I do a lot of typing every week, probably more than most folks. But I'm certainly not the fastest in my field. To improve that there's TypingWeb, a Web-based typing tutor the likes of Mavis Beacon and other software-based typing helpers. It's been around since 2004 as a paid service, but has just opened its doors to everyone for free.
The service offers a few ways to enhance your typing, including lessons in the home keys, correct finger placement, and handy shortcuts, and bundles them with exercises that apply what you've just learned. It's not nearly as slick as some of the more recent typing efforts I've seen, like Keybr or the addictively fun TypeRacer, but the lesson plans for each difficulty level are really well thought out. You can simply pick and choose areas where you want to improve on and dig in.
Test your regular keyboard skills, or your finger keyboarding skills on the iPhone, with TypingWeb.
(Credit: CNET Networks)To go along with these tests, the service monitors your progress to becoming a typing legend. You can view this advancement on a chart that will identify your improvements (or decline) in general accuracy, as well as raw words per minute, and that number combined with your accuracy (which may be lower).
Some of the lessons can be insanely difficult. Fulfilling just one part of one difficulty level is a veritable barrage of testing. Near the end of any section the tool simply won't let you continue to the next step until you fulfill a certain requirement either in accuracy, speed, or time.
After spending some time brushing up my skills I noticed a decent improvement on the typing test I had taken before I began the course, although the wording hadn't changed, so I think I had a leg up on it from the last time. Who knows how much better I'd be if I had the hours (yes I mean it) to go through the rest of the lessons. You could do these tests for weeks.
One thing I find amusing is that there's an iPhone app for TypingWeb for those who need a little work maneuvering Apple's somewhat cramped QWERTY touch keyboard. It doesn't go nearly as in-depth as the desktop version, but I suppose it's a good tool for people who don't send text messages or write e-mails. The test is also a little easier with your phone in landscape mode--giving you the keyboard that's about twice as wide. However, I don't think that's the point. Existing TypingWeb users will need to sign up again, but anyone can try it out anonymously too.
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This past week at the Web 2.0 Expo has been a great chance to meet up with other bloggers and come face to face with some of the companies we write about every day. It's also a great time to see how other people work, as we're all packed into small seats in large auditoriums, or scouring rooms for the last remaining outlet to get the necessary wattage to keep writing.
A side effect of that was seeing our own Caroline McCarthy in action, typing away. In case you're wondering part of the reason she's so productive, it's her keyboard skills--which I think put her in the league of a court stenographer. If you'd like to know how you stack up in the typing world, there's TypeRacer--a wonderfully simple game that pits you up against other typers, and of course your 100-plus key stead.
The goal is to type as well as you can to get your car from point A to point B. All the while you can compete with other users in real time and "race" across the landscape of the English language.
The one nice thing about TypeRacer compared with Keybr (review) is that it uses real words. It's also a stickler about errors, requiring you to go back and make any fixes before continuing the race, keeping lead-finger slopsters from winning based on speed alone. I'm not really sure if TypeRacer really helps you type any faster, but it sure is fun.
What's your score?
[via Kotaku]
See how your typing skills stack up with TypeRacer. And yes, in case you were wondering: Even the fastest cars are still VW Beetles.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
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