TextExpander 2 for iOS is out with new features and improvements

textexpander ss

Fans of Smile’s TextExpander, the app that allows you to type lengthy words or phrases using text shortcuts, will be happy to hear that version 2 is out for iOS. The update includes a number of new features and improvements, and brings the mobile app more in line with its highly-regarded Mac sibling…

Here’s the full 2.0 change log:

– Adds support for fill-in snippets
– Adds formatted snippet and note text on iOS 6.0 and later via “Format…” menu item
– Copy and Send Email actions support formatted text
– Adds an “Insert…” menu item for macros such as date, time, clipboard contents, and fill-ins
– Supports renaming and duplication of snippet groups
– Displays alerts for conflicting snippet abbreviations and duplicate snippets; adds handling to resolve conflicts and eliminate duplicates
– Supports %\ selection range macro (ie. %| select this text %\ )
– Spins the network indicator during Dropbox operations
– Key macros (Enter, Esc, Return, Tab) are handled more gracefully
– Fixes orientation and keyboard exposure issues
– Fixes numerous minor bugs

Obviously, the big addition here is support for fill-in snippets. The feature allows you to use an abbreviation to expand a large body of text with pre-formatted blank spaces that you can ‘fill-in’ at a later time. So imagine using this for a canned email response that you want to send to multiple people.

And the cool thing is that TextExpander will actually sync all of your snippets across your iOS and Mac devices, via Dropbox. So you’ll only have to program them once. And, it will also let you use them within other third party apps—Smile says that there are more than 150 apps using their TE SDK.

If you’re still not sold on TextExpander, you might take a peek at Federico Viticci’s review of version 2.0 over at MacStories. Otherwise, if you’re ready to check it out for yourself, you can find TextExpander in the App Store, for the both the iPhone and iPad, for $4.99.