I’ve been using my Newton now for… checking my blog… well, since 22 March. Use it heavily at work for taking notes and making lists.
Its recognition of my handwriting sure beats everything else I’ve owned (A Palm or two, a couple CLIEs, a Visor, a PocketPC, a Psion/Diamond Revo [only used the tapboard on that one, truth be told], Zaurus SL-5500). I’m a happy boy.
I’ve noticed four things that are pretty consistent:
1. Some little things I’ve done to increase my handwriting’s recognition by the Newton (like the way I write my ‘E’) are showing up in my normal writing.
2. My handwriting (in ink and especially on the Newton itself) is getting more controlled and clean. Still fits and starts here, but sometimes it really shines.
3. My Newton [2100] /hates/ my capital ‘M’s in the char-by-char editing slip. It always interprets them as a scrub unless I use that little spiral thingie on the upper-left side of the ‘M’. Then–sometimes!–it realizes it’s an ‘M’. Any tips from people who write ‘M’ a lot?
4. If I type cursive, the recognition is STELLAR. Close to 100% for since I started doing this yesterday. Really phenomenal.
The thread from the guy whose types “ni” and has it auto-replaced with ‘9’ inspired this post. Here’s to you, guy.