Abstract: The hybrid handwriting recognition method includes the steps of (a), in response to a handwriting input from a user, providing dynamic, time ordered stroke information; (b) determining a first list comprised of at least one probable character that the dynamic, time ordered stroke information is intended to represent; (c) converting the dynamic, time ordered stroke information to static stroke information; (d) determining a second list comprised of at least one probable character that the static stroke information represents; and (e) merging the first list and the second list to provide a third, unified list comprised of at least one element representing a most probable character that the dynamic, time ordered stroke information is intended to represent. The step of converting includes the steps of generating a static, bit-mapped representation of the dynamic stroke information, and generating one or more first stroke features based on contour directions of the bit-mapped stroke information.