Swype is a downloadable keyboard that allows you to “type” on the screen without having to lift your fingers for each letter.  You touch the first letter, then slide your finger to the next, until you get to the end of your word.  The app will predict your word, usually getting it right on the first shot, but if it questions the keys you swiped, it will let you confirm the word.  Words with double letters have no need for finger lift or sliding off the key - it figures that out for you.  So, you spell the word “looking” as if it were “loking” and it will come up correctly as “looking.”

Swype ran as a beta test on Android for most of this year, but it currently closed.  There is no indication of when the app will be made available officially.  As such, the app has become quite the sought-after gem.  But, if you’re good at digging around online (like we are), you can download the beta test now and try it on your phone.   Follow the instructions below to download and install Swype Beta for Android.

Google hasn’t released any official press releases on this.  In fact, I wouldn’t expect to see one.  It will probably be dropped into a casual conversation by some Google higher-up in the next few days.  But the Android development team has dropped a semi-official statement on their Twitter page about it.

This brings the Android Market much closer to the Apple App Store, which is nearing the 300,000 app mark.

To some, this is an important accomplishment.  The Android Market just about a year ago had about 10% of today’s number of apps, or less, growing at a faster rate than Apple’s App Store.  Still, Android Market has a long way to go, both in the number of apps as well as the quality of apps.

@Rhymo worked out great too (once servers recovered) 1M+ downloads first day - RovioMobile, via Twitter

And with that, Rovio Mobile announced it had over one million downloads of Angry Birds for Android in it’s first day.

Today, I’ve been trying to find a method of importing a QR code into a post.  If you’re not familiar with QR codes, they look like miniature crossword puzzles.  With many current phones, you simply need to take a picture of this code, and the phone will take you to an application, web page, or contact.

Good news for Android users: All application prices will now be displayed in local currency.

Previously applications used the currency of whatever country their developer uploaded them from, which led to confusion for consumers. Most of us don’t know how to translate Yen into USD without the aide of a currency converter, so we didn’t know the actual cost of the app we purchased until we checked our Credit Card/Bank Statements the next day.

Via [Droid-Life]