So you’ve got your HTC Thunderbolt, and you want to use Swype. Not in the app market, is it? That’s because it’s a download for “registered beta users” only. Then, if you’ve downloaded and installed it, you find that it doesn’t work with your standard keyboard. So you switch keyboards, and you find it still doesn’t work. Then you somehow got it working, but rebooted your phone and it broke….right? No worries, there’s an easy fix. But lets start from the top:

  1. Register as a beta user at https://beta.swype.com/android/create/ (it will send you an activation email; once you confirm/activate, it will send you a link to download. Open this link from your phone, and download the application OTA [that's "Over The Air" for you non-nerdy types]) …once downloaded and installed, if you’ve never used Swype before, I recommend going through the short hands-on tutorial. It’ll teach you the essentials.
    Register as a Beta User for Swype

    Register to Download Swype

  2. Install an SMS app. As of 04/17/2011, the Beta doesn’t “auto-space” your standard SMS or emails. Which, as noted elsewhere, kind of defeats the purpose. All is okay though, because reluctant as you might be to mess with the comfortable standard features of your brand new exciting phone, there really are better SMS applications. I personally use Handcent, but another fresh option is Go SMS. Go ahead and download one, they are both free in the App Market. You’ll be happy. Plus, Swype works in them just fine. After Step 3, that is.
  3. Get Swype Working. Even once you install an after-market SMS app, Swype doesn’t like you. Easy fix: first, reboot your device. Then once loaded, in any SMS message screen, tap and hold to bring up the “Input Method” prompt. Select “Touch Input,” then do it again and select “Swype.”
  4. Keep Swype Fixed. Every time you reboot your device, you’ll have to switch to Touch Input then back to Swype again to get it working.

Swype Keyboard