Thursday, December 12, 2013

SwiftKey 4.5 beta adds 500 emoji, numbers row for Android devices

SwiftKey 4.5 beta adds 500 emoji, numbers row for Android devices

If a picture says a thousands word, SwiftKey just got a lot more efficient

Even though SwiftKey remains the top paid app in the Google Play store, a new beta proves its creators haven't put a predictive period at the end of its Android keyboard's development.

The SwiftKey 4.5 beta adds over 500 emoji faces to the letters, numbers and symbols that users are used to seeing from the keyboard app.

"Users can choose from hundreds of emoji images including smileys, fun characters, sports images, food, animals, weather symbols, transport and traffic signs, and musical references," said SwiftKey in a press release.

The emoji icons can be access through a popup panel. Tabs split the fun little pictures into five categories: people, objects, nature, places and symbols.

Predictive emoji

As you might expect from the minds of SwiftKey, the emoji in today's beta are just as much a part of the predictive candidate bar as any matching word.

"If a user starts typing 'pizza' they might see a tasty slice being served up on the candidate bar," illustrated SwiftKey.

Even more timely for the holiday season, entering in the letters for the word "Santa" suggests a Christmas emoji.

SwiftKey is even poised to learn which emoji icons you usually type after words and names.

"If someone regularly uses a particular emoji next to a specific word, such as their girlfriend's name and a heart symbol, it will learn to suggest it in future," noted the press release.

Optional numbers row

More productive than exciting, the SwiftKey 4.5 beta introduces an optional dedicated number row, which the company said was added by popular request.

It appears at the top of the keyboard instead of forcing users to hold down the top row keys or toggle between numbers and letters.

SwiftKey 4.5 can be downloaded in beta form through this APK right now.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/swiftkey-4-5-beta-adds-500-emoji-numbers-row-for-android-devices-1207452

0 comments:

Post a Comment