SIPs - They're Not Just For Text Entry Anymore!

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pangeantech.com/ytalk.php' target='_blank'>http://www.pangeantech.com/ytalk.php</a><br /><br /></div><i>"May 10, 2006, Pangean Technologies, experts in instant communications for the enterprise market, today unveiled plans to launch Y-Talk, Pangean’s VoIP mobility solution for internal instant communications. It is expected to be officially released at the end of June 2006. Y-Talk is a SIP-based software application that transforms any PDA device running Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 5.0 or Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 2003 into a “Walkie-Talkie” like device using Push to Talk. Enterprises with the need for a ubiquitous solution that increases employee mobility can use Y-Talk for instant communications “on the go”."</i><br /><br />While this software isn't out yet, and most likely won't be available until the end of June, it does raise an interesting point: Why have we limited the SIP (Software Input Panel, where the keyboard pops up) to just it's intended purpose? When I saw this, I realized that this sort of technology would be perfect for a SIP - a panel that could be brought up in most any application, display the appropriate buttons or values, and be minimized easily. What other uses could we design software to utilize the SIP area for? And why have manufacturers, an enterprising and intuitive bunch, stayed away from extending the SIP until now?

[Horus]

In this case, SIP stands for "Session Initiation Protocol", not "Soft Input Panel".
This SIP is an important part of the VOIP standards.
Refer to http://www.voip-info.org/wiki-SIP

[Eugenia]

Yup, this is a SIP VoIP thing, not a user interface thing. ;)

Speaking about the user interface thing, it is not a great idea of changing the input panel each time you load a different application. It is like having a big toolbar of buttons, and we all know how user un-friendly these are if the user has no prior experience with the application or if there are no text explanations on what each icon does.

[Robb Bates]

Sticking with the Soft Input Panel side of this topic:

I had suggested a feature for TCPMP where you could watch a video in the SIP while you work in another application.

FYI, you can already "sort of" do this. Just turn on Play movie in background and Show movie in background. Your video will play over the top of another application. Now if the author(s) could just put it inside the SIP that would be awesome. Maybe put the video frame to one side and include some other text entry method in the left over space.

Something like this.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/13188/100506153418.jpg

You KNOW you want it!!!!

Robb

[ctmagnus]

Interesting idea re: the multi-use sip thing.

Perhaps in WM6, Microsoft could add an "open sip" item to the bubble you get when you tap on the clock, to make opening the alternative sip you currently have enabled possible from the Today screen.

[Jon Westfall]

:oops: regardless of what SIP stands for, utilizing our SIP for more than just text entry would be a good idea in my opinion.

[JD Silver]

I vaguely recall a SIP based simple calculator that I once tried. Unfortunately, it had some difficulties with WM5 so I abandoned it. Now what was that name again???

[surur]

Using the soft keyboard for running software apps is a terrible idea. It breaks the UI guidelines, and will make the whole PDA more fragile and unstable. There are better ways to run software as an overlay, e.g sideX.

Surur

[mmidgley]

As a occasional developer, I have thought about making use of the SIP for some interesting non-input stuff side by side with input stuff. I started into PocketPC with iPAQ 3650 and then iPAQ 5555 and back then this may have made more sense, but now I have an i-mate JAMin. I understand the performance trade-off for this PE device, but it really does well most of the time (doing a2dp as I write this)--but the SIP is an area that is painful. To switch SIPs, WM5 thought it good to have to open the current method first (stupid), and then change. Regardless of how recent I've done a soft-reset I can count to 5 before expecting to see this menu. Terrible. :evil:

m.