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Do you use predictive text? Chances are it’s not saving you time – and could even be slowing you down

<p>Typing is one of the most common things we do on our mobile phones. A recent survey suggests that millenials spend <a href="https://www.provisionliving.com/blog/smartphone-screen-time-baby-boomers-and-millennials/">48 minutes</a> each day texting, while boomers spend 30 minutes.</p> <p>Since the advent of mobile phones, the way we text has changed. We’ve seen the introduction of autocorrect, which corrects errors as we type, and word prediction (often called predictive text), which predicts the next word we want to type and allows us to select it above the keyboard.</p> <p>Functions such as autocorrect and predictive text are designed to make typing faster and more efficient. But research shows this isn’t necessarily true of predictive text.</p> <p>A <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2858036.2858305">study</a> published in 2016 found predictive text wasn’t associated with any overall improvement in typing speed. But this study only had 17 participants – and all used the same type of mobile device.</p> <p>In 2019, my colleagues and I published <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3338286.3340120">a study</a> in which we looked at mobile typing data from more than 37,000 volunteers, all using their own mobile phones. Participants were asked to copy sentences as quickly and accurately as possible.</p> <p>Participants who used predictive text typed an average of 33 words per minute. This was slower than those who didn’t use an intelligent text entry method (35 words per minute) and significantly slower than participants who used autocorrect (43 words per minute).</p> <h2>Breaking it down</h2> <p>It’s interesting to consider the poor correlation between predictive text and typing performance. The idea seems to make sense: if the system can predict your intended word before you type it, this should save you time. </p> <p>In my most <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445566">recent study</a> on this topic, a colleague and I explored the conditions that determine whether predictive text is effective. We combined some of these conditions, or parameters, to simulate a large number of different scenarios and therefore determine when predictive text is effective – and when it’s not.</p> <p>We built a couple of fundamental parameters associated with predictive text performance into our simulation. The first is the average time it takes a user to hit a key on the keyboard (essentially a measure of their typing speed). We estimated this at 0.26 seconds, based on <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2470654.2466180">earlier research</a>.</p> <p>The second fundamental parameter is the average time it takes a user to look at a predictive text suggestion and select it. We fixed this at 0.45 seconds, again based on <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1240624.1240723">existing data</a>.</p> <p>Beyond these, there’s a set of parameters which are less clear. These reflect the way the user engages with predictive text – or their strategies, if you like. In our research, we looked at how different approaches to two of these strategies influence the usefulness of predictive text.</p> <p>The first is minimum word length. This means the user will tend to only look at predictions for words beyond a certain length. You might only look at predictions if you’re typing longer words, beyond, say, six letters – because these words require more effort to spell and type out. The horizontal axis in the visualisation below shows the effect of varying the minimum length of a word before the user seeks a word prediction, from two letters to ten.</p> <p>The second strategy, “type-then-look”, governs how many letters the user will type before looking at word predictions. You might only look at the suggestions after typing the first three letters of a word, for example. The intuition here is that the more letters you type, the more likely the prediction will be correct. The vertical axis shows the effect of the user varying the type-then-look strategy from looking at word predictions even before typing (zero) to looking at predictions after one letter, two letters, and so on.</p> <p>A final latent strategy, perseverance, captures how long the user will type and check word predictions for before giving up and just typing out the word in full. While it would have been insightful to see how variation in perseverance affects the speed of typing with predictive text, even with a computer model, there were limitations to the amount of changeable data points we could include.</p> <p>So we fixed perseverance at five, meaning if there are no suitable suggestions after the user has typed five letters, they will complete the word without consulting predictive text further. Although we don’t have data on the average perseverance, this seems like a reasonable estimate.</p> <h2>What did we find?</h2> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/graph-text.jpg" alt="" />Above the dashed line there’s an increase in net entry rate while below it, predictive text slows the user down. The deep red shows when predictive text is most effective; an improvement of two words per minute compared to not using predictive text. The blue is when it’s least effective. Under certain conditions in our simulation, predictive text could slow a user down by as much as eight words per minute. </p> <p>The blue circle shows the optimal operating point, where you get the best results from predictive text. This occurs when word predictions are only sought for words with at least six letters and the user looks at a word prediction after typing three letters.</p> <p>So, for the average user, predictive text is unlikely to improve performance. And even when it does, it doesn’t seem to save much time. The potential gain of a couple of words per minute is much smaller than the potential time lost.</p> <p>It would be interesting to study long-term predictive text use and look at users’ strategies to verify that our assumptions from the model hold in practice. But our simulation reinforces the findings of previous human research: predictive text probably isn’t saving you time – and could be slowing you down.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-use-predictive-text-chances-are-its-not-saving-you-time-and-could-even-be-slowing-you-down-170163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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How this “superhero” dad's tiredness turned into a rare disease

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A healthy father of two thought he was just suffering from fatigue before he was struck with an extremely rare disease that left him partially paralysed in June. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam Hambly from the Sunshine Coast was left bed-ridden in hospital after he was left with the news he had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) - an auto-immune disorder where the immune system attacks nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzafrivhSOD/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzafrivhSOD/" target="_blank">I can’t wait to see you smile again 😍</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/amyshambly/" target="_blank"> Amy Hambly</a> (@amyshambly) on Jul 2, 2019 at 5:14am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both Sam and his wife, had no idea what was in store for them when the 27-year-old dad was left feeling exhausted all the time a little over a month ago.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He started getting really tired, he didn’t have the strength to go to the gym,” Amy, 27, explained to </span><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/super-hero-dad-suddenly-paralysed-after-contracting-rare-disease-035035949.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yahoo News Australia. </span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But he was just so determined to keep working, he just didn’t think anything of it.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByWTdiAHZ8g/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByWTdiAHZ8g/" target="_blank">Today should be a happy day filled with celebrations, Jack Daniels and cake. But instead it’s a effing shit day that I think we will both want to forget but never the less... HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMY! Your without doubt the strongest human I know mentally. I hate that your going through this let alone on your birthday but Darcy, Leo and I love you so so much! Your the backbone of our family and we wouldn’t be complete without you! I hope you start feeling better really soon. I’m proud of how your handling what life has thrown at you and I will always be by your side to take care of you when you can’t and support you when you need me. Crossing my fingers for you to be feeling like your usual self soon and for this to all be a distant memory! Love you always bub. Stay strong 💙</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/amyshambly/" target="_blank"> Amy Hambly</a> (@amyshambly) on Jun 5, 2019 at 5:39pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam began experiencing even stranger symptoms when he had a bout of gastro, followed by a sore throat and numbness in his toes. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Soon the numbness had spread to his feet and although he was persevering at his job as a plumber, he found it even more difficult to control his limbs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">...His legs gave way at work ­– he collapsed,” Amy explained. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite his worrying, his symptoms were warded off by medical professionals who believed he had sinus issues and sent him home with Endone and medication. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the couple soon realised Sam’s “left eye wasn’t shutting and we thought it was the Endone,” Amy said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next day, the “the whole left side of his face wasn’t moving – I thought he’d had a stroke.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam was rushed to the hospital and later he was diagnosed with GBS after a series of tests. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sam can move his legs but he can’t feel them,” Amy said. “His face is paralysed so his face doesn’t move. His arms and legs he can move but he can’t feel.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the sad situation has taken a toll on their family, the support they have received from the community has been overwhelming. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To ease the burden on the couple, a friend set up a </span><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-out-the-hambly039s?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=fb_dn_cpgnstaticsmall_r&amp;fbclid=IwAR2FUCPh5WOCHkgEZTbz_VyvxqNLWkh1v_INKTd2fCr184HXllktSqMPar0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">GoFundMe</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> page.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We might not be able to help Sam get back on his feet sooner although we can help to take some of the financial burden off his shoulders so he can concentrate on getting back to his normal superhero Daddy, strong self,” the crowdfunding page reads.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sam’s one of those people that likes to do things himself and provide for himself. He’s so happy and generous – but he can’t believe the help and support he’s had,” Amy said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can’t believe it, I can’t say thank you enough, it just shows how supportive everyone on the Sunshine Coast is. It’s just beautiful really. Hopefully one day I can pay it forward.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the road to recovery is long, Sam has returned home from hospital and since continued on his journey to “heal surrounded by his family.”</span></p>

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How to stop Facebook’s auto-play video feature

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>Sitting in the quiet waiting room at the physio, I decide to have a peek at Facebook... suddenly sounds blast from my phone unexpectedly! I quickly scroll past the culprit video, and then another sound blasts from my phone! What is going on?</p> <p>This video auto play function on Facebook can be annoying. If you're annoyed by the sound blasting from your phone unexpectedly due to the video auto play feature, here's how to turn it off:</p> <p><strong>1. Open the Facebook app on your device.</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/a5a72986-2c68-479f-bc6f-6a7b7ebed5fc.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 281px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>Tap on the 3 lines in the top right corner to reveal the Settings menu.</p> <p><strong>2. Scroll down until you see App Settings. Tap this to open App Settings.</strong></p> <p><strong>3. Tap on the cog next to “Videos in News Feed Start With Sound.”</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/df1f9ac9-e976-48ec-ad42-3c041dc7a22f.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 337px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>This will now turn off Sound when Videos auto play on Facebook.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/d42e8298-6651-4f9e-8fba-97cab118fbdd.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 1080px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p><strong>Tip: If you want to turn off AutoPlay completely, tap on Autoplay, and choose Never Autoplay Videos</strong></p> <p>Do you have any handy tech advice to share? </p>

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