The SIP Panel Programs
What follows are some of the more interesting SIP panel alternatives I've come across.

Calligrapher by ParaGraph
Calligrapher is my SIP panel program of choice. I use it exclusively now. It allows you to input text by writing anywhere on the screen in your own handwriting. Whether script or print, Calligrapher is amazingly accurate. Rather than writing letters, you can write words, sentences, or even paragraphs. Then watch in amazement while Calligrapher takes what you've written and converts it to text.

Earlier versions of Calligrapher, while cool, weren't accurate enough for my use. The current version is much more accurate, provides an easier means of correcting your text, and runs more smoothly. If you tried an earlier version but have yet to try version 5.3, you really should. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Get used to allowing ample space between words. Calligrapher sometimes gets confused as to where one word ends and another begins. I usually write two to three words per line. That still allows me to write a complete sentence on screen before stopping to allow Calligrapher to convert my words to text. Another problem I've had is the pesky period. Calligrapher often mistakes a period for a screen tap, causing it to relocate the cursor. This is understandable. When using Calligrapher, just make sure you dot your i's and end your sentences in real time; don't pause. If you do, Calligrapher will think that dot was meant to be a screen tap.

Calligraper is fast, so if you've waited too long, simply erase the last letter of the last word, rewrite it, and put a period right after it. Another solution would be to bring up Calligrapher's built-in keyboard and use that, but I like the erase/rewrite method myself. Also, don't over-write your periods. If you can't see it, don't worry; Calligrapher registered it. Rewriting it will only cause confusion. A quick tap is all it takes.

In 1999, Microsoft invested in Vadem, the owners of ParaGraph, who in turn own Calligrapher. It now appears that Mircrosoft felt as strongly about Calligrapher as I do. The Pocket PC, or version 3.0 of Windows CE, has a ROM version of Calligrapher called Microsoft Transcriber. This is a really cool addition to their operating system and bodes extremely well for the future of Windows CE. By the time you read this, the new Pocket PCs will already be on the market. If you're like me, you'll be in the stores giving the latest offerings a test spin. While you're there, don't forget to give Microsoft Transcriber a try.

Fitaly by Textware
I'd seen advertisements for Textware's new Fitaly keyboard in the Windows CE press, but I never really paid any attention to it. For all intents and purposes, it looked like just another keyboard. It seemed a lot like the DVORAK keyboard, which promised increased speed for the tradition-bound keyboardist. The Textware soft-keyboard alternative is another design where the keys have been arranged to facilitate speed and accuracy. Preparing this article, I decided to give the free demo version of Fitaly a try. Like the standard QWERTY keyboard and the DVORAK keyboard, Fitaly gets its name from the row of keys second from the top, as you can see in Figure B.