Swype: Re-Inventing the Keyboard

A good read, a mix of the personal and how @Swype was created.

Amplify’d from www.cnn.com

In the 1990s, Kushler invented a cell phone technology called T9, which helped launch the text messaging phenomenon. And before that, he developed a once dominant language input gizmo for the disabled. Now Kushler, 58, is rethinking the keyboard again with Swype.

In the 1990s, Kushler invented a cell phone technology called T9, which helped launch the text messaging phenomenon. And before that, he developed a once dominant language input gizmo for the disabled.

Now Kushler, 58, is rethinking the keyboard again with Swype.

With phones’ small screens, typing can be a chore. Even the most adept BlackBerry typists can’t compete with Swype’s efficiency.

Kushler resembles a sage, with white hair, a more-salt-than-pepper beard and a warm smile. He speaks slowly and carefully.

Apple, too, took an early interest in Swype. The companies have had at least two meetings, one as recently as a few months ago, McSherry said.

“Swype is maybe 97% accurate,” Kushler said. “Getting that last little bit of accuracy improvement is going to depend on more intelligence about narrowing down — well, what are the words that make sense in the context?” Read more at www.cnn.com

 

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