Speed Up Text Entry With TapText [Archive]

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Brad Adrian

08-02-2006, 04:00 PM

<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextMain.gif" /> Product Category: Software Manufacturer: <a href="http://www.dinarsoft.com">Dinarsoft</a> Where to Buy: <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=96806">Handango</a> (affiliate link) Price: $9.99 USD System Requirements: Windows Mobile 5, Windows Mobile 2003 (or SE) or Pocket PC 2002 Pros:<li>Very effective way to speed up entry; <li>Does not require switching of input panel; <li>Very easy to customize.Cons:<li>Limited number of icons. Summary: There are many, many tools for entering text and data into your Pocket PC. If you need a quick and easy way to enter the same text or phrases over and over again, you'd better take a look at TapText! Read on for the full review!<!> <PAGEBREAK> DeJa Vu Text, Anyone? I don't know about you, but there are often times when I'm using my Pocket PC to create emails, reports or spreadsheets where I find myself entering the same text over and over again. There are lots of programs and utilities to help speed up entering those kinds of strings, but TapText accomplishes this with a new little wrinkle. Like other similar utilities, such as DeveloperOne's AccessPanel, it allows you to configure “canned” text so you can quickly plug it in whenever you need it. The great thing about TapText is that its features are accessed by tapping a small icon at the top of your Pocket PC screen; other utilities require you to switch back and forth between input modes, and that can waste a lot of time. Lots of Customization TapText allows you to set up your own categories and organize your entries your way. With a little bit of creative thinking, you can come up with a lot of ways to put TapText to work. To customize TapText, all you have to do is select the OPT button on the lower right-hand corner of the drop-down panel. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextCats.gif" /> Figure 1: Building custom categories. TapText includes several different categories to help organize your entries. Here, though, I’ve created several different categories to organize my entries. I’ve built email signatures and templates, lists of email recipients, common phrases for appointments, date and time stamps, and so on. I might've liked to see a slightly larger selection of icons, because I think graphically, but that's really a very minor complaint. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextPhrase.gif" /> Figure 2: Editing phrases. Once you've created all of the categories you want, editing the phrases you want to include is easy; you just type them into the bottom part of the panel. TapText comes pre-loaded with lots of "canned" phrases. Here, for example, is a "Standard Reply" that I can use when responding to emails. The icons on the right part of the panel are for changing the order of entries, moving them between categories and creating/deleting entries. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextDates.gif" /> Figure 3: More examples. There really is no limit to the kinds of information you can input using TapText. This screenshot shows some of the various date formats you can use. The types of phrases or text you set up is limited only by your own need and creativity; you can even create entries for things like spreadsheet equations or text you use regularly. <PAGEBREAK> Tweaks for Everybody! Besides offering tons of input flexibility (how many "flexibilities" are in a ton, anyway?), TapText allows you to customize the way it is displayed. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextDisp.gif" /> Figure 4: Tweaking TapText's icons, etc. Tapping the Display tab lets you select the language you want, menu appearance and icon type and location. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/TapTextColors.gif" /> Figure 5: Tweaking TapText's Colors. The Colors tab allows you to select whether you want TapText screens to emulate your current theme or use custom colors. Using TapText Using TapText to speed up text entry couldn't be easier. Whenever you want to enter one of the phrases, simply tap the icon at the top of your screen, select the entry and WHAM!, it's instantaneously tranferred to your application. Conclusions TapText is quickly becoming a utility that I can't live without, because it really speeds things up when I'm doing things like creating emails. If you find yourself inputting the same text over and over again, you owe it to yourself to give TapText a try.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai

08-02-2006, 04:31 PM

Nice review Brad. I could see this as being invaluable when I'm on the road and relying heavily on my PPC for messaging.

I did notice in your 2nd screenshot a "usernames/passwords" category or option... is that to help you log into various websites? How is that information organized (e.g. does it expand to show sitenames) and how do you keep that information secure?

Rubberman

08-02-2006, 04:59 PM

Thank you for the informative review. If the screenshots you took were from your own device, you might want to change the response in Figure 2: "We have received you E-mail...."

Regards,

Gary Quigley

tnelson2000

08-02-2006, 08:50 PM

I have been using TapText since their 1.0 release. It is really a great tool. I just wish they would port the thing to the Tablet PC and Desktop.

A man can dream!

Brad Adrian

08-03-2006, 02:34 AM

I did notice in your 2nd screenshot a "usernames/passwords" category or option... is that to help you log into various websites? How is that information organized (e.g. does it expand to show sitenames) and how do you keep that information secure?
To your last point, it's not secure in and of itself; my device is password protected, though. I created that category for when I need to log into a site and have a password that I keep mis-typing. The entry itself doesn't expand, because each entry can only paste into one field. What I do, though, is create an entry that is either a PARTIAL password or one that I can more easily edit than type outright.

Brad Adrian

08-03-2006, 02:36 AM

...you might want to change the response in Figure 2: "We have received you E-mail...."
Funny you should say that. That happens to be one of the built-in entries that I didn't edit. I KNOW we all give personal, original responses to e-mail messages, so I'm sure that one's just there for illustration purposes!
;)

Brad Adrian

08-03-2006, 02:38 AM

I have been using TapText since their 1.0 release.
I had been using a similar product for years, AccessPanel, from DeveloperOne. I always liked the idea of speeding up text entry like this, but it was the on-screen icon and rapid inserting that won me over to TapText.

DinarSoft

08-03-2006, 08:52 AM

I have been using TapText since their 1.0 release. It is really a great tool. I just wish they would port the thing to the Tablet PC and Desktop.

A man can dream!

Brad, Thank you for this nice review

tnelson2000, What do you know? this might be soon :)

DinarSoft

08-03-2006, 08:59 AM

Nice review Brad. I could see this as being invaluable when I'm on the road and relying heavily on my PPC for messaging.

I did notice in your 2nd screenshot a "user-names/passwords" category or option... is that to help you log into various websites? How is that information organized (e.g. does it expand to show site names) and how do you keep that information secure?

You can setup a category (menu) with the name login/password
Inside this category (menu) you can add several entries
Each entry has a title (which is what will be displayed in the menu) and this can be the site name.
In the text field (the text that gets inserted into your documents) you can add the login {{tab}} password (there is utility menu inside the text entry screen to help you to insert date, time and special characters (like tab).

Now to login (let's say to your hot mail account) you just go this page and get taptext to insert your login/password.
In this case TapText will insert the login and switch to the password editor and enter your password.

We're thinking of adding encryption to TapText in one of the coming updates as we see a growing number of our customers using it for login/password entry.

DinarSoft

08-03-2006, 09:01 AM

Brad Adrian

08-14-2006, 10:13 PM

We're thinking of adding encryption to TapText in one of the coming updates as we see a growing number of our customers using it for login/password entry.
I can see where that would be useful. I rely so heavily upon Calligrapher that entering usernames and passwords can be troublesome; however, I also know I'm cutting security corners by keeping that information in an unsecured application -- even if my device IS password protected.

alinford

08-19-2006, 06:34 PM

Is there any way to edit the text externally? I notice that there is an import/export option, but the file type (.ttm) is not vieable in a text editor.

bluesgeek

08-20-2006, 07:23 PM

You can copy/paste from and to the app.

Go to options, select an item, click the pencil (to edit), highlight the text to edit, click the topmost of the four icons in the column to the right (which brings up you option to copy. Edit your text in another application and copy it in to TapText.