One of the hurdles people often face when starting to use an iPhone or other touch-screen device is dealing with a slower typing speed. Instead of knowing where each individual key is on the keyboard by touch, you need to do a little more guess work with the iPhone. As someone who tends to write lengthy text messages and comes up with ideas while out and about, this was one of my concerns when using a touch-screen phone.
A bluetooth keyboard can certainly help, but there are times when it’s easier not to carry a separate device or you’ve just forgotten it. Cases with bluetooth keyboards built-in are understandably a bit more bulky than the iPhone on its own. Enter Fleksy, a new app aimed to help you type faster. Instead of having to find each key then either lift your finger or split tap as is done with VoiceOver, with Fleksy, just aim a finger at where you think a key might be. The system will do its best to figure out what you were typing. More often then not, it will be correct. If it isn’t right, simply swipe down to hear a list of suggestions. The team has even improved the entering of punctuation; you don’t have to switch to a new keyboard just to enter a comma.
The only drawback to this innovative app is that you need to copy the text you’ve written into other apps, as iOS doesn’t allow the keyboard to be used system-wide. In other words, your keyboard is a separate app, and you need to paste the text you’ve written into apps like Safari or Notes. However, Fleksy makes it easy to copy text, and you can set up favorite email addresses and numbers you frequently text right within the app.
The majority of this post was written using Fleksy, and while I had to correct the system’s guesses approximately 15 times, the word I was looking for was usually the first or second suggestion. I find the words that are most difficult to type are short words whose letters are close together on the keyboard. For example: it, is, if.
Next time you have an idea for a paper, or need to write a quick note about a class, Fleksy might just be able to help you get it done a bit more speedily.
Fleksy costs 14.99 in the App store.
Tag: note-taking
Folders: Find Those Freshman Notes Your Senior Year
If you’re preparing for college, you’ve probably heard how important it is to stay organized. From writing down your assignments to time-management, staying organized comes into play in nearly every aspect of college life. And, when you enter the working world, it’s a skill you’ll be glad you have polished well. Here’s just one basic tip that can help you keep track of all of those critical class notes and papers-in-progress–it was very helpful for me.
Once you have your schedule all set, sit down at your computer. Create a folder with the name of the semester. For example, you might have a folder called “Fall 2012.” Then, within each folder, create folders for each of your classes. Remember to make the names of your folders clear and specific. That way, a year later, when you’re studying for that French final, and you want a quick reminder on how to form the negative, you can pull up your notes from Introduction to French as reference.
If you’re taking notes on your laptop in class, remember to save them in the correct folder and with a clear file name for later retrieval. To make your notes even more useful, consider using a service like Dropox for access from just about anywhere. If you’re working on a term project for one of your classes, consider giving that project its own folder. You’ll be able to find it easier, and put all of your research information as well as drafts in progress all in one place.
Most important, come up with an organizational system that works for you, and stick to it. Staying organized can save you a lot of agitation, So next time you’re looking for that paper you started last week, you’ll know exactly where to find it.