Best Chinese input method for Windows?
 

Hey, all.

I think I'm using MS Pinyin, but I'm not quite sure (it's the one where control+space lets you switch between languages... most of the time).

I dislike it because I find that it lacks the simple logic that Nokia developed ~15 years ago with Chinese T9. (I.e. It can't string together phrases with more than 2 characters very well, and it butchers a lot of really common words.)

By contrast, whatever input method my droid uses is simply brilliant:
-type in "nhm" and it spits out "你好吗？" (with the question mark)
-it has also managed to memorize my apartment complex name, my company name, and my friends' names

Is there anything comparable for Windows?

I like Google's product. It seems to be more "intelligent" than the MS system--i.e. better at predicting the next character.

http://www.google.com/intl/zh-CN/ime/pinyin/

ETA: I just did your "NHM" test, and it passed. :)

I like the keystroke hand writing in BB10. I find it better than anything MS has.

I learn traditional character as one of my early formal schooling language, so YMMV.

Even when I am out of my depth in China, I do the writing and BB10 will translate the characters from traditional to simplify.

I've yet to find anything better than the Sogou one. It easily passes the "nhm" = "你好吗？" test, and has a lot of slang and shortcuts built into its dictionary. It learns commonly used phrases/names and will prioritise them in the list of conversion options after you've used it for a while. The Sogou dictionary is so good that Google was caught copying it a few years back.

Just be careful with the installer; much like every other piece of software put out by a Chinese company, it'll do its best to fill your PC with a crapload of useless social gaming apps, antivirus tools, and other assorted spyware.

My wife feels that a lot of technical Chinese doesn't show up in the Microsoft IME. Is that inherent in Unicode or a flaw in Microsoft's IME that these other systems might avoid?

Most Chinese I know use Sogou