[NTLK] [OT] HWR App

[Joel M. Sciamma]

If you want to have HWR on the iPad under iOS8, remember that WritePad allows you to use it as an alternative keyboard, which means you have HWR everywhere that text can be entered, just like the Newt. No more copy/paste.

With WritePad installed, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. WritePad will prompt you with all this when it launches.

I have used it in most of my apps and it works very well in all of them. This is the first time that the iPad now has the same capabilities as the Newt insofar as having universal HWR in all parts of the system. There is no issue for me with palm touches because you are writing along the bottom edge of the iPad.

It’s not HWR ‘in place’ but actually, having the width of the screen in the region normally occupied by the keyboard makes it very easy to walk and write in whatever app you happen to be using. OmniOutliner is very good with this.

Recognition accuracy is as good as it is on the Newt, which is to say, with my handwriting, excellent on both.

It’s slightly spooky to be using the iPad this way the first few times but it works well and it becomes part of your normal interactions when you need it.

My primary iOS device is an iPad3 but it’s even better on the iPad mini as an HWR notebook on the move.

Joel.