A Comparison of Grafitti vs. the On-Screen Keyboard for Experienced Palm Users

Two Palm Pilot input methods, Graffiti and on-screen keyboard were each studied for speed and subject preference on two tasks, a memo field task an multiple field address task. The experiment tested speed to correct completion of the four tasks. Twenty experienced Palm pilot users participated in the study. This was a within subject 2 x 2 design. The subjects were timed on all for tasks, and were given a satisfaction survey with questions to be rated on the scale of 1-9. A two way ANOVA test was performed on the raw data. The test showed no statistical significance in the comparison of the mean speed of completion to correctness using Graffiti and on-screen keyboard. A t-test performed on the survey responses concluded that there was a statistically significant preference of Graffiti for the memo field task. A t-test for the address field did not yield a statistically significant difference in preference.

Data Input Into Mobile phones: T9 or Keypad?

As cellular phones are becoming more widely used in society, data entry into these devices becomes an important issue. This paper describes an experiment that compares two different methods of inputting data into cellular phones, using T9 technology and 12-key keypad. The experiment involved a training session, practice time, and then some text entry tasks. We hoped to find out which method of input had better performance time and higher user satisfaction. We also hoped to determine whether users were more likely to purchase and use cellular phones which had T9 technology or standard input. Finally, we wished to investigate issues of frustration using T9, a new and unfamiliar technology

Which is Faster and More Accurate on a Handheld: Graffiti or Keyboard Tapping?

The number of users of handheld computers has been increasing rapidly for the recent years. The most common usage of a handheld is the entry of new addresses or things-to-do or other small notes. Thus, input entry into a handheld device has become one of the important issues. Two major input entry methods are handwriting using Graffiti alphabet, which is a hand stroke based handwriting recognition system, and tapping on a soft keyboard. In this project, we aimed at comparing Graffiti and keyboard tapping while doing a common task, which involves entering alphanumeric characters and special symbols and switching between keyboards during keyboard tapping. The purpose of this experiment was to see which input entry method is faster and more accurate than the other and to observe the pattern of learning for both methods. Experiments applied to 15 subjects produced statistically significant results. The analysis of the data showed that using keyboard tapping yielded faster and more accurate results in both the initial and later use. Despite its poor performance in the initial use and high number of errors, using Graffiti became much faster as the usage time increased. The learning curve suggests that experienced users may perform faster with Graffiti than keyboard tapping.