Transcriber...calligrapher....which one??!!

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I'm now looking for the best handwriting recognition software that will work with the h5550 (PPC 2003). I was told Calligrapher 6.5.2 is one of the best out there any comments???
Any input would help.......:confused:

[Jeff Rutledge]

From what I understand, Transcriber is based on an older version of Calligrapher (like version 3.x or something). Calligrapher has an improved recognition engine as well as additional features. The most noteworthy extra that comes with Calligrapher is Pen Commander which allows you to record shortcuts to commonly used text and commands.

The only possible drawbacks to going with Calligrapher are:
1. the cost
2. the extra memory required (Transcriber is in ROM so it doesn't use any memory).

If you don't mind spending the cash, I'd go with Calligrapher hands down.

[dh]

I've spent a lot of time with both Transcriber and Caligrapher and have ended up using neither of them.

Although Caligrapher does have some additions, as far as I have been able to determine, the actual handwriting recognition is exactly the same.

Both have the major limitation that you cannot train them to recognise your actual way of writing the characters.

MS came out with a new version of Transcriber for WM2003 so I would try this and see if you like it. If it works out, you can then download Caligrapher and see if the extra features are worth paying for.

[Sven Johannsen]

Though PenCommander is touted as the big extra, I really like Calligrapher for the pop up keyboard. It is a full keyboard and is movable on the screen. I never have anything but Calligrapher selected as the SIP. If the handwriting isn't getting it, one tap and I have a full keyboard and I can move it so it doesn't obscure the input box I am trying to fill.

Pen Commander is pretty cool though, when logging in to sites with a long logon like your hotmail email address. For me it is two letters and a circle and all 23 characters are input.

[Brad Adrian]

Though PenCommander is touted as the big extra...
Pen Commander is THE reason I like Calligrapher. I use my Pocket PC to take meeting notes and use the abbreviations a LOT. For instance, all I have to write is:

fs to enter "financial services"
app to enter "application"
add to type my entire mailing address
...and so on.

The text entry shortcuts are really just a small part of what Pen Commander can do, though. Just as you can create a macro to enter text, you can create a macro to do other things, like automatically start Pocket Word and open a new document.

If you like handwriting recognition and use it a lot, I recommend Calligrapher.

[Jeff Rutledge]

Though PenCommander is touted as the big extra, I really like Calligrapher for the pop up keyboard. It is a full keyboard and is movable on the screen. I never have anything but Calligrapher selected as the SIP. If the handwriting isn't getting it, one tap and I have a full keyboard and I can move it so it doesn't obscure the input box I am trying to fill.

If Calligrapher made it an option as to which keyboard popped up, I'd never load anything else. Imagine being able to run Calligrapher all the time and when you're stuck, you tap the keyboard and FITALY pops up.

Then, have the folks at FITALY add a WordLogic-like recognizer and I'd be in Input heaven. :angel:

[Stephen Beesley]

I have been oscillating back and forth between Transcriber and Calligrapher since I got my first PPC two years ago. I am not convinced that the HWR in Calligrapher is actually any better than that in Transcriber (although I will probably end up giving it another go now that this thread has got me thinking about it again :D) but the extras mentioned above are pretty useful.

My biggest beef is why the HWR in Calligrapher is still not as good as the cursive recognition software in the Newton (upon which calligrapher is based) over six years ago! And, for me at least, the Apple developed printed recogniser was even better.

One of the things I really wish that they would implement in Transcriber and/or Calligrapher is the ability to recognise "on the fly" rather than waiting until you finish writing. This is something even the older Newtons (with a lowly 20 MHz ARM 610 RISC Processor). Surely a PPC with Strong arm or xscale processing power could manage this - it would certainly make a lot of sense given the limited amount of screen space available for writing.

Goldtee

[JvanEkris]

I have been oscillating back and forth between Transcriber and Calligrapher since I got my first PPC two years ago. I am not convinced that the HWR in Calligrapher is actually any better than that in Transcriber (although I will probably end up giving it another go now that this thread has got me thinking about it again :D) but the extras mentioned above are pretty useful.I use Calligrapher a lot. Transcriber is based on Calligrapher 5.0. Calligrapher is now on 6.5.2, having improved a lot. I'm lefthanded and write mainly in dutch (my natvie tongue, my parents fault), which makes transcriber a hell to work with. Calligrapher has a dutch recognition engine, and understands left-handed handwriting a lot better. Combined with the keyboard for e-mail adresses etc. it works splendidly.

IMHO, you always have to keep in mind a recognition ratio of 95% max. this means that 1 in 20 letters is the wrong one. But for notes and small memo's to yourself while you are on the move, it works very well. But i do expect some post-processing before i sent them to other people (but that is normal with my notes). If you want to write long mail-messages, i suggest you buy a foldable keyboard, so combine those two, you have a winning combination.

Jaap