Android to Learn Virtual Keyboard Input in Early 2009
In a classic example of the grass being greener on the other side, users of the just-launched G1 phone are now clamoring for a virtual keyboard despite the HTC device having QWERTY hardware.
When the iPhone launched, many wished that Apple’s device came with QWERTY hardware – and now, it seems G1 users with their hardware keyboards feel like they are missing out by not being able to furiously peck at the touch screen with their thumbs.
Thankfully for them, Android will be getting a virtual keyboard sometime in Q1 2009, according to the development roadmap.
New will be new input method framework (IMF) and input method engines (IME). The two new features put together will “enable support for input methods other than physical keyboards, for example soft keyboards.” Specifically, “IME will support soft keyboards, a dictionary of suggestions, and a suggestion algorithm.”
So there you go, Android users, your iPhone-like keyboard is on the way.
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Idiots.
Pointless much?
His gadget's bigger than mine!
wowwww retarded, qwerty keyboard over virtual ANY day
NO U
so the community can put android in another HTC without hard keyb... lol
You people are morons. It's not pointless.
Yes, while QWERTY hardware is preferrable for extended typing, there is one task it fails at...one handed entry. And, in case you lot of geniuses haven't realized, this is a cell phone. One handed entry is important.
Sometimes, (and no I don't condone this, but know that it's done, and do so myself occasionally) to quickly enter in a piece of information while you're driving, QWERTY hardware is not the most convenient means of data entry. Besides, the addition of a virtual keyboard won't equal the subtraction of the physical one.
you do realise that texting on a touch screen slows you down right? Infact, the Qwerty keyboard has been proven to allow user to text quicker and more conviently then Touchscreen/T9 texting.
Proven where? By who? Do you have references? Look, there's no reason they can't include both. Qwerty is obviously a hardware layout, while touch screen configs are mostly SOFTWARE. As long as it's a touch screen, why not have it both ways?
lol all you people complain about qwerty or soft keyboards! Doesn't matter! Now they can have both, problem solved!
What I'd prefer was a voice recognition and texting feature though, that doesn't just work in english nations. So the amonynus won't have to break any trafic laws texting in his note. Even if it'd misspell something because you're speaking some dialect, it'd still be readable and you can just fix the spelling when you arrive where you were going in the first place. Instead of having your phone at your bedside at the hospital because a tree jumped onto the street while you were looking for the button to turn on the soft keyboard, or trying to hit the R key instead of the T or E one.
Nah still pointless. btw using qwert is much much easyer while driving then a touch screen i have no idea wtf your thinking. Its basicly pointless in the way it already has a keyboard
if it came touch screen keyboard with out the slider sure i could see it. why not do something usefull to the phone like put it on a carrier that doesnt suck.
Driving + doing other things = you're an idiot.
well im sorry if i listen to music listen to a movie or talk to someone on the phone (more or less since my job requiers me to) yeah also i dont care. I already know how to drive which is alot more then i can say for almost everywoman in this state, they can have both hands on focused in front of them and i still swear they cant read and have no common sense.
I'm glad I live in europe then! Here both males and females can drive. In general males drive more aggressively and females slightly less concentrated, but it adds up to fairly reasonable driving on average.
Anyhow, the problem with talking on the phone as opposed to listening to music or movie events etc is, that you actively have to concentrate on chatting. Especially if it's work related, or otherwise complicated stuff.
Concentrating on chatter means you're very much less responsive to change. You'll do just fine so long you only have to follow the road, but if a tire blows, another car breaks down, or there's roadwork where there wasn't any in the morning, you're much much slower at responding to the new situation, and may find yourself breaking a full second later (or whatever task is required).
If you ain't using handsfree stuff it gets even worse, as you'll automaticly try to place those items safely before you can do anything else with that hand. Even though just dropping the stuff might be the obvious best-response.