by Nick Caramico

One thing I personally enjoy about having an Android phone is the ability to change the on screen keyboard. This does create the problem of deciding which one to use. There are some great alternatives available in the Android Market as well as some preloaded keyboards that stand out. I will be looking at 3 different keyboards that I shuffle through, and give some insight on which might be best for you.

Swype:

Swype keyboard is currently in beta stage, but is also available preloaded on some devices. Out of all the “soft” keyboards i have tried, this is definitely the most unique. The whole idea is to trace a path through the letters of the word you want to type, without lifting your finger. For example, to type the word “hey”, you would start your finger on “h”, slide your finger to “e”, then to “y” and remove your finger. This certainly feels strange at first, and does take some time getting used to.  For a word with two of the same letters together like “hello” you would draw the path normally, but while your finger was over the “l” key, you would either scribble or make a loop. This is also very untraditional and takes time getting used to. Even with the biggest learning curve, you could be typing full sentences very quickly using Swype. There was even a commercial for a Samsung device preloaded with Swype that broke the world record for fastest typing not too long ago. When held horizontally, this keyboard can be a little strange as your finger has to travel farther across the screen to hit the letters. This is probably one of the best vertical keyboards and it’s easy to type quick messages on the go.

Droid 2/Droid X keyboard:

For now this keyboard is only available to those who have the Droid X or Droid 2 phones. This is the keyboard that I am currently using and enjoying. It is a true multi-touch keyboard, which may not sound like much since you will never be touching 2 keys at once, but this does make it much quicker and responsive. I can quickly and carelessly type away on this keyboard with nothing to worry about. It’s word correction is great, and even accidentally a few keys in a message, it is able to correct them and type the right message. Vertically or Horizontally, it is a breeze to type on. This keyboard even integrates Google’s voice-to-text feature that is also usually accurate. When held horizontally, the keys are spaced out nicely and large enough even for those with big fingers. Hopefully this will become available through the Market as it is really quick and easy to use.

SwiftKey:

Until recently, this keyboard was in a long beta stage, but now has been upgraded to an official Market release. Currently available for $3.99 or a free trial version, SwiftKey prides itself on word prediction. SwiftKey learns the way and style you type, so for the first day you use it, it may seem like its not working. However, it constantly gathers information on the way you type and the way you communicate. To enter the word it thinks is most likely, simply press the spacebar. After using this for a day, you can easily say “Hey, what’s up” simply by pressing the spacebar 3 times. This keyboard will learn how you usually text and do a rather good job of suggesting the next word you are thinking of. If it is suggesting the wrong thing, you can add a word and it will remember. While it is a kind of steep price tag for a keyboard, you will be thankful for all the time it saves you typing. Again, there is some learning to get used to, in regards to pressing space to add words, but it will pay off with the time saved. You can find SwiftKey in the Android Market by clicking this link from your phones browser or scanning the code below.

As with anything, which keyboard you use is all up to preference. Each has their pros and cons, but all three of these can significantly reduce the time it takes you to type. If you are hesitant about a phone with no physical keyboard, know that there are plenty of alternatives to the stock touch keyboard on Android.