfy power users. It has a lot of settings options for advanced users, or users who simply like to configure keyboards according to their own preferences. Overall we are very satisfied with SlideIT.
Screen & Controls
Section rating:
Setting up and using SlideIT Keyboard is relatively simple. It's takes a moment to get used to, but once you've gotten a feel for swiping you will find that it it really is a time saver.
The SlideIT graphics per se won't blow your skirt up, but you can spice things up by downloading some of the skins. The Gingerbread skin has a classic Android look to it.
Speed & Stability
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SlideIT Keyboard runs very fluidly and word suggestions pop up without any delays. The app is pretty sturdy overall.
Price/Performance Ratio
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Seeing as it's our app of the week, SlideIT Keyboard is currently on sale for only EUR 1,97, which is a good deal, and one we would ordinarily award a higher rating. However, this is a limited offer—the app usually goes for EUR 4,50, which is a bit hefty.
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SlideIT Keyboard
SlideIT keyboard is an excellent tool for entering text, replacing your touchscreen (...)
SlideIT keyboard is an excellent tool for entering text, replacing your touchscreen (...)
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SlideIT Keyboard
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Market Comments
A Google User, May 15, 2013
I miss the previous version I loved the previous version. It worked great and always picked the right word. The latest version is very buggy on my galaxy s ii. It defaults to the wrong word most of the time. Most annoying are off instead of and too instead of to. Also if I don't catch it right away when it picks the wrong word and try to go back and change it later, after I click on the correct word, SlideIT will experience an error and shut down the program I'm in completely and I have to start all over. I have switched back to Swype
A Google User, May 14, 2013
Shortcut fuction is great! If the keyboard had a dedicated numbers row, I would give 5 stars.
A Google User, May 14, 2013
THIS IS THE REAL DEAL not some sw... rubbish "turn off diacritics" function!!! Yaaaaaay! tested, works. thank you so much! ...I will update the review further after a few weeks of use.
A Google User, May 13, 2013
What happened? This was by far my favorite app until the recent update. I don't normally write reviews but I'm SO disappointed since the update I have to say something! I'm spending more time fixing the incorrect words than ever. Also, when I type a word (not slide) it should not auto-correct like it does when I slide. Huge agrivation! Please, please fix my favorite app!
A Google User, May 13, 2013
Great when it functions properly! About every third word I attempt to slide, I feel a vibration before I finish sliding the word and the trail stops following my finger. This results in either a nonsense word or ???. Wish I would've stayed with Lite version. HTC Incredible.
A Google User, May 12, 2013
Not great.going back to Swype OK. I tried this.bought it in fact as my first purchased app. Frankly it sucks. After 6 months I'm returning to Swype which is accurate, fast.
A Google User, May 11, 2013
This app This keyboard keeps on freezing on my I have to restart my phone everytime
A Google User, May 11, 2013
It's ok Decent keyboard, but can be slow to use. Takes too long to process each swipe. Accuracy doesn't seem to have gotten any better since version 1.
A Google User, May 10, 2013
Love the different styles Also this is more accurate and reliable than the isolated swype I was using.
A Google User, May 10, 2013
Much better than S4 default kb More accurate, and better voice input interface.
A Google User, May 9, 2013
Awesome about the sample while back works great for a while now with the new update I can't even get to download on my phone
A Google User, May 9, 2013
Great but... *Fix your user-permissions*!!!! Get rid of full network access, USB storage, phone status and identity! Other than that, its way way better than swype. Love how you can delete words, change the size of the keyboard, and change the long-press duration. I'm only not giving it 5 stars because after coming from the trial version, it deletes all your settings. This is pretty freaking annoying, tho it doesn't take long (a few days) to get it back how I wanted. Seems like something they could easily fix tho. Also, I wish I could figure out how to write possessive words like "corey's" easier. And I wish I could type the colon in numeric mode without longpress. I'd suggest moving the colon key somewhere else - like swapping it with the question mark.
A Google User, May 8, 2013
Stopped working after years I loved this keyboard for years, it crashed the other day and stopped loading so I'm deleting
A Google User, May 8, 2013
Not the best replacement keyboard Glitchy and does'nt load sometimes. Also word predictions are way off. Auto completes the wrong word way too often.maybe i dont know how to use it. Def get the trial version first.
does buying an app make sence?