24 Hours With the 8pen Input Method

Head over to the8pen.com and you will see an intriguing video introduction to the latest input method to hit the Android OS and, likely, the strangest one too.

As we all know, and the video states, the keyboard was never meant to be shrunk to a two inch wide area and used by thumbs on a touchscreen, but such has been the method of the default method of every smartphone released to date and the method of 3rd party Android keyboards Swype, ThickButtons, and Swiftkey. Even though everybody has done something different with their version of what I used to type out this review, none have managed to overcome the problems that remain with the tiny keyboard in such a way that it would prevent the creation of the 8pen input method.

If you’ve watched the video on their homepage, you have some idea of how 8pen works. If you haven’t watched it, then you’d better before you consider buying it at just over $1.50. The concept is new, and is worthy of even more praise than the iPod’s touch wheel. However, unlike the iPod’s touch wheel, 8pen has a steep learning curve.

The Good:

• Quick at composing in English, no txt speak allowed
• Words not in english, like passwords, can be achieved by dragging your finger off to one side
• Fun: I felt like I was in a Pringles commercial
• Once you know where everything is, you can compose quickly without looking.
• Gestures are extremely helpful. Could be used for passwords, if you lock your phone and don’t mind having a plain text copy of your password on your phone.

The Bad:

• Steep learning curve
• Your fingers become a visual obstruction as you learn how to use it
• The space for the gestures seems a bit small

Overall, I love it. I didn’t return 8pen for the refund, and I think I might stop flipping my phone over to landscape mode just to type once I get used to 8pen. After 24 hours my composition speed with 8pen is comparable to my composition speed in Android’s landscape keyboard. I expect I’ll be texting while driving, which is illegal where I live, by the weeks end.

I hereby by give 8pen a 4 out of 5.

Advertisement