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BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.0 licenses SwiftKey for upgraded keyboard

By on February 22, 2012 at 9:02am in Mobile News


Popular third-party Android keyboard SwiftKey has its fingers in more pots than we realize, if this rumour turns out to be true. The boys over at Crackberry have uncovered an interesting tidbit about the upgraded Playbook OS 2.0 keyboard: it’s powered by SwiftKey.

How do we know this? Well, the company is very open about a few Easter Eggs bundled in its autocorrect algorithm: type in “Ben” and the first suggestion is “Medlock,” the company’s CTO. While the keyboard adapts to your habits over time (so if your name is also Ben, and you constantly follow it up with your last name, presumably it will replace “Medlock” with yours) out of the box, there are a few pre-programmed suggestions, just for fun.

We were very impressed with the accuracy and fluidity of Playbook OS 2.0′s upgraded keyboard when we first tested it during CES. Its lack of autocorrect was one of the main reasons I could never get used to typing on the tablet when it debuted last year, so this should go a long way to improving many users’ productivity. There has been no official press release from either SwiftKey or RIM, but we’re sure, like Nuance purportedly powers Apple’s Siri, the proof is pretty much in the pudding.

Good work, SwiftKey!

Source: CrackBerry

Related posts:

  1. Images of the PlayBook keyboard case and Docking Station surface, plus the “Mythical” 10-inch Playbook spotted
  2. Swiftkey X updated, while Swype prepares Galaxy Nexus-compatible beta for late January
  3. TELUS BlackBerry PlayBook also includes a 45-minute session with a “Playbook pro specialist”
  4. BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 rumoured to be available February 17th

Discussion

16 comments for “BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.0 licenses SwiftKey for upgraded keyboard”

  1. Would love to see Swype as an option on the PlayBook… life would be even better :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2

    Posted by MarcusJ | February 22, 2012, 9:33 am
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    • RIM is saved!!

      This is amazing, also Playbook 2.0 beat iPad 3 to market, take that Apple!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3

      Posted by Suresh Salvador | February 22, 2012, 10:13 am

    • Recapping:
      $150 for the 16GB; ten months latter and still doesn’t have BBM NOR BES?
      I don’t want to use it for playing I want to use it for my corporate work and to have privacy in my texts (so I use BBM) BBM is the safest and most robust messaging plaform in the world but if I can’t get it with OS2.0 I will just wait for the price drop to $99 and live without BBM and BES or wait for the September when they will be adding those features.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1

      Posted by NHLPAwithPBOS2 | February 23, 2012, 10:25 am

  2. Love the new keyboard. Better than my iPad now!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1

    Posted by kevin | February 22, 2012, 9:37 am
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  3. Awesome! Regardless, it works so well!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Pacoup | February 22, 2012, 9:45 am
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  4. This takes the Playbook to a new beginning….In April 2011!
    Im happy for the RIM and the playbook. If they have released this software when they released the device it could have been a very good alternative to the ipad. Too late now, everybody has an ipad or a playbook they got at 500-150 bucks. The next big wave will be when they lower the price to $99 and then it will reach the End of Life.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 10

    Posted by ANewBeginning | February 22, 2012, 9:50 am
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  5. I love the new keyboard on my PlayBook.. but the new BlackBerry Remote App is awesome.. now i can use my Bold 9900 control my PlayBook.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1

    Posted by TheTigerTek | February 22, 2012, 9:55 am
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  6. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 16

    Posted by ANewBeginning | February 22, 2012, 9:57 am
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    • I had the same sentiment when I got my iPod and found out that it had a bluetooth chip onboard but had to wait, and pay to upgrade to the newer OS (3 maybe? Before it was called iOS anything) months later to use my A2DP headphones. I didn’t throw away my iPod touch in protest though… likewise, while I am not super thrilled that my PlayBook took a few months to be more useful, I was happy to buy it to begin with and am happier still now.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0

      Posted by whatever | February 22, 2012, 7:59 pm

  7. Can you use BB Messenger with the new OS2.0, or is it still “coming up soon”?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4

    Posted by ANewBeginning | February 22, 2012, 10:07 am
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    • No BBM on the PlayBook natively yet. I am sure it will happen one of these days. I use BBM on my phone in the meantime :) .

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0

      Posted by whatever | February 22, 2012, 8:01 pm

    • They are working on getting bbm up and accept ring to alec S******s of rim – take it to the next level.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1

      Posted by Marco | February 22, 2012, 10:03 pm

  8. Great move by RIM! I wonder if it provides an option to learn from emails, etc., otherwise the first month of using SwiftKey is pretty painful.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0

    Posted by David | February 22, 2012, 11:28 am
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  9. For us Canadians the 16gb Playbook is finally a very nice budget purchase. $200 gets you a nice tablet with great specs.
    Lets face it we cant get the nook tablet or kindle fire in canada so this is our only option for $200.

    Not sure about the rest of you but I am not willing to shell out $550+ for the transformer or the ipad 3, its just too much money so I could surf and watch you tube :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0

    Posted by htcmACHINE | February 22, 2012, 11:41 am
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  10. Listen people….value vs. price. What are you doing with your tablet?!…playing games, watching videos, listening to music, reading e-books, recording video, digesting information online…everything is an ends to a means regardless what you use; and at $199-$249-$299..the playbook is amazing value (especially after 2.0).

    And if you’re in sales, using a work blackberry, then the portability, remote controlling presentations with bb bridge, and an amazing web browser that plays flash, are bonus.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0

    Posted by Mike Johnson | February 22, 2012, 6:05 pm
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  11. it doesn’t matter who owns the intellectual property of the keyboard….all we care about is it works :)

    also, has anyone noticed that you cant go into portrait mode when typing an email?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0

    Posted by chall2k5 | February 22, 2012, 6:20 pm
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