Access Releases Graffiti for Android

Posted By: Ryan Kairer Thursday, July 15, 2010 9:39:25 AM

graffiti for android palm Access has just released a version of the classic Palm OS Graffiti for Android OS devices. Entitled, Graffiti for Android, the app brings the original Graffiti 1 character recognition system to Google's mobile platform.

The application enables Graffiti functionality systemwide on Android phones. It includes the original Graffiti strokes, complete with the familiar two-part silkscreen, as well as the Graffiti Help reference screen. Users can bring up the silkscreen for text input and use a finger or stylus to enter characters.

Graffiti for Android v1.02 is currently available as a free download in the on-device Android Market. First impressions and additional screenshots after the break...

graffiti for android

This marks the second time Access has brought technologies from classic Palm OS Garnet to other Linux based mobile platforms. The company also offers a Garnet VM emulator for Maemo powered Nokia Internet Tablets and the Nokia N900 smartphone. Access has a full license to the original Graffiti system thanks to the patent infringement lawsuit settlement reached with Xerox in 2006.

Graffiti for Android - Initial Impressions

PIC correspondent Kris Keilhack brings us his initial impressions on using Graffiti for Android on a Motorola Droid handset:

Initial impressions are that the app is very well done, fast, and stable. I will be reporting more on this potentially exciting development as soon as I have had time to give the Graffiti app a full test-drive on my Droid. Again, this is the ORIGINAL Graffiti, without any of the later niceties such as CrossingOver-style capital characters being done in between the character and numeric areas. Additionally, finger-based Graffiti strokes are a bit more tiring and tedious than the stylus-based ones in days past.

A nice dynamic input areas appears on the lower quarter of the screen and it looks nearly identical to the original silkscreen Graffiti area we all remember fondly. There are no Tungsten T3 or later-style Graffiti area minimize buttons or stroke from what I can tell, but with the large sizes and screen resolutions on many new Android devices, this should not be an issue at all. Certainly having a device with a flush-mounted, capacitive, 4.3", 854x400 screen makes Graffiti input a lot more pleasurable than it was on a recessed, 3.7", 320x480 screen in years past!

Regardless, this is still something that is a very welcome sign that Access has not completely forgotten about their longtime users. In fact, the old Graffiti stroke reference card that I carried for years in my wallet even makes a return appearance, this time in the form of a helpful onscreen help menu.

As a final tip, anyone interested in trying this app needs to first enable it under Android's "Language and keyboard settings" preferences menu.

Thanks to BaalthazaaR for the tip.

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YES!

hkklife @ 7/15/2010 9:56:50 AM # Q
I've been waiting YEARS for this move...too bad it wasn't released as a plugin for Palm OS! I'd have given anything to have had free/legal/stable G1 libraries for my T3/T5/TX!

I have already started major testing of this sucker!


Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro

RE: YES!
CTSLICK @ 7/15/2010 10:14:31 AM # Q
Gave it a quick shake down on my EVO. Good Lord I have forgotten a LOT of strokes that were second nature in my Palm days (or even my WinMo days). Is there a way to get word completion working?

I don't see me getting up to the speeds I can achieve with even the stock keyboard on the EVO. Its ability to do word completion and accurately predict the word I meant to type despite missing a key or two is really pretty damn good.
Sharp Wizard->Palm IIIx->Casio EM-500->Dell Axim x5->Sprint Mogul->Sprint Treo Pro->Sprint Palm Pre->Sprint EVO

RE: YES!
mikecane @ 7/15/2010 10:18:43 AM # Q
Aren't most of the screens now capacitive? So they expect you to eke out G with a naked and fat fingertip? I can't even imagine that on an iPhone.

And yes, I'd like a damned stable G1 library for my LifeDrive still! 2 of 3 G entries are FUBARed with the grafted one I used.

RE: YES!
CTSLICK @ 7/15/2010 10:22:11 AM # Q
Yeah, I figured it would be horribly inaccurate to use my finger instead of a stylus but it was really much better than I expected. The bottom line is that I suck at Graffiti now and it would take a whole lot of practice to get as fast as I am with the keyboard on the EVO.
Sharp Wizard->Palm IIIx->Casio EM-500->Dell Axim x5->Sprint Mogul->Sprint Treo Pro->Sprint Palm Pre->Sprint EVO
RE: YES!
questionfear @ 7/15/2010 11:17:09 AM # Q
I actually found it coming back to me awfully fast (kind of scaring considering how long it's been since I used Graffiti).

I usually use the droid's physical keyboard for long typing, so for quick messages I am just looking for fast and stable...so far Graffiti is pretty good!

And I am damn shocked by how good it is with a fingertip!

RE: YES!
hkklife @ 7/15/2010 12:04:10 PM # M Q
Well, one hour in and good ol' G1 is already my favorite method for inputting text in portrtait mode on my Droid.It's fast, intuitive, and far more accurate than the hideously flaky stock Android keyboard in portrait mode.
RE: YES!
questionfear @ 7/15/2010 1:47:17 PM # Q
I still can't believe how fast and accurate it is...so much better than swype.
RE: YES! -- Paging GEKKO!
mikecane @ 7/15/2010 2:06:46 PM # Q
Where is the lizard boy to chime in on this? Or has he already lost/had stolen/dropped/killed his EVO?
RE: YES!
BaalthazaaR @ 7/15/2010 2:33:47 PM # Q
I still remember Graffiti 1. I find it invading my writing with a pen an paper. Yes I still use a pen occasionally.
RE: YES!
mikecane @ 7/15/2010 5:06:55 PM # Q
Yes, write that V backwards!! That's it! No more accidental Us!!

Ah, those were the days.

RE: YES!
peleyaat @ 7/16/2010 8:09:24 AM # Q
I've waited for this since I made the switch to Droid! Thank you so much. This is great. I have always been 3 times faster with Graffiti than with an on screen keyboard. Great app, works perfectly with my finger on the Incredible.

Love it.

Thanks

RE: YES!
DarthRepublican @ 7/16/2010 10:12:35 PM # Q
CTSLICK wrote:
Gave it a quick shake down on my EVO. Good Lord I have forgotten a LOT of strokes that were second nature in my Palm days (or even my WinMo days). Is there a way to get word completion working?

I don't see me getting up to the speeds I can achieve with even the stock keyboard on the EVO. Its ability to do word completion and accurately predict the word I meant to type despite missing a key or two is really pretty damn good.

I brought my T-Mobile G1 out of retirement to try Graffiti again and I loved it! It really brought me back, like an old comfy blanket. It works surprisingly well on what is probably the lowest end Android phone - certainly the oldest Android phone. Graffiti absolutely works better than the software keyboard on the G1 and even rivals the terrible G1 keyboard for usability. While on a larger screen device like the EVO, the software keyboard might be marginally better than Graffiti; on just about anything smaller, Graffiti should work better than the typical Android software keyboard.
Fool/Palm Apologist
Shouting down the PIC Faithful Since 2009
Screw convergence
Palm III->Visor Deluxe->Visor Platinum->Visor Prism->Tungsten E->Palm LifeDrive->Palm TX->Palm Pre
Visor Pro+VisorPhone->Treo 180g->Treo 270->Treo 600->Treo 680->T-Mobile G1->Palm Pre
http://mind-grapes.blogspot.com/

Reply to this comment

OT: APPLE bid for Palm!

mikecane @ 7/15/2010 12:48:21 PM # Q
Apple Tried To Buy Palm Before HP Won The Bidding War -- And RIM Completely Blew The Deal
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-rim-google-hp-palm-2010-7

Where is your Android god now, Gekko?

RE: OT: APPLE bid for Palm!
jca666us @ 7/15/2010 1:37:57 PM # Q
Means that HP was more desperate - apple was just looking for patents to purchase.
RE: OT: APPLE bid for Palm!
mikecane @ 7/15/2010 2:05:32 PM # Q
If you were sitting there with Windows 7 stuck on a crappy tablet and saw Apple cleaning up with the iPhone and iPad, wouldn't you claw your way out of that hole to get webOS too? Hell bloody yes.

What's interesting is that Nokia didn't even bother. Confirms just how utterly clueless that bunch are.

RE: OT: APPLE bid for Palm!
jca666us @ 7/15/2010 6:25:18 PM # Q
That's assuming webos will cure what ails HP. Considering Palm "sh*t the bed" with webos, it doesn't make HP's prospects much better.
RE: OT: APPLE bid for Palm!
gmayhak @ 7/15/2010 6:37:32 PM # Q
How many of these Palm screw-ups can HP correct?
http://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-palm-failed-and-had-to-sell-to-hp-2010-4
The market is moving fast, WebOS is old news now and branded as a failure.

Gary

Tech Center Labs
www.talestuff.com
www.iTalentProductions.com

RE: OT: APPLE bid for Palm!
mikecane @ 7/16/2010 4:03:31 AM # Q
I think there is an HP within HP that is quite different than what HP has been. And they're going to take over HP and transform it. That's what buying webOS is all about. After people see the crappy Android tablets, webOS on one will be a revelation.
Reply to this comment

How Cool is that?

2klbs @ 7/15/2010 3:27:49 PM # Q
manna from heaven. practicing my "ol skool skilz"- humbling!

11 year old son keeps correcting me- he has my TT but is no help with G2...
Not "Pre-verted", nor Android Assimilated, BB Bummered...

RE: How Cool is that?
hkklife @ 7/15/2010 7:31:18 PM # Q
Aye, the T|T was the last and arguably finest implementation of Graffiti on a Palm Inc. device. It finally had a fast enough processor so that there was never any lag whatsoever doing character input and it just seemed so much more accurate than prior models. A shame that so much else on the T|T sucked (screen quality, amount of RAM, audio output volume/quality, BT implementation, slider quality).

Now, my BIG question is why isn't Xerox trying to sue the pants off of Access for this one? Six years haven't passed since the "final" royalty agreement when Palm paid out to Xerox! Are Access paying royalties to Xerox for this "free" Android app? Why did Access/PalmSource/Palm not release an official, licensed, and supported Graffiti 1 "plugin" for OS5 sometime between 2003 and 2006? Or a free one afterwards? They paid their royalties on it! I'd have gladly paid $20 for such a beast...and I know a ton of longtime Palm OS users would've paid at least a few bucks for it! Palm OS came and went without ever having a single device with a virtual Graffiti area + the G1 libs.

At any rate, It's nice to at least be able to rock Graffiti part-time (and for free!) on a thoroughly modern Droid or Evo! Now if Access will just do something about those shitty Android PIMs...
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro

RE: How Cool is that?
BaalthazaaR @ 7/16/2010 7:48:25 AM # Q
hkklife wrote:
.
.
...Six years haven't passed since the "final" royalty agreement when Palm paid out to Xerox! Are Access paying royalties to Xerox for this "free" Android app? Why did Access/PalmSource/Palm not release an official, licensed, and supported Graffiti 1 "plugin" for OS5 sometime between 2003 and 2006? Or a free one afterwards? They paid their royalties on it! I'd have gladly paid $20 for such a beast...and I know a ton of longtime Palm OS users would've paid at least a few bucks for it! Palm OS came and went without ever having a single device with a virtual Graffiti area + the G1 libs.
.
.

Yeah... that is a very good question... The really odd thing is that the new Aceeca device that is using GarnetOS but the pictures that Tam Hanna posted showed that lousy Graffiti 2.

Reply to this comment

But you can use a stylus

rcartwright @ 7/15/2010 7:24:12 PM # Q
Hmmm with a capacit. stylus (or meat roll if you are cheap) thsi could make a drod more attractive. OTOH the free Pre Plus over at HP might tide me over to either a new PalmHP phone on ATT or if Palm flames out a lower cost EVO on ATT
"Many men stumble across the truth, but most manage to pick themselves up
and continue as if nothing had happened."
- Winston Churchill
RE: But you can use a stylus
hkklife @ 7/15/2010 7:36:39 PM # Q
That "free" Palm PrePlus from HP will come with a 2yr contract. Presumably (hopefully!) HP will have something "new" to show LONG before then.

My advice? Pick up a cheap, gently used Droid 1 or Milestone now (the Droid X just came out today so people will be going nuts over that one) and tinker with Android + Graffiti. Or any other Android 2.1-based device will suffice. OR get a used Pre or Pixi to use for the next 6 months or so and wait to see what HP comes up with. Don't sign a contract now! There are going to be lots of major advances over the next 6-12 months (Web OS 2.0, Android 3.0, Windows Phone 7, LTE 4G rollout etc). You don't want to be stuck with a year-old design (Pre) that spec-wise was essentially year out of date when it was released (June 2009). Even the refreshed Pre Plus still is showing its age next to the latest competitors.

Being stuck with any current WebOS device for the next two years would be disastrous indeed!
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro

Reply to this comment

Sweet!

DarthRepublican @ 7/15/2010 7:41:00 PM # Q
Any hope of a port for webOS? I'd load this on my Pre just for the irony value alone.
Fool/Palm Apologist
Shouting down the PIC Faithful Since 2009
Screw convergence
Palm III->Visor Deluxe->Visor Platinum->Visor Prism->Tungsten E->Palm LifeDrive->Palm TX->Palm Pre
Visor Pro+VisorPhone->Treo 180g->Treo 270->Treo 600->Treo 680->T-Mobile G1->Palm Pre
http://mind-grapes.blogspot.com/
RE: Sweet!
asiayeah @ 7/16/2010 3:41:31 AM # M Q
I would second for a webOS port instead. I don't think graffiti belongs to Android and they don't really need it. On the other hand, this would be a sweet virtual keyboard for webOS.
RE: Sweet!
richf @ 7/16/2010 9:37:29 AM # Q
Just tried graffiti by sending a tweet message. Man is that a sweet app. That might just make me use the Droid as my primary phone. Second thought, like the rest I would pay for a Webos port. Can't believe this is free. Hell I'd have paid for it. I just posted last week, I think, that I was missing graffiti. Don't really care if 1 or 2 I was accurate and fast on both. Wow.
Have a nice day!
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->Pilot Pro->IIIe->IIIc->M500->M505->M515->TC->T3->T5->Treo 650P->Treo 700P->Droid>Pre Plus
RE: Sweet!
hkklife @ 7/16/2010 9:54:05 AM # Q
I'd gladly pay up to $30 or so for a comprehensive Android PIM replacement that, at the very least, put Graffiti + Garnet Contacts, Calendar & Memos app on Android and decently integrated it into the OS. Of course, for that price it'd have to have some kind of cloud or local backup method!


Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro

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Android is the 2010 version of Palm of the 90s

VampireLestat @ 7/15/2010 8:27:09 PM # Q
Android is nix based, open (hack friendly), and now has Grafiti.
I recommend someone open AndroidInfoCenter.com and then lets all buy android devices.

RE: Android is the 2010 version of Palm of the 90s
DarthRepublican @ 7/15/2010 8:44:42 PM # Q
VampireLestat wrote:
Android is nix based, open (hack friendly), and now has Grafiti.
I recommend someone open AndroidInfoCenter.com and then lets all buy android devices.

To me it looks more like the 2010 equivalent of Windows Mobile in the 90s. Lots of devices from numerous ODMs and on every carrier but with a clunky UI and fragmentation across different devices and versions of the OS.
Fool/Palm Apologist
Shouting down the PIC Faithful Since 2009
Screw convergence
Palm III->Visor Deluxe->Visor Platinum->Visor Prism->Tungsten E->Palm LifeDrive->Palm TX->Palm Pre
Visor Pro+VisorPhone->Treo 180g->Treo 270->Treo 600->Treo 680->T-Mobile G1->Palm Pre
http://mind-grapes.blogspot.com/

RE: Android is the 2010 version of Palm of the 90s
mikecane @ 7/16/2010 4:06:27 AM # Q
Yep: WinMob. Android does not have either Zen or the "Delight the customer" feel of the original Palm. (Neither does webOS, but in comparison to Android...)

Hmmmm... I must see if this will work on an Android tablet!

RE: Android is the 2010 version of Palm of the 90s
mikecane @ 7/16/2010 5:39:15 AM # Q
OK, someone tried it on the Archos 5 Internet Tablet and reported it felt slow. I should have expected that. The A5 has a resistive screen and I don't think he'd want to risk scratching it with a stylus. So using a finger is bound to be sub-optimal -- as if I was doing that on my LifeDrive.
Reply to this comment

How about a Garnet emulator for Android?

hgoldner @ 7/16/2010 9:05:12 AM # Q
So if Access can port what is at least part of the "look and feel" of Garnet to Android, could they do what the publishers of Classic did for WebOS and port a Garnet emulator for Android?

*That* would certainly keep the legacy alive a lot longer.

RE: How about a Garnet emulator for Android?
richf @ 7/16/2010 9:41:37 AM # Q
Absolutely, give me a Palm emulator for Android and I'm going back to the Droid immediately. Let's jump on this Access. Where's lefty, I'd like to thank him for the graffiti port. haha
Have a nice day!
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->Pilot Pro->IIIe->IIIc->M500->M505->M515->TC->T3->T5->Treo 650P->Treo 700P->Droid>Pre Plus
Reply to this comment

Nice!

Tere @ 7/16/2010 9:48:48 AM # Q
Why wasn't this done YEARS ago? Why not on other platforms? I would mind this on mt iPod Touch, if only Jobs would allow us to replace the system keyboard... Maybe a jailbreak app.

I'm playing with the ShapeWrite (free) app. I like it about the same as Graffiti. I'm getting used to the on screen keyboard. Capacitive touch is surprisingly accurate and I'm totally sold on the gestures. I even find myself trying them on my TX when I use it.

I hope they add center caps and full screen writing.

RE: Nice!
hkklife @ 7/16/2010 9:56:38 AM # Q
Yup, if they can add center caps and fullscreen Graffiti (should be easy as pie to do on Android), I'd go nuts on this one. Seeing this awesome little development almost makes me want to skip my plans to sit tight or get a Droid 2 (better physical keyboard) and go straight to an Evo or a Droid X. I figure a 4.3" screen would be pretty usable with a fat finger as a stylus replacement!

Can anyone who has an Evo chime in as to how much the extra screen real estate makes Graffiti character input?

Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro

RE: Nice!
BaalthazaaR @ 7/16/2010 11:26:56 AM # Q
Not so sure about Droid X. I was waiting for it to come out before I read this:

http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Droid-X-ships-and-eFuse-lockdown/

Reply to this comment

Graffiti for Treo680?

PJJ333 @ 9/3/2011 5:17:08 PM # Q
I understand that you can now put graffiti on some of the Palms Like Treo 755p and Palm Centro.
Does anyone know if it will go on a Treo680?
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