[ianbordas]

So, does BlackBerry 10 use SwiftKey for its virtual keyboard? I'm curious if these guys own that.

Also interesting to know apple will be announcing their own "QuickType" keyboard which it promises "the biggest changes to the keyboard since the very ?rst iPhone."

Now I'm even happier that BlackBerry has gone to the Passport and Classic route. Everyone in the full touch world will eventually copy the features from the other ones, but nobody will dare enter the Physical Keyboard world which will be BlackBerry's own special niche.

How SwiftKey built the world's smartest keyboard and soared to the top of the app economy - Feature - TechRepublic

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[pttptppt]

BlackBerry 10 uses swift key for its virtual keyboard and you can even install the legit swift key for your android apps on the runtime

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[mornhavon]

...but nobody will dare enter the Physical Keyboard world which will be BlackBerry's own special niche.

At this point, no other manufacturers care to make phones with physical keyboards, the numbers have shown that the demand isn't large enough to warrant it.
Many people say they want physical keyboards, but when it comes time to buy they aren't willing to sacrifice the screen space, or the thickness of the device (slider), or the extended height. Personally, I think I'd like the Passport's size, but that 1:1 screen ratio makes it a very niche product.
It'll be interesting to see what kind of sales the Classic and Passport get, if they somehow become significant and prove there's a real market for physical keyboards, don't kid yourself, they'll be competition within a year.

[FunktasticLucky]

The BlackBerry 10 uses swift key for the heat mapping and prediction. I don't know if it was all them though. BlackBerry said they created the swipe word select and the algorithms that learn your word usage to help predict. Some of the keyboard is swift key and some is BlackBerry.

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[ianbordas]

That's basically my question. Is what we have on bb10, full property of BlackBerry or just a license deal with swiftkey?

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[pantlesspenguin]

I've used SwiftKey primarily on my Android devices for about 3-4 years and BB10 keyboard on my Z10 for a year. Here's what I've noticed:

Similarities: Prediction based on entries from email, IM, etc, swipe left to delete, auto correct, heat mapping, multi language support

Differences: BB10 keyboard has flick to type, 5 prediction options vs SwiftKey's 3, to change a word that has been autocorrected all one has to do is backspace to the start of the word and it changes back. On SwiftKey you have to backspace into the word to change it. SwiftKey has Flow which is a swype-like feature where you drag your finger along the letters to input words. SwiftKey also has alt characters/numbers above the letters and you have to long press on the letter to get the alt character, instead of going into a separate menu for those keys (although you do have to go into a character menu for some characters). Long pressing a letter on the BB10 keyboard capitalizes the letter. You can also put a theme on SwiftKey which changes the color of the keyboard and the shape and spacing of the keys. Virtual arrow keys can also be placed on SwiftKey.

That's about all I can think of at the moment.

ETA: On SwiftKey, when you hit shift to capitalize a word, the letter on the key capitalizes as well to show you that you'll get a capital letter when you hit the key. BB10's keys always stay capitalized.

[ianbordas]

What about swipe down to get to the special characters? Does SwiftKey have that option?

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[pantlesspenguin]

What about swipe down to get to the special characters? Does SwiftKey have that option?

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Nope, I forgot about that. On SwiftKey a swipe down minimizes the keyboard while it opens the character menu on BB10. On SwiftKey that only works when Flow is turned off, like the swipe left to delete. When Flow is turned on it thinks a swipe is a word input.

[mnc76]

The BlackBerry 10 uses swift key for the heat mapping and prediction. I don't know if it was all them though. BlackBerry said they created the swipe word select and the algorithms that learn your word usage to help predict. Some of the keyboard is swift key and some is BlackBerry.

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This^^

The BB10 keyboard uses some of the features of SwiftKey *plus* uses a ton of additional, custom (e.g.: BB10 exclusive) technology on top of it.


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[Bla1ze]

That's basically my question. Is what we have on bb10, full property of BlackBerry or just a license deal with swiftkey?

Yes. Swiftkey offers an API and BlackBerry taps into it plus a bit of their own magic.

[ianbordas]

Yes. Swiftkey offers an API and BlackBerry taps into it plus a bit of their own magic.

Interesting, but aren't you concerned that SwiftKey might implement these BlackBerry added features to Android? What about iOS copying it ALL on the new update (as they usually do on everything) as reported on this link above? Does BlackBerry have any patent protection?

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[Stewartj1]

I use SwiftKey on my work S4 and can tell you the BlackBerry implementation is far, far superior.

I like the keyboard on my Z10 but hate it on my Samsung.

Z10

[cjcampbell]

I use SwiftKey on my work S4 and can tell you the BlackBerry implementation is far, far superior.

I like the keyboard on my Z10 but hate it on my Samsung.

Z10

I am in the same situation. I find the BB10 keyboard experience far superior.

[pantlesspenguin]

In my experience, neither is "far superior" to the other. They're virtually the same. The difference in experience comes with one's own preference for text input. If one is proficient in flick to type, then the BB10 keyboard is better. If one is proficient with swiping over the letters, then SwiftKey is better. Since 90% of my typing is quickly tapping on the keys, both are pretty interchangeable for me. The other 10% is flicking when I'm on the BB10 keyboard and flowing when I'm on SwiftKey. I have my theme on SwiftKey set up nearly identical to the BB10 keyboard as far as key size and spacing.

[Yatezy]

I use SwiftKey on my work S4 and can tell you the BlackBerry implementation is far, far superior.

I like the keyboard on my Z10 but hate it on my Samsung.

Z10

That might be Samsung doing what they do best. Completely cocking the software up.

Edit: unless it's the actual swiftkey keyboard. I know Samsung based their keyboard on the S4 and S5 off the swiftkey software.

[DenverRalphy]

The BlackBerry 10 uses swift key for the heat mapping and prediction. I don't know if it was all them though. BlackBerry said they created the swipe word select and the algorithms that learn your word usage to help predict. Some of the keyboard is swift key and some is BlackBerry.

SwiftKey designed the method to learn your word usage/habits as well.

[Stewartj1]

That might be Samsung doing what they do best. Completely cocking the software up.

Edit: unless it's the actual swiftkey keyboard. I know Samsung based their keyboard on the S4 and S5 off the swiftkey software.

The stock S4 keyboard was unbearable so I bought (then it went free about a week later) SwiftKey. It's much better than stock but not nearly as nice as my Z10 version.

For those who hasten to point out its a matter of preference, no kidding. I presume everyone on CB is well aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder whether it be OS, apps or hardware so I don't go out of my way to say that in each and every post.



Z10

[Yatezy]

The stock S4 keyboard was unbearable so I bought (then it went free about a week later) SwiftKey. It's much better than stock but not nearly as nice as my Z10 version.

For those who hasten to point out its a matter of preference, no kidding. I presume everyone on CB is well aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder whether it be OS, apps or hardware so I don't go out of my way to say that in each and every post.



Z10

When i had the S3 the keyboard was a painful experience. Swiftkey sorted that out for me. Personally i love it!

[shaleem]

I was always a physical keyboard fan. The Z10 cured me of that quickly. It has a great keyboard. I also use a Samsung Note 3 and use Swiftkey on it. I find it to be very user friendly as well.

[darkehawke]

In my experience, neither is "far superior" to the other. They're virtually the same. The difference in experience comes with one's own preference for text input. If one is proficient in flick to type, then the BB10 keyboard is better. If one is proficient with swiping over the letters, then SwiftKey is better. Since 90% of my typing is quickly tapping on the keys, both are pretty interchangeable for me. The other 10% is flicking when I'm on the BB10 keyboard and flowing when I'm on SwiftKey. I have my theme on SwiftKey set up nearly identical to the BB10 keyboard as far as key size and spacing.

http://i.imgur.com/hcGjYbE.png

I have the same keyboard set up!
Except I have the number row enabled.
I prefer the bb10 keyboard but it pretty much is built on top of SwiftKey

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[sk8er_tor]

BlackBerry does have the patent for displaying the word prediction on the keyboard letter to flick it up as is the case on the Z10 and Z30.

Patent EP 2669782 A1

Plus, they also have patents for prediction (not sure if using their own or someone else's engine though) as well as word substitutions (implements in BB10). EP 2703955 A1

[mnc76]

BlackBerry does have the patent for displaying the word prediction on the keyboard letter to flick it up as is the case on the Z10 and Z30.

Patent EP 2669782 A1

Plus, they also have patents for prediction (not sure if using their own or someone else's engine though) as well as word substitutions (implements in BB10). EP 2703955 A1

Yeah. BlackBerry's prediction tech is more than just the vanilla Swype algorithm.

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[FunktasticLucky]

Yeah. BlackBerry's prediction tech is more than just the vanilla Swype algorithm.

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I definitely think it is. I think the only thing they used from swipe was the heat mapping correction learning. The rest I really think was BlackBerry. The look and the feel of it just feels much better to me.

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