Hands-On Installation and Usage of TouchPal's Gesture Keyboard for iOS 8

[jsmith189]

I do love the swype functionality. My ONLY issue is when the developers require you to press the space bar as well, THAT'S when it seems unintuitive. The thing I love about swype is you can just do the word, lift your finger and move onto the next (at least, that's how it was in the brief period of insanity I had moving to the Note II). Having to stop to press space every time, I may as well just type as normal because it slows the whole process down. I don't MIND having to have them as apps, but of course it would be better to have the install move directly to your settings.

 

[LightSwitch]

Keyboard great... But what about mouse?

I wish apple would release Bluetooth mouse support for applications such as Citrix and Rdp clients. This is a big feature which would see enterprise customers jump on the ipad for vdi (virtual desktop) solutions.

 

[thatoneguy82]

always thought this was a great demo video of a swipe keyboard

YouTube: video

it's probably coming to iOS 8 too.

https://www.macrumors.com/2014/01/11/new-ios-swiping-keyboard-capable-of-120wpm-speeds/

That guy is ridiculously fast. Looks almost fake. I wonder if the iOS implementation would allow for something like this; rather, if it is possible to do so.

 

[jm001]

it will be VERY interesting to see what developers come up with in regards with everything (not just keyboards) can't wait...now just need to decide whether to get the 5.5 or 4.7

If you have giant hands and pockets then 5.5, but for the rest of us 4.7 is the way to go.

As for the keyboard I'm liking how you can rearrange the order of keyboards according to your preference in Settings and quickly access the keyboards from the globe icon.

 

[justinhu8]

Just create a folder labelled extensions with all these apps dumped inside? I see myself doing this quite often. Like downloading four different camera apps just so I can use their extensions inside the stock camera app.

Just dump it in to the folder with the crApple apps

 

[bearda]

Even if you don't like swype-like input there are still a lot of reasons to be interested in third party keyboards. I'd pay just to be able to get at numbers and punctuation without having to switch layouts. One you get used to being able to hold on the top row when entering a password or the like it's hard to go back. Third party keyboards may be able to make make changes like showing the uppercase/lowercase state on the keyboard letters as well.

 

[mdelvecchio]

about freaking time! but i hate that it requires to download an actual "app" (even if its an obvious choice by apple) i hate the thought of having all those "apps" on my springboard just to get a feature activated and no longer actually need the "icon". wonder if the keyboard would stick even if i delete the app "icon" from the springboard?

nope. you're just going to learn to let go.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Im just annoyed that it needs an app to be installed on springboard.maybe apple will change it

nope. extensions are dependent on apps.

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Okay, that's a bit lame, eh? Hopefully that gets fixed. We already suffer from app-clutter. Who wants entire apps just to install a keyboard?

since it's impossible to run out of room on the springboard, and you can organize into folders, I fail to see what the problem is. extensions use apps and it's an easy way for users to understand what they have.

 

[Sarvajanik]

While custom keyboards is a great idea... 'branding' of such keyboards (like the word TouchPad on the spacebar) would seriously discourage me from using them.

 

[Rogifan]

ill move them into my already excisting "Apple Trash" folder joining stock, apple maps, gamecenter, passbook etc for sure (thx got they got rid of the limitation of apps in a folder with iOS7)

Ok I guess....if you consider 3rd party keyboards trash.

 

[bushido]

Ok I guess....if you consider 3rd party keyboards trash.

huh? not the extention itself just the app or its icon on the springboard that has no more use once its installed

 

[Jimbolgs]

Speech recognition

Why would you even bother typing when you can just speak into your phone and have it transferred to type? I'm disabled with impaired hands and although I can type, it's much easier to just dictate what I want to say.

Keyboard schmeeboard!

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Third party keyboards may be able to make make changes like showing the uppercase/lowercase state on the keyboard letters as well.

They ought to be able to do that because there was a cydia app that did that. Loved it. I"m not JB any more so that's gone, it will be (if such a keyboard is allowed on the store) the first thing I install after iOS8.

 

[yentrog31]

Yep

Then honestly, you have no idea what you are missing. Once you get used to it, old school single key typing seems prehistoric.

^ This. Once you swipe you can never go back. I was using Swype, but then tried the free version of SwiftKey. I like the option of a dedicated #'s row.

 

[Kkulpa64]

How would i be able to get the alpha version of touchpal on ios 8 beta 2

 

[Abazigal]

I wish apple would release Bluetooth mouse support for applications such as Citrix and Rdp clients. This is a big feature which would see enterprise customers jump on the ipad for vdi (virtual desktop) solutions.

Yeah, and then the floodgates worsen when developers create tablet apps that require a mouse to use properly, and expect you to use a mouse.

 

[Swytch]

I definitely get what you're saying, but truly... things like Swype are really for folks who *prefer* to type *one-handed*. It's here where Swype - even for thick fingered folks - excels.

That said, I'm a two hander when I type - can't stand typing with one hand, but again... that's what it's really for

As for the other types of keyboards... that'll be ultimately to an individual's taste .

as you said to the other person you replied to, i hope you didnt miss my point and that i do agree with you as well - swype does not work for me but i know people who love it cause they just cant type on a tiny iphone keyboard - i just dont see it making traditional typing seem prehistoric...

Does running make walking seem prehistoric? no but the car might...

 

[Tech198]

swiping on a keyboard has always turned me off..

You take something for intended purpose, and make it better, regardless of the practical use for it by every user in day-to-day lives.

It may catch on..... but to me, whats so bad about lifting your fingers ? Just because its "now possible" doesn't mean it will be perfect...

Just introducing more problems, then it solves. At least if you make mistakes then you can blame yourself.

If the keyboard makes a mistake, then its a crappy implementation....

Good idea, but its not for me... Give me the old fashioned non-swipe stuff any- day.