How do you send a text? is it fast and effective? Let’s have a little contest for all types of texters. We’ll be the judge, and the main scoring factors will be speed, accuracy and comfort. 

We see all kinds of texting methods, like Ashley, who grabs coffee from the drive-thru and drives in the rush hour through the traffic. She sends an important message, so she uses voice-to-text while driving. Charles prefers swiping with one hand to craft a text while dropping off his kids at school. Being in business, our texts must be accurate and fast to complete other tasks. So let’s figure out the art of texting.

The Classic Two thumb method

An average person can text 38 words per minute! This might be the reason most of us use our thumbs for texting. We’ve gotten quite pro at it. Unsurprisingly, younger people text faster than people in their 40s or 50s. But with smartphones in the hands of every person, regardless of age, using two thumbs for texting is by far the easiest. 

Remarks:

• Excellent speed 
• Great Accuracy (Takes a little practice, though)
• Highly Comfortable when using both hands.
• Not good when multitasking; it requires both hands.

Using the index finger

Some people also use their index fingers for typing, but that is not as fast and comfortable as using their thumbs. The index finger is generally used by older generations that might find it daunting to use both thumbs for texting. The index finger makes sure what letter is being typed in. It’s significantly slower but takes care of accuracy. 

Remarks

• Too slow
• Good for people who might not find using their thumbs comfortable.
• Accurate as it focuses on one letter at a time. 

Predictive text

Write “T,” and the word “The” will appear on top suggestions. Cool right? AI is getting better and faster. However, using predictive text is not always the fastest way. It takes time to look up the word we want to insert and then back to typing letters for the next one. Using predictive text for unusually long words such as conscientiousness might save some time. 

Remarks

• It’s fast but not as fast as using thumbs.
• Works well with other types of texting
• Best when one is multitasking.

Swiping 

This one has its perks. Every once in a while, we do enjoy swiping over the screen, leaving a colorful trail that follows behind. Feels like we’re creating magic with words. As creative as this is. It’s still not the best one. There are a few reasons behind it: 

1. It takes some practice and might require smaller fingers for better accuracy.
2. Doesn’t always get the right word; we may have to use it with predictive text or rewrite the entire word.

Remarks

• Works best one only one hand is available 
• Fast enough to get the job done
• It might not be very accurate.
• Requires practice. 
• Good to use when we’re multitasking.

Voice to text: 

Our phones are getting smarter daily with those powerful chips installed in them. They recognize our voice better and can easily convert it to text. There might still be some text mistakes that you can correct by typing in. Voice-to-text is three times faster than typing! And does not require any hands, so multitasking is incredibly easy. But then why is it, not the most used method? The answer is simple; we don’t want to talk too much, especially when people are around. It’s sometimes more comfortable to type in text rather than speak it out loud simply. Another reason is that speech recognition might not pick a few words or may misinterpret our words. 

Remarks:

• The fastest, but not the most accurate.
• Best when multitasking. 

Judges Review 

Our clear winners will be voice-to-text and Thumbs! That being said, everyone has their own personal preference and comfort level. All input methods can be easily used interchangeably, given the situation. For instance, while driving, we would prefer using voice to text. Why not swipe our way through the keyboard when we’re having our coffee in one hand?  

Still, the contest winner will get a thumb. Thumbs up for the two thumbs! They deserve our appreciation. 

Pro Tip: Can’t send a text away? Use voice notes instead.

Some Fun Time-saving Tips

Try these tips and be a texting Wizard. Thank us later.

Press and hold to get the special character 

To type special characters while using the ABC layout on your smartphone, press and hold the corresponding key. This will bring up a menu of additional characters associated with that key. 

For example, if you press and hold the letter ‘e,’ you will be presented with options such as é, è, and ê. Next time, you can add a little accent to your text in no time.

Type in numbers faster

Hold down the “123” or “#+= button, type away your numbers, and release them. The keyboard automatically switches to the ABC layout, making you feel like a texting wizard.

We love tech, and we’re always looking for techniques to save time that comes in our time bank goal. Learn more about our goals and see how we can help you. For more information, visit our store or contact us at info@initiis.co.uk 

Let’s Text to Grow!