Database Users

Horrible Keyboard On 2.1, Any way To Put Keyboard From 1.6?

A few hours ago I updated to the 2.1.
The main thing that is far worse is the keyboard. It seems far less accurate, I'm making many more mistakes than before, sometimes I have to press the same button twice, it seem's unresponsive and slow, if you rush it you make mistakes.
It's like it's running slow and there is no num pad, the keyboard is much worse than 1.6
Is there ANY way I can use the old keyboard? I wish there was a way I could use the previous full sized keyboard, quicker and more responsive...

Matter of fact, what does everyone think the best keyboard for the streak is?

Not sure if I am doing something wrong , but I have been unable to use any other keyboards , they install OK , and I can select them , but when I go to select it , it's still the Dell one that pops up . I used Better Keyboard on 1.6 and preferred it.
With the new one , I seem to "miss" the top row of keys for some strange reason ! , usually I'll notice I have missed an "e" in a word .

Same, at first kept missing the top row of keys, you just need to hit a little bit lower.
Or use a multitouch keyboard like smart keyboard, just annoying that it takes up the whole screen.

I'm using the SWYPE keyboard. Works great for me on 1.6

dairymasta said:
Same, at first kept missing the top row of keys, you just need to hit a little bit lower.
Or use a multitouch keyboard like smart keyboard, just annoying that it takes up the whole screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I'm getting and it's really pissing me off. I now dread to use the internet or type message as nearly every word I type has a mistake...
zoidster said:
Not sure if I am doing something wrong , but I have been unable to use any other keyboards , they install OK , and I can select them , but when I go to select it , it's still the Dell one that pops up . I used Better Keyboard on 1.6 and preferred it.
With the new one , I seem to "miss" the top row of keys for some strange reason ! , usually I'll notice I have missed an "e" in a word .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, crappy keyboard, I hate using the internet/sms messages now.
I really wish to have the same keyboard as 1.6, also with the numpad, saves me everytime clicking on the ?123 button to type in a number and then click it off, more slow

Funk2641 said:
Matter of fact, what does everyone think the best keyboard for the streak is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The original of course, from 1.6!

kanej2006 said:
Exactly what I'm getting and it's really pissing me off. I now dread to use the internet or type message as nearly every word I type has a mistake...
Same here, crappy keyboard, I hate using the internet/sms messages now.
I really wish to have the same keyboard as 1.6, also with the numpad, saves me everytime clicking on the ?123 button to type in a number and then click it off, more slow
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't upgraded to 2.1 yet as i rather wait for the official OTA, I am also using swype keyboard I find it quite good too. I also found a stock one a bit difficult to type on with out making typo's but it was nice idea having the number pad. But I heard many people were crying about it being rubbish.
Funny now seeing people who have upgraded to 2.1 and with the new dell stock keyboard people are also making noise about how poor it is. Looks like dell can't get the keyboard right. I think dell should left the original keyboard and pre-install swype for people. This give users best of both worlds I think.

The original keyboard was rubbish, agreat idea but impossible to type accurately. The new keyboard is better but still not great. Swype is be rest so far even as a touch type.
Ps to get keyboards to work (ie instead of the default), first enable it in the settings then hold you finger in any typing box until the options appear then choose input, then chose desired keyboard.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App

Ps the best keyboard will be this one......
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/0...-phones-screen-even-with-no-keyboard-present/
Hopefully!
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App

Agreed. Stock keyboard + swype keyboard combo on 1.6 works best for me.

Fazziebear said:
Ps the best keyboard will be this one......
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/0...-phones-screen-even-with-no-keyboard-present/
Hopefully!
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a good idea that and swype would be handy yet i prefer the 1.6 keyboard my only issue is that it isnt multi touch. Which cause me to make errors so for the time being its swype maybe not as fast but hey its effortless.

I use SLIDE IT has more features than SWYPE

Just to balance the argument a bit - I much prefer the 2.1 keyboard to the 1.6 version.
I have big fingers and my accuracy has improved enormously -I haven't even bothered re installing swype.
So i guess it is all down to personal preference.

I prefer the old one....just cause it had the FN key shown and also the arrows that are useful when i want to go back in typing.
I also agree with those who tell that the new one is not accuracy like in 1.6, i noticed that when i type delete it often type "L" letter. For this i would like to ask if the re-calibration may work....

Enabling Swype Keyboard
Fazziebear said:
The original keyboard was rubbish, agreat idea but impossible to type accurately. The new keyboard is better but still not great. Swype is be rest so far even as a touch type.
Ps to get keyboards to work (ie instead of the default), first enable it in the settings then hold you finger in any typing box until the options appear then choose input, then chose desired keyboard.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have installed swype, but it isn't listed as an input option. Where do I find the settings menu to "enable" swype? It's not in the main settings menu. Thanks!

enne91 said:
I prefer the old one....just cause it had the FN key shown and also the arrows that are useful when i want to go back in typing.
I also agree with those who tell that the new one is not accuracy like in 1.6, i noticed that when i type delete it often type "L" letter. For this i would like to ask if the re-calibration may work....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The new keyboard is just terrible. Nearly eVERY word I type theres a mistake and it's slow and cannot keep up with the original.
I also noticed the keyboard is TOO LOW and that is why I'm making mistakes, the old keyboard was higher and in line with the fingers, therefore easier and I miss the NUMPAD!!!

STraver said:
I have installed swype, but it isn't listed as an input option. Where do I find the settings menu to "enable" swype? It's not in the main settings menu. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you go to send a text message, in the box where the cursor is and where you type, hold it for a second and it should give you the option to choose a different keyboard.

Horrible keyboard in 2.1
Guys i want 1.6 keyboard i prefer much better than 2.1. any way to get it?

enne91 said:
I prefer the old one....just cause it had the FN key shown and also the arrows that are useful when i want to go back in typing.
I also agree with those who tell that the new one is not accuracy like in 1.6, i noticed that when i type delete it often type "L" letter. For this i would like to ask if the re-calibration may work....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with the arrows and the FN key is a most

swype or touch input keyboard?

So. If you long press a text field you'll get an option as to which keyboard to use - the htc swype or the froyo touch. I think we're set to swype by default, but which one is actually better for typing?

ctakah27 said:
So. If you long press a text field you'll get an option as to which keyboard to use - the htc swype or the froyo touch. I think we're set to swype by default, but which one is actually better for typing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If u have the phone, just try them out. The only better that matters is yours opinion

If you can spell Swype is the way to go. If you are spelling bee challenged... Touch input will make you sound like a scholar. Lol.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

I couldn't get into Swype. I didn't spend too much time with it but it was a pain to teach this old dog a new trick.
I purchased smart keyboard and have been happy with that. I'm using the iphone keyboard at the moment, trying to see if it beats the stock sense keyboard (which has always been a favorite of mine).

Blur keyboard

Hate to say it but I love the blur keyboard. I tried gingerbread keyboard for a while and at first hated it but after a few days got used to it. As soon as I went back to blur I fell in love within an hour.
My question is, how do I permanently make the smiley button next to the space bar, into the enter key. Sometimes it is enter and sometimes it is a smiley.
Does anyone else like the blur keyboard as much as I do? I also like the toned down intensity of the haptic feedback on the blur board as well.
My true favorite is the swype keyboard but it doesn't auto correct
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

seh6183 said:
Hate to say it but I love the blur keyboard. I tried gingerbread keyboard for a while and at first hated it but after a few days got used to it. As soon as I went back to blur I fell in love within an hour.
My question is, how do I permanently make the smiley button next to the space bar, into the enter key. Sometimes it is enter and sometimes it is a smiley.
Does anyone else like the blur keyboard as much as I do? I also like the toned down intensity of the haptic feedback on the blur board as well.
My true favorite is the swype keyboard but it doesn't auto correct
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know the answer to your question, but I love that keyboard too. it's the best I have ever typed on. I can type very fast with minimal mistake.

I love the keyboard.

Swype > *

The Motorola Multitouch Keyboard isn't bad, better than Sense. Don't have experience with Gingerbread Keyboard on Atrix, though it was nice on my brothers Nexus One.

seh6183 said:
Hate to say it but I love the blur keyboard. I tried gingerbread keyboard for a while and at first hated it but after a few days got used to it. As soon as I went back to blur I fell in love within an hour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I like the overall presentation (big keys, etc.) but I find that the blur multitouch keyboard doesn't really feel like multitouch to me. If I type really fast where sometimes my presses overlap, it often misses some of the letters I typed, even though they flashed above the keys onscreen. They just didn't actually appear in the textbox I'm typing in.
For example, type the word "what" as fast as you absolutely can, with very light taps (in portrait mode). I find that more often than not, I get the word "hat" or other misspellings. I didn't miss the key; the popup shows that it was typed, but it just didn't appear.
I hate to say it, but I learned my virtual keyboard typing on the iPhone and iPod Touch and those devices never lost some of my presses, despite fast, overlapping presses.
I tested many, many keyboards from the market, and you know what? The Gingerbread keyboard and Better Keyboard 8 are really the only ones that could handle really fast light typing. I also like Swype though, and use the beta version. It's quite good when you just want to do some one hand typing.

maledyris said:
Really? I like the overall presentation (big keys, etc.) but I find that the blur multitouch keyboard doesn't really feel like multitouch to me. If I type really fast where sometimes my presses overlap, it often misses some of the letters I typed, even though they flashed above the keys onscreen. They just didn't actually appear in the textbox I'm typing in.
For example, type the word "what" as fast as you absolutely can, with very light taps (in portrait mode). I find that more often than not, I get the word "hat" or other misspellings. I didn't miss the key; the popup shows that it was typed, but it just didn't appear.
I hate to say it, but I learned my virtual keyboard typing on the iPhone and iPod Touch and those devices never lost some of my presses, despite fast, overlapping presses.
I tested many, many keyboards from the market, and you know what? The Gingerbread keyboard and Better Keyboard 8 are really the only ones that could handle really fast light typing. I also like Swype though, and use the beta version. It's quite good when you just want to do some one hand typing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right about the blur keyboard missing inputs I never typed fast enough to notice it. I'm trying better keyboard 8 right now and like it but its glitched and keeps asking me to activate it, so I can't enter the options menu for the board.
Where can I get the swype beta? I have swype now, how do I know that I don't already have the swype beta? Also does the swype beta have auto correct? Not suggest but correct.
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

So I got beta swype and while it functions better I don't nearly like the skin as much. Also it doesn't auto correct only auto suggests properly spelled words.
Also I do like better keyboard 8 but am unable to fully test it as I can not properly "enable" it to enter the settings menu.
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

Try smart keyboard plus. Hands down the most customizabld keybaord ever and by far the most responsive. I love the fact that I am able to resize the keyboard all I want and I'm also able to disable full screen landscape mode which is the biggest failure of all keyboards on android
Sent from my MotoAtrix

seven2099 said:
Try smart keyboard plus. Hands down the most customizabld keybaord ever and by far the most responsive. I love the fact that I am able to resize the keyboard all I want and I'm also able to disable full screen landscape mode which is the biggest failure of all keyboards on android
Sent from my MotoAtrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. This thing is great! True multi touch; it never misses a single word no matter how fast I type. Also I am able to even customize the length of the vibration for haptic which I love because the blur board had a very short, very light feedback and I am able to recreate that with this new board. And the skinning is just icing on the cake. Thank you!!!
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

seven2099 said:
Try smart keyboard plus. Hands down the most customizabld keybaord ever and by far the most responsive. I love the fact that I am able to resize the keyboard all I want and I'm also able to disable full screen landscape mode which is the biggest failure of all keyboards on android
Sent from my MotoAtrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice! Don't know how I missed this one. Better Keyboard has pretty much all the features mentioned EXCEPT it doesn't auto correct anywhere near as well as this one does. I guess I'll have to add this to my collection...
By the way, what skin are you guys using? I just found "Rapid" for Better Keyboard which looks really nice. Similar to the stock Blur keyboard, but better! It works just as well with Smart Keyboard too.

maledyris said:
Nice! Don't know how I missed this one. Better Keyboard has pretty much all the features mentioned EXCEPT it doesn't auto correct anywhere near as well as this one does. I guess I'll have to add this to my collection...
By the way, what skin are you guys using? I just found "Rapid" for Better Keyboard which looks really nice. Similar to the stock Blur keyboard, but better! It works just as well with Smart Keyboard too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using the stock HTC one that comes with the app
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

Arc default keyboard

I did search but didn't get a clear picture
Sorry for the repost.
I want a keyboard where i can longpress the qwerty keys to type numbers instead of switching to number mode.
I saw both motorola milestone 2 and nexus S has such a keyboard. it seems it is part of the standard gingerbread keyboard.
Is it possible to enable this in the Arc or do I have to install 3rd party application?
Are there any recommended 3rd party apps for this?

There are so many keyboards availble in the market. Give it a try. Personnely I use Swype and it does more than what you need.
Check it out here.

Swype and SlideIt are good if u like the slide your finger to write. I highly recomend SwiftKey. After some days when it's learned your writing it's awesome and makes typing very fast

Smart Keyboard

I use this Keyboard from Android 2.3 and does the job

a good alternative keyboard is Thumb keyboard...I use it for my Dell Streak and I have used it on the arc also...if you select the 5' tablet option, ull get numbers directly without need to long press on letters or even switching to number mode..

Nimche said:
I use this Keyboard from Android 2.3 and does the job
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks this is perfect.

Swype. Best there is.

The stock keyboard sucks. really badly. I personally just recommend the stock 2.3 gingerbread keyboard, has multi touch and i can type super fast with it. Its free on the market as well, just search for gingerbread keyboard.

TRY THESE TWO, THESE ARE BEST out there:
1. FLEXT9
2. PERFECT KEYBORAD (I am using this)

I use swiftkey keyboard, it does the longpress thing, and also has the option to switch to numeric keyboard.

what beats me is why they replaced the stock andriod gingerbread keyboard with the default one which is just not as good.

Nimche said:
I use this Keyboard from Android 2.3 and does the job
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for this bought the donate version

anyone notice the gingerbread keyboard in the market takes up more ram

Umlauts please
any recommendations for a keyboard which has umlauts in the layout (without long-press)

I'm speculating that all arch like mine have 3 keyboard by default, the default input, chinese and japanese keyboard.
to my suprise the chinese one had a few tricks on it. swipe to change querty <=> phone pad layout, long press, swipe down, smiley & symbol lock button, different landscape potrait layout.
down side: english chinese dict only, cannot use user word in phone pad with prediction on, don't think support multiple touch, vulnerable en/chinese button, prediction button use menu, not toggle.
definitely worth trying before investing keyboard app.

better keyboard works great

daveybaby said:
I use swiftkey keyboard, it does the longpress thing, and also has the option to switch to numeric keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a great keyboard but the eats up quite a lot of memory...

I bought Swift even tough it has no umlauts in the layout. Fit's me very well except for that i still would prefer to have separate buttons for the umlauts.
I also tried "Smart Keyboard" which has äöü buttons but the completion is far from what swift does.
I also tried "Ultra Keyboard" looked nice but the one day trial was to short to decide if it is worth the money (especially as i already purchased swift at that time)
Currently I hope the upcoming Swift update will give us configurable layouts.

question re installing keypads
I tried installing the gingerbread keyboard mentioned above, but I cant get it to replace the arc kb. Do you have 2 b rooted?

[Q] [rant] Problem with Virtuous Unity and Swype

Today I spent 30 minutes logging into a website. It's Swype that was messing me up, I would type in "gromacs" and it would change to "grimace" I don't understand why it would do that, and unlike other proper software with autocorrect that can recognize when you want it to go away, I can delete it, type in "gromacs" again and it simply changes my input to "grimace" again! Stupid piece of garbage! So I uninstalled Swype. Then I was left with a bleeping Arabic keyboard, wtf Virtuous Unity?
I went to manage applications, and I cannot uninstall this Arabic keyboard that I will never use. Why? Why is the option for silent mode gone from the drop down menu? Yes I know that I can get Android to do what I want with 2 hours of changing various settings, but the only reason I use Virtuous Unity over CyanogenMod is because there is less to configure and it was how I liked it out of the box. How can I get the silent mode setting back? How can I completely remove autocorrect and suggest functionality from my phone? How can completely remove this "Arabic" keyboard from my phone while keeping (what's left of) Virtuous Unity?

im pretty sure your arabic keyboard is just a normal keyboard with the language setting on arabic, and swype sucks dont use it haha. i dont use virtuous unity so i wouldnt know how to activate your silent setting thing

gromacs said:
Today I spent 30 minutes logging into a website. It's Swype that was messing me up, I would type in "gromacs" and it would change to "grimace" I don't understand why it would do that, and unlike other proper software with autocorrect that can recognize when you want it to go away, I can delete it, type in "gromacs" again and it simply changes my input to "grimace" again! Stupid piece of garbage! So I uninstalled Swype. Then I was left with a bleeping Arabic keyboard, wtf Virtuous Unity?
I went to manage applications, and I cannot uninstall this Arabic keyboard that I will never use. Why? Why is the option for silent mode gone from the drop down menu? Yes I know that I can get Android to do what I want with 2 hours of changing various settings, but the only reason I use Virtuous Unity over CyanogenMod is because there is less to configure and it was how I liked it out of the box. How can I get the silent mode setting back? How can I completely remove autocorrect and suggest functionality from my phone? How can completely remove this "Arabic" keyboard from my phone while keeping (what's left of) Virtuous Unity?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android has a section in the settings called "Language & keyboard". Try looking there to change your keyboard settings. Also, to change which keyboard you use, long press any text input field and choose "input method". Then choose "touch input" instead of "Arabic keyboard". Viola, a regular keyboard.
I actually posted this same info for someone else less than a month ago and included screen shots, do a search for "HTC keyboard" the thread title also included some way of referring to CM7.
Last thing, the HTC keyboard has a library where you can add your own words to it. The default library doesn't contain expletives and will sub them for similar words. So, you can add gromacs to the library to avoid your another rant like the one above about swype. Swype can also be taught words too.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

If you actually looked at your keyboard for more than 30 seconds while typing you would find that right above the actual keys is a list of suggestions that are dynamically displayed, the first of those options is what you have currently typed, not only does selecting that avoid your issue, it saves it in your personal dictionary. ..

Are we blaming the tool instead of the user?
Just because you were using the Swype keyboard didn't mean you were obligated to make swiping motions. If you had typed in your username the usual way by tapping, you get what darinmc described above with the ability to save what you typed to your dictionary. You could also ignore the suggestions completely and keep typing. In fact, you could tap on the Swype keyboard all the time instead of swiping. Not only that, but you can turn off word suggestion and auto-correction in Swype's settings! I'm sorry, but getting stuck on a login screen for half an hour and then blaming Swype is classic PEBKAC. Period.
Who cares about the Arabic keyboard? Unless that's your only available input method now, I could think of several apps that could be uninstalled first before I would come anywhere close to caring about the Arabic keyboard.

Thanks for the help guys, after I recovered from my raging at such terrible mechanics of this software I went back and dug through some more settings. I did add gromacs to the dictionary, and now I'm able to swype gromacs and expletives. The suggest and autocorrect settings were in the Swype menu, not the android keyboard menu which is why swype still behaved like that after I changed the android keyboard settings.
Snakecharmed yes that's what I did, and as soon as I type out a word the swype auto-screwup would kick in and change the word. I don't think any ROM should come with any keyboard other than standard US. If they want to throw in arab, why not throw in chinese as well? My friend wants a french keyboard. The stranger on the street wants a weddings keyboard. See where I'm getting at? Maybe the guy who created VU uses the arab keyboard, idk.
I'm sorry, not Peroid. A user unable to figure out messy software settings means the software is bad, not the user. This is not PEBKAC, this is PEBAndroid-and-Swype

How did you even get Swype in the first place? Swype isn't supposed to come with Virtuous Unity. I had to install Swype separately by extracting the files from a backup of the Espresso Gingerbread ROM and then pushing the files to the phone after Virtuous Unity was installed. Along with the absence or omission of the Touch Input keyboard as one of your keyboard options in your original post, what you've described does not sound like the stock settings for Virtuous Unity at all and something isn't adding up.
I thought you uninstalled Swype after your previous blowup anyway. How and why are you still using it?
I feel that my point stands. I didn't know what Swype was when I first got this phone, so I didn't swipe. I tapped with the Swype keyboard, didn't notice anything different from any other keyboard, and thus never had any reason to blame auto-correct resulting from swiping because auto-correct is only supposed to happen when you swipe and not when you tap.
Ultimately though, if you have everything working the way you want it to now, then that's all that matters.

I was just trying to get you back to the HTC keyboard and set it up. I hate swype. I know I could get used to it if I use it, but I don't like how the swiping action works. My hand blocks the keyboard off when swiping so I have to pause and maneuver my hand so i can figure out the direct line to the next letter without lifting my finger.
And the auto correct function does work when tapping. It messed me up when I tried logging in gmail to setup the phone when i first bought it.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

The only thing I can possibly think of is that there were different default behaviors for different versions of Swype. I never had an issue with Swype 3.7 that comes with the Espresso Gingerbread ROM and that's what I'm using now. I do know that the older version of Swype that was on the stock Espresso Froyo ROM was more cumbersome, but I hardly used it because I was busy rooting and flashing a new ROM at that point. However, neither version should be in the install package for Virtuous Unity or else this thread wouldn't need to exist.
Either way, if the input functions as expected for the OP now regardless of the keyboard of choice, then we can move on because if it works, it works.