Swype for Android’s finger-dragging input method goodness has been available to some extent through other means for a while now — some legit, some not quite as legit. Legitimate means or otherwise, Swype has still only been made available to pretty small group of people.
Well, things are about to open up — if only just a bit.
Swype has just announced their first official Beta release, and will be accepting applications to the testing program here. Swype does say that user-installed copies will be missing some of the features that the factory-installed versions have – but they’re not saying exactly which features that entails. The beta supports HVGA (320×480) and WVGA (around 480×800) screens, which should cover just about everything from the T-Mobile G1 to the Nexus One.
Be sure to get your application in quick to increase your odds of getting in – and if you do get in, be sure to let us know!
[Via Phonescoop]
Hopefully they’ll let me in. Having your own snazzy gadget blog that people love sometimes can help with betas. Don’t tell me you guys won’t try anything?
I got into their beta and absolutely love the program. I can’t even go back to hitting the screen to type something.
The beta you refer to has something that was sorely lacking from the previous beta and that was auto-capitalization.
GREAT JOB SWYPE!
Dave
I was sent my beta invite 10 seconds after i submitted it
I got my invite 5 seconds after clicking the submit button.
I had the old beta and I have to say the new keyboard is much better. The delete key finally deletes more than one word at a time, its more flashy (lights light up where you click), and the keypad/symbol keyboard looks nicer.
Over all, this beta is the best way to type on any phone and should be the standard for Android devices
I got my invite immediately.
I have been using swype on my droid for the past month. I didn’t realize it was not legit. Today it gave me a message that it expired.
I was too late to get in on the initial “official” beta – it’s closed today. I did register.
I am devastated! I LOVED swype. I wasn’t sold on my droid until I started using swype. I will gladly pay for it when it comes out! It’s amazing!
I’m a special ed teacher and I gotta say, if we could rig up regular computers to do swype, we’d have alot more students using the computers more effectively! =)
justdiana, Glad to hear that you have been using Swype and loving it, sorry to hear that the leaked version you were using expired on you and that you weren’t able to get into the beta while it was open. I hope that we will be opening it again soon enough, but we have some kinks to work our first, and based on the tremendous response we’ve had, we need to restrict our numbers for now.
We have certainly thought about the different ways users can use Swype, and we also believe that this type of interface would greatly benefit lots of people. One of the co-founders, Randy Marsden, is the developer of the onscreen keyboard included in Windows, with an installed base of over a half a billion units. He is a recognized leader in the field of assistive technology and alternative computer input.
While we are working to address the mobile space today, expanding the role that Swype takes in people’s lives is never far from thought.
Ughhh already closed… wish I would have seen this earlier… My original swype copy that I got from here is now “expired” and I cannot use it anymore. I miss it a great deal, the swype input is so much easier then pecking away. Can’t wait until swype is completely ready and downloadable via the android market.
nomore