QCaps Helps You Type Faster and Easier on Your Q [Archive]

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Jerry Raia

10-03-2006, 07:00 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://store.motosmartzone.com/product.asp?id=8648#' target='_blank'>http://store.motosmartzone.com/product.asp?id=8648#</a><br /><br /></div><i>"QCaps makes one handed typing easier and faster. Blackberry and Palm (KeyCaps) users will feel right at home using QCaps. QCaps eliminates the need to use the Alt and Shift keys on your Windows Mobile Smartphone or PocketPC's keyboard. You simply hold down a key to insert a capital letter, and hold it down longer to insert the alternate character. QCaps also performs auto-sentence completion."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Jerry-QCaps_GUI_4.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />This looks like just what the doctor ordered. The alt key was the one that was driving me mad most of the time. I have just downloaded the trial version of this. If you try it and like it, it's yours for $14.95 USD.

onlydarksets

10-03-2006, 07:51 PM

Thanks for the heads up - I just downloaded and installed it! It does not play nice with VitoCopyPaste, however. Or, maybe it's the other way around. I had to disable VitoCP for QCaps to work. I need to figure out which is most valuable to me (I think I know the answer - copy/paste).

Jerry Raia

10-03-2006, 09:48 PM

That is too bad. I would suspect Vito. I'm not too impressed with them.

scottb

10-03-2006, 10:01 PM

I did some beta testing for this application. It's very nice and the developer is quite responsive to suggestions from users. It's certianly worth trying out to see if it makes typing easier for you.

Jerry Raia

10-03-2006, 10:20 PM

Yes I am using it now to send this on my Q. I bought it today I liked it that much.

cortez

10-04-2006, 03:06 AM

does this work on all WM5 Smartphones or just the Q?

Jerry Raia

10-04-2006, 03:42 AM

Just the Q, hence the app name.

cortez

10-04-2006, 04:04 AM

i was afraid of that... i wanted to use it on my i320.

ParaDiddle

10-04-2006, 04:46 AM

cortez

10-04-2006, 04:58 AM

thanks for the update... :D

Jerry Raia

10-04-2006, 06:23 AM

After a day of use I can highly recommend it. :)

spacehog

10-04-2006, 07:20 AM

any plans to make the program compatible with the HTC Excalibur? thanks!

DaleReeck

10-04-2006, 02:54 PM

Hi Guys,

I'm the developer of QCaps. Just to answer a few questions.

Vito Copy Paste causes QCaps not to work. We plan on implementing a much better Copy & Paste program. I can't even get Vito to work properly.

We do plan to support the Samsung i320. Unfortunately, each device is mapped differently and we are in between the device and WM5, so we actually need each device for testing and development.

We will support the Treo 700w/700wx and then the Samsung.

Here's a thought. I'm just pulling this out my butt because I don't know how you guys developed the app, but perhaps you could build a routine that's part of the initial launch of the program that will allow users to map the keys of their device. You could have predefined setups plus the option of device "other". You know, press this key, then this key, then this key and etc, allowing users to build the key maps for their devices themselves. Sort of a one app fits all kind of thing. If its possible to do this, it might save you a lot of work in the long run and increase compatibility. Just a thought...

DaleReeck

10-04-2006, 03:51 PM

Oops, did notice one bug. At first the "ignore first key press on device wakeup" works OK. But after a while, it seems to have stopped working. Pressing a key to wake up the device gives a keystroke back like normal. Restarting the device makes no difference, the feature no longer works. But as I mentioned, it worked when I first installed it. Weird.

I did see that the feature stops working when it's past the eval period. But its only been one hour. Maybe the app's eval info is confused?

NEW:

OK, new information. It appears that if the device powers its screen off itself based on the standby time or if I manualy power it off by holding the ALT key and the standby time then ticks off internally, it works. But if I manually power the screen off and then try turning it on before the internal standby time is over, it doesn't work. Not really a bug, but a design choice. Perhaps allowing the first key device wakeup feature to work if the device is manually powered off would be nice.

ParaDiddle

10-04-2006, 09:57 PM

Dale,

I'll answer both of those.

#1. That's a great idea but it's not that simple. There are all kinds of exceptions and applications where we manually disable and handle keypresses differently. We do have a program that allows a user to log keystrokes so we can get a map of the device. We are testing it with the treo 700w, but we'll still need the devices to make acceptable software.

#2. You are very perceptive. That's really the only way we can code that feature. The problem is that by the time we are aware of the wake keystroke, the device is ALWAYS ON. In other words, we can't ask the device "Are you awake?" because it ALWAYS says yes. The only solution was to pull the users sleep timeout and keep track of that timer, compared to when the last keystroke was pressed.

scottb

10-04-2006, 10:08 PM

Dale,
#2. You are very perceptive. That's really the only way we can code that feature. The problem is that by the time we are aware of the wake keystroke, the device is ALWAYS ON. In other words, we can't ask the device "Are you awake?" because it ALWAYS says yes. The only solution was to pull the users sleep timeout and keep track of that timer, compared to when the last keystroke was pressed.
I remember during testing, a similar issue which, if a feature is added, could resolve this one. The Q has a keylock feature which allows you to tap a key and see the screen for a second or two. The QCaps "ignore keystroke" feature would wake the device, but leave it awake. This nullfied the advantage of ignoring the keystroke since it didn't put the device back to sleep (saving precious battery by not leaving the screen on). If QCaps could put the device back to sleep, both issues would be resolved. I realize I may be over-simplifying it, but it makes sense to me. :) Of course I'm not the one coding it. :wink:

ParaDiddle

10-04-2006, 10:26 PM

OK.. Let's sort this out. You guys are mentioning things that I'm not even clear are or are NOT features already of the Q.

What button are you pressing to instantly turn off the screen of the Q?

Scott, are you saying that when we ignore the keystroke to wake the device, but the device screen comes on, that we should put it back to sleep if another key isn't pressed within a few seconds? This allows someone to check the time, or homescreen etc... without having to worry about putting the device back to sleep?

scottb

10-05-2006, 12:46 AM

What button are you pressing to instantly turn off the screen of the Q?
It's not quite instant, but if you press and hold the messaging button it turns the device off (sleep).

Scott, are you saying that when we ignore the keystroke to wake the device, but the device screen comes on, that we should put it back to sleep if another key isn't pressed within a few seconds? This allows someone to check the time, or homescreen etc... without having to worry about putting the device back to sleep?
Yes, exactly. :)

cdsh

10-05-2006, 11:31 AM

Seems like a great product which I'd buy today if it was available for the i320.

You can take that as a definite vote for an i320 version.

Colin

ParaDiddle

10-05-2006, 04:46 PM

We do plan on bringing it to the Samsung i320

zilla31

11-03-2006, 09:54 PM

anyone tried this on the t-mobile dash yet? i gave it a whirl this morning and it seems to work except that i can't get get the middle (uppercase) hold to work... if i press a key i get the letter, if i hold (even briefly) i get the alternate/special character. could i adjust a setting to get the middle (uppercase) hold?

ParaDiddle

11-03-2006, 10:32 PM

zilla31

11-04-2006, 04:11 PM

This type of software is device specific. We are close to releasing a version on the Treo 700 series and I am purchasing a Dash and Excalibur next week, so that will be our next device.

Brandon
http://www.QooLApps.com

that's good to hear brandon... this app would be hella useful on the dash. though i did figure out that the dash comes w/ the out-of-the-box ability to hold and get the alternate key (though i would love to get the "cap" in the middle).