Typing Up Close and Personal with ZoomBoard

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://iwindowsmobile.com/onscreen-keyboard.html' target='_blank'>http://iwindowsmobile.com/onscreen-keyboard.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"ZoomBoard allows quick and accurate typing on Windows Mobile Pocket PC. Typing on this keyboard is as easy as sliding finger on the screen. After you tap on ZoomBoard there appears a magnifying glass just above the keyboard with a zoomed image of letters. The magnifying glass displays the zoomed letters under your finger and the nearest letters as well. This way you know where to slide your finger to type the proper letter. The key highlighted with red in the magnifying glass is ready to type. Slide over the necessary letter until it gets red and release finger to type this letter."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/martin-20071201-vito_zoomboard_screenshot.jpg" /><br /><br />Unless you use a full on-screen keyboard, typing with your fingers can be a little challenging. My big fingers don't help matters! Vito tries to make a way around that with <a href="http://iwindowsmobile.com/onscreen-keyboard.html">ZoomBoard</a>. It would be interesting to see how fast you can really type using this method. Download a <a href="http://vitotechnology.com/files/ZoomBoard.exe">demo here</a> and see for yourself!

[srmz]

A good concept and a nice attempt but frankly the keys are too small for comfortable typing. I suggest that the developer should come up with a skin with larger keys which will make this program truly useful.

In the meantime Cootek's TouchPal gets my vote for the number 1 SIP

[Bushrod]

A good concept and a nice attempt but frankly the keys are too small for comfortable typing. I suggest that the developer should come up with a skin with larger keys which will make this program truly useful.

In the meantime Cootek's TouchPal gets my vote for the number 1 SIP

Isn't that the point? That the keys are small and it zooms to show what letter you are typing?

[xdalaw]

A good concept and a nice attempt but frankly the keys are too small for comfortable typing. I suggest that the developer should come up with a skin with larger keys which will make this program truly useful.

In the meantime Cootek's TouchPal gets my vote for the number 1 SIP

Isn't that the point? That the keys are small and it zooms to show what letter you are typing?

I agree with srmz--except I don't like TouchPal.
The zoomed keys are helpful, but still, a little bigger keyboard would be helpful for more accurate touching for those of us with bigger fingers.

[abeery]

I've played with and purchased a number of keyboards and I do a lot of mobile typing... for me at least ZoomBoard BLOWS away everything else i've used... yes keys are small but if I miss I just shift my finger a little and I have the letter I want... fast intuitive and uber-cool

[ctmagnus]

...but frankly the keys are too small for comfortable typing.

If they ditched the border, they could get larger keys.

[Paul Martin]

If they ditched the border, they could get larger keys.

From the screenshot though, it doesn't look like the handful of pixels saved could be spread out across the row. Plus, some devices have a higher ridge around the screen, making hitting the key difficult with your fingers. On my Axim, I cannot hit the OK button with my fingers...too tight of a space.

Paul

[johnm]

I gave it a try for a couple of days. It seemed to me that for just normal typing it was more accurate than the built in keyboard. But the real problem is that the preview was so slow to come up when I pressed a key that it actually slowed me down, way down. Maybe this was because I'm using a VGA device (4700) I don't know. At any rate, it is un-installed now. Nothing to see here, move along.

I've been converted to predictive keyboards for a while now on my PocketPC. Last week I pitched ThumbKey against my current fav Tengo Thumb. ThumbKey has some strong points, particularly in guessing a head on long words. But in the end, after several days of trial, I'm still much faster on Tengo Thumb.

[Paul Martin]

I gave it a try for a couple of days. It seemed to me that for just normal typing it was more accurate than the built in keyboard. But the real problem is that the preview was so slow to come up when I pressed a key that it actually slowed me down, way down....

Thanks for the firsthand report.

Paul

[bjevers]

Here's a keyboard very similar to Zoomboard, but free.

http://www.pocketcm.com/keyboard2.php

BTW, they have a great contact manager too.

[abeery]

Here's a keyboard very similar to Zoomboard, but free.

http://www.pocketcm.com/keyboard2.php

BTW, they have a great contact manager too.

Actually this is my second favorite keyboard right behind ZoomBoard... I think I understand the comments made by some regarding difficulty getting to keys if the Pocket PC has too high a bezel... I'm using a Sprint Touch now which has no bezel and so our fingers are free to slide where they need to... also the magnifier pops up instantly on this device... for the Touch I really recommend this (Zoom)keyboard... the PocketCM keyboard is more like the iPhone and very nice but not quite as good as it does not preview nearby keys like the ZoomBoard does. That said, Bottom line either one beats what the Touch ships with by default.

[virain]

I'm using a Sprint Touch now which has no bezel and so our fingers are free to slide where they need to... also the magnifier pops up instantly on this device... for the Touch I really recommend this (Zoom)keyboard... the PocketCM keyboard is more like the iPhone and very nice but not quite as good as it does not preview nearby keys like the ZoomBoard does. That said, Bottom line either one beats what the Touch ships with by default.
IMHO, the idea behind on-screen keyboard pop up letters to make it easier to use without a stylus, as while peckin' screen with it, you can see letters clearly even with WM preinstalled keyboard. but small letters ib this new one just missing the point, My vote goes out to PocketCM 0X

[Jason Lee]

Zoomboard really doesn't have any features.. PocketCM seems like a much better program. Many more options, auto correct, word suggestions based on the key you were close to, custom dictionaries, skins, support for many other languages...

Zoomboard ummm.. zooms.. which actually messes up the display if your note window scrolls while it is displayed. :)

PocketCM keyboard all the way for me. I even use it on my TyTN II for those times my hands are full and i cannot type on the hardware keyboard with only one hand :)

[psyjohn]

I looked at Pocket CM a long time ago, but unfortunately it doesn't work on a WM2003 device like mine. :? I've been trying out ZoomBoard for several days and it is definitely my favorite (of many I've tried) for thoe times when I can't free up both hands. Before the trial period ends I'll be purchasing this one.
Maybe as an early :) present to myself. :wink:

[VitOl]

New version of ZoomBoard 2.0 has just come out.

New features:

3 types of zooming
smart zoom
gesture support
combinations of keys with ctrl and shift
landscape mode
32 layouts


Read more about Windows Mobile onscreen keyboard - ZoomBoard (http://iwindowsmobile.com/onscreen-keyboard.html)
http://vitotechnology.com/images/zoomboard-2.gif