The future of texting? Swype's Genius Texting technology

A feature on Samsung’s new Omnia II phone that lets you use your finger like a “magic wand” could change how we text for ever.

Called Genius Texting and designed for touchscreens, the technology means you don’t have to lift your finger off the screen to text. Described as “like waving a magic wand” you start to type by pressing the first letter of a word, and then without lifting your finger, drag it from one letter to the next until the word is finished and it appears on the screen.

It’s faster, easier and more accurate according to the Seattle-based company behind it – Swype. They say it lets you type up to 50 words per minute, because a) less movement is required and b) the technology has a strong autocorrect function allowing for inaccuracy.

Users can switch Genius Texting off if they prefer to use straightforward tap typing.
With Genius Texting each word will have its own pattern, a sort of squiggle. At more advanced levels of use, there are other gestures that can be learned too. For instance, if you want to capitalize a letter, you drag your finger above the keyboard and back down again (in an upside “v” pattern). To draw two of the same letters in a row, you squiggle a line over the same letter before moving on to the next.

Currently only on Samsung Omnia II, a Windows Mobile 6.5 device, the latest versions of Swype’s texting tech will be appearing on Symbian devices like Nokia handsets in early 2010.

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[via moconews]