Text with Dextr - new keyboard layout for texting

[rhune]

Looks like someones created a new keyboard layout specifically for mobile devices.

The Dextr keyboard is in alphabetical order with the letters split over five rows instead of three and it is able to be flipped for easier use by left handed people.

Theres a pre-release version of the keyboard app on the website but I haven't had a chance to try it...and probably won't as I am far too used to my qwerty layout

Wonder if this will ever catch on though?

News article:http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/72590 ... asy-as-ABC
Offical site: http://www.textwithdextr.com/

[Icarium]

Let's say everybody knows the alphabet and distances on a mobile phone are negligible. Then he is right but his improvement only helps people who don't know where letters are on a keyboard.
Maybe people who do know still find letters faster if they're in alphabetic order. Could be.

But I've also seen people who typed faster on the original number pads of phones compared to touchscreens. Simply because of the tactility, they know where the keys are and they don't have to look. So, I'd say it's tactility combined with spacing. Reminds me to look for a Touchstream.

[Daniel Beaver]

A layout change is not going to be a panacea for virtual keyboards - only real innovations have ever caught on (like T9 and swype).

[Icarium]

Ah, yes. That was exactly the point I wanted to make, thanks Beaver.
I just visited that site and the fuss is just not justifiable.

[hoggy]

I'm with Icarium. IBM did a much better single finger layout years ago (I'll probably never the link again) and the fitaly layout is pretty good.

Now if they had come up with a layout optimised for two thumbs I would have been impressed.

Still, any change from the norm is a good thing, especially when it seems to be a rare thing nowadays. Too much cost cutting, and not enough design 'guts'...