Abstract: Embodiments provide context-aware inclusion of emoticon item sets in applications and/or services. The emoticon item sets include a plurality of emoticon images or other emoticons. A computing device creates custom emoticon item sets for each of the applications. Based on a determined execution context, the computing device selects the emoticon item set and presents the selected emoticon item set for use within the execution context by a user of the computing device.

Abstract: In a mobile device, the text entered by users is analyzed to determine a set of responses commonly entered by users into text applications such as SMS applications in response to received messages. This set of responses is used to provide suggested responses to a user for a currently received message in a soft input panel based on the text of the currently received message. The suggested responses are provided before any characters are provided by the user. After the user provides one or more characters, the suggested responses in the soft input panel are updated. The number of suggested responses displayed to the user in the soft input panel is limited to a total confidence value to reduce user distraction and to allow for easier selection. An undo feature for inadvertent selections of suggested responses is also provided.

Abstract: Techniques to employ emoji for text predictions are described herein. In one or more implementations, entry of characters is detected during interaction with a device. Prediction candidates corresponding to the detected characters are generated according to a language model that is configured to consider emoji along with words and phrases. The language model may make use of a mapping table that maps a plurality of emoji to corresponding words. The mapping table enables a text prediction engine to offer the emoji as alternatives for matching words. In addition or alternatively, the text prediction engine may be configured to analyze emoji as words within the model and generate probabilities and candidate rankings for predictions that include both emoji and words. User-specific emoji use may also be learned by monitoring a user's typing activity to adapt predictions to the user's particular usage of emoji.

Abstract: In a mobile device, the text entered by users is analyzed to determine a set of responses commonly entered by users into text applications such as SMS applications in response to received messages. This set of responses is used to provide suggested responses to a user for a currently received message in a soft input panel based on the text of the currently received message. The suggested responses are provided before any characters are provided by the user. After the user provides one or more characters, the suggested responses in the soft input panel are updated. The number of suggested responses displayed to the user in the soft input panel is limited to a total confidence value to reduce user distraction and to allow for easier selection. An undo feature for inadvertent selections of suggested responses is also provided.

Abstract: The collection and clustering of data input characteristics from a plurality of computing devices is provided. The clustered data input characteristics define user groups to which users are assigned. Input models such as language models and touch models are created for, and distributed to, each of the user groups based on the data input characteristics of the users assigned thereto. For example, an input model may be selected for a computing device based on a current context of the computing device. The selected input model is applied to the computing device during the current context to alter the interpretation of input received from the user via the computing device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve text entry user experience and performance by generating input history data including character probabilities, word probabilities, and touch models. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first input data, automatically learning user tendencies based on the first input data to generate input history data, receiving second input data, and generating auto-corrections or suggestion candidates for one or more words of the second input data based on the input history data. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates to replace a selected word with the selected suggestion candidate.

Abstract: Techniques are described to generate text prediction candidates corresponding to detected text characters according to an adaptive language model that includes multiple individual language model dictionaries. Respective scoring data from the dictionaries is combined to select prediction candidates in different interaction scenarios. In an implementation, dictionaries corresponding to multiple different languages are combined to produce multi-lingual predictions. Predictions for different languages may be weighted proportionally according to relative usage by a user. Weights used to combine contributions from multiple dictionaries may also depend upon factors such as how recently a word is used, number of times used, and so forth. Further, the dictionaries may include interaction-specific dictionaries that are learned by monitoring a user's typing activity to adapt predictions to corresponding usage scenarios.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve text entry user experience and performance by generating input history data including character probabilities, word probabilities, and touch models. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first input data, automatically learning user tendencies based on the first input data to generate input history data, receiving second input data, and generating auto-corrections or suggestion candidates for one or more words of the second input data based on the input history data. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates to replace a selected word with the selected suggestion candidate.

Abstract: In a mobile device, a context is determined for the mobile device. The context is determined based on a variety of characteristics of the mobile device environment including, for example, the current application being used, any contacts that a user of the mobile device is interacting with or having a conversation with, the current date and/or time, a current topic of the conversation, a current style of the conversation, etc. Based on a set of strings associated with the determined context and user generated text, one or more string predictions are generated for the user generated text. The string predictions may be presented to the user as suggested completions of the user generated text.

Abstract: Embodiments provide context-aware inclusion of emoticon item sets in applications and/or services. The emoticon item sets include a plurality of emoticon images or other emoticons. A computing device creates custom emoticon item sets for each of the applications. Based on a determined execution context, the computing device selects the emoticon item set and presents the selected emoticon item set for use within the execution context by a user of the computing device.

Abstract: In a mobile device, the text entered by users is analyzed to determine a set of responses commonly entered by users into text applications such as SMS applications in response to received messages. This set of responses is used to provide suggested responses to a user for a currently received message in a soft input panel based on the text of the currently received message. The suggested responses are provided before any characters are provided by the user. After the user provides one or more characters, the suggested responses in the soft input panel are updated. The number of suggested responses displayed to the user in the soft input panel is limited to a total confidence value to reduce user distraction and to allow for easier selection. An undo feature for inadvertent selections of suggested responses is also provided.

Abstract: An improved user experience at a local client computer that is coupled to one or more remote servers over a WAN is provided by an arrangement in which data and files that are likely to be needed by a user during a work session are identified through the application of one or more heuristics and then pre-fetched to be made available in advance of the session's start. The pre-fetching of the data and files may be performed as the client computer goes through its startup or boot process. When the startup is completed and the desktop applications become ready for use, the data and files that the user needs to immediately begin work are already available at the local client computer.

Abstract: The collection and clustering of data input characteristics from a plurality of computing devices is provided. The clustered data input characteristics define user groups to which users are assigned. Input models such as language models and touch models are created for, and distributed to, each of the user groups based on the data input characteristics of the users assigned thereto. For example, an input model may be selected for a computing device based on a current context of the computing device. The selected input model is applied to the computing device during the current context to alter the interpretation of input received from the user via the computing device.

Abstract: Context aware input engines are provided. Through the use of such engines, various input elements may be determined based on analyzing context. A variety of contexts may be analyzed in determining input elements. Contexts may include, for example, a communication recipient, a location, a previous user interaction, a computing device being utilized, or any combination thereof. Such contexts may be analyzed to advantageously provide an input element to a user. Input elements may include, for example, an onscreen keyboard of a certain layout, an onscreen keyboard of a certain language, a certain button, a voice recognition module, or text-selection options. One or more such input elements may be provided to the user based on analyzed context.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a web proxy server forwards a client request for content to a web server over an unauthenticated connection, including when the client already has an authenticated connection to that web server. If the web content is received in response, the content is public, whereby the web proxy server caches the content and returns the content to the client. If the requested content is not received because of a need for authentication, the content is re-requested over the client's authenticated connection, or if one does not yet exist, returns the response to the client to complete the authentication process to establish an authenticated connection. A learning mechanism (e.g., that persists known private URLs) may be coupled to the selection mechanism to maintain references to objects that are private, and thereby avoid redundant retrieval attempts for known private objects over unauthenticated connections.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve the text entry user experience and performance. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a text entry, receiving input on a touch screen in the form of a first single touch input located over a word of previously entered text, and presenting the user with one or more suggestion candidates indicated possible replacement words related to the selected word. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates using a second single touch input to replace the selected word with a word associated with the selected suggestion candidate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve text entry user experience and performance by generating input history data including character probabilities, word probabilities, and touch models. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving first input data, automatically learning user tendencies based on the first input data to generate input history data, receiving second input data, and generating auto-corrections or suggestion candidates for one or more words of the second input data based on the input history data. The user can then select one of the suggestion candidates to replace a selected word with the selected suggestion candidate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing feedback and guidance to touch screen device users to improve the text entry user experience and performance through the use of indicators such as feedback semaphores. Also disclosed are suggestion candidates, which allow a user to quickly select next words to add to text input data, or replacement words for words that have been designated as incorrect. According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving text input data, providing an indicator for possible correction of the text input data, displaying suggestion candidates associated with alternative words for the data, receiving a single touch screen input selecting one of the suggestion candidates, and modifying the input data using the word associated with the selected suggestion candidate.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which high latency problems with respect to web requests are reduced by having a web proxy server predict and pre-fetch content, in parallel, that is to be requested by a client. The web proxy analyzes a main web page requested by a client to predict subsequent client requests. The web proxy pre-fetches content before the client requests it, by making concurrent requests for the page's embedded objects that exceed the client's limited number of (e.g., two) connections. In one example, the web proxy sends HTTP requests substantially in parallel to a web server, thereby reducing overall latency. In another example, the web proxy server sends parallel requests to a remote web proxy coupled to a web server. The remote web proxy requests only a limited number of objects (e.g., two) at a time, but does so over fast (low latency) connections to the web server.

Abstract: An improved user experience at a local client computer that is coupled to one or more remote servers over a WAN is provided by an arrangement in which data and files that are likely to be needed by a user during a work session are identified through the application of one or more heuristics and then pre-fetched to be made available in advance of the session's start. The pre-fetching of the data and files may be performed as the client computer goes through its startup or boot process. When the startup is completed and the desktop applications become ready for use, the data and files that the user needs to immediately begin work are already available at the local client computer.