No longer a secret that the Palm OS version of the Next Arrow numbered 5.2 no longer supports the system of recognition Graffiti, c which users are familiar with more than one generation palmovyh machines. Along with the new hardware features, such as a virtual graffiti area and high resolution screen (320x320, 320x480 pixels) at the Pocket PC in this family will soon appear, and new technology is officially approved by the handwritten input Jot or Graffiti 2. The latter works on the principle of "digital packing area": for notes you can use the entire surface of the PDA screen, and not strictly assigned area. Of course, fans of "retro" can enjoy a virtual Old-good graffiti, but for novices, this system, according to representatives of Palm, is far preferable. However, recommended to use a commercial program Jot ($ 40), there are alternatives. Currently, there is at least two applications running on a "digital ink" and, curiously, is distributed free - Graffiti Anywhere and Newpen. Test all three systems come from our foreign colleagues, a columnist for the site PalmInfocenter, the material of which we present to your attention. Of course, the lack of Graffiti - not the only reason to wish the display text input. The display more space than in the selection and the principle of "digital ink", which uses all of these applications, provides greater visibility.
Jot v 2.0 (product of CIC Software, $ 40)
System Jot handwriting recognition has been around for several years. This application can be called a pioneer in its field. It should be noted that Jot - not just an ordinary utility that lets you write on the screen, and full-fledged technology. Not without reason, recently acquired PalmSource her license from the development company CIC. (Interestingly, that same company has its own analogue and Graffiti - the program RechoEcho, which can be purchased for $ 10.)
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The principle of Jot is this: each character is identified by a set of several strokes, is very similar to regular hand-written letters. Graffiti has existed in the old original reduced alphabet, which the owner of a handheld computer had to memorize. Each letter in it was reproduced by one stroke job. In the new system of recognition of letters and symbols (K, T, I, Y, P and $) can be configured by the user, albeit with some restrictions, that is, each letter may have several options tracings. Moreover, to enter one character, you have two or three flourishes, taking the pen from the screen. Punctuation marks are entered in one of two ways: they are automatically recognized in its original form or drawn between special flourishes, and then detected. Usually these characters are available in 2 or more strokes, so you need a special input mode. All punctuation can be entered in this way, but many signs do not need to shift functions for recognition, including:. ,! ? '@ And &. To help users learn the system, handwriting recognition Jot, applies the convenient tutorial (tutorial). Options Inscription symbol can be demonstrated at any point on the display PDA - it is necessary to press the top bar on the desired letter , number or punctuation mark. In Jot strokes are also available for most of the characters available in Graffiti, as well as means of identifying "Cut, paste, etc. However, some characters are not here, for example, double quotation marks or apostrophes (for their writing, using the function shift with Graffiti). As you have probably noticed a stroke, causing mode capitalization (upwards), is used in Jot for punctuation. So how to write capital letters? In Jot input area high letters were transferred to mid-band input. To enter an uppercase letter, you must write it so that it fell in the region enter letters and numbers in the region.
On the functional features of the application
Customize Jot is simple enough, almost all of the tools for this purpose you will find on the screen. The system can be either enabled or disabled completely. Unfortunately, it can not be called from another application. Convenient to use the program in both modes - in Jot, as well as in Graffiti. (Recall that in the Jot-mode, you can write not only in the graffiti, but also the entire surface of the screen.) Recognition of Gestures in Jot is somewhat slower than Graffiti. Chastoispolzuemye punctuation marks are entered in Jot is so simple that in a sense, this is even a "counterintuitive." Thus, a single press on the screen gives the dash. I have countless times in error introduced the double-dash, very much accustomed to double clicking, which is used to write this character in Graffiti. Also like to mention one more very useful features implemented by developers Jot. This is a selection of text using the stylus. I must say that in other programs, text recognition, which we describe below, this feature is not working effectively. In general we can say that Jot - a fairly good product. He runs faster than Graffiti, with its dedicated domain. But if you get used to working with the latter, remembering Jot strokes can cause problems: will often refer to the help Jot, to remember how to write one or another icon. In general, if you are confident user Graffiti, keep up the good work. If you find it hard to get used to its reduced alphabet, Jot - a great alternative. Each letter is well recognized by the system regardless of whether you type it in words or print properly. Dissatisfaction with the program may also cause its price. For an application, which for several years, virtually unchanged, except for adding support for high definition displays, and Palm OS 5, price $ 40 - too high.
Pros: selection pen; a more natural system of recognition than that of Graffiti
Cons: High price; hardly useful to those who are comfortable working with Graffiti; no quick on / off (on the fly), the call from other applications.
Graffiti Anywhere v. 1.2 (developer: Thierry Escande and Gilles Fabre, distributed free of charge)
From the viewpoint of "tricked out", Graffiti Anywhere (for brevity - GA) can be called the "Cadillac" among the means of text entry screen. However, for this has been done with great taste software does not have to overpay. The program is distributed as a standalone application, rather than as a hack. Operates in standby mode. To activate only the signal. The principle of GA is very simple: you can draw graffiti on the entire surface of the screen. Let's start with the settings. The application is a set of three tabs: Graphics (graphical tools), Activation (activation) and Advanced (additional functions). At the top of the display are only two buttons - "include" and "off". Graphics tab contains options for cosmetic changes "trace» Graffiti, including the ability to change the color of ink. Activation allows you to select which hardware button to start and how to GA.
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C GA can work with any of the four buttons to call a hot application for housing Tungsten T, the navigation joystick NavPad and voice recorder button. Curiously, the program could be run long or short retention of your choice. Also in the GA toolbox I found interesting configuration options for recognition of single-clicking ("on" - pressing is used to move the cursor or interface control device, "off" - for the punctuation marks on the screen) and automatically shutdown. The Advanced tab is responsible for the possible reactivation and activation functions that depend on the particular application. Work with the GA is also very simple. I only came into the complexity of the issue - turn off or not detection mode by clicking once.On the one hand, it is very convenient to enter the punctuation right on the screen (by the way, Jot Graffiti in the regime of such a function does not), but on the other hand, there arise inconveniences because of the inability to quickly press the button, or if necessary, move the cursor quickly. In my opinion, off this mode is suitable for continuous operation when the minor patch are optional. No need to move into the region of Graffiti, to rasstalyat punctuation. When the mode of recognition by a single push on, it is convenient for minor corrections of spelling errors and the transition to other words. Those who use Graffiti to make corrections in large documents (such as Documents to Go and WordSmith), work in this way will be more comfortable because they do not have to constantly switch between screen area and Graffiti. However, there is an application one drawback. In the GA can select blocks of text with a stylus, so editing documents or notes, takes a little longer than, say, users Jot. Thus, Graffiti Anywhere - reliable and intuitive to use program. Its configuration is simple, and access to help and tips are available in the appendix. I want to note also the ability to run applications with a long press of a button. It's nice that the light activation of GA indicates the beginning of his brief screen flicker, which unobtrusively and at the same time it is hard not to notice. As would be foolish as it may sound, but I'm in this raspoznavalke most attractive opportunity to change the color digital ink. This "feature" will love those who love to "customize" interface your device. I must say that the speed of the GA is high. Those who are well aware of Graffiti, can work in a new application is much faster and more accurate.
Pluses: free, customizable, user-friendly features start and shutdown applications.
Cons: No selection pen.
Newpen v. 1.4 (developer: Tatsuo Nagamatsu, distributed free of charge)
Newpen - simple and functional application for entering text on the screen. In the settings you will find two buttons - "include" and "off", and "flags" for a variety of settings (strokes, supporting the command panel, sound, recognition by a single click). In the menu, users can determine the most appropriate way to activate it. By analogy with the GA, Newpen can be launched from other applications, if the main program is included. Activation method can also be chosen: either "raspoznavalka will be included in a long press for 2, 3 or 4 seconds, or a special flourish.
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Users can also customize the appearance of the indicator is activated shift Graffiti, which is a small rectangle in the lower right corner of the screen. When Newpen is in standby mode, the boundaries of the rectangle are marked by dotted lines. When the application is activated, the border is a solid line. Shift indicators are located inside the rectangle. In addition, clicking on it to turn on and off Newpen «on the fly." When the Graffiti area introduced a special flourish, Newpen start. Like the GA, every single click can be recognized as a mark of punctuation or separation. Newpen has a certain similarity of function of a selection, but make it work I could not. When I try to highlight text and delete it or overwrite, the selection was removed and all records occurred at the end of the text. If support for the command panel is disabled, the random input stroke, activating the command panel does nothing. This prevents a large amount of random commands and is very convenient for those who are not very good a horizontal strokes, indicating a gap. When working with Newpen many users are faced with the following functional problem that has not been seen nor GA, nor from Jot.When the option of single clicking, the cursor sometimes starts jumping all over the text area, getting in storoki, where he does not need. In my opinion, this is due to the low rate of Newpen. When drawing the strokes there is a significant time lag, it can cause incorrect interpretation of the program lines and move the cursor accordingly. Avoid this problem would help slow, well thought-out gestures. Maybe it will be convenient for those who are not able to work quickly with Graffiti. One of the nicest features Newpen - rectangle to activate the application. Although he sometimes distracted attention, but still easier to turn on or off the program with it, than to resort to pressing buttons on the case, as implemented in the GA. However, for the initial launch of the program button is still more convenient. The indicator does not always appear automatically when you boot Newpen, sometimes displayed only after activation. It would be nice if in Newpen added automatic switch-ozhdaniya when you exit the program, which is implemented in GA and it seems to me to be present in each such application.
Pluses: free, always available button activation, it is possible to disable command bar
Cons: slow work with Palm OS 4.
Speed Test
Of course, easy to use and attractive design are extremely important when choosing software, but a more important factor here is the speed of his work. With WPM (by DDH Software) test was performed to compare the speed of data entry applications discussed in comparison with Graffiti on Sonu CLIE SJ30. Results were as follows:
| Silkscreen | GA | Newpen | Jot (HWR) | Jot (Graffiti) |
| Avg | 27.5 | 30.25 | 16.75 | 15.75 | 27.75 |
| SD | 1.5 | 1.125 | 1.875 | 0.875 | 1.25 |
| Max | 29 | 32 | 20 | 17 | 29 |
| Min | 26 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 26 |
True, there must note that this is the results of my personal ...:) Judging from the above label, we can say that GA is the fastest application. Graffiti mode in Jot is in second place - the program works quite disputes, but has some flaws in the translation of strokes in the characters. It is possible that I often draw strokes are too close to each other, and they were perceived as one. This slows the whole process because you have to remove unnecessary symbols and correct errors. Moreover, similar problems with Jot or GA did not arise. In Newpen also been some problems with speed. The delay in recognizing the characters in this program more than others. Paradoxically, in order to Newpen it was faster to write slowly. Results Jot HWR very sad. Recognition takes place very slowly, and often too fast, add a space after the letter leads to an incorrect recognition. In this sense, the power of Jot is also its weakness - two stroke is often understood as a single character. To avoid this problem, it is necessary to withstand a short time after the last character before entering the space.
Output
Personally for me the winner of the objective (in tests) and subjectively (liking) was the program Graffiti Anywhere. This application is the most versatile and easy to use. In addition, it can be configured at virtually any user with a rich toolbox. For GA and say high speed, and accuracy "with which the Center conducts character recognition. True, there should be registration, test that I conducted in Machico, operating under the Palm OS 4.x. Perhaps, at palm'ah new generation with more powerful processors, the delay in recognizing and drawing in Jot and Newpen be invisible. Surely, each of the above applications has its fans with devices based on OS5, which will confirm this. Sources, Materials:
PalmInfoCenter
The authors, translation:
Hope Currant