PalmSource Drops Graffiti for Jot

PalmSource announced Monday that it will replace its Graffiti handwriting recognition in current and future versions of Palm OS with Jot, a technology developed by Communication Intelligence Corporation.

The new software will be branded Graffiti 2 powered by Jot and recognize more conventional handwriting input. The original version of Graffiti required Palm owners to learn a specific handwriting method.

Jot has long been utilized by Microsoft's Pocket PC platform and a Palm OS release is available for download from CIC's Web site. Graffiti 2 is a slightly modified version of that release.

"Jot has established the kind of broad based consumer acceptance in the Palm community that made it a natural choice for us," said PalmSource President and CEO, David Nagel. "Graffiti 2 is a superior handwriting recognition system that will enhance the ease of use that Palm OS is known for. We expect this technology to appeal to a wide range of users who will be able to easily take notes and write memos on their Palm Powered devices."

The decision to make the switch from Graffiti to Jot appears to stem from a lawsuit in which Xerox accused Palm of using its patented Unistrokes handwriting recognition technology in Graffiti without a proper license. While PalmSource cited technical reasons for transitioning to Jot, the company admitted the lawsuit played a role in the decision.