Android: The Nexus S 4G comes with a new, exclusive, gesture-ladedn version of Swype installed. Here’s how you can install it on any rooted phone.
The newest version of Swype just came out on Nexus S 4G phones, and it’s pretty awesome. In addition to the super-fast gesture-based typing method, this version has quick swiping shortcuts for select all, cut, copy, paste, and can even send text to other apps like Twitter and Google Maps. Check out the video above to see it in action.
Users of the free Swype beta are sadly left out; this version is exclusive to the Nexus S 4G. Thankfully, the kind-hearted AproSamurai over at XDA Developers found an easy way to install it on any phone, no matter what model or carrier. For this to work, you’ll need a rooted phone, an explorer app that can gain root permissions (like Root Explorer), and a terminal emulator.
- To start, download the zip file over at the XDA thread and extract it somewhere on your phone.
- Open up Root Explorer and copy the Swype.apk file to
/system/app/. - Long-press on it and hit “Permissions”. Change the permissions to Read and Write for the Owner, and Read only for both Group and Other.
- Go back to where you extracted the zip file and copy the libswypecore.3.25.91.30637.so file to
/system/lib. - Long-press on the libswypecore file and change the Permissions once again to Read and Write for the Owner and Read only for both Group and Other.
- Exit Root Explorer and open up your terminal emulator. Run the following three commands, hitting Enter after each one:su
sync
reboot - Once your phone reboots, you should be able to long-press on any text box and choose Swype as an Input Method.
As usual, you can access Swype’s preferences in Settings > Language and Keyboard. What’s really nice is that unlike the Swype betas, this won’t expire or cause any problems if you switch devices, either. Hit the link below to read more.
Nexus S 4G Swype (How-To) [XDA Developers via Android Police]
Mick
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 8:48 AMCan anyone post a link to this .zip? Its been removed :(
boris
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 10:45 AMCan someone put this on rapidshare and give us the URL please..? :)
Tim
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 3:33 PMWhy only Nexus S 4G, hows about the Nexus S 3G, my mum is bothering me to find a better keyboard for it (and im an iPhone guy)?
boris
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 4:12 PMJust get your Mum “SwiftKey X” keyboard from Android market – she’ll love it. Teach her how to use the word prediction.
Tim
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 10:57 AMThanks, ill look into that one.
Sam
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 11:48 AMGot an email from Swype this morning. All Beta account holders now have access to download Swype 3.5 – which I’m pretty sure adds all the same functionality as the above version.
Worth checking out the Swype website for more info.