Predictive text
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Predictive text is an input technology designed for mobile phones. The technology allows words to be entered by a single keypress for each letter, as opposed to the multiple keypress approach used in the older generation of mobile phones. The primary application of this is to simplify the writing of text messages.
Predictive text works by referencing a dictionary of commonly used words. As the user presses the number buttons, an algorithm searches the dictionary for a list of possible words that match the keypress combination, and offers up the most probable choice. The user can then confirm the selection and move on, or use a key to cycle through the possible combinations. Sometimes, this is combined with a word completion facility, or a learning system to remember the user's most common words.
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Example
Consider a typical phone keypad:
Suppose an user wishes to type 'The'. In a traditional keypad entry system, it would be necessary to do the following:
Press 8 (tuv) once to select t.
Press 4 (ghi) twice to select h.
Press 3 (def) twice to select e.
Meanwhile, in a phone with predictive text, it is only necessary to:
Press 8 once to select the (tuv) group for the first character.
Press 4 once to select the (ghi) group for the second character.
Press 3 once to select the (def) group for the third character.
The system updates the display as each keypress is entered to show the most probable entry. In this case, predictive text reduced the number of button presses from 5 to 3. The effect is even greater with longer, more complex words.
Textonyms
In a world fond of neologisms, words produced by the same combination of keypresses are now being referred to as "textonyms", "adaptonyms", "cellodromes", and even "T9-agrams". One quoted example (http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,12730392,00.html) of textonyms shows that the keypresses required to produce the message "Ask the cool barmaid for nine pints of beer" could result in "Ask the book carnage for mind shots of adds". Such examples illustrate the importance of proof-reading text messages after typing them.
Companies
Predictive text is developed and marketed in a variety of competing products. The most common is AOL/Tegic Communications's T9, but there is also Motorola's iTAP, and ZiCorp's eZiText.
External links
- T9 official website (http://www.t9.com/)
- text.it - predictive text (http://www.text.it/how/default.asp?intPageID=186)
- ZiCorp (http://www.zicorp.com/textinputhome.htm)
- GSM Helpdesk Netherlands - T9 Wordinput (http://www.gsmhelpdesk.nl/en/helpdesk/t9.php)
- New Scientist article on textonyms (http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18524832.300)
- An Australian newspaper article on textonyms (http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,12730392,00.html)
- Technical notes on iTap (including lists of textonyms) (http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/mackay/itprnn/itap/)
