News
Swype Reinvents Typing on Touch-Screen Phones - The New York Times
June 20, 2010
SEATTLE — Back in the 1990s, typing out “hello” on most cellphones required an exhausting 13 taps on the number keys, like so: 44-33-555-555-666.
That was before the inventor Cliff Kushler, based here in Seattle, and a partner created software called T9, which could bring that number down to three by guessing the word being typed.
Now there is a new challenge to typing on phones. More phones are using virtual keyboards on a touch screen, replacing physical buttons. But pecking out a message on a small piece of glass is not so easy, and typos are common.
Mr. Kushler thinks he has a solution once again. His new technology, which he developed with a fellow research scientist, Randy Marsden, is called Swype, and it allows users to glide a finger across the virtual keyboard to spell words, rather than tapping out each letter.
While many smartphones have features that auto-complete words, correct typos on the fly and add punctuation, Mr. Kushler is aiming for the next level.
FierceWireless Names Swype as one of Its "Fierce 15" Wireless Companies of 2010
Swype on Leading Edge of Wireless Technology
Seattle– May 18, 2010
Swype announced today that it has been named to the annual FierceWireless “Fierce 15” list, designating it as one of the top wireless companies of the year. FierceWireless editors evaluated hundreds of organizations, and found Swype to be amongst the “fiercest,” proven by their creativity and innovations in the marketplace.
Swype’s cutting edge technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens and is designed to work across a variety of devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, kiosks, televisions, virtual screens and more. Created by Cliff Kushler, the inventor of T9 text input software, Swype currently supports over 30 languages and its adaptive function allows it to learn new words, phone numbers and more data unique to its owner.
FierceWireless, an internationally recognized daily email newsletter reaching more than 72,000 senior wireless industry executives, provides executives in over 100 countries with a quick, authoritative briefing on the day's top wireless stories, including new trends and technologies.
“Finally a new solution to an age-old problem – entering text on a cell phone. Swype’s predictive algorithm technology anticipates what a user is typing and helps speed the process,” said Sue Marek, Editor-in-Chief of FierceWireless.
“We are honored to be recognized by FierceWireless as a Fierce 15 company,” said Mike McSherry, CEO of Swype. “Since our debut in the fall of 2008, we’ve had amazing response to our technology and we’re looking forward to launching on additional devices and handsets both in the US and abroad with our biggest year yet to come.”
The FierceWireless “Fierce 15” celebrates the spirit of being “fierce” – championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of winning companies is available on the FierceWireless Web site at www.fiercewireless.com.
About Swype
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 30 words per minute. Swype was developed by experts in computing and mobile phone text input technologies. Cliff Kushler, founder and CTO, is a co-inventor of the T9 text input software installed on over 4 billion mobile phones. Co-founder Randy Marsden, developed the on-screen keyboard software that has shipped on over 500 million copies of Microsoft Windows. For more information visit: www.swypeinc.com
About FierceWireless
FierceMarkets, a leader in B2B e-media, provides information and marketing services in the Telecommunications, Life Sciences, Healthcare, IT, and Finance industries through its portfolio of e-mail newsletters, Web sites, webinars, and live events. Every business day, FierceMarkets' wide array of publications reaches more than 900,000 executives in over 100 countries. Current publications include: FierceBiotech; FierceBiotechIT; FierceBiotech Research; FierceBroadbandWireless; FierceCable; FierceCIO; FierceCIO:TechWatch; FierceComplianceIT; FierceContentManagement; FierceDeveloper; FierceDrugDelivery; FierceEMR; FierceFinance; FierceFinanceIT; FierceGovernmentIT; FierceHealthcare; FierceHealthIT; FierceHealthFinance; FierceHealthPayer; FierceIPTV; FierceMedicalDevices; FierceMobileContent; FierceMobileHealthcare; FierceMobileIT; FiercePharma; FiercePharma Manufacturing; FierceTelecom; FierceOnlineVideo; FierceVaccines; FierceVoIP; FierceWireless; FierceWireless:Europe; and Hospital Impact.
SWYPE CONTINUES ITS EXPANSION, SECURES ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION IN FUNDING LED BY DOCOMO CAPITAL
Industry veterans Rob Burgess and Ross Bott Join Board of Directors
February 15, 2010
Barcelona – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2010 – Swype, an innovative text input technology, today announced it raised $1 million in series B extension funding led by DOCOMO Capital, Inc., bringing the company’s combined series B funding to $6.6 million. Joining Nokia Growth Partners and Samsung Ventures, DOCOMO Capital’s support reinforces the confidence placed in Swype’s innovative technology by leading carriers and device manufacturers around the world. The new funding will allow the company to focus on expanding Swype’s global footprint, broadening its language support and launching the technology across multiple platforms and devices.
"As we look to deploy Swype internationally, NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile operator, makes a great strategic partner in introducing Swype to the Japanese and Asian markets," said Mike McSherry, CEO of Swype. "Along with Nokia Growth Partners and Samsung Ventures, DOCOMO Capital’s support further validates our superior product and technology in the market today."
"Swype’s cutting edge technology is changing the way people communicate on touch-screen devices and with high levels of accuracy," said Tomoya Hemmi, President and CEO of DOCOMO Capital. "With the proliferation of touch-screen devices worldwide, there is tremendous potential for Swype’s technology to revolutionize text input."
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 40 words per minute. Equally important, the underlying software provides a high degree of error tolerance making it easy for first time users to successfully enter text.
Swype also announced the addition of prominent technology visionaries Rob Burgess, former CEO of Macromedia and Ross Bott, CEO of SEVEN to its board of directors.
• Rob Burgess is the former CEO of Macromedia where he led the company for over 10 years prior to its sale to Adobe Systems. During his tenure as chairman and CEO of Macromedia, Flash became the most pervasive multimedia platform in the digital world available on 98% of browsers worldwide. Rob remains on the board of Adobe Systems.
• Ross Bott is the CEO of SEVEN, a leading supplier of messaging and push applications and infrastructure for wireless carriers and handset OEMs. Previously, he served as CEO of Onebox, COO of Phone.com and held senior executive positions at Adobe, Openwave, Silicon Graphics, and other companies.
Swype currently supports 30 languages and is developing a Japanese version for release later this year. Swype is designed to work across a variety of operating systems and devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, kiosks, televisions, and GPS units among others.
About Swype
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 30 words per minute. Swype was developed by experts in computing and mobile phone text input technologies. Cliff Kushler, founder and CTO, is a co-inventor of the T9 text input software installed on over 4 billion mobile phones. Co-founder Randy Marsden, developed the on-screen keyboard software that has shipped on over 500 million copies of Microsoft Windows. For more information visit: www.swypeinc.com
About DOCOMO Capital
DOCOMO Capital, Inc. is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of NTT DOCOMO, INC. (NYSE:DCM), the leading mobile operator based in Japan. Working closely with NTT DOCOMO’s business and R&D divisions, DOCOMO Capital is in charge of NTT DOCOMO’s strategic investments in mobile communications related start-up companies mainly in the United States. For further information, visit: www.docomo-capital.com
SWYPE’S INNOVATIVE TEXT INPUT TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATED INTO T-MOBILE USA PRODUCTS
Swype Expands to Android™ platform with new T-Mobile® myTouch® 3G
February 10, 2010
Seattle, WA – Swype, an innovative text input technology, and T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the integration of Swype’s intuitive text input solution into T-Mobile touch screen devices, starting with the new version of the popular T-Mobile myTouch 3G, the company’s latest Android-powered device, which is available beginning today. T-Mobile also plans to integrate Swype into a number of future devices including the HTC HD2, an upcoming Windows Mobile® Phone from T-Mobile, which is expected to be available this spring.
"T-Mobile has always been on the forefront of introducing new devices and ground breaking technologies and now has embraced Swype’s stunningly responsive text input for its touch screen lineup," said Mike McSherry, CEO, Swype. "Launching on the Android platform is a major milestone for Swype as we continue to expand to new touch screen devices and platforms."
George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA said, "Consumers have been vocal in their demand for a more intuitive and efficient way to use a virtual keyboard on touch screen devices. As T-Mobile continues to drive innovation for the benefit of our customers, the addition of Swype to T-Mobile products places our customers at the forefront of this new solution."
Swype’s software allows for a high degree of error tolerance and provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch screens. The touch screen market for mobile phones continues to grow rapidly in the US and Swype is poised to revolutionize this space with its ease of use and intuitive technology across multiple platforms.
Swype is designed to work across a variety of operating systems and devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, televisions, and GPS units among others. Its impressive multi-lingual vocabulary currently supports over 30 languages and Swype’s adaptive function allows it to learn new words, phone numbers and more data unique to its owner.
myTouch is a registered trademark of T-Mobile USA. Google and Android are trademarks of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.
About Swype
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 30 words per minute. Swype was developed by experts in computing and mobile phone text input technologies. Cliff Kushler, founder and CTO, is a co-inventor of the T9 text input software installed on over 4 billion mobile phones. Co-founder Randy Marsden, developed the on-screen keyboard software that has shipped on over 500 million copies of Microsoft Windows. For more information visit: www.swypeinc.com
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the third quarter of 2009, almost 151 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.4 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
SWYPE SECURES $5.6 MILLION IN SERIES B VENTURE FUNDING
Innovative Text Input Company Backed by Benaroya Capital, Nokia Growth Partners and Samsung Ventures
December 15, 2009
Seattle, WA – Swype, an innovative text input technology, today announced that it has secured $5.6 million in Series B financing led by Nokia Growth Partners, Samsung Ventures, and returning investor Benaroya Capital. The infusion will be used to further fuel Swype’s partnerships integrating Swype technology into more mobile handsets and ultimately expand to other touch and remote screen devices.
"The level of confidence shown by investors in our Series B, especially coming from two of the largest device manufacturers in the world and a returning investor, demonstrates the viability of our product and the known added value it can bring to mobile devices," said Mike McSherry, CEO of Swype. "We’re thrilled with these strategic partners and look forward to launching Swype on a number of new devices and platforms."
John Gardner, partner at Nokia Growth Partners said "UI technology is a key part of our view of the growing mobile market. We are delighted to participate in this round of funding for Swype, enabling them to bring their cutting-edge technology to more mobile and touch-screen devices."
Swype’s intuitive and patented new technology which provides a faster way to input text on touchscreens, recently launched on its first consumer device, the Samsung Omnia II.
"We are excited about the significant potential associated with Swype’s innovative technology," said Brian Kang, Managing Director at Samsung Ventures America. "We believe that Swype is playing a leadership role in the evolution of mobile user interfaces and is providing an exciting breakthrough technology that can be implemented in a variety of ways."
Swype is faster than existing text entry methods because it has built-in intelligence that doesn’t require users to hit each letter accurately. Swype is designed to work across a variety of operating systems and devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, kiosks, televisions, and GPS units among others.
John Carleton, Managing Director at Benaroya Capital said, "We are pleased to continue our support of the Swype team as they enter the consumer marketplace. The company continues to meet, and exceed, its milestones and is deploying a truly game changing technology.
About Swype
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 30 words per minute. Swype was developed by experts in computing and mobile phone text input technologies. Cliff Kushler, founder and CTO, is a co-inventor of the T9 text input software installed on over 4 billion mobile phones. Co-founder Randy Marsden, developed the on-screen keyboard software that has shipped on over 500 million copies of Microsoft Windows. For more information visit: www.swypeinc.com
About Nokia Growth Partners
Nokia Growth Partners is a leading global growth stage venture firm focused on mobile technology, services and media. Nokia Growth Partners is funded by Nokia to provide superior returns and investments into companies, firms, and people that are changing the face of mobility, communications, and the internet. Nokia Growth Partners works closely with the promising companies adding value through deep domain expertise and network in the mobility market combined with many years of venture investment experience. Nokia Growth Partners offers companies in which it invests a global engagement model through its presence in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For more information visit: www.nokiagrowthpartners.com
About Samsung Ventures America
Samsung Ventures America (SVA) is the US operation of Samsung Venture Investment Corporation (SVIC), the venture capital arm of the Samsung Group. SVA and SVIC collectively manage over $400 million, tracking closely to the strategic priorities of Samsung Electronics’ and other Group companies’ core operating divisions, and encompassing investments in semiconductors, displays, telecommunications, and consumer electronics. For more information visit: www.samsungventures.com.
About Benaroya Capitol
Benaroya Capital Company has been an active early-stage investor in Pacific Northwest technology companies since its inception in 1995, with a focus on imbedded mobile applications and SaaS technologies. Its $40 million portfolio is managed by John T. Carleton (johnc@benaroya.com. Representative investments are Tegic Communications, Cequint, and Swype in mobile, and Avalara, AdmitOne Security and Veratect in SaaS. For more information visit: www.benaroya.com.
SWYPE IS READY TO REVOLUTIONIZE TOUCH SCREEN TEXT INPUT
ANNOUNCES FIRST CONSUMER OFFERING ON SAMSUNG OMNIA® II™
Launches on Samsung Omnia II on December 2
December 1, 2009
Seattle, WA – Swype, an innovative text input technology, today announced its first consumer launch on one of the hottest smartphones set to hit the market, the Samsung Omnia® II™. Swype is a cutting edge new application featured exclusively on the Samsung Omnia II.
Swype’s patented technology provides a faster and more intuitive way to input text on touch-screens. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the keyboard, users can enter text at over 30 words per minute. Equally important, the underlying software provides a high degree of error tolerance making it easy for first time users to successfully enter text.
"We’re very excited to launch Swype on the Samsung Omnia II, a leading edge device with a responsive and vibrant screen, perfect for Swype input," said Mike McSherry, CEO of Swype."With the growing popularity of touch-screen devices spanning across a variety of consumer products, the potential for Swype’s technology is extremely good."
"With the Omnia series, we bring the most innovative, new technologies and features to our customers and we are thrilled the Omnia II will be the first handset to introduce Swype in the U.S. market," said Gavin Kim, vice president, content, data services & enterprise mobility, Samsung Telecommunications America. "The Omnia II's user interface has been customized to provide touch-optimized usability making Swype the ideal application for touch screen text input."
Created by Cliff Kushler, co-inventor of the T9 predictive text technology, which is currently used on over 4 billion mobile phones worldwide, Swype is set to again revolutionize the way users communicate via text input. With a database of over 65,000 of the most frequently used words, Swype’s adaptive function also allows it to regularly learn new words, phrases, phone numbers and more data unique to its owner. Swype is designed to work across a variety of operating systems and devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, kiosks, televisions, and GPS units among others.
About Swype
Swype was developed by experts in computing and mobile phone text input technologies. Cliff Kushler, founder and CTO, is a co-inventor of the T9 text input software installed on over4 billion mobile phones. Co-founder Randy Marsden developed the on-screen keyboard software that has shipped on over 500 million copies of Microsoft Windows.
Symbian Foundation – the future of mobile
By JBC, Nokia Conversations
November 10, 2009
ESPOO, Finland – Things are moving on apace at The Symbian Foundation, as Shaun Puckrin, head of developer services at the Foundation told us this morning. The first handsets running S^2 should be appearing in the first half of 2010, but it’ll be the second half when we’ll see a big leap through the release of the first S^3 based devices. Right now there are 466 features being developed for S^3 and S^4 and we’ve had a little insight into what kind of things we can expect to see.
Open source is the foundation of The Symbian Foundation and industry collaboration is helping to rapidly develop a new generation of mobile operating system. As Shaun says, "it’s about the community building the ideas". He highlights Swype as an example of this in practice. The company’s finger-tracing text entry is innovative on its own, but as part of a wider project it can become a key part of the new operating system.
NFC (Near Field Communications) plays a key part of the next generation of Symbian. Expected to first appear in S^3 and S^4 handsets NFC will be fully integrated and have an API for developers to integrate it in other products. This would make it easier for devices to pair with stereos at home, your car or as we’ve seen, as a payment device. The social web, too, plays a part. Rather than viewing it in silos as tends to happen now, The Symbian Foundation folks are working on a social web API that’ll enable manufacturers and developers to easily integrate key social sites right into the device. Facebook friends in your contacts list anyone?
Thanks to a new graphics engine, we can expect to see a big jump in the user interface too. "Surfaces" enable users to quickly and easily get access to the information they want and in the demo, which isn’t a working example, it certainly looks pretty cool.
Overall, not only does everything at The Symbain Foundation look to be on track, but it’s gathering some serious momentum.
» View Article on Nokia Conversations
Taking a Swype at Touch Screens
Julie H. Case/ Seattle Business Monthly
September 1, 2009
Think of it like this: If your old-fashioned stylus allowed you to draw rather barbaric shapes by running your finger or pen across a touch screen, Swype allows you to spell out "barbaric" by merely running your finger from letter to letter
Why your next phone could have Swype's keyboard
Josh Lowensohn / CNET
June 1, 2009
Keyboard technology may not seem as exciting as faster microprocessors, massive displays, or ever-decreasing form factors, but in many ways it's just as important to computing. Seattle-based Swype is trying to leave its mark on the evolution of user input by making "pecking" at keys obsolete.
Swype Nominated for a 2008 Crunchie
TechCrunch
January 10, 2009
Swype was nominated in the Best Technology Innovation/Achievement category where we eventually lost to Microsoft's Live Mesh and Facebook Connect. I guess if you have to lose, you'd rather lose to these guys...
AdReady, Swype, TeachStreet Win WTIA Awards
Xconomy
May 28, 2009
Seattle-area software startups AdReady, Swype, and TeachStreet won "best in show" at the Washington Technology Industry Association’s Fast Pitch Forum and Tech Showcase yesterday.
Techcrunch50 - Swype one of 5 top finalists
Techcrunch50
September 11, 2008
TC 50- Swype looks sweet!
Viddler
September 9, 2008
Swype's new keyboard technology
CNET News
September 9, 2008 – T9 developer Cliff Kushler has developed a new keyboard entry method for touchscreen devices. We tried it. It's awesome.
SWYPE The Next Generation of Text Input
Techzulu
September 9, 2008 – Newly launched Swype unveiled a powerful technology today at the TechCrunch50 event that will change the way people input text on any screen.
TechCrunch50: Here's What We're Watching
PCMAG.com
September 9, 2008 – Upstart technology conference TechCrunch50 (TC50) kicked off its second annual event under foggy San Francisco skies Monday morning with a lineup of 52 early-stage startup companies (and their technologies).
TechCrunch50: Swype is new way to type
Swype won over judges with a new technology...
September 9, 2008 – At a product demonstration event hosted by the MIT Venture Lab three months ago, Swype won over judges (I was among them) with a new technology that allowed mobile phone users to input text using a finger by drawing lines between letters on a keypad.
TC50: Get ready for a revolution in mobile phones
Swype turns a stylus into a keyboard
September 9, 2008 – Usage of SMS and chat on mobile phones is growing by leaps and bounds, but there’s nothing quite as painful as trying to type out a long message on a keypad or touch interface. Swype is the one company I’ve seen that might be able to change that.
A rant on risk: Swype vs. Fitbit
CNET News weighs in.
September 9, 2008 – After the last on-stage pitch at the TechCrunch50 conference on Tuesday, co-host Jason Calacanis asked the assembled panel of four judges which of two companies, Fitbit or Swype, they would invest a million dollars in, if those were their only options.
T9 Founder Announces Creation of Swype, a User-Friendly Technology for Text Input on Any Screen
Company and Technology Launched at TechCrunch50 Event Where it Was Honored as One of Top 50 New Technology Companies
Seattle, WA – September 9, 2008 – Swype unveiled a new technology that will change the way people input text on any screen today at the TechCrunch50 event in San Francisco, where it was recognized as one of the top 50 new technology companies of 2008. Created by Cliff Kushler, the co-inventor of the T9 predictive text technology which is used on almost three billion phones worldwide, Swype provides a faster and easier way to input text on any screen
TC50: Swype, Truly Gesture-based Data Entry
Swype is an amazing gesture-based data entry system that truly blew our collective minds at TC, CG, and MC.
Seattle, WA – San Francisco, September 9, 2008 To type, you simply connect letters together using a stylus or finger and predictive text to pick letters and words out of seemingly unintelligible squiggles.
Move over T9, here comes Swype
The inventor of the T9 keyboard technology for numeric keypads, Cliff Kushler, is back in the game..
September 9, 2008 The inventor of the T9 keyboard technology for numeric keypads, Cliff Kushler, is back in the game with a new alphanumeric entry technology for today's devices: touch-screen laptops and smartphones. His new technology, Swype, is quite simple to use, although beneath the user interface there's a lot going on.
Swype, truly compelling gesture-based mobile data entry
CRUNCHGEAR
September 9, 2008 To type, you simply connect letters together using a stylus or finger and predictive text to pick letters and words out of seemingly unintelligible squiggles.
Swype – T9’s next generation arrives
But is it any good? Well, I think with Swype, you need to see it to believe it.
September 9, 2008 I haven’t, yet. But I intend popping by their stand to find out more. Swype will, it’s founders contend, change the way people input text on any screen at all. I’m well up for a good solution.