The third-party keyboard Swype has received a major update to version 1.3, which adds a handful of new features that will make a lot of Swype lovers happy.

Perhaps the most important feature that version 1.3 adds is the ability to sync your personal dictionary in Swype across multiple devices, meaning that any device you might purchase will be ready with your personal collection of words once you install Swype on it. Swype can also learn new words based on your usage patterns by logging into your Gmail, Facebook or Twitter account, much like SwiftKey does. Oh, and Swype can now also update its dictionary with the latest trending words, such as “Gangnam Style”.

Here is the official explanation for all the new features:

  • Dictionary Backup & Sync: Swype now backs up and syncs a user’s personal dictionary across any of their mobile devices. So now when nicknames like “Ollie” are added to a mobile phone, that word will be automatically added to the personal dictionary on a tablet as well as all other registered devices.
  • Swype for Tablets: Swype has taken tablet innovation to the next level by offering a choice of three different keyboard layouts for tablets: the original keyboard, a small and moveable keyboard, and a split keyboard. So no matter what style keyboard, people can stay connected and productive from anywhere.
  • Hotwords: Language is evolving faster than ever and Swype now updates dictionaries with the latest global trending words. Swype users can opt-in to receive updates to their dictionaries and stay up to date with the newest ‘hotwords’, like “Gangnam Style.”
  • Themes: Swype allows users to further personalize their devices with the new keyboard theme options. Users can access up to 10 different themes in Swype’s settings menu for quick and cool keyboard customizations.
  • More Language Support: The latest update to Swype also features enhancements to the Chinese keyboard with an additional tool bar and has added a Flick keyboard to Japanese. Users can also expect many more languages with Advanced Language Models that predict the words and phrases users Swype the most.

You can get the new Swype Beta from the official website after registering, logging in and downloading the installer. For those who are already using Swype, you can open Swype’s settings by long pressing the Swype icon, go into the Updates menu, then wait a while for the new update to show up. If that fails, try uninstalling the current version and use the Swype Beta Installer to install the latest version, though you will lose your current dictionary in the process, though for me even the normal update erased all the words in my dictionary, which I found pretty annoying.

And no, Swype Beta is still not available on the Play Store, so you must go through the long procedure to install it via their website.