.KEYWORD faster
.FLYINGHEAD GRAFFITI TIPS AND TRICKS
.TITLE Become a Graffiti master
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT faster-cover.gif
.SUMMARY According to a speaker at a Palm Computing conference last year, the real competition for the Palm device isn’t the PC, but paper. After trying to give up the paper trail and sticking to just a Palm device, many of us usually learn that the biggest problem is the fact that you have to first master inputting text into your device. In this article, Dan Velasco has compiled some good advice about how to improve the speed with which you input text into your Palm computer.
.AUTHOR Dan Velasco
I learned one of the most important distinctions about the Palm device that I’ve ever heard last year when I attended a Palm Computing seminar. One of the speakers got up and told us that the real competition for the Palm device isn’t the PC, but paper. Ever since then I’ve tried to forgo paper and become purely digital, using my Palm device to write down everything I used to write down on paper.
The problem with achieving this ideal of replacing the paper in your life with your Palm organizer is the fact that you have to first master inputting text into that device. This is what stops many people in their tracks. If there’s one reason people don’t use their Palm organizers as true paper substitutes, it’s because they can’t input text as fast or as accurately as they want. They become frustrated and go back to the old stand-by, pen and paper. They probably had a fair amount of improvement when they were first learning to input text into their Palm devices, but they’ve since hit a brick wall and now can’t go much faster.
This article is designed for those people who’ve hit or will soon hit that brick wall that everyone encounters. You’ve improved as much as you’re going to improve by "just doing it." Now you need to try new approaches to becoming a Graffiti master. That’s the purpose of this article. I’ve compiled the best advice I have to give you about how to improve the speed with which you input text into your Palm computer.
Yes, I know there are alternatives to using Graffiti, such as Jot and TealScript. These have been reviewed in previous PalmPower articles and you can find links to them at the end of this article. However, for the purposes of today’s article I’m going to assume you’re using Graffiti, the default text recognition system that came with the Palm device. Much of what I’ll say, however, applies to most handwriting recognition programs.
.H1 Use a real stylus, not a stick stylus
I’m not going to say that it’s the size of your stick that matters, but if you’re using the default stick stylus that came with your Palm device, then you just plain aren’t serious about becoming a Graffiti master. You certainly wouldn’t write with a pen or a pencil as scrawny as the default stylus, so why would you use this little twig to enter text into your Palm device?
The stylus I use and love is the PalmPoint Dual Action Stylus for the Palm V from Palm, Inc, available at http://palmorder.modusmedia.com/P5/P5-10147U.htm. This stylus is much more substantial in weight and girth than the stylus that comes with the Palm V, meaning that it feels like a regular pen when you’re using it. What’s also great about this stylus is that the clip side of it fits perfectly into the stylus slot and the pen length matches the length of the Palm V exactly. This allows you to keep a more substantial stylus handy at all times for entering text into your Palm V. Oh yeah, it also turns into a regular ballpoint pen with a twist of the shaft. The only real drawback to the PalmPoint Dual-Action Stylus is that it costs $39.95. However, now that I’ve used it for over six months, I know it’s worth every penny. Check out this great tool in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The PalmPoint Dual Action Stylus is pricey (or spendy, as my Oregon friend would say), but worth it.
If you totally balk at spending $39.95 for a stylus, check out the more affordable PenCap Stylus product from Concept Kitchen (at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas03476.shtml), shown in Figure B. For $9.95, you get four plastic stylus tips you can put over the tip of a disposable pen to turn it into a stylus. I haven’t used these myself, but I do like the rest of the products from Concept Kitchen, and these tips look like a really cool, well thought-out product.
.FIGPAIR B What could be cheaper or more convenient than converting your disposable pen into a stylus?
For even more information about styli, check out Claire Pieterek’s article entitled "Stylin’ with the right stylus" from the September 1998 issue of PalmPower magazine. You can find the article at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/stylus001.html. Take an especially good look at the Throttle stylus from ttools, LLC. It’s another example of a cool stylus that clips onto the side of your Palm unit.
.H1 Use WriteRights from Concept Kitchen
WriteRights from Concept Kitchen (at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/), are more than just little films of plastic that protect the screen of your Palm device, as you can see in Figure C. They’re also excellent tools for improving your Graffiti recognition and speed. These little plastic sheets, which go for around $27.95 for twelve, not only protect the screen but also improve your Graffiti recognition by making it feel more like you’re writing on paper than on a naked, slippery glass screen. They also do a good job of reducing glare. Also, with the screen properly protected, you probably won’t be afraid to be just a little rougher when entering text into your Palm device.
.FIGPAIR C WriteRights from Concept Kitchen are well worth the investment. Share them with friends!
You can read more about WriteRights in a previous article entitled "Keep your screen pristine" by Claire Pieterek, which is about protecting your Palm device’s screen. The article is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199803/pristine001.html.
For Palm III series users, you can find more information about WriteRights at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas00671.shtml. Palm V users can find out more about WriteRights designed specifically for the slightly smaller screens of their devices at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas02789.shtml.
.H1 Using TealEcho helps you identify and correct errors
TealEcho, as shown in Figure D, is a very simple application that will go a long way to helping you to improve your Graffiti recognition. It shows you graphically on the screen what you’re writing as you’re writing it. This way, you can get the feedback you need to see why your Palm device isn’t recognizing your Vs or Ys or whatever characters are giving you trouble. To make this even more effective, have your little Graffiti cheat sheet at hand so you can re-check the proper way to write a difficult character.
.FIG D TealEcho is exactly the tool to get the feedback you need to improve your Graffiti skills.
TealPoint Software, the creator of TealEcho, also makes a lot of other great software for the Palm device, including other tools to help you enter text into your Palm device more quickly and accurately. Be sure to pay them a visit at http://www.tealpoint.com or link directly to their software page at http://www.tealpoint.com/software.htm.
.H1 Take all your notes with your Palm device
There will come a point in time where you’ll have to go cold turkey and start taking all your notes on your Palm device. Sure, you might miss a few notes when you’re first starting out, but think about how seldom you go back to read your old-fashioned notes now, either because you can’t find them or because they’re not handy when you want them. At least this way you’ll always have access to every note you’ve ever written whenever you need it. And you can easily share these notes with others as well.
Until you get to the point where you make a commitment to take all of your notes digitally, you won’t be able to truly become a Graffiti writing demon. Remember, the real competitor of the Palm device isn’t a laptop or a desktop computer but paper itself. So stop buying and/or using paper notebooks to take your notes and start using your Palm device exclusively.
.H1 Use it or lose it–keep your Palm device handy at all times
If you don’t have your Palm device handy at all times, you’re simply not going to use it. I’ve actually taken to wearing only shirts with pockets in them so I’ll always have a place to store my Palm V at the ready. My Palm V has helped me contribute to charities by making me give away a lot of my unused T-shirts and polo shirts. And no, I’ve never had a problem with it falling out of my pocket like another PalmPower author has. But if you’re worried about it, you can check out his article at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199905/velcro001.html.
If you don’t have a Palm V and a convenient shirt pocket, think about getting a leather belt-clip case or something to keep your device handy. You might look as geeky as Al Gore, who wears his Palm V this way, but that’s a small price to pay for being on the cutting edge.
.H1 Determine your WPM
After following the tips above and practicing your brains out, you might want an objective measure as to how fast you’re writing. I’ve got just the program to help you do this. It’s called WPM from DDH Software, which you can see in Figure E. To download this program, go to http://www.ddhsoftware.com/ddhwpm.html.
.FIG E WPM is a free program from DDH Software that tests your words per minute speed.
.H1 Other related articles from previous PalmPower issues
Perhaps one of the best tips I received when I first started using Graffiti on my Palm device was to improve character recognition by writing the characters larger in the text input area of the screen. I got that tip from a PalmPower article published way back in February 1998. Here are links to that article as well as to other PalmPower articles that have discussed better ways to input text into your Palm device.
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Tips to improve your Graffiti recognition, by Calvin O. Parker, can be found at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199802/grafhelp001.html.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Maximize your Graffiti with shortcuts, by Calvin O. Parker, is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199801/shortgraffiti001.html.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Improving your handwriting recognition with TealScript, by Scott Johnson, is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/tealscript001.html.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Move over Graffiti: it’s Jot!, by Bob Freud is available at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/tjot001.html.
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Super productivity: it’s in the Palm of your hand, by Samuel Brandwein, is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200002/superproductivity001.html.
.END_LIST
.H1 Practice, practice, practice
Have you ever heard the saying, "That which you practice in private you will be rewarded for in public?" Of course, I can think of some obvious exceptions to this (unless you become an adult film star), but this saying is really true when it comes to writing quickly on your Palm device. You’ve got to practice for hours in order to make it look really easy.
A lot of people are impressed by my ability to write quickly on my Palm device. They think I must know some special secrets in order to write so fast. Well, as you can see from this article, I don’t really have any secrets. I’ve simply sought out useful tools and made many distinctions about how to improve my Graffiti writing skills just a little bit at a time. If you must insist that I have a secret, it would be this: I’ve been practicing regularly ever since I got my first PalmPilot Professional back in 1997. Your level of speed and accuracy will be a direct reflection of your level of dedication to constantly improving your skills.
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.H1 Conclusion
There’s an old proverb about two boys who come to a wall they can’t easily climb over, so they decide to throw their hats over it. Now, in order not to lose their hats, they have to climb the wall. This is exactly what you must do when you decide to dramatically improve the speed and accuracy with which you use Graffiti to enter text into your Palm device. Make the commitment; throw your hat over the wall and start.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
Check out the PalmPoint Dual Action Stylus at http://palmorder.modusmedia.com/P5/P5-10147U.htm.
You can find more information about the more affordable PenCap Stylus product from Concept Kitchen at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas03476.shtml.
For more information about styli, check out Claire Pieterak’s article entitled "Stylin’ with the right stylus" from the September 1998 issue of PalmPower magazine at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/stylus001.html.
Information on Throttle styli from ttools, LLC can be found at http://www.ttools.net/.
You can read more about WriteRights in a previous article entitled "Keep your screen pristine" by Claire Pieterek, which is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199803/pristine001.html.
For Palm III series users, find more about WriteRights at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas00671.shtml.
Palm V users can find out more about WriteRights designed specifically for the slightly smaller screens of their devices at http://www.conceptkitchen.com/products/pdas02789.shtml.
Visit TealPoint Software, the creator of TealEcho at http://www.tealpoint.com, or link directly to their software page at http://www.tealpoint.com/software.htm.
You can check out the trials and tribulations of Palm devices falling from pockets in a previous PalmPower magazine article at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199905/velcro001.html.
Tips to improve your Graffiti recognition, by Calvin O. Parker, can be found at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199802/grafhelp001.html.
Maximize your Graffiti with shortcuts, by Calvin O. Parker at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199801/shortgraffiti001.html.
Improving your handwriting recognition with TealScript, by Scott Johnson, is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/tealscript001.html.
Move over Graffiti: It’s Jot!, by Bob Freud is available at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199809/tjot001.html.
Super productivity: it’s in the Palm of your hand, by Samuel Brandwein, is located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200002/superproductivity001.html.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?13@@.ee6e0b8
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