While the keyboard has been out for a while, this is the first time we have seen it and tried it out. It offers the same similar coloring of ICS which is what caught our eye at first. After playing around with it and using for 24 hours, it has potential. The onscreen keyboard looks like many others out there, with a few things moved around. The space bar is a little smaller than we are used to, but is easily over come. The delete key has been moved to the bottom, if you are a speed typer and used to your current keyboard, this is going to throw you off for a while.
Where Siine gives you more is the additional actions available. Build into is a quick clock where you can put in a time of day quickly and easily. Be it for a response or telling someone to meet you. Taping on an hour and then a minute will give you a different auto fill than if you tap on just the minutes section. The clock is easily accessible in two locations on the keyboard.
The slider at the bottom right that pulls out offers you more quick additions like, adding favorite websites, days of the week, favorite people, and even a quick calendar. Using the calendar lets you quickly tell someone a date to meet you, then pull up the clock and tell them what time. It is pretty convenient.
The bottom left has a little hand button that offers more messaging controls. Loaded full of pre-configured responses that are all customizable. From simple Hello’s, Hey, Your Name, Your Email, and social network information. Long pressing on any of them will allow you to edit them and add in your information. For a person that is constantly replying or sending out the same information, it makes life a little easier.
If customizing your own responses isn’t your style, you have access to their ‘get sets’ data base. Loaded full of pre configured responses with icons and all. In the Siine gallery you can pick up sets that are for flirting, excuses, Slang Aussie, business orientated and a few others. Each set is free and a quick download adds them to your collection for easy use.
There are a few things that just didn’t sit well with us as a long-term option though. The letters on the keyboard don’t ever change size. They are in a constant state of caps. Not your writing, just the letters themselves. Long pressing a letter will pull up a capital version if you need to use one mid sentence. There is no alt or shift key present on the main keyboard. There is alt key available on the number and character side though. The predictive engine definitely needs more work. I found myself spending an equal amount of time fixing words after saving time using all the shortcuts. The keyboard has great potential if they can get the predictive engine under control I think it could be a really great keyboard. For now though, we recommend you check it out just to see what others are doing to make our typing experience better. Be prepared for a huge learning curve that might be too much for some users.
You can give it a shot at your leisure by clicking or scanning the QR code below. Alternatively, you can check it out at their website where you can learn a few things about it and their signature ‘sexy’ delete function. Which is cool, but not a deal breaker by any means.
Application:Â Siine Keyboard
Developer:Â Siine Ltd
Cost:Â FREE
