Fleksy's Predictive Touch Keyboard Comes to iOS Apps with New Developer Tools

[macduke]

So basically you just want iOS to become Android.

Go buy an Android device and leave the Apple gear to those of us who like it.

Yikes—so you're implying that making iOS better makes it Android? If you say so, but I kindly disagree. I prefer to not have tons of security vulnerabilities, second-rate apps, advertisers tracking my every move and iPhone knockoff designs. But if you want that stuff then by all means go for it! Just a bunch of fandroids trying to get people to buy their inferior products, jeeze.

I don't think it's unreasonable to want some customization and feature improvements. Believe it or not, people are doing more and more actual work on their iOS devices. I'll admit that the keyboard isn't a deal breaker for me, but better file management certainly is—especially on the iPad where content creation is starting to take off for designers, artists, photographers, musicians and more. And there are certainly some better 3rd party mail clients available that I'd like to use instead of the default app. Believe it or not, Mac OS and iOS are slowly converging. They'll eventually meet somewhere in the middle, or as close to the middle as they can get while still retaining their respective methods of input. I was one of the only people in 2010 saying that I thought the iPad was going to be used for content creation. Everyone laughed it off and said it's only for consumption because it's a big iPod Touch. Some people even tow that line today despite the growing number of people using it for other tasks. I said within 5 years of launch it would start replacing a lot of traditional tasks done on laptops—and I still think that's true, especially for creative professionals with the rumors of an iPad Pro in the works for next year.

And how can anyone knock improving the weather in notification center? Half the time it doesn't even show the current temperature. What happened to the at a glance current conditions and weekly forecast? And who wouldn't want a widget to track sports scores or the ability to swap out control center items? For instance, instead of Airplane Mode which I rarely use, I'd love to have a switch to turn on Tethering instead as I use that quite often. But you guys are right, iOS should have never progressed. We should just remove control center because that's only a geeky feature. Maybe we should go back to the black home screens with no customization at all. We shouldn't even be able to organize our apps into folders—or hell—why even be able to move our apps around to begin with? 1.0 didn't do that. I know because I was standing in line on June 29, 2007 and it didn't have it. I mean that was pretty Android of them to add those features amirite?

Get it through your heads: Progress ≠ Android

Apple's software implementation is almost always better. Just because Android has some half-baked feature added into their OS doesn't mean Apple's implementation will be terrible too. It usually means the opposite, except for maybe a few of their services like maps which are slowly improving. Whatever Apple does it will be a more streamlined approach that doesn't confuse the basic user and keeps things simple on the surface. These are the computers of the future, get used to it, they're going to be getting a ton of new features to enable more work to be done on them.

 

[swm]

I like this!!

This is one area Android has iOS beat hands down. You can go download a myriad of different keyboards and try them out anytime you want. iOS you're stuck with Apple's keyboard no matter what.

well, i don't need many keyboards, i just need one that works.

 

[StyxMaker]

huh? both swype and swiftkey are much better than the apple keyboard. sounds like you haven't really spent the time to even really use it.

For you they may be better. I found the Swype keyboard to be completely useless. I would, however, love to be able to switch to the FITALY keyboard on my iPhone.

 

[hansonjohn590]

So basically you just want iOS to become Android.

In case you hadn't noticed, it's been heading that way for a while now.

 

[brooklynoid]

Fleksy is flaky

Just tried this app. You have to download language before predictive keyboard starts to work. The problem is that the download doesn't work and even if 100% downloaded the app is not responding. Without the keyboard it is just another notes app. I was hoping for a little help when I am typing in the subway with one hand but so far no luck. Beware of unfinished product.

 

[Renzatic]

So basically you just want iOS to become Android.

Not exactly. But iOS leveraging some of Android's stronger feature wouldn't hurt anybody.

 

[Gasu E.]

But for me, a much more useful feature would be an auto correct capability that can combine two different languages, such as english and spanish. Auto correct is absolutely useless for me, as I type half my messages in english and half in spanish. With it on, every time I type a spanish message, it auto changes to some english word. I've had to retype a word that i correctly typed seven or eight times because it kept changing it.... until I just give up and turn the feature off.

Having an autocorrect that operates in two languages simultaneously is unrealistic, as you are eliminating most of the context the algorithm relies on. It's also a niche use case. The best you could hope for would be an extremely simple way to pre-emptively suspend autocorrect on a word by word basis.

 

[3goldens]

great looking gal though!

 

[Oletros]

Having an autocorrect that operates in two languages simultaneously is unrealistic, as you are eliminating most of the context the algorithm relies on. It's also a niche use case. The best you could hope for would be an extremely simple way to pre-emptively suspend autocorrect on a word by word basis.

Tell that to Swiftkey and its autocorrection in three languages simultaneously, using it with Spanish, Catalan and English at the same time without worrying to change any setting

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But for me, a much more useful feature would be an auto correct capability that can combine two different languages, such as english and spanish. Auto correct is absolutely useless for me, as I type half my messages in english and half in spanish. With it on, every time I type a spanish message, it auto changes to some english word. I've had to retype a word that i correctly typed seven or eight times because it kept changing it.... until I just give up and turn the feature off.

Swiftkey keyboard

 

[bb-15]

Good. I use WriteRoom on iPad which has cursor left and right keys. It makes a vast difference to productivity.

On my iPad I use a Zaggfolio cover that includes a keyboard with arrow keys. I use it a lot including right now.

But thanks for the tip about WriteRoom. I just downloaded it from the App Store and it looks like a useful tool.

* Edit about Writeroom; On the iPad App the keyboard has arrow keys, very useful.
- With WriteRoom on the iPhone, unfortunately there are no arrow keys for the keyboard.
It's too bad because if there had been Arrow keys on the iPhone App it would've been my default notetaking program.
* 2nd Edit; I found a (new) simple note taking iPhone App that has arrow keys called Arrow Note.
Not great but I think it may be okay (I'm still on iOS 6 so I don't know how compatible the app is on iOS 7).

 

[kensic]

OMG Is this for real?

people soon will not know how to spell anymore.

horrible idea.

 

[C DM]

Video...

So awful... (despite being filmed in my neighbourhood)

feel ill...

must never ever use this.

Edit: OK, I tried out the demo app. Doesn't seem all that different to the built in keyboard, except that it speaks words to you as you type and adds swipe gestures to choose alternate suggestions. The keys are also a bit larger and a lot bolder than the built in keyboard.

Accuracy at recognising dictionary words was good. Maybe even slightly better than Apple's built in keyboard. However, it failed to automatically learn custom words like my name, which was annoying. Even after typing it carefully several times it would keep correcting it to something silly

So let me get this straight, I have to mistype every letter I'm tapping to use this app?

Just when my reliance on auto-correct was at an all time low.

Fsnb.

I believe the main idea is that you basically don't have to pay attention to the keyboard--you type as you typically would but without worrying that here and there you would mistype a letter and need to delete it, or you can even type without really paying close attention (or even looking at the keyboard or phone at all) and essentially just tap in the vicinity of where the letter you want is typically located on the keyboard and you should still come out with what you actually wanted to type in the end.

 

[acarney]

That ad was so bad. I am not any closer to knowing what it was and have no desire for it.

Horrible ad! I can't believe they would put together such a professional looking at without anyone stopping and saying "Wait, shouldn't we actually show how this works..."

I like the idea, I like that it might improve your typing when glancing away or something but man that ad is so bad I don't really believe it works very well, or has huge lag or something, so I'll wait for a better demo of it.

 

[C DM]

Horrible ad! I can't believe they would put together such a professional looking at without anyone stopping and saying "Wait, shouldn't we actually show how this works..."

I like the idea, I like that it might improve your typing when glancing away or something but man that ad is so bad I don't really believe it works very well, or has huge lag or something, so I'll wait for a better demo of it.

Yup, too much ad, not enough product or anything of actual value really.

There are various other Fleksy videos that do a better job, even a similar one that is less of a staged ad that doesn't have much to do with the product and more of a newsbit type of ad seems to be quite a bit better: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhzHyHLIg4g

 

[yinz]

So custom keyboards are coming. I guess Apple heard customers.

The ability to tailor your device to your needs is a very attractive idea to me.

This is an interesting statement. On one hand, I see your point in personalizing your device, but on the other hand, I can see why a 'locked-down' model would be ideal.

The idea of 'iOS for everyone' is an interesting concept because people might feel that they lose their individuality. However, I feel that it adds to the overall ease of use of the device. The major selling factor (I believe) for iOS is that anyone, 3 years old or 60 years old, can just pick up an iOS device and use it. The buttons are always in the same place, and the menus are always in the same place. The icons for music, video, internet, always look the same (until now).

I think this locked-down model is an advantage because it provides this ease of use. By being boring, Apple is sacrificing 'customizability' for 'ease of use'.

In this sense, I do feel that if you would rather have that type of customization, you really should move to Android. I mean, what's the point of staying with iOS if you don't like it. Android seems to do everything you (not you specifically, but these people that love customization) require it to.

 

[Tknull]

Having an autocorrect that operates in two languages simultaneously is unrealistic, as you are eliminating most of the context the algorithm relies on. It's also a niche use case. The best you could hope for would be an extremely simple way to pre-emptively suspend autocorrect on a word by word basis.

Is it context it is relying on, or just merely an expanded vocabulary/word list. I've never seen auto-correct change a phrase or more than just one word. I have only seen it change one word to a different word. If that's all it is, then just having it recognize all the vocabulary words of both languages is nothing at all (heck, no different than using pages or word and telling it to learn a word and add it to the dictionary so that it knows it in the future).

 

[brinary001]

So basically you just want iOS to become Android.

I hate to tell you this my friend, but it's already happening. For the record, he wasn't saying iOS and android should just synonymously morph, or one become the other, etc. Just that iOS could learn a thing or two from Android still. But as far as the plethora of security holes, that crazy UI that just gets even crazier when third-party companies add their own nonsense UI layers on top (Samsung's Touchwhiz, HTC's Sense, etc.), and major functionality buttons being built into the software instead of tangible or capacitive ones, yea you can keep all that.

 

[PadreQuevedo]

Swiftkey is #1.

 

[Vodka]

dayumn, those ad people have serious problems with text input

 

[yoz-y]

I thought the AD was fun, can't imagine the typing without seeing a keyboard being useful though

The ad is horrible, but the original concept (some years ago, actually) was mentioning it being targeted at people who can not see well or at all. The keyboard speaks every word you type so you can actually not look at it at all.

Maybe use it in your pocket when it is cold outside as well? The concept is really interesting and it changes from keyboards that just try to be different.

 

[mungo2k]

But for me, a much more useful feature would be an auto correct capability that can combine two different languages, such as english and spanish. Auto correct is absolutely useless for me, as I type half my messages in english and half in spanish. With it on, every time I type a spanish message, it auto changes to some english word. I've had to retype a word that i correctly typed seven or eight times because it kept changing it.... until I just give up and turn the feature off.

You can do this easily: I do this with English and German. Just add a new keyboard language: this produces a "world" button on your keyboard allowing you to easily flip between languages. The spell checker language is tied to the keyboard language.

I would like to see a choice of autocomplete words above the keyboard, as I've seen on android phones. I'd like also to be able to use T9 predictive text. Even after about 4 years of iPhone use, if I ever get hold of a T9 phone, I can use it very quickly and automatically. It bemuses me why Apple never incorporated any proper prediction into their keyboard - it can't be that computationally intensive, since $20 Nokia phones can do it...

One of my favorite ever phone keyboards was on my old HTC Touch, it was blackberry-eqsue, with one button for two letters, and auto-prediction was very good at working out the correct word, but you could swipe one way or the other to force each letter, and swipe up and down for other things such as capitals and numbers. It was very quick.

Finally I wild like to see a programming/productivity keyboard option, which has the numbers on the same keyboard as the letters. Trying to code or interact with a terminal on an iPad is extremely painful.

 

[ChrisCW11]

Awesome

As Apple has had ZERO innovation in terms of their on screen keyboard over the last 7 iOS versions. It has about the worst predictive capabilities of any mobile device I have used ( I mean you have to type 90% of a word before it figures it out, vs 1 - 2 characters from Android), and it is just simply frustrating to use. This is one area where Apple has to stop "thinking differently" and look at how their competitors have made on screen keyboard typing faster, more efficient, and more accurate over generations rather then sticking with a broken feature generation after generation. This is one area where Apple is not "better" then anything, on screen typing on an iPhone is absolutely horrid, if you like it then you have not used any other device for on screen typing, ever.

 

[FirstNTenderbit]

So custom keyboards are coming. I guess Apple heard customers.



This is an interesting statement. On one hand, I see your point in personalizing your device, but on the other hand, I can see why a 'locked-down' model would be ideal.

The idea of 'iOS for everyone' is an interesting concept because people might feel that they lose their individuality. However, I feel that it adds to the overall ease of use of the device. The major selling factor (I believe) for iOS is that anyone, 3 years old or 60 years old, can just pick up an iOS device and use it. The buttons are always in the same place, and the menus are always in the same place. The icons for music, video, internet, always look the same (until now).

I think this locked-down model is an advantage because it provides this ease of use. By being boring, Apple is sacrificing 'customizability' for 'ease of use'.

In this sense, I do feel that if you would rather have that type of customization, you really should move to Android. I mean, what's the point of staying with iOS if you don't like it. Android seems to do everything you (not you specifically, but these people that love customization) require it to.

Nice counterpoint. Not one I agree with, but nice nonetheless. IMO that point of view breaks down after the device has been purchased. Ease of use: Straight out of the box it's all the same. Everyone knows where everything is and how to use it. GREAT. As I start to add apps, I realize app X handles my email better, app Y does better mapping, or app Z gives me a better browsing experience. <-- Here's where my wish of customization comes in. If my user experience is enhanced by apps X,Y, and Z, I would like for those apps to be my default apps. Once I buy the device, what I want it to do and how I want it to function should, in my idealized world, be up to me. Some would argue that Apple keeps us from changing defaults because what we choose may not fully integrate into iOS deeper systems, thus degrading the experience. Balderdash. If I am not using the stock apps why do I care if my preferences, as an example, don't communicate with Siri?

"iOS for everyone" (I really like that, you should get a copyright before Samsung). It's a great concept and great philosophy. IMO it would be even greater if it morphed into "iOS for me" when I took my purchase home.

Red portion of your comment: I wish that mentality would go away. Nowhere in my quote can you find a reference that I don't like iOS. Constructive criticism and negativity aren't the same thing. Wanting something you like to improve (opinion) doesn't mean you don't like it. It means you want it to be better... for you.

I've said it before and it's appropriate here: iOS and Android are not all-or-nothing propositions. It is possible to see the advantages/disadvantages of both and base your decisions on personal use case and not group think.

My kit and a few reasons why:
GS3 - Default app options, screen size, storage expansion. This phone conformed to my specific needs and wants. Not the other way around. Main go to device. Has to operate my way. iPhone did not meet any of those requirements. It's a great phone; just doesn't meet my needs.

iPad2 - Does everything well. 99.99% consumption device. Family shared access. No need for customization. I've tried others, and for my family, iPad can't be beaten.

MBA - Not iOS

Multiple PC's - Not iOS.

My tag says it best for me. Also apologies for length

 

[Benguitar]

I personally see no reason as to why I would want to use this service, frankly I think it promotes bad spelling and lazy typing.

Nice idea, but I think it isn't very practical.

 

[derek4484]

I've yet to like an android keyboard though. I'd rather be stuck with something good than have sub-par options

I had two Android phones prior to getting my iphone 5 and after finally giving up my original iPhone 2G, and I found several good Android keyboards. Actually the stock Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard was very good. I liked it a lot. After ditching my HTC Rezound and going with the iphone 5, the poor iOS keyboard was the first thing I noticed. Very hard to type with. I spend more time fixing stuff than I do typing.

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well, i don't need many keyboards, i just need one that works.

True, but there are many that work very nicely on Android, and not everybody likes the same things. Having a variety to choose from and then picking the one you like the best and works the best for you, is a very nice feature. Like some people love the swype keyboards. I couldnt stand them. But there's millions that love them and are excellent at using them. Why is variety seen as such a negative thing?