Swype BETA for Android UPDATE - March 2011

[brian.resnik]

March 2011 - Maintenance Update for Swype BETA for Android

We're happy to bring you version 2.29.71.20084 of Swype BETA for Android. This release is intended to address some outstanding issues, provide additional screen-size and language support, and bring the code-base up to date with the latest developments here at Swype HQ. Read on for details, or you can skip directly to the complete changelog.

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2 major changes requested by users - In response to the outpouring of community feedback we've received, we've resolved two critical issues that have been creating a bad user experience. First, the hidden word tip window has been all but completely removed. It will appear one time, and one time only, for the first hidden word you encounter after a new installation. After that, it's a historic event! Second, contact names that are automatically added to the user dictionary will now stay deleted instead of being re-added accidentally. Refer to the changelog for more detail on these critical fixes.

Additional resolution and language support - We've significantly expanded the beta's support for various devices and languages. This update sees the addition of QVGA, WQVGA, WSVGA, and qHD support and the inclusion of dictionaries for Dutch, UK English, and Russian. Users should be aware that not all screen-resolutions include support for all languages. For a detailed list of which resolutions support which languages, please refer to our table of supported language and resolutions.

Prediction accuracy will no longer degrade significantly over time - In response to user feedback, we dove into our prediction algorithm looking for what might be causing prediction accuracy to drop drastically as Swype was used over the long term. We identified the issue and have implemented a fix. Please let us know if you continue to experience reduced prediction accuracy over time.

Users with access to the beta can begin downloading the update immediately by pointing their device's browser to http://beta.swype.com/android/get

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Some additional details...

• Due to incompatibilities with new features added to Android 2.3.3, we have disabled double-tap-to-edit IN ANDROID 2.3.3 ONLY. This ONLY effects Android version 2.3.3
• We fixed one of our gestures that you've all been asking for but didn't work quite right: To hide the keyboard you can trace a path from the SWYPE key to the BACKSPACE key.
• The installer includes a new option when it detects Swype is already installed: Generate License. This option can be used to force Swype to delete and re-create the license file. This should make fixing license issues a lot easier for our users.
• Some changes to the license have significantly decreased the likelihood that updating your system software will require a new license for Swype. Major changes (such as switching between ROM flavors, e.g. going from CyanogenMod to SenseUI-based ROMs) will still require a new license, but simply updating your existing ROM should no longer disable Swype.

Enjoy the update and make sure to leave your feedback here on the forums!

[brian.resnik]

Current versions
Installer: 1.1.20186 (12.01)
SwypeBETA - STANDARD: 2.29.71.20203
SwypeBETA - MICRO: 2.29.71.20186
Revision history

INSTALLER v.1.1.20186 (12.01)

• Gingerbread will no longer erroneously display a network failure error when it should be showing either a username/password or account activation error
• New "Generate License" option in the installer to re-license Swype Beta at any time
• Installer now recognizes WiMAX as a valid data connection

ALL BUILDS - SWYPE BETA v2.29.71.20203/20186

• Announcing BETA support for the following resolutions: qHD, QVGA, WQVGA, WSVGA
• Added Dutch, Russian and UK English support [NOTE: Not all devices support all languages. For a table of which screen-sizes support which languages, please click here.]
• The Hidden Word Tip window will only appear once, the first time you encounter a hidden word after a new installation. It will never appear again after that.
• Contacts, etc, that are automatically added to the user dictionary will now stay deleted when removed by the user
• Fixed the gesture to hide the keyboard: Swype from the SWYPE key to the DELETE key
• The capitalization gesture will no longer accidentally capitalize the second letter of a word when the trace path goes through that key before exiting the top of the keyboard
• Add compression of large languages for Android builds to reduce filesize
• Identified and resolved an issue that was causing cumulative loss in recognition accuracy over time
• Faster trace path animations
• Improved application performance in portrait view
• Improved the efficiency of the contact list scanner
• Swype key in Spanish now properly brings up Word Choice Window
• Fixed a bug with word priorities so words in user dictionary do not always appear first in word choice window
• Fixed a bug that prevented the auto-space suppression icon from appearing in some cases
• Period and Comma now function properly when tapped in SYM layer
• Improved recognition of words when using the capitalization gesture and the second letter is very close the exit-point of the capitalization gesture, e.g. "Well"
• Fixed a rare crash when returning from the Language Selector in Settings
• Launching voice recognition now draws a UI inside the Swype process instead of launching a new activity
• When Android 2.3.3 is detected, double-tap-to-edit is disabled to prevent conflict with Google's double-tap behavior
• Decreased the likelihood that a new license will be required after a system update
• Fixed a bug where a failure of the system to properly return build properties was crashing Swype
• Minor compatibility updates for Android 2.3
• Fixed various crashes

INSTALLER v.1.1.15759 (11.1)

• Added support for selecting different versions to download

MICRO BUILD - SWYPE BETA v2.17.59.15552

• English/Spanish only, to keep filesize down.

STANDARD BUILD - SWYPE BETA v2.15.56.14870

• No changes

INSTALLER v.1.1.15121

• Revised installer workflow. Users can now enable Swype and select it as the default input method from within the Swype installer.
• The installer now includes a repair feature. If a previous installation failed, or if the existing Swype BETA installation is broken (missing/corrupt license, etc), the installer will attempt to resume the installation process and repair any broken elements.
• Clarified error messages to give a more accurate description of the specific problem encountered.
• Added links to the tutorial and tips-and-tricks videos to the end of the installation.

SWYPE BETA v2.15.56.14870

• Added support for new installer features, such as version checking and installation repair.
• Merged the most recent changes from trunk (mostly device-specific bugfixes)

INSTALLER v.1.1.14002

• Converted installer from "application" to "service", preventing the premature death of the installer in low-memory situations
• Added update notification. Users will be notified when launching the installer if a new version is available.
• Added notification to inform users if Swype is already installed at app launch, instead of halfway through the process.
• Added support for landscape screen orientation

SWYPE BETA v2.10.52.13753

• Resolved an accuracy issue that was introduced in the last Beta update. New software features supporting additional languages were included in the beta before the test plan for those features was complete (it is a beta after all). Subsequent testing identified the accuracy issue and corrections made. These new tests have been incorporated into our regression testing to prevent future accuracy issues.
• Added Double-Tap-to-Edit and Cursor Restore
• Added microphone button (QWERTY only. Requires Google Voice Search be pre-integrated in your phone’s ROM)
• Added French & EXPERIMENTAL Chinese Pinyin languages
• Modified new word priority defaults. The word-choice-window will now be ordered more intelligently when encountering custom dictionary words
• Fixed a bug where an extra space would be added when replacing a word by Swyping after opening the word choice window
• Improved the "Hidden-Word" dialog handling so it doesn't show up as often (more improvements to this next time)
• Improved prediction when handling various path collisions
• Lots of minor bug fixes

SWYPE BETA v2.4.44.10912

• Added German and Portuguese languages
• Added the auto-space suppression short-cut gesture: Swype from the spacebar to backspace
• Added the quick language switch short-cut gesture: Swype from the Swype Key to the Q key
• Improved the word prediction algorithm to provide better support for additional languages
• Improved handling of several gesture collisions, including want/wasn't, to/too and others
• The Android IME no longer sometimes hangs/crashes when Swype scrapes the user's address book for dictionary entries
• Tips and help menus now accessible when a password field is active
• Backspace now works in applications which use raw key input instead of an editable text field (e.g. terminal emulator)
• The single character "i" is no longer incorrectly auto-capitalized in non-English languages (reported by many of you!)
• Tons of other minor bug-fixes, including many device-specific issues

SWYPE BETA v1.56.30.7625

• Added better context sensitivity for the “magic button” (go/search/enter/smiley)
• Added automatic apostrophe insertion for contractions (e.g. won't, don't, wasn't, etc)
• Added the Italian language dictionary
• Improved sensing of field type to prevent the display and addition of passwords to the UDB (user dictionary)
• Improved suppression of auto-spacing in fields such as URLs and email addresses
• Updated the built-in dictionary to include several common words that were previously missing
• Rewrote some settings descriptions to be more clear on their functionality
• Fixed licensing issue causing “Limited Functionality” errors when rebooting devices running Android 2.0 and later
• Fixed licensing issue causing some users to receive an “Incorrect ID” error when installing Swype
• Fixed a bug where manually typing some words with word-prediction enabled would cause Swype to crash
• Fixed a bug which caused some words added to the UDB to erroneously override other words when word-prediction is enabled
• Many other minor bug fixes!