Swype has generated a lot of attention in recent months for creating a new way to input text on a touch screen with a stylus or finger. Now, the Seattle startup has attracted the interest of angel investors. Formerly known as ForWord Input, Swype has closed on $1.3 million from angels and company management, according to vice president of business development Aaron Sheedy.
The company is "very close" to signing its first major customer, with plans to roll the technology out on Windows Mobile, Android and Symbian phones this year, said Sheedy. Swype is one of those technologies where you kind of have to see it to believe it, so here's CEO Mike McSherry and founder Cliff Kushler showing it off at the TechCrunch 50 event last fall.
Kushler -- best known for helping to create Tegic's wildly popular T9 text input technology -- has been tinkering with the Swype technology for six years.
Now, Sheedy says it is a "fully baked" product that is ready for commercialization.
"We show it to OEMs and they are like: 'Wow, this is done,'" said Sheedy.
As more devices incorporate touch screens -- from televisions to airport terminals to mobile phones -- Sheedy expects the need for an easy-to-use text input system will grow.
"Touch screens are great, but they are very difficult to enter text on," he said.
And what about one of the most popular touch screen devices -- the iPhone?
Sheedy said the iPhone is on the company's "roadmap," but they have no near-term plans to introduce an application. That's because Swype works best when it is deeply integrated with the keyboard. He said the technology is ready to be deployed on Windows Mobile devices, with Android and Symbian phones ready in May.
The company employs 14 people and continues to grow.
"Given the economy and where things are going, it is very, very encouraging," he said.
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