Text input?

[Crell]

Hi folks. I'm eying the Vibrant as my first Android phone (yep, starting at the top), coming from a long line of Palm OS devices culminating with a Treo 680. So far I like most of what I see, with two caveats: The lack of camera flash (I've not had one before, but with a 5 MP camera it seems a waste to not have one) and the lack of a physical keyboard.

I've yet to meet an on-screen keyboard I liked, but I've not tried a 4" screen before. Any first impressions, especially from people used to physical keyboards? Good, bad, ugly? Honestly that's the main thing I'm worried about.

(If only the Epic 4G were coming to T-Mobile instead of Sprint I'd jump on it in an instant. *sigh*)

 

[Nickk]

I am in the same boat as you, my last phone was a verizon env touch and I've never had a full touch phone before, always relied on a physical keyboard. After using it for only a day, I gotta say I love swype. It makes typing so fast and its really accurate even if you mess up a little bit. Type for 15 minutes with it and youll be a pro. If pecking away with your fingers is easier for you, it's very doable also. The 4" screen makes for a fairly large keyboard, especially when the phone is sideways.

 

[swb]

I'm getting almost reasonably good at swyping with my left thumb as I walk carrying the phone one-handed. Either that or it's learning me very well. I never expected to like swype so much.

 

[tedrd88]

I used to have a sidekick and never though I'd be able to use a touch screen. After my sidekick died I had a BB storm which is a touchscreen but a little bit different than most. At first I hated it but I grew to like it.

Swype is the best keyboard ever, in my opiion . I LOVE it. I can type so fast, even faster than I could with a physical keyboard. I'm amazed at how smart it is. When I'm really going fast I get pretty sloppy yet it still knows what I meant. Plus the ability to "teach" it words is pretty cool too.

 

[cigar3tte]

Plus the ability to "teach" it words is pretty cool too.

This is so necessary for typing profanities.

 

[Robinelli]

Swype is awesome, I agree. It really is the best way to text!! I wouldn't go back to hunt and peck ever again on a phone. It's so fast and easy.

 

[VegasTouch]

How do you get the voice to text to work? Cant seem to find out how to get the mic symbol on the keyboard. Am i missing something?

 

[funkin]

I would like some help with this as well. not seeing any mike

 

[VegasTouch]

I would like some help with this as well. not seeing any mike

I figured it out. You have to change the keyboard from Swype to Android and the mic button shows up and works.

 

[funkin]

thanks,
no way to have both? i've gone from thinking i'd never use swype to not wanting to live without it.

guess i can just switch back and forth