SPOTLIGHTm

Shape writing instead of tapping

WritingPad by Shapewriter for iPhone

What is it?
WritingPad allows you to compose messages and notes on your iPhone by sliding your finger across the keyboard to shape words rather than tapping out individual letters. Like Compose, WritingPad is another application solution for iPhone users who are struggling with the touch keyboard.

How much does it cost?

Free.

Who is it good for?

People who struggle with typing on the iPhone and haven’t found horizontal type solutions like Compose, TouchType, or Sideways to be enough. People who just like to play with cool new technology that they can show off to their friends or who are searching for a more fun way to write.

Summary

WritingPad is in direct competition with Swype, another “gesture-based” application that will soon be making its way to Windows Mobile and iPhone. While WritingPad definitely passes the “cool” test, especially after you’ve used it for a few minutes, the word suggestions aren’t as good as you’d like them to be and you’ll frequently find yourself deleting or slowing down to select the word you intended to type. However, many of us do the same when we’re just typing on the standard iPhone keypad.

For most, a horizontal typing application will do the job if you’re really struggling with the keyboard, but WritingPad is a fun way to compose an email by essentially drawing it, if you have two free hands (one to stablize, one to shape). It’s neat, but the system could be a little more forgiving to misses.

Keep it or Delete it?

Keep it.

Despite the fact that many users have gotten used to the iPhone’s touch keyboard, there is a need and place for applications that give users the opportunity to compose messages differently - Writingpad by Shapewriter is one of those applications.

The first time you use Writingpad, it’s almost like the first time that you play Nintendo Wii. You’re doing something that shouldn’t be too hard, but it takes some getting used to.

Instead of lifting your finger between letters, you’re lifting your finger between words. WritingPad inserts spaces for you after it detects that you’ve completed a word. It just takes a little bit of getting used to, but it’s a fun challenge to shift the way that you’ve learned to type for years.

A blue, Microsoft Paint-like line follows your finger around the keyboard as you shape words. In theory, the system matches the shape you draw with the most common words associated with those shapes/letters and you’re able to continue shaping words.

The main problem with WritingPad is that it doesn’t always choose the most obvious words, so you’re forced to concentrate on the screen as you’re typing to make sure that the correct words are being shown. Many of us have learned that typing on the iPhone often works better when you type quickly and instinctively, as is the same with Swype, but WritingPad takes a little more attention than we’d like to create basic messages.

That being said, it is really cool when it works. It almost turns typing into a game. If you have some time and patience, it’s a fun way to compose an email.

Must. Pay. Attention.

WritingPad not only puts spaces between words, but it also can figure out double letters and learn new words as well (by tapping out a word using individual letters). Despite its 60,000 word library, there’s a very good chance that all of us have some words that we use that fall outside of its personal shape dictionary.

Like all applications of this type, WritingPad is primarily useful for email, since Apple hasn’t opened up the ability for developers to have these apps work with SMS. Moving a message over to email is as easy as tapping the envelope “email” icon at the bottom of the compose screen, which will you over to the familiar email compose screen that they’re used to. Like Compose, users can reply to an email using the application by hitting “Reply” inside their email, then jumping over to the WritingPad application.

We’ve played with Swype and admit that in its early form, it works better than WritingPad. Swype was more forgiving with errors and the application appeared to choose more logical words than WritingPad. However, WritingPad is out now and it works pretty well.

It’s not something that will take over the way that you write emails, simply because it takes another step, and hopefully one day, SMS, but it is a fun, novelty application to show off to friends or use when you’re burning some time and feel like drawing out an email to a friend.

If Swype makes its way to the iPhone, like it’s supposed to, then we’ll make the switch too. But for now, WritingPad is a neat use of technology that is a lot of fun to use once you’re used to it.