Notices

Now Nokia have opened up the API to the Hildon input methods and documented the .vkb file format used for virtual keyboards (see this HOWTO) I got to wondering: is anyone working on a better keyboard layout or three for entering text with a pen? I have in mind either FITALY (core input area here) or ATOMIK.

Both these keyboard layouts are optimized for text input via hunt and peck with a pen (rather than using ten fingers), and if there's one thing the tablets need it's better text entry (for when you don't want to weigh yourself down with the bluetooth keyboard and the charger and the rest of the travelling circus).

Is anyone doing this?

id like to see dasher on the n800

I tried it on a Fujitsu tablet pc and found it quite unproductive. It's a good idea, but even after several days of exclusive use, I was still more preoccupied with the act of sliding than with the actual content of what I was writing.

That is what I actually like so much about natural handwriting recognition: It may be not as fast as keyboard input, but the interface is so natural that you are only thinking about content, not about input.

I used to write entire novels on my Newton, strained only by the less-than-perfect screen quality of the device. Then again, the Newton was designed around pen input; I so wish more people would actually take a good look at that UI and creatively copy it.

I would like to see a t9 keypad with predicted text...

Everybody has tried what's already available, haven't they?

When we use the existing Thumpad or Keypad on the Nokia 770 Touchpad screen with OS 2006, we have predictive text.

What we really need is speech or thought direct into predictive text, additionally with retina scan for the important final conformation That might be quicker and would certainly be easier on the old fingers and thumbs

does anyone remember the device from the mid 80's that had 5 keys and could be held in one hand (although not for very long because it was heavy). They had a system similiar to a stenographer that meant pressing a combination of the 5 keys created a letter. it was supposed to be very fast and very easy to learn. Let's face it the keyboard layout is as inefficient as it could possibly be having been designed to slow typist down to stop typewriter striking arms from jamming.

how about the palm graffitti hand writing input?

I believe the 80's device you are referring to was called a "Microwriter" and is an example of what is known as a chording keyboard. There are some excellent modern chording keyboards, most notably the Twiddler.

Using the info available from the web, I have created a fitaly version of en_GB.vkb. Attached are some pics of the normal and thumb layouts. The symbols on the right hand side of the fitaly keyboard need to be tweaked as the symbols needed for sending email are not readily available.

Robert

Fitaly and Atomik are both square layouts, which is the optimal shape when considering minimizing hand movement, but when considering the tablet input methods a rather unfortunate shape indeed. How would you actually lay that out on the tablet screen?

Robert:

I am a long-time user of FITALY, and just purchased an N800, so your timing is great. I am already lamenting the absence of my beloved FITALY layout.

I see the instructions for building a custom Hildon Input Method Plugin, and I see the instructions for building a VKB file, but I don't see how the two relate. Were you able to implement the FITALY keyboard merely by creating a new VKB file, or did you have to write a plugin?

I am a software developer, so I'm willing to work it out on my own, but a little extra nudge would help me out. If you were willing to send me the VKB files, that would also save me some time. I have enabled e-mail sending for my account.

I notice that the VKB specification has allowances for "sliding" buttons. Did you use the sliding attribute to provide for the FITALY capitalization/punctuation functions? If not, I would be glad to augment the file you created, and then send you back the result.

Tim Crews