Resco's Keyboard Pro for Pocket PCs

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://resco.net/pocketpc/keyboard/default.asp' target='_blank'>http://resco.net/pocketpc/keyboard/default.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Resco Keyboard Pro is a handy multi-skin keyboard in a literal sense. While improving old popular aspects of this useful piece of software, developers at Resco added significant features that make this keyboard ideal for one hand use. Its new thumb mode allows users to write quickly by using only one finger. It’s easy to write capital letters, use the spacebar or backspace 'on the run' while writing a single letter. Thumb mode works with preview and correction mode, which ensures the user writes only the letters he or she really wants. The application also has a nostalgic add-on; the sound of a typewriter or any other sound can be used."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20080121-RescoKeyboardPro.png" /><br /><br />I can't help but notice the similarity to <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/gettingstarted/keyboard.html">another soft keyboard design</a> of a prominent non-Windows-Mobile handheld computer. ;) That said, if the design works for great entry on the Pocket PC, more power to them. Has anyone tried it? I'm guessing it's only practical on the larger-screened devices...

[x51vuser]

oh please, so now one have to pay extra because chubby Billy PC did not know how to program keyboard that can actually be used ? Pathetic

[volwrath]

Or one can download the freeware PocketCM or one can download/buy the ultimate in CooTek TouchPAL, or one can you letter recognizer or one can use SPB keyboard etc etc.

Choice .. Thats the beauty of WM

[abeery]

I wish somebody would create a keyboard I could scroll sideways to display numbers (scroll to the right) and symbols (scroll to the left)... I want big keys with a nice press preview but I don't what to have to keep toogling modes to get to the keys I want... I may just have to write my own

[Paul Martin]

My fat fingers have a hard time, even with these keys. I guess I'll just have to remain a stylus guy. :wink:

Also, I noticed on the new-style keyboard, it doesn't have a slash, which makes it very challenging to enter a website address, so you may have to switch over to one of the other layouts for that.

[Phronetix]

Or one can download the freeware PocketCM or one can download/buy the ultimate in CooTek TouchPAL, or one can you letter recognizer or one can use SPB keyboard etc etc.

Choice .. Thats the beauty of WM

Very interesting thing to say.

I think that the fact there are choices appeals to a good number of people, but I am beginning to doubt this number of people add up to anywhere near a majority of potential Smartphone users.

Those who are hobbyists or tinkerers seem to appreciate the number of choices the most. And it appears that this is a large proportion of people who involve themselves with this site. It certainly is not who I am. I want a product that works well out of the box, and I would rather not spend a lot of time finding applications that "fix" what should be a basic and refined part of the device like data entry. It just does not interest me. I will put up with what is the default way to enter data far longer than most others will. I would rather see something that is really well done, remarkably well done in fact, from the start. I would rather MS test those data entry apps available, decide the one or two best, and stick them into their devices. There, done deal.

I wonder if one of the things that makes the WM platform relatively slow to be adopted by the general public is that most folks out there think more like me, and less like the average PPCT site user.

Just wondering.

Dennis

[dmdfreak]

It would be great, but it doesn't allow you to slide your finger until you have the correct letter. Once you push the button, thats it. So if they fix that, it will probably be a great keyboard. maybe the best.

[Jason Lee]

It would be great, but it doesn't allow you to slide your finger until you have the correct letter. Once you push the button, thats it. So if they fix that, it will probably be a great keyboard. maybe the best.

Yes it does. It took me a minute to find it though. :)

Open the options and go to the general tab. Change the use gestures drop down to "Use Corrections". This will allow you to slide your finger just like the iphone and PocketCM keyboards. :)

[Jason Lee]

I really like this keyboard. I have actually owned Resco keyboard for a few years now and NEVER installed it. ;)

I bought the Utility pack way back when it was resco file explorer, zipper, and picture viewer. Back in 2000-2001ish?? It was actually the first app i ever bought for my pocket pc (ipaq 3600). Over the years Resco replaced zipper with stickies, and finally with keyboard pro. I never needed it because it was just a skinnable version of the default keyboard with multi language support.. which i did not need.

So now i actually have a reason to install the program. :)

I have been using PocketCM keyboard which is pretty nice for freeware and fairly stable. I just hate how it keeps expiring.. :evil: So i removed it. I had been playing with Cooltek's touchpal on my test phone. It works very well but i really didn't want a predictive text keyboard because they can be a lot slower if you make a mistake. :)

So this new version of resco keyboard is great for me. It still has all of the old functionality built in. 44 languages, skinnable.. all that.
It is a lot faster, smoother, and more stable than PocketCM.
But it is not free. however since i already owned it and just never used it this works out well for me. hehehe. :mrgreen:

I would say that it is probably well worth the 19.95 as you get a lot more than just an iphone keyboard. It is definitely worth a trial in stall for those curious about it. :)

[x51vuser]

Or one can download the freeware PocketCM or one can download/buy the ultimate in CooTek TouchPAL, or one can you letter recognizer or one can use SPB keyboard etc etc.

Choice .. Thats the beauty of WM

Very interesting thing to say.

I think that the fact there are choices appeals to a good number of people, but I am beginning to doubt this number of people add up to anywhere near a majority of potential Smartphone users.

Those who are hobbyists or tinkerers seem to appreciate the number of choices the most. And it appears that this is a large proportion of people who involve themselves with this site. It certainly is not who I am. I want a product that works well out of the box, and I would rather not spend a lot of time finding applications that "fix" what should be a basic and refined part of the device like data entry.

Dennis

obviously it is a variation of "Divide et impera" rule in WM world, meaning incompetence to make damn thing work right resulted in huge number of amateurs struggling to make a buck on fixing unfixable. Amazing how many of these coders originated from Russia - a striking coincidence remembering unfixable Soviet Union experiment collapse.

[redlynr]

I tried it and liked it -- even thought maybe I'd upgrade (I currently own and like the previous release) ... but then I found it impossible to enter an underscore "_". Since my e-mail address contains an underscore, I find that I use this character often. So this is a showstopper for me.

[jngold_me]

I tried it and liked it -- even thought maybe I'd upgrade (I currently own and like the previous release) ... but then I found it impossible to enter an underscore "_". Since my e-mail address contains an underscore, I find that I use this character often. So this is a showstopper for me.

I posted this very same issue on Resco's web site. Needless to say none of the Resco guys even bothered to assist. So much for their support.

[spmwinkel]

A lot of things are customizable with a bit of effort.

http://www.resco.net/forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=14222
This topic describes how to change characters.
If Resco wants a layout with large keys, they will have to limit the amount of available characters on a screen, that's just how it works.

Two notes on this:
* If you try to edit a skinfile for a specific keyboard layout (not described in the above post) WHILE USING that layout, you get an error.
* The hardest part is that for the special character keyboards, you have to manually edit the keyboard image. :(

But hopefully some people will release skins in the near future. I'm working on something but it doesn't have a high priority, so I'm not sure how far I'll get. ;)

[dmdfreak]

It would be great, but it doesn't allow you to slide your finger until you have the correct letter. Once you push the button, thats it. So if they fix that, it will probably be a great keyboard. maybe the best.

Yes it does. It took me a minute to find it though. :)

Open the options and go to the general tab. Change the use gestures drop down to "Use Corrections". This will allow you to slide your finger just like the iphone and PocketCM keyboards. :)

I will relook at this then. I didn't catch that in the options. Thanks!

[redlynr]

A lot of things are customizable with a bit of effort.

http://www.resco.net/forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=14222
This topic describes how to change characters.
If Resco wants a layout with large keys, they will have to limit the amount of available characters on a screen, that's just how it works.

Two notes on this:
* If you try to edit a skinfile for a specific keyboard layout (not described in the above post) WHILE USING that layout, you get an error.
* The hardest part is that for the special character keyboards, you have to manually edit the keyboard image. :(

But hopefully some people will release skins in the near future. I'm working on something but it doesn't have a high priority, so I'm not sure how far I'll get. ;)
Doesn't matter to me how many skins are available, if I have to manually edit a png file every time I want to use a character that Resco didn't think about, this will be worthless.

[Jason Lee]

I may have to revoke some of my praise for this keyboard... After using it for a day i have discovered a few problems on my TyTN II.

At times it seems that i am actually typing too fast for the keyboard to handle. I will see the popup letter preview display so i know that i have touched the key but the letter is not entered. I have to slow down my typing to make sure i actually get all the letters i intended to. :(

Also sometimes the popup letter preview gets stuck... I can raise my finger from the screen and the popup preview is still there and the letter is not entered. I can still slide my finger around and get other previews to popup but when i slide back to the stuck letter it will still not enter.. The only fix seems to be typing any other character.

Also i have had the popup previews stop working all together.. I enabled and disabled options to no avail.. A reboot seemed to be the only way to fix it.

I'll give it a few more days but this is getting kind of irritating. ;(

[Jason Lee]

Ok, looks like there are some definite issues with new HTC devices. As in the keyboard really doesn't work very well. Letters sticking or not actually typing and such. Hopefully there will be an update soon. :( And I liked this one so...


Posted By: Lukas Lesko in Keyboard Pro
Subject: Re: Letter preview sticks
__________________________________


Thank you for your reports. We haven't encounter these problems on davices that we use for testing but we will acquire the newest HTC device for testing purposes and I hope we will find the solution for this as soon as possible.

[Konstantin]

Try ZoomBoard (http://iwindowsmobile/onscreen-keyboard.html) instead, Jason. It also allows you to slide and see the zoomed preview, but it won't slow down your typing speed. You just won't see the zoomed letters when you type tpp fast.

[Jason Lee]

Try ZoomBoard (http://iwindowsmobile/onscreen-keyboard.html) instead, Jason. It also allows you to slide and see the zoomed preview, but it won't slow down your typing speed. You just won't see the zoomed letters when you type tpp fast.

I actually played with zoomboard a little when it was released. I didn't really care for it much. Which is odd since it works basically the same. :)
Overall i still prefer PocketCM keyboard. I just wish it would get out of beta or if the author would stop making the versions expire. I can't depend on a keyboard that i know will quit working as a primary input method. But as a resco fix is probably some time off as well as a none expiring version of PocketCM i will probably have another look at zoomboard to see if my opinion has changed. :)

[Konstantin]

I think you won't be dissapointed with it. btw, I'm sure that when you see a new version of ZoomBoard which is very close - you'll say it's awesome.