Typing Tools

Since January 8 is Typing Day in Malaysia, we will be discussing several tools to help you learn to type better on a computer and on mobile devices.  

Over at Typing.com, there are lessons, tests and games to improve your typing skills.  Whether you touch type, hunt and peck, or a hybrid of the two, practice will make you faster.  If you create an account, you can track your progress.  Start with the Keyboard Climber game, then try Ninja Cat, which was my favorite.   

At 10FastFingers, take their typing test.  I tested myself and got 65 words per minute.  You will need to create an account to access many of the features like the advanced typing test and the typing competitions with other people.   

Typing on a keyboard is much different than typing on a mobile device.  The keyboard is easier because the keys are bigger, it doesn’t change and what you type is what you get.  On mobile devices, you have tiny keys, the keyboard may be different depending on the app you are in and the auto-correct may change the word you type.  

  1. When you are on your smartphone or tablet, use a stylus if you have one, it will improve your accuracy.  
  2. Use your auto-suggest, which is at the top of the keyboard.  As you type, it will offer up three words, one of the choices is what you have currently typed, while the other two choices are other common words based on what you have typed.  Choose the word you want, so you don’t have to type all of the characters.
  3. Most keyboards support swipe typing, which is when you move your finger from character to character without lifting your finger.  You swipe from letter to letter.  There is a learning curve, so be patient with yourself.
  4. Use the SwiftKey app.  This app is your keyboard on steroids.  When you use this keyboard, it remembers what you type, so the auto-suggest gets better over time meaning fewer typos.
  5. Get away from typing completely and use the microphone to say what you need to type.  

To get better, you must practice, practice, practice.


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