Newton 2.0 OS includes a new handwriting recognizer. This article explains when the new recognition technology is used and how it differs from the previous handwriting recognition technology.

In Newton 1.3 OS, the recognizer "learned" your handwriting habits. This means that certain writing habits are weighted when the Newton OS looks up a word in its word lists. Word lists contain possible words you might be writing. There are several word lists in the Newton OS, including names, cities, states, and others. The personal word list is the only word list that you can modify, and it is also the only list imported when upgrading to the Newton 2.0 OS.

In Newton 2.0 OS, there are two separate handwriting recognizers: Cursive (connected letters) and Printing (separate letters). The Cursive recognizer works like the recognizer in the Newton 1.3 OS, but it has new algorithms that have been improved for better recognition and speed. Your letters can touch each other, and it "learns" your writing habits. When using the Cursive recognizer, you can still choose the letter-by-letter recognizer by tapping a word, and then tapping on Try Letters in the word list. With the Printing recognizer, the Newton OS performs a letter-by-letter evaluation of your writing. When using the Printing recognizer, letters cannot touch each other, and it does not "learn" your writing habits.

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