Below is a comprehensive list of our step-by-step video tutorials and guides.
You can have Penfriend open and running alongside the video tutorials so you can learn how to get the most from Penfriend by starting and pausing the videos at your own pace.
Getting Started with Penfriend
A significant benefit of Penfriend is that you can start using it without any prior knowledge – “it works straight out of the box” as one happy customer recently commented.
This tutorial explains how you can start improving spelling and grammar by simply starting Penfriend – without making any adjustments. This tutorial is the first in a series of Penfriend video screencasts and explains how to use and save lexicons.
Getting Started with Penfriend
Homophone Support in Penfriend XL Version 4.1
Homophones, sometimes known as ‘confusables’ are words which have a similar sound but differ in spelling and meaning. Examples of homophones include ‘there’ and ‘their’, ‘where’ and ‘were’ and so on.
View the Homophone Support tutorial
Penfriend ‘s Powerful Screen Reader
This tutorial explores the powerful screen reading feature in Penfriend. Penfriend’s screen reader will read out dictionary definitions and synonyms in Microsoft Word without any additional expense.
View the Screen Reading Tutorial
Screen Reading, the Clipboard and High Contrast settings
Penfriend features a powerful screen reading option which reads text in documents and other Windows applications such as email, web pages etc. When the mouse is placed or hovered over text, icons or menus Penfriend will read the information back to the user.
View the Screen Reading, Clipboard and High Contrast Tutorial
Making Customised Abbreviations in Penfriend
In Penfriend you can create Abbreviations by selecting ‘View’ on the Prediction window and ‘Abbreviations’ on the drop down menu. The Abbreviation expansion might be your full name, your address, phrases used in letters or formal documents. The Abbreviation feature in Penfriend can be very useful for people who have impaired mobility and want to improve typing accuracy and speed.
Read the Customised Abbreviation Tutorial
Create Multiple Expansions for a Single Abbreviation
Abbreviation Expansion has always been a powerful tool in earlier versions of Penfriend but in Penfriend version 4, it’s even better.
Abbreviation Expansion can help with repetitive and mundane tasks such as writing names, addresses, phone numbers, your favourite internet addresses etc. Abbreviation Expansion can be particularly beneficial for people who have limited mobility or find typing difficult or tiresome.
View the Multiple Expansion Tutorial
Using Drag and Drop Lexicons in Penfriend
This tutorial shows you how to save a personalised lexicon which can be used in different contexts, such as colour background, speech or a lexicon which contains a specific word list.
View the Drag and Drop Lexicons Tutorial
Penfriend’s On-screen Keyboard
Penfriend’s on-screen keyboard has always been a favourite feature with our customers, particularly those who use an alternative mouse such as a trackerball. With features such as ‘hover to click’ the on-screen keyboard has been greatly improved offering increased accessibility and usability to our customers.
View the On-Screen Keyboard Tutorial
Using Styles in Penfriend Version 4
Penfriend Version 4 features a range of colourful Styles including both Horizontal and Vertical. As well as the default Vertical option you can choose from 3 other Styles, i.e., Plain, Grey and Horizontal.
View the Using Styles Tutorial
Typing Numbers and Minimising Penfriend’s Prediction Window
This tutorial explains how to write numbers or URLs by minimising the Prediction window.
View the Typing Numbers Tutorial
Penfriend; Online Word Processors and Social Networking
Did you know Penfriend can be used along side your favourite social networking site and/or with online word processors such as Google Docs? To find out more watch the tutorial.
View the Online and Social Networking Tutorial
Typing with a Mouse
If you have a motor difficulty or a disability that prevents you from using a physical keyboard, then Penfriend’s on-screen keyboard could be just the solution you’re looking for.
With so many custom features to choose from you can use Penfriend’s on-screen keyboard to type up letters, emails, write documents just as you would with a physical keyboard.
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