Filed under: iPhone
iPhone: "Type What I Mean"
One of the features I'm most looking forward to on the new iPhone is the new "Type What I Mean" (or TWIM, a la DWIM) auto-correction. With TWIM, the iPhone automatically scans your input looking for common misspellings and letter inversions. Yes, I can certainly see where this can be a problem when the iPhone starts correcting things that weren't wrong but I'm pretty sure that Apple is smart enough to include a "learn" feature so your Saduns don't turn into Sudans.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Josh H. said 2:40PM on 6-15-2007
What I'm look towards is making all of my freinds jealous :-)
That and the totally awesome iPod in this thing!
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Fred said 2:41PM on 6-15-2007
Egg Freckles?
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frou said 2:41PM on 6-15-2007
there is no content to this post. please, if you are going to write a rant or a rave or dissect something go ahead, but dont waste a post to tell us that you look forward to spell check.
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Mary said 2:45PM on 6-15-2007
I hate to say this, but frou does have a point Erica. What was yours?
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James said 2:48PM on 6-15-2007
This isn't exactly spell-check. It's predictive+spell-check+a system for recognizing accidental taps. Considering the usability of this on-screen keyboard is make or break, this aspect may be crucial.
Haters stand down.
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shon Dempsey said 2:55PM on 6-15-2007
this kindof looks like flame bait.
Im pretty sure this is the feature that will make or break the iPhone. However, this nice thing about not having those stupid fixed plastic buttons is they can be UPDATED.
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Fred said 3:01PM on 6-15-2007
OMG! People, why is it that everybody is suddenly a blog critic? If you don't like what the story says don't get all up in arms about it, just read something else! Or go start your own blog or something. Make the The Unofficial Weblog That Poops On The Unofficial Apple Weblog or something. Seriously, if you see something on TV that you don't like do you just sit there and bitch about it, or do you change the channel?
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zack said 3:01PM on 6-15-2007
Uh.. my blackberry does this. And better yet, if the battery dies on it.. I can replace it.
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univac said 3:08PM on 6-15-2007
"Eat up Martha" ???
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frou said 3:12PM on 6-15-2007
to fred and all other commenters (not only on this post but on many others i have seen in the past months):
i dont want to read another blog or start my own. i love tuaw. i check it every hour. but when a new blogger posts substancially more than any other, i feel that i as a dedicated reader am inclined to comment. david chartier, scott mcnulty, mat lu, dave caolo and others all post frequently, but their posts have diversity, depth, content, and don't give you the feeling that a quota is trying to be reached. i find myself aggravated by erica's posts for a multitude of reasons, most of them being that erica's posts are unprofessional and out of place, which is then magnified by how incessant they are. so excuse me for complaining, but i am only criticizing a problem on a blog i love and want to continue to read.
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Doc said 3:21PM on 6-15-2007
Why doesn't this phone have voice texting, my sprint phone the a900 has it seems like a good way to get rid of that annoying touch mess. although i have a feeling that this feature with predictive capabilities will get turned off for most people, since it's going to drive you nuts when it changes or thinks that your trying to say something that you didn't...i just makes texting take longer since you have to go back and correct what's wrong...
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Brian said 3:22PM on 6-15-2007
I wonder how this is going to react to foreign languages. I'm specifically thinking of Japanese romaji –Japanese written using the English alphabet. How well will it react to foreign names? These could be deal breakers for me depending on how it performs.
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YodaMac said 3:29PM on 6-15-2007
Yes this keyboard will make or break the iPhone, but a has already been pointed out - it is all software, and therefore upgradeable!
Unlike our blackberry, Zack. And the iPhone battery CAN be replaced when it dies. (since it says right on the iPhone specs page that "Rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be REPLACED.") (Caps mine)
As for the iPhone keypad, I think current "smart phone" users are more concerned about it than anyone else. The rest of us will be pleased as punch to have such a cool new ability, and the iPhone is clearly gonna be a big "step up" for a lot of cell phone/iPod users! Can't wait!
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YodaMac said 3:33PM on 6-15-2007
Dang - where's that virtual smart keypad when I need it:
"...,but AS has already been pointed out-..."
"...Unlike YOUR blackberry..."
:) I need that keypad!
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oes said 3:40PM on 6-15-2007
@shon:
"However, this nice thing about not having those stupid fixed plastic buttons is they can be UPDATED."
Are you expecting a new alfabet?
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franko said 3:45PM on 6-15-2007
extra points go to univac for the awesome simpsons reference.
+5!
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YodaMac said 3:46PM on 6-15-2007
Not a new alphabet, but new functionality or improvements to the "recognition" software (or whatever it is called). Tweaks to how well it works will be a big advantage, allowing the iPhone to only get better with use.
I would also love to see the keyboard optionally change to "landscape" as well.
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JeffDM said 4:03PM on 6-15-2007
Doc: "voice texting"? That makes no sense.
YodaMac: I think the point is that a typical phone battery can be replaced on-the-spot without having to mail it in. For instance, say you are away from an outlet and you need your device, you pop in a spare and you are up and running. An iPhone battery can be replaced but not like that.
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James said 4:13PM on 6-15-2007
I'm no replaceable battery hater, but I always wondered how many people are really walking around with extra cell phone batteries in their pocket? To me it's more like you keep the extra battery in your car at which point you could just use a car charger to juice it up.
As for the iPhone, I'm sure you can use one of those iPod Dock Connector Battery Charger things. Carrying one of those around is pretty much the same as carrying an extra battery around. Moral: non user-replacable battery won't really be an issue.
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Rogério Rocha said 4:14PM on 6-15-2007
I still think the predictive text in my Nokia is the best think around. There are less buttons to look for, and I can do it with a single hand. Hope Apple adds this as an option.
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