Those who know me (and, due to the staggering amount of my nagging about it, I daresay those who wish they didn't as well) may have noticed my interest in "different" (read that as: "marginally usable") HWR engines for the Itablets. Some may even remember that, on rare occasions, I dare to mention the Newton MessagePad's handwriting recognition as a lighting example for all of us and ultimate salvation for mankind.

Anyway, I also mentioned the Windows-based PenOffice (from developer Phatware) as being very good, so I decided to give them another call to see if they were willing to port their stuff to lesser foul operating systems and guess what?

...

No, guess!

...

Allright, allright: Phatware actually replied! The gist of the message is this: There IS a PenOffice/CalliGrapher engine for Linux, but it doesn't exist as an enduser product and is only available for OEMs to be sold with devices.

This is both good and bad news. The good news is that there is an alternative, fullscreen entry, cursive-aware, very intelligent HWR engine out there.

The bad news is that we have to convince Nokia to spend money on it -- which, let's face it, ain't gonna happen.

Frak...

I used CalliGrapher a long time ago on several of my Win CE devices and thought it was pretty good (but no Messagepad . I would love to see a decent HWR engine for the NITs. The current one is embarrassingly bad.

I bought a Sony Vaio UX a few weeks back (had to send it back because of a fault). Never been satisfied with handwriting stuff before, but the stuff that came with vista was truely amazing. I mean it could actually recognise what I wrote even though I couldn't. I loved the way you could quickly correct as well. I know it was Windows etc. but credit where it's due...

N800 guys would love it. No need for an N810

Zuber

Thanks Karel.....I think. lol
I am very interested in seeing the HWR go further. I personally hate the qwerty layout and tapping or pressing chiclet keys as an entry method for general notes and thoughts is not 'fluid' or effective.

I keep trying with the current engine but I would welcome a better option for sure.

Does anyone have some embarrassing filth on a high-level Nokia executive? Something involving reindeer perhaps?

I think blunt blackmail is our only option here...