TUAW Tip: iPhone "Will" Contractions

> This also works with "were" and "we're."
> Type an extra "e" ("weree") and the software
> recommends "we're".

Don't type "weree" but "weere"...
it was full logical ! No ?
;-)

@12 iti backspace ss = 6 key pushes

it is = 5 key pushes

Why not just type it out rather than contracting the two words?

If you type itsa it is converted into it's, no backspacing required

You need tricks or extra keystrokes to do this on a Treo?

Even my cheap&nasty Sharp gx29 (ok, at least it has a nice 240x320 screen) feature phone does contractions easily -- just hit the 1 and it puts a fullstop at first, but when you hit another letter key next (rather than a space) it changes the fullstop to an apostrophe.

So:

43155 he'll
4313 he'd
93155 we'll
93173 we're
4817 it's
36618 don't

I tried those tricks on my Treo 700p and found that hel gives he'll and il gives I'll. Will these work on the iPhone? No useful tricks for it's and we're.

It doesn't seem to work for "It's" but for other contractions, try this: For we're, type weree and it will suggest we're, for they're, try theyree and it'll suggest they're. For We'll, try... well, you get the point. Basically, duplicate the last letter.

The issue with its/it's is the possessive/contraction distinction. With the other examples where it works, there's little else that *could* be meant and so the iPhone can be smart. Because of the meaning difference, I'm betting they refrained from trying to be clever with these two in particular. Though, you know what I *would* like is (like the activate-able caps lock) a 'smart punctuation meta-button' that could have the meaning "Ok iPhone, be smart and stick in what you think goes here" useful for *all* contractions, hyphens, commas and the like. (maybe even double-tappable period/comma distinction?)

on a blackberry you just type one letter short... il=I'll, wer=we're, hel=he'll, wel=we'll, etc etc. you can also add custom autocorrect entries, for instance if i type sig it recognizes it as a misspelled word and inserts my entire email signature in its place. bb is my address, vv is my phone number, vb is a privacy statement, and so on. i have so many of them that many of my messages are written in shorthand and autocorrect takes over.

@10 type "iti" then backspace, then "ss" it's shows up then as "it's" then press space for HOORAY!

The difference between "we're' and "we are" is only one character. The same with "it's" and "he'll" and many others. It would seem easier to simply type it out, nothing to remember. But one would need to learn that "we're" is a contraction for "we are" and so on and so forth.