Those who’ve spent some time on the Android platform are probably aware of Swype, a tweak that lets users type on their virtual keyboards without ever lifting their fingers, by simply quickly swiping their finger across the keyboard over any letter in order to form a word, and only then releasing it. Fans of this tool should now be happy to know that Swype has now been unofficially ported to iOS.
The creators of the official Swype for Android have described the tweak as serious patented time-saver:
With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard, the patented technology enables users to input words faster and easier than other data input methods—at over 40 words per minute.
Swype for iOS, although not official at this point, works similarly to the official version. After installing the tweak and restarting the device, users will immediately be able to type using this method. This tweak is still in beta form, therefore it’s expected to have its problems: for example, auto-correct often kicks in, although it’s not displayed, and will inadvertently change a word. That happens several times. If you’d like to type normally, you still can, even with Swype installed, although you’ll likely rather use the new method since it does a great deal to speed up your writing.
In order to install this, all you’ll need is a jailbroken iPod touch, iPhone or iPad, although we expect that this typing method will feel a lot more natural on smaller devices, not on large screens. In order to get it up and running, you’ll need to add the following repository to Cydia: wynd.x10.mx/repo
You can follow our step by step guide to jailbreak your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch on iOS 4.3.3 using Redsn0w, PwnageTool, Sn0wbreeze or JailbreakMe (that last one being the easiest). If you’re already using iOS 5 beta, you can jailbreak it using tools like Redsn0w (for Mac and Windows), or Sn0wbreeze. As with any non-Apple-approved modification, it’s recommended that you have basic skills on how to restore your device in case the process fails.
Update: Here’s the video of the tweak in action, thanks Alex Heath for the hat tip! Video credit, iPhoneDownloadBlog:
(via ModMyi)
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