[FSeverino]

you also have to consider that if TAT did anything ontop of the swiftkey work RIM would NOT allow other people to have THAT particular innovation...

if the 'floating' words are from TAT, or something like that, then there is no way that swiftkey can incorporate it into android/iOS keyboards unless RIM would be getting some compensation

[604778]

you also have to consider that if TAT did anything ontop of the swiftkey work RIM would NOT allow other people to have THAT particular innovation...

if the 'floating' words are from TAT, or something like that, then there is no way that swiftkey can incorporate it into android/iOS keyboards unless RIM would be getting some compensation

Yes, the floating words are definitely a TAT/RIM Sweden innovation.

[604778]

So Swiftkey and the shown keyboard are not the same technology...

I believe Swiftkey makes the keyboard. TAT added the floating word predictions. Normal swiftkey keyboards have the words at the top of the keyboard - see the current PlayBook kb for example.

[psufan32]

Beta 3? Even SwiftKey version 1 is better than the iOS keyboard.

I'd agree for word correction. My personal experience has been a much easier time typing (i.e. accuracy) on my wife's iPhone than on my GSII (Samsung, Android, and Swiftkey). Beta 3 changed all that. I've found the new keyboard to be significantly better.

[_StephenBB81]

If they do, I would speculate that it would be for less than, or no more than, a year. I doubt SwiftKey would be very keen on the exclusivity for too long in fear they'll lose business on other platforms when other keyboard apps emulate the same or similar functionality.

completely would depend on who came up with the idea.

the Keyboard could be a swift key keyboard, but the idea of keyboard words could have been RIM's it could be a styling layer that moved the predictive text over the keys.

I would hope that it was a patented idea/concept by RIM and they had swiftkey implement it,

[polytope]

More tat vaporware? That's what we need.

Check this out thoroughly before you call TAT vaporware:
https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/cascades/

[kraski]

I agree. But I would want this particular technology to be in-house. It is that good. Plus, if another company acquires Swiftkey, RIM loses one of their key BB10 USPs.

Right now, they're licensing the technology. There appear to be no threats of someone taking over swiftkey. So why, at RIM's financial low point, would they want to spend extra to buy swiftkey? Buying swiftkey can wait till there's a problem. Contracts already in place will remain valid. And it's likely an added revenue stream from RIM wouldn't be killed.

[Economist101]

Check this out thoroughly before you call TAT vaporware:
https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/cascades/

That's lovely, but until there's an actual product available for purchase it's difficult to refute the "vaporware" allegation.

[ubizmo]

That's lovely, but until there's an actual product available for purchase it's difficult to refute the "vaporware" allegation.

Since the definition of "vaporware" is a product that's announced but never actually released, it's also difficult to support the allegation. Is there any evidence that TAT Cascades will never be released? If not, the term "vaporware" is merely provocative.

[xandermac]

Check this out thoroughly before you call TAT vaporware:
https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/cascades/

Yeauh. None of that is available for install by an end user, so, vaporware.

The only available TAT product is scrapbook if I'm not mistaken.

[xiaohuaxing]

Yeauh. None of that is available for install by an end user, so, vaporware.

The only available TAT product is scrapbook if I'm not mistaken.

I'm confused, since when did "vaporware" refer only to end user products? Cascades is for developers and is already available. If only consumer-downloadable software is not vaporware, then 95% of the stuff on your phone that makes it work behind the scenes is "vaporware"

[xiaohuaxing]

I believe Swiftkey makes the keyboard. TAT added the floating word predictions. Normal swiftkey keyboards have the words at the top of the keyboard - see the current PlayBook kb for example.

To me, it doesn't matter who made the keyboard, the floating/swipe (the innovation part from RIM) of the predicted word is the feature I want.

[psufan32]

To me, it doesn't matter who made the keyboard, the floating/swipe (the innovation part from RIM) of the predicted word is the feature I want.

Use a few different touchscreen keyboards and you'll realize that not every touchscreen keyboard is created equally. Swiftkey makes awfully good ones.

[gregorylkelly]

Use a few different touchscreen keyboards and you'll realize that not every touchscreen keyboard is created equally. Swiftkey makes awfully good ones.

Yes, but notice how when the PB 2.0 came out there was no mention of the new keyboard layout. At least they didn't push it as a big new feature. However, the first teaser they showed about BB10 was the new keyboard. It was because of the floating words and gestures, not the predictive text. Swiftkey is awesome, but the BB10 keyboard is both awesome and exciting.

[xiaohuaxing]

Use a few different touchscreen keyboards and you'll realize that not every touchscreen keyboard is created equally. Swiftkey makes awfully good ones.

To be honest I'm a physical keyboard person and I don't bother with trying different touchscreen keyboards unless I'm using a friend's phone because like you say, a lot of them suck and is a waste of my time.

The only one so far that I've tried and liked was Swype, but that's only available on certain phones. I think this could be the thing that pushes me over to touchscreen typing though. I'll have to wait to try it out and see.

[soren203]

Just a guess, but I'd say it's because SwiftKey has no intention of being bought.

Everyone has a price, I bet RIM is more than capable of paying swiftkeys ;P

[greatwiseone]

Acquisition sometimes take longer than licensing. More issues to consider in an acquisition than just licensing the technology...

[FSeverino]

That's lovely, but until there's an actual product available for purchase it's difficult to refute the "vaporware" allegation.

actually... the fact that people have the Dev Alpha pretty much refutes that. If members outside of the company have the device then it cannot be 'vaporware' because 'vaporware' is defined as something that is very released outside of the developing company.

They have also release Cascades to the public (developers). Although i agree that TAT is WAAAAAAY behind on the things they have said they will do, it is apparent that they ARE DOING THEM. I would rather have a device/software base that WORKS well and wait 2 years then have garbage in 6 months. And RIM has the reserves to hold off on releasing these things until they are at least 80% functional... which is why they arent rushing the BB10 release even though EVERYONE is telling them that they MUST DO IT TO SURVIVE.