Using the New Keyboard with Predictive Text on the BlackBerry PlayBook

The new Predictive Text feature on the BlackBerry PlayBook. is one of those features that makes us wonder how we got along without it prior to the 2.0 update. It is a great approach to predictive text.

Thanks to the new SwiftKey keyboard on the PlayBook 2.0 software, you have the ability to enable Predictive Text and it truly is a huge help and a great time saver. The keyboard on the PlayBook has always been easy to type on, but now with Predictive Text, the PlayBook predicts as you type letting you simply tap words shown above the keyboard to complete them. As you type along, you find yourself starting a word, tapping and then semlessly continuing. The popup bar isn't too obnoxious so it fits in well with the keyboard and is really a welcome feature.

The keyboard even predicts in context, so you'll see words pop up as you go that the software thinks you may want next. Usually, there are five options given from which you can choose. It's amusing at times and you can almost make a game out of it and see what kinds of crazy sentences you can come up with (reminds me of Mad Libs or magnetic poetry). Pretty cool stuff, right? Bundle this with autocorrect and you'll find yourself cranking out long emails from your PlayBook in no time at all. If you're more of a purist you do have the option to turn it off, but if you give it a shot I'm sure you'll find it only helps get things done faster.

If you do want to turn off the feature, just pull down the main Menu, select Keyboard and move the radio button next to Show predictions and suggestions to the OFF position.

Check out the video above for a quick look at predictive text on your BlackBerry PlayBook.