Swyping and Typing
Here it is, Top Sites Tuesday (#204, by the way, where we offer Two Thoughts on Tuesday), and what I’m thinking about is texting. And emailing. And blogging. And how the way I text and blog and email has changed with technology. For a guy my age, I text a lot, even though I used to say, Why would I text on my phone when I can call? It’s good for quickly checking in with someone or for exchanging information when you don’t want to get involved in a lengthy conversation. Because of the nature of my consulting business, it is also useful to be able to respond to important business emails when I’m away from my computer. I stuck with Blackberry for years because I preferred a physical keyboard, even if it was Lillputian-sized, but, alas, Blackberry fell farther and farther behind in applications and speed, so I was forced to go to an on-screen keyboard. I bought a Samsung Galaxy II and found that if I turned off the really annoying autocorrect, I could type faster than I could on my Blackberry. So Thought Number One is: Old curmudgeon … new trick. What a concept.
I’d become fairly proficient on my Android keyboard when friends started telling me I should try Swype, the keyboard where you move your finger from letter instead of typing. I tried it once or twice and got texts that looked like
Hi, Muni. I’m retrofitting tangents. Not good. It takes a little practice, friends told me, then it’s really fast. I can be stubborn … ask Muri. It’s in the job description of a part time curmudgeon. So, I kept hunting and pecking on my smartphone. Then I got a Nexus Tablet. Bigger on-screen keyboard, less mistakes. I began commenting on blog posts from my tablet. Yes, the WordPress app would allow me to post from my tablet but even with the bigger on-screen keyboard, it’s just too slow. My Inner Curmudgeon must have been asleep when I decided to try Swype again. With a little practice and care moving from letter to letter … occasionally taking a moment to notice in advance where a letter is on the keyboard … I began to get good at it. The autocorrect, which I hated so much when I was typing seemed to usually find the correct word or offer it as an alternative. I actually could Swype faster than I could type. Thought One A: Two new tricks in the same decade! Amazing. I still miss an autocorrect occasionally and send an odd text, though. Last week, answering my son’s text about the name of the man next door, I meant to text Miyagi but Swype changed it to Mutation. Mr. Mutation. Weird. But Saturday, I posted a 500 word post, Off, using Swype on my smartphone, mostly just to see if I could. It took about 45 minutes.
Yesterday, the world shifted on its axis again. Muri bought me a Logitech k810 Bluetooth keyboard for my birthday. It is a really nice feeling keyboard that connects to either my tablet or my smartphone, the same way they connect to my computer or headphones or the phone connection in my car. And I don’t even have to tell my phone its a keyboard. It knows … it is a smartphone, indeed. So I’m typing on my tablet again. And on my smartphone. I can even switch the keyboard back and forth between the two at the touch of a switch. I don’t know why I’d want to do that but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. So, Thought Number Two is: It’s good to be typing not Swyping again … much more natural for an old curmudgeon (Yes, I’ll still Swype occasionally when I don’t want to break out the keyboard. It would be a shame to learn a new trick and waste it).
So, if you enjoyed this post … typed from my new keyboard on my smartphone … please click my button to make me Number One on Top Sites Tuesday #204. And have a great Tuesday. By the way, if you’re looking for a Bluetooth keyboard, the Logitech k810 is a good one.
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Tags: blogging, curmudgeonly rants, humor, memes, postaday, Swype, Top Sites Tuesday, writing and blogging
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Older Eyes 
May 21, 2013 at 12:40 pm
I am going to check the Logitech Bluetooth keyboard out. I use my phone and tablet a lot but don’t particularly like typing on them. Very slow using one or two fingers to type out my message. The tablet is easier because of it’s size but even then a keyboard would be better. What a great gift.
click
May 22, 2013 at 8:19 am
It is really great when I need to provide a long answer to an email or to comment on blogs. And it works so easily. Once you pair it with a device, it automatically connects if it’s available.
May 25, 2013 at 11:30 am
I’m sitting here in the park with my keyboard, ressponding to your comment via my phone. It’s probably the best toy I’ve found in years.
May 21, 2013 at 2:45 pm
Wow. I’ve never even heard of Swype! But kudos for you learning a new trick. And much like you – from the sounds of it – I would much rather be typing than Swyping!
May 22, 2013 at 8:18 am
Swypeing is really great for texting, although now all my friends are saying I should be using “voice texting” where I just speak what I want to text. Maybe I’ll try it. Maybe.
May 22, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Hi Bud
Better late than… I had a small incident with a razor knife and a couple fingers!
Doesn’t look like I will be typing to fast for awhile. I do like a good keyboard to work on although I have found myself using voice. Mostly when I can’t spell the word lol.