MessagEase
MessagEase is an input method and virtual keyboard for touchscreen devices. It relies on a new entry system designed by Saied B. Nesbat, formatted as a 3x3 matrix keypad where users may press or swipe up, down, left, right, or diagonally to access all keys and symbols.[1] It is a keyboard that was designed for devices like cell phones, mimicking the early cell phones' limited number of 12 keys.[2]
The large letters contain the most common letters, and these letters are accessed by a tap. The small letters contain less common letters, and these are accessed by a slide. There's a green trail that shows the path of the finger.[3] The keyboard supports multiple user dictionaries, used for word prediction and correction.[4]
The software is developed and patented by ExIdeas, based in Belmont, California. It was first released in 2002 for the Palm, along with a paper in 2003.[5]
Layout
The keyboard layout has a 3x3 matrix that allows for full-text entry. The letter placement is optimized for minimal movement distance between letters, allowing for faster typing.[6]
The layout is 67% faster than a standard QWERTY software keyboard, and 31% faster than a multi-tap keyboard, when typing is modeled with Fitt's law. A big part of this is that 9 letters can be accessed by using the central key, which is O.[7]
Software
The keyboard is currently available for Android devices, iOS devices and the Apple Watch.[8]
Currently supported languages:
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History
MessagEase was released in 2002 for the Palm. It was also originally a competitor to the T9 predictive input method, on a 12-button phone, with 9 number buttons. In this first iteration, each of the 9 primary characters needed to be pressed twice in a row, and secondary characters were entered by first pressing the main button, and then pressing one of the remaining 8 buttons.[9] In this first iteration, because many letters required two presses, it was not significantly faster than the Multi-tap input method.[10]
MessagEase is now exclusively for touch screens, and no longer has physical 12-button support. All characters are now entered by tapping or swiping.
External links
References
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