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Tag: handwriting

  • Google Adds Handwriting Support To Gmail, Docs

    Google announced today that it has added handwriting input support to Gmail and Google Docs. You can now input words directly into Gmail and Google Docs with your mouse or trackpad.

    First, you’ll need to enable input tools in Gmail or in Docs, and then select the handwriting input (which is shown with a pencil icon) of the language you wish to use.

    Handwriting

    “Handwriting input makes the internet easier to use by people worldwide and is also part of a larger effort to break the barrier between languages,” says Google product manager Xiangye Xiao.

    The feature will let you write single or multiple characters at a time in the panel , so you can see them in your message or document.

    The feature is available for over 20 languages in Google Docs and for over 50 in Gmail.

    Images: Google

  • Google Translate Gets Handwriting Input On Homepage

    Google announced that handwriting is now available as an input option for Google Translate on the Google Translate homepage.

    Translate Handwriting

    Google Handwrite for Translate

    “Handwriting input lets you translate a written expression, even if you don’t know how to type the characters,” writes product manager Xiangye Xiao in a blog post. “For example, suppose you see the Chinese expression “饺子” and want to know its meaning in English, but have no idea how to type these characters. Using the new handwriting input tool, you can simply draw these characters on your screen and instantly see the translation.”

    “Once you have chosen your input language, you will see the input tools icon at the bottom of the text area,” Xiao adds. “Click the input tools icon to switch to handwriting in the drop-down menu. You can then begin drawing your text on the main panel of the handwriting tool. You can draw multiple characters at once.”

    Last year, Google launched the feature for Android.

    Handwrite on Android

    This past February, Google added virtual keyboards, input method editors and transliteration input tools to Google Input Tools.

    The handwriting feature supports 45 languages. You can see the full list here. The feature is also available in the Google Input Chrome extension.

  • Wolfram Alpha Offers Handwritten Results for April Fools

    If there’s one thing that the internet lacks, it’s quality handwritten content. For decades, computers have been slowly but surely killing off the need for actually writing anything down. Lucky for us, Wolfram Alpha is here to bring a little bit of handwritten flair to the web.

    Today, Wolfram Alpha is introducing the Wolfram Alpha Handwritten Knowledge Engine, which they describe as a “more personal way of delivering computed answers.”

    Ok, it’s an April Fools’ joke. But it’s a clever one.

    According to a blog post, each of your queries will be transcribed and illustrated by a real live human!

    “We had a thought not long ago that it would be nice to get you (the internet) a gift. One of those “just because” things to spread a bit of happiness around the world. Conventional wisdom holds that the best gifts are handmade. But making gifts by hand for over 2.2 billion people? It was a daunting challenge,” says Wolfram Alpha.

    But they pulled it off, and are now offering “artisanal answers.”

    Like this important question about whether or not they are, in fact, Skynet.

    Even mathematical computations get the handwritten treatment.

    For more April Fools’ Day fun, check here.