This alternative to the QWERTY keyboard has as many negatives as it does things to recommend it.
Free This keyboard isn't quite our type
You'd have thought Android's keyboard was pretty good, yes? Well, 8pen doesn't seem to think so. But it's not alone.
There's been something of a spate of apps on Android which offer an alternative to using QWERTY for text messaging. So far, Swype has done it the best, enabling you to type just by gliding your finger over the screen. 8pen is offering something similar. It's come up with a rather unique way to interact with Android -basically a black circle in the middle of the screen with different coloured lines attached to it. This means that every time you 'type' it looks like you are just moving a big black dot around the screen.
And it takes a lot of getting used to. For those who have just about figured out how to type on a touchscreen phone,this isn't the app for you. There is a whole tutorial you have to wade through before the application begins to make any sense whatsoever.
The app does make good use of a small screen, much better than a virtual keyboard, but it does feel unnatural to use even after a few days use. If you're a single hand typist and can Learn new things quickly then 8pen may well be for you. But we don't think it'll topple QWERTY just yet.
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