PenZen is a free to use web service that lets you type in a distraction-free environment. The site provides you with a plain white canvas that you can type on. You can set the browser to full screen to spread the canvas over the entire screen. When you are done typing you can choose to download the text as a PDF file or save it as a note on PenZen. You are given the viewing link and editing link of your note.

By visiting the editing link and entering the password provided to you, you can modify your writing piece.

Features:

• A user-friendly web service.
• Lets you write in a distraction-free environment.
• Lets you download your writing as a PDF file.
• Lets you save your writing as online notes.
• Provides viewing and editing URLs for your notes.
• Similar tools: Koi-Writer and Write Space.
• Also read related articles:
  Reduce Distractions and Achieve Writing Goals with FocusWriter
  FocusWriter – Minimalist, Distraction-Free & Beautiful Text Editor
  Eliminate Writing Distractions with JDarkRoom

Check out PenZen @ pen.io/zen (by MOin from ThumbPress)

The app is sized at nearly 5MB and meant for iOS versions 4.0 and beyond. The app divides the virtual keyboard into the two lower corners of the screen. This makes all the keys within the reach of a user’s thumbs while he is holding the iPad with both hands. Once the user gets familiar with the layout of the keys, typing speed can be significantly improved.

Other features of Radial include auto-copying, a spelling checker, the ability to copy text directly to an email, and executing web searches.

Sadly Radial cannot work as a substitute for iPad’s built-in keyboard. This replacement has been disallowed by Apple. Still however, you can easily use Radial to type long emails and various other text-typing tasks.

Features:

• A user-friendly iOS application.
• Meant for iPad devices.
• Divides the keyboard to ease and speed up typing.
• Includes a spell-checker, an emailer, and a web search function.
• Similar tools: Klava, 10-Fast-Fingers, TypingLessons-Online and Keybr.
• Also read related articles: The Best Free Apps to Help you start Touch Typing and Want to Type Faster? (Not Another Touch Typing Course).

Check out Radial @ itunes.apple.com/us/app/radial-keyboard/id411897256?mt=8 (via TechnoSpot) (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Instead of creating a virtual keyboard that is identical in shape to a physical keyboard, 8pen provides users with a new typing interface. The lower part of the touchscreen is separated into four sections as you can see from the image above. Letters are placed along each section’s partition lines. Letters are selected through a unique gesture of the finger: you first enter the section of the letter and then turn your finger clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired letter.

For instance if you wanted to select the letter “˜g’ you would first move your finger UP and then three sectors to the right ““ clockwise. By familiarizing yourself with the gestures for each letter you will no longer need to look at the letters to type. This will remarkably reduce the typing errors since you will not press any wrong keys.

For more info watch demo video:

Features:

• A user friendly app.
• Provides a new way to typing.
• Reduces typing errors.
• When mastered, it helps you type without looking at the letters.
• Similar tool: ShareKeyboard.
• Also read related article: The 5 Coolest Voice Apps For Your Android Phone.

Use qr code below to download the app:

Check out 8pen @ www.the8pen.com/index.html (by MOin from ThumbPress)

A.I.type is an installable application for Windows operating systems that have .Net installed. Using A.I.type to type faster and more accurately will not require you to improve your typing speed ““ the program completes your words for you after you have typed the first few letters.

After those first few letters the program quickly opens up a floating window containing word suggestions. You can quickly select a suggestion to complete the word. The suggestions are shown according to the context by communicating with online servers. You can also choose to have the first suggestion automatically selected or ignore the suggestions altogether.

The program will work not only in text editors but anywhere you can type: web browsers, instant messaging clients, etc.

Note: Due to its recent high popularity and load on the servers, to get A.I.type you will need to register on the program’s website and wait for them to contact you with a download invitation.

Features:

• A user friendly application that helps you type quickly and accurately.
• Works with Windows with .Net installed.
• Completes your words for you via suggestions.
• Can auto-complete words.
• Helps you finish typing text faster and more accurately.

Check out A.I.type @ www.aitype.com

You can also view how frequently you type a specific character, how much time you have spent typing and see a cool keyboard visualization with statistics about different keys. Keyboard types supported include QWERTY, Dvorak and Colemak.

Features:

• Monitor your typing speed.
• Analyze your typing for frequency and patterns.
• See how much time you spend typing.
• See a visualization of your typing statistics.
• Supports QWERTY, Dvorak and Colemak keyboards.

Download TypingSpeedMonitor from GoogleChromeExtensions [Via DownloadSquad]

At any given time, TypingTest displays your typing speed as well as your typing accuracy. Once done, you can compare your results with other users for the exact same text. If you do more than 1 test, the tool also creates fancy charts tracking your progress and the kind of mistakes you did, for example wrong case, bad ordering and so on.

Features:

• Test and enhance typing skills online.
• Tracks your typing speed, accuracy and number of mistakes.
• Compare your results with other users.
• See tips on how to improve your typing.
• No registration required.
• Similar tool: GoodTyping, Sense-Lang, Typeracer, TypingWeb, Keybr, Klava, TypingLessons-Online and PowerTyping.
• Also read related articles:
  Want to Type Faster? (Not Another Touch Typing Course)
  7 Good Tips To Faster Typing On The iPad

Visit TypingTest @ www.keyhero.com/typing-tests-wpm/ [Via Download Squad]

Goodtyping is a free to use website that takes you through typing courses. You first need to register for an account before you can take the course. During registration you will see that Goodtyping supports not only US and UK keyboards, but nearly all keyboard combinations out there such as German, French, Spanish, etc.

The courses you take on Goodtyping include reading about the right positions and practicing typing on the website. During any part of the course you can change the keyboard layout to learn typing for another language.

Features:

• A user friendly website that helps you learn to type faster.
• Supports many languages and keyboard formats.
• Contains practice typing.
• Contains advice on the right hands and finger placement.
• Similar tools: Sense-Lang, Typeracer, TypingWeb, Keybr, Klava, TypingLessons-Online and PowerTyping.
• Also read related articles:
  Want to Type Faster? (Not Another Touch Typing Course)
  7 Good Tips To Faster Typing On The iPad
  Make Learning To Type Online More Fun By Defeating Ninjas!.

Check out Goodtyping @ www.goodtyping.com (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Unlike other typing tests, this website does not have a starting time. Instead, the test begins the moment you start typing. Follow and type the words on the page in the text box and for every line that you complete you will get your words per minute score and your accuracy rate. Klava has tests for basic English, advanced English, and Cyrillic languages.

Klava also tests your typing speed and accuracy for programming languages which is very handy if you want to increase your code-writing skills.

Features:

• Free; no sign-up required.
• Tests your typing skills (word accuracy and typing speed).
• Support tests for basic and advanced English, and Cyrillic languages.
• Has typing guide available for people learning touch typing.
• Unique feature lets you test your code-writing skills.
• Similar Tools: PowerTyping, 10-Fast-Fingers, and Keybr.

Check out Klava @ www.klava.org.

LiveTyping text recorder is free and doesn’t require any registration. Although it should be mentioned that registered can also store their livetypings online and replay them at anytime later.

To start simply start typing the text into provided field. Then customize the text font, size, speed and click on “ENLIVEN” button. Your recording will be processed and replayed for you online.

Features:

• Record your typing.
• Customize text font, size, speed of recordings.
• Share them by forwarding a link or embedding on your site and blog.
• Store all your recordings in one place online (registration needed).
• Similar site: FuzzMail.

Check out LiveTyping @ www.livetyping.com (via Profy)