The Fastest Text Input Test: Laptop, iPhone, Pen, Palm or Newton?

In this test one man writes a long paragraph on several different devices (including pen and paper) to test the speed. The results may surprise you.

The contestants are:

• Apple iPhone 3G’s software QWERTY keyboard (2009)
• Apple Newton MessagePad 2100’s handwriting recognition (1997)
• Palm Treo 650’s hardware QWERTY keyboard (2004)
• Palm VX Graffiti handwriting recognition software (1999)
• MacBook full-size QWERTY keyboard
• pen and paper

The test is not completely fair, since with handheld keyboards the speed greatly depends on how often you use them. The tester has been using an iPhone as his main handheld for 18 months.

The tester used an article with 221 words. Here are the results:

The laptop keyboard came out in front, which is no surprise. iPhone, Treo and pen cam out essentially even, about 50% longer than the laptop. The two handwriting recognition devices finished way behind the pack.