 | New
Generation Text Entry SoftwareText messages on
mobile phones with a single mini-joystick, jogball or touchpad27
November 2002 Text entry experts Co-operwrite Ltd,
based near Manchester, announced today their partnering with TTPCom
Ltd. to integrate
Co-operwrite's flagship product, Mytext®,
to TTPCom's mobile phone designs. Mytext lets users
write their text messages on mobile phones with a single mini-joystick,
jogball or touchpad. Together with Mytext's predictive text capabilities,
this means faster text entry - and text entry which is fun. The experience
of using Mytext is unique. The user simply moves the joystick or jogball
in natural letter shapes with thumb or finger. As you write, the letter
is drawn on the screen by the patented Mytext software, in step with
finger movements. According to Co-operwrite, this creates an entirely
new experience in text messaging - and is the only real alternative
to multi-keypress systems. Dr Stephen Cross, Director
of Marketing for Mytext, believes that the system offers significant
improvements over existing predictive text or "word-guessing"
software: "We know from several independent usability studies
(Human Reliability Associates 1999, 2000) that over 65% of users preferred
Mytext to current systems," he commented, adding that in-house
research has revealed that many users simply switch off current "predictive"
text entry software and stick with multiple key presses. "We believe
that the naturalness of writing with Mytext will be taken up by many
users - including those not currently using text because of the difficulty
in writing messages." A key benefit of Mytext
is that, unlike all other text entry systems, it provides the user
with close visual feedback as he or she writes. "Compare this
to current software," said Cross, "where you are asked not
to look at the screen when writing." Co-operwrite have spent many
years researching the usability of text entry solutions with usability
panels and in-depth formal research. Mytext has been developed to combine
the naturalness of handwriting with a genuine predictive text interface,
with an overriding emphasis on usability. TTPCom
have licensed Mytext from Co-operwrite and are incorporating it into
their proven application software for mobile phones. In particular,
TTPCom will offer Mytext as a pre-integrated solution for their innovative
InTouch handset designs - designs which are generating major interest
with new entrants to the mobile phone market. Over
the past 2 years, the number of text messages sent globally from mobile
phones has climbed to more than 360 billion messages per year (GSM
Association), and mobile brands are constantly searching for alternatives
to multiple keypresses - keypresses which are becoming more and more
difficult due to the smaller size of modern handsets. Screens, though,
are becoming better and bigger, and the integration of mini-joysticks
for both navigation and gaming means that Mytext can be used too. Co-operwrite
expect to see the introduction of several handsets incorporating Mytext
in 2003. Co-operwrite's CEO, Geoff Gay, claims
that the market is hungry for alternatives in texting: "No-one
wants to spend all their time pressing keys, or waiting for software
to guess the wrong word - it's time for a new, natural method in text
entry. Mytext is the new generation in texting." www.my-text.com
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