Predictive Text Now Supporting Arabic Script

A new way to enter text on phones in Arabic script languages is now available to people across the Middle East. LetterWise, the predictive text-entry solution from Eatoni Ergonomics, provides texters with a choice in how they enter SMS messages, according to Howard Gutowitz, Eatoni Ergonomics CEO. LetterWise offers SMS predictive text in Arabic, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kurdish (Sorani), Pashto, Persian, Turkish, Turkmen, and Urdu. Currently 150 different languages are supported by LetterWise, making LetterWise by far the most linguistically diverse text entry system on the planet.

"Every recent study shows that data transmission, such as SMS, is the number one driver for revenue growth for the telecomm industry," Gutowitz said. "The easier it is to text, the more text messages will be sent, which means that advanced predictive-text systems such as LetterWise will further stimulate growth in ARPU."

"Some people like multi-tap, a percentage have managed to learn to use T9 (the text entry system from AOL) and prefer that, however still more will prefer LetterWise," Gutowitz predicts. "LetterWise is the predictive text entry system for the rest of us, it takes almost no learning, and it just works. It's the text entry system for people who want to spend their time sending messages, rather than reading manuals"

Mobile phones equipped with LetterWise are available from Taiwan's BenQ."

Posted to the site on 26th March 2003