RIM's New Heat Seeking Keyboard! Freak'n Awesome....

**JMDBERRY** · 01-09-2013, 11:01 AM

Per the latest video on.....where else, Crackberry.com, we've just learned that the Z10 will have a,...get this,..a "heat seeking" virtual keyboard! The keyboard adjusts to the user's input when typing. No! The keys don't move,...they adjust to where you type. So, if you're one to attempt typing an "O",...but get a "P"....the keyboard will adjust for you. The logic behind the auto adjustment is to yield more accuracy when typing! That has to rate a "Wow"!

**jvictor77** · 01-09-2013, 11:16 AM

I've noticed on the comments below the CB article that a lot of people think this is news. Can't remember where or when, but this HAS been mentioned before in other interviews/demos... edit: What I don't recall is whether they mentioned HOW it was achieved - i.e. 'Heat Seeking'.

**theonecid** · 01-09-2013, 11:20 AM

This is where it is presented. Go to 3m54s

**Badabaeng** · 01-09-2013, 11:52 AM

So like Swift Key an many other touchkeyboards ? Cool.

**calicocat2010** · 01-09-2013, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Badabaeng

So like Swift Key an many other touchkeyboards ? Cool.

Well it Is SwiftKey, But with RIM's added twist and better intuitive thinking.

**jvictor77** · 01-09-2013, 12:18 PM

I was just gonna say that - SwiftKey on steroids!

**southlander** · 01-09-2013, 01:04 PM

When I had my Android phone I had Swift Key 3 on it. It showed a "heat map" which basically shows on average where your fingers are touching in relation to the actual key centers.

So while it is good if this is perceived as something new and exciting that generates buzz (ala Apple), it is not anything really new.

And it has nothing to do with sensing heat, at ... all.

**bluetroll** · 01-09-2013, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by southlander

When I had my Android phone I had Swift Key 3 on it. It showed a "heat map" which basically shows on average where your fingers are touching in relation to the actual key centers.

So while it is good if this is perceived as something new and exciting that generates buzz (ala Apple), it is not anything really new.

And it has nothing to do with sensing heat, at ... all.

marketing is a great thing isn't it?

**southlander** · 01-09-2013, 03:24 PM

Though I will say on Swiftkey the heat map just showed the data as I recall. I do not know if the keyboard actually adjusted to the errors. That would be an innovation by RIM.

**Thunderbuck** · 01-09-2013, 03:50 PM

First point: just because they call it a "heat map" doesn't mean it figuratively reads the heat from your fingers, it just maps where they tend to land compared to specific keys.

Second point: while the new keyboard absolutely has some features that we've seen elsewhere, it is NEW. Flicking words from the keys you were headed for is very different and a lot more efficient than looking at a marquee above the keyboard.

**southlander** · 01-09-2013, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Thunderbuck

Flicking words from the keys you were headed for is very different and a lot more efficient than looking at a marquee above the keyboard.

That's the eye catching part that makes it all interesting.

**big_time2** · 01-09-2013, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by southlander

Though I will say on Swiftkey the heat map just showed the data as I recall. I do not know if the keyboard actually adjusted to the errors. That would be an innovation by RIM.

Yeah, I constantly press P when I want to press O, or I press E when I want to press R, but the keyboard never adjusts. This is something SwiftKey doesn't do.

**jvictor77** · 01-09-2013, 05:08 PM

Having used a Torch 9800 for over 2 years, this is the very thing that has always put me off the virtual keyboard and stuck with the physical slide-out one. Now, with these new innovations, I think I'll be able to adapt. I'm not a heavy typer, so this should be good enough for me. Z10 all the way!

**ctuffy** · 01-09-2013, 05:24 PM

Holy cow, no more 'aorta' when I'm trying to type 'so'! Can't wait to get my fingers on that thing.

**Knightcrawler** · 01-09-2013, 05:38 PM

I'd really like to see a side by side comparison of the tech behind Swiftkey and the new BB keyboard. As in, what features were brought in from swiftkey, and what features were introduced by Rim.

For example, as people have mentioned here, swiftkey also keeps track of where your finger is hitting in relation to the key you intended to hit, but adjusting the keyboard to better accommodate your finger is something RIM did (supposedly). They did mention that it wasn't a "virtual" keyboard but rather an "on screen" keyboard; that it was effectively an extra layer on top of the screen.

**taz323** · 01-09-2013, 05:41 PM

That is wow, I so. Can't waite

**howarmat** · 01-09-2013, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Knightcrawler

I'd really like to see a side by side comparison of the tech behind Swiftkey and the new BB keyboard. As in, what features were brought in from swiftkey, and what features were introduced by Rim.

For example, as people have mentioned here, swiftkey also keeps track of where your finger is hitting in relation to the key you intended to hit, but adjusting the keyboard to better accommodate your finger is something RIM did (supposedly). They did mention that it wasn't a "virtual" keyboard but rather an "on screen" keyboard; that it was effectively an extra layer on top of the screen.

The way of selecting the word is specific to RIM but i think most the "engine" behind the scenes are from swiftkey. Other keyboards, including the default android keyboard, do have word selection similar to bb10 now also.