Microsoft's Analog Keyboard Makes Writing Easier on Android Wear Devices
The boffins busy over at Microsoft Research have come up with a novel way of getting information quickly into Google Android Wear devices. Text input on a smart watch is a challenge to say the least with much hunting and pecking or trying to get Google to understand what you're saying while standing on a busy pedestrian street. Now Microsoft have a solution.
They have developed what they've dubbed their Analog Keyboard app for Android Wear which lets users use handwriting to draw out a word one letter at a time to get the point across.
You will need to enable ADB for side loading apps in order to be able to install this new keyboard from Microsoft's web site.
Benefits of the New Keyboard
Microsoft have pointed out that the careful motor skills needed to accurately type on a tiny keyboard aren't needed with their Analog Keyboard app. This will certainly be appreciated by people who are getting older and find little keyboards tricky to manipulate accurately. It is also possible to scribble something down digitally without even needing to look at the smart watch display while you write on it. The accuracy is likely to be better than miniature smart watch keyboard typing too.
Limitations of the Analog Keyboard
The limitations currently with Analog Keyboard are that it is currently unable to distinguish between upper-case and lower-case letters. It can also be a bit laggy as the effort to understand the handwriting takes a lot out of a low powered smart watch. Battery life also suffers quite a bit depending on how much you use the app and the battery size installed in the smart watch. It is hoped that by connecting to the cloud or a connected smart phone it'll be possible to pass across some of these technological heavy lifting which would help.
Fix Inaccuerate Typing More Quickly
The app could be useful to step in to clean up some spoken messages that weren't received well by the smart watch. A little editing can go a long way when just one word needs be fixed in a five sentence message to a friend.
Currently Microsoft do not plan to release the Analog Keyboard app commercially. With that said, the Analog Keyboard would be a good fit with the OneNote Android Wear app that is available already.
