Text fields and keyboard - possible to emulate PALM? - Upgrading, Modifying and Unlocking

I just came to PPC from a long history of Palm devices with a Palm Treo 650 as my most recent one. I got used to a really fast and efficient although less aesthetic interface that allowed me to enter appointments and generally any data pretty fast. Applications like Agendus or Adarian Money allowed me almost zero-time operation when entering contact info, appointments or payments. I must say that I am disappointed with my Samsung i780, specifically the way it works with text fields.
On the Palm,
- starting to write in a text field or starting a sentence after a period and a pause would make the first letter capital
- on fields with numbers and time, i wouldnt have to push the FN key to enter numbers, that would be automatic depending on the field i am in
I am not sure if there is anything that can be done with the overall interface of PPC, it tends to be less clear and less straight-forward also thanks to colors and various effects compared to Palm. Any advice from those that made a similar switch? Any interface apps that could make information on PPC more clear and understandable?
Any advice appreciated.

Related

REVIEW : 4 Phone replacements apps for built in dialer

I wrote this in 30 minutes after working with all of these 4 applications for the past week. It's not complete nor full. But it certainly give a good perspective. Since I wrote it in 30 minutes and I'm in a hurry now, execuse me for typos or spelling mistakes from fast mind-straight-to-the-keyboard typing. lol.
PhonePlus 2
========
PROS:
* Excellent quick one hand 9 dialing mode.
* Integrated with the green button of the phone (BIG BIG plus)
CONS:
* No SMS support (Finger Clix and Extended phone are great)
* No picture of the caller (even though a picture is associated with my PDA2K internal AI app).
* The call hostiry viewer is premitive.
Finger Clix 2
========
PROS:
* SMS Support - When you find a contact, you can click on the big SMS button and it automatically opens the WM2003SE built-in SMS apps with the number there. So it's convenient for SMS sending.
* The SMS that is sent is kept in the Sent items of the built in WM messaging app. So everything is logged (because it uses the built in SMS app)
* Good Caller Photo support - Very nice feature is that the program automatically displays (even during the search) the picture of my contact straight from the internal AI app that comes with the PDA2K. Certainly cool feature. You can easily dial someone even when XXXVING as you see his big picture contact right on the screen, you don't even have to read his name.
* Has a dedicated program for creating skins. This is great.
* Nice Call history with easy switching between outgoing, incoming or missed calls.
* When you get a contact with many pgone numbers, you can choose to make a phone number a 'default' for future uses through the default button,
* The vibrate on tap is a nice feature.
* Nice built-in skin chooser (although I didn't find more than 3 skins out there, but i didn't look hard either)
* Has a button called PLUG-IN which supports internal plugins from software already installed on your PPC (for example: Faxing or easily assigning a photo to the contact you've just selected)
CONS:
* BIG BIG drawback is that it doesn't support my PDA2K green phone cutton! Even when in the app, to dial, you still have to use the on screen phone button. This is a pitty.
* I didn't like the fact that switching between ABC and numbers requires 2 presses, one to go to a selection screen and another to select the righ input type method.
* The human engineering is good, but can be better. For example, when I see a contact on the screen already, I would rather prefer to access the plugins button right from the screen and not have to press the contact info button on the left first.
* Clicking to go to the contacts app, only support the built in premitive pocket outlook contact app and does not support programs such as Pocket Informant or Agena Fusion.
Extended Phone 2.50
===========
PROS:
* Screen displays by default the last call, it's time start/end and duration. Also has 'Hide Call' button to hide it. It also displays the GSM provider you're connected to.
* Easy SMS sending with customizable keyboard for quick entry. BIG SMS buttons make it very easy. Overall very good human engineering here.
* Nice button locks the dialer though not very useful as hardware keys are not locked.
CONS:
* No support for photos (finger clix is great in this regard - that it supports photos from the itnernal pda2k app).
* Does NOT support the green answer button on my PDA2K (BIG DRAWBACK)
IntelliDial
========
Not much to say, except that PhonePlus2, FingerClix2 and Extended Phone all beats this program easily. it's worth mentioning the badly designed small window that automatically searches as you tap (the 9method) And of course the plus that it integrates with the green button (actually it is the green button..)
MY OWN CONCLUSION:
===============
Keep in mind this review isn't thorough or accurate, but it's the way I see it after installing all the apps on my machine and playing around with them for the past several days it's just the say I see it.
All of these apps are far from perfect. It's not like they all have the same features just implemented differently. Each of them has it's own features and unfortunately lacks good features from the others. If one was to take and implement all of these features it would make for the perfect dialer.
As for what is the best app among these 4 ? Well, it depands on which
feature is important to each one of us, so it's very individual. Again, the perfect would be a combination of all of them, but unfortunately it's a dream. My choice so far is the FINGER CLIX 2.0 for the more overall benefits than all other programs I've seen so far.
I would like to hear comments from guys here on what their choice is.
And mostly from people who tried ALL of these applications and not just one of them. They would be able to make a better choice and judgmenet.
Assuming one is happy with the default dialler that comes with the phone, is there any app that works with this dialler that allows the assigning of different ring tones to individual callers?
Thanks!
http://pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=8675
Have you tried VITO QuickContact PRO PE ?
http://www.vitotechnology.com/en/products/quickcontactprope.html
bye
Emanuele
Hi Sorci,
I favor for FingerClix alwell. :lol:
I tried them all and FingerClix doesn't support the green answer button but it is a very stable program. Something I couldn't say from some of the other programs!
Wouter
Thanks for all replies. I guess the other programs are not stable. I just tried this progrm Potala Telly, it's very nice and has great potential. BUT like the other programs, it lacks very very important features, like the QUICK 9DIAL, it is very slow even when no other program is run, and it already crashed once.
for me, I prefer the built-in dialer!
Nothing will fit all your needs
we need one with a speakerphone button
Anyway to have the phone vibrate and play ringtone at the same time?
PhonePlus 3.04 supports SMS
Vibrate and Ring
wamatt said:
Anyway to have the phone vibrate and play ringtone at the same time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've probably discovered this already; go to Tools under Phone, look for Options, look under Ring Type.

[ROM][New video demos]Schap's 5.00 ROMs with TouchXperience UI-Call to beta testers

As some of you know, I am currently working on a touch user interface (since more than 10 months), fully compatible with HTC Diamond, it even takes advantage of G-sensor and touch-sensitive control pad, and I plan to develop a 3D user interface in a future version.
I will prepare soon a private beta, and if there is no major issue I would like to release a first public version in about 2 weeks. But please don’t take too much into consideration this date, be aware that contrary to other ROM cookers who only take programs from other ROMs I have developed the whole user interface from scratch, so it’s a really huge work (more than 1000 hours at the moment) and it’s hard to fix a release date.
As for other devices, Diamond ROMs will be multilingual and available in two versions: Full (with TouchXperience User Interface) and Lite (maximal storage space).
I am looking for some motivated and experienced people to participate to this private beta. I need only about 20 people so I will choose first people who could really help me, better is if you have WM cooking or development knowledges. I don’t want to get thousands of messages asking “please please send me the ROM” like it was in the other threads, so please don’t ask me to participate if you don’t have solid arguments. If you are interested, let me a post here (explaining in what you are good, if I don’t know you) and I will contact you later by PM if you are selected.
More info about TouchXperience User Interface and video demos:
http://www.touchxperience.com/
TouchXperience is the Next Generation User Interface for Windows Mobile, finger friendly and highly customizable, it offers many interesting features: program launcher, contacts manager, home screen, appointments, messaging, task manager, profile and event manager, call log, control panel, communication manager,...
TouchMenu is probably the most powerful and customizable menu, replacing original Start Menu for an innovative touch interface. TouchMenu supports finger scrolling and gestures, for example you can switch from a menu to another by sliding your finger left/right, or display context menu by a long press on the screen. You can also scroll menus using G-sensor. Each menu has four different views (large list, small list, large grid, small grid). As the rest of the future user interface, TouchMenu has a nice Vista/WM7 look.
TouchMenu has various built-in menus :
- All Programs (Start Menu replacement)
- Active Programs (Task Manager)
- Recent programs
- Favorite programs
- Settings (Control Panel)
- Documents
- Favorite websites
- Contacts
- Messaging
- Appointments
- Tasks
- Calls (Call Log)
- Communications (Comm. Manager)
- RSS feeds
- Power Actions
- End Actions
- One Touch Settings
But you can do much more by creating your own custom menus where you can add contacts, program shortcuts, website links, system actions (for example: reset device, rotate screen, sound profile, clock, brightness backlight, WMP status,...) or links to other menus. You can also replace icon for each program/folder/contacts/menu with a custom image.
TouchHome is a fully customizable screen where you can add various widgets and graphical elements (clocks, indicators, today items, texts, images,...). By default, TouchHome displays when you turn your phone on. You can make your own graphics and layout using XML. TouchHome can be also used as screen unlocker (unlock screen by sliding finger, by double tapping, by shaking device, using navigation scroll wheel,...).
Use GPS or cell-based geo-positioning to determine current location and create profiles for each location.
Custom Events is a powerful application which execute predefined actions when custom events occur. The principle is simple, each custom event is defined by:
- A basic event (application changed, location changed, new message, new incoming call, battery charging, device cradled, headset connected, Wi-Fi network detected, internet connection detected, ,...)
- Eventually some conditions (date/time, current application, current location, specific words in message, caller identity,...)
- An action (launch application, display notification, enable flight mode, turn on Wi-Fi, change profile, send message, ,...)
There will be hundreds of events and actions, so possibilities are very large! Here are some examples:
- Enable flight mode during nights
- Connect to Wi-Fi while battery is charging
- Deactivate alarm when I turn my device face down
- Put phone in silent mode at workplace
- Remind me to buy bread when I’m near to the bakery
Supports finger gestures on touch-sensitive control pad (experimental, for HTC Touch Diamond/Touch Pro only) to execute different system actions, in this way you can have up to 8 “virtual buttons” on your device.
Supports display auto-rotation navigation using G-sensor (experimental, for HTC Touch Diamond/Touch Pro only).
TouchXperience User Interface is designed for a future usage of hardware accelerated 3D graphics for an outstanding experience!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WOW!!
Good to see you......Let me know what I can do for you
Peace
Mike
very nice shaps! I hope this post will be more serious and wont end like ur thread in hermes forum..
Realease it when it's done! no preasure!
Schaps!!! Count me in mate... great to see you here.
WOW! i can't wait. Looking forward to your work.
Cool!!!
Looks great!!!!
Tell me if you need a beta tester for this project...
i would be glad to help
Sounds really really nice.
If I can be of any help I'll be glad to, comes from Hermes and Kaiser and now has Diamond.
Tried some of your roms before and liked some, but not all, but this seems really exciting.
Garcia
Network and database admin here (though mostly unix). Lemme know what needs to be done.
^.^
Good luck schaps.
Sounds great. I'm happy to check this for ya.
I'd like to volunteer, I have experience with graphics.
Count Me In... Deeep Within !!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS!!!!!!! (sorry 4 the caps) but this is coooollll!!!!!
Very Very Good Schap's
I can Help
Hello mate,
I have cooked (mostly my own) ROMs for Elf, Niki and Cruise so I have considerable background on the components of the WM OS and the overall structure of the devices (not so much the Diamond to be honest as I'm still trying to get to understand its internals).
If you like, I would more than willing to help out with Beta testing whether it's to focus on a specific area or just overall testing. I also have experience in QA so I can pick out little things that need ironing out
Cheers from Dubai!
WOAH! Schaps, this sounds awesome. I'd be happy to beta test your TouchXperience UI. Coming from an iPhone background, I'd love to see more thumb/finger friendliness in our Diamonds.
EDIT: Checked out the site and the screenshots and it looks fab so far !
Couple of questions, would there be a new finger/thumb friendly Calendar app? (I totally despise the stock WM one) Also, do you plan on integrating a more thumb friendly keyboard for input? The standard Diamond one is okay but I tend to be a fast typer and because the screen on the Diamond is relatively small, it is prone to keystroke errors and the Diamond keyboard does not have any type of correction method (i.e. as included with the PCM Keyboard - I use this but a lack of VGA skins is highly disappointing).
All in all I can't wait to test this - I thought the Diamond would have been more thumb/finger friendly but tend to find myself pulling out the dreaded stylus now and then.. Something I hoped I could have gotten away from. Cheers for the great effort Schaps!
WOW
Love to test the new interface.
Moral Support!!
Schap,
im not a pro in any of these programming. But at least i can sent some moral supports!!
It's a great development All the best to you
Very nice ...I will pleasure, when i test this program...
schaps said:
P.S.: I will soon work on a new Advanced Config. version fully compatible with Touch Diamond and Touch Pro. Advanced Configuration Tool V3 will come with a new finger-friendly interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@ Schaps, could you look into the possibility to add "default mediaplayer chooption" in order to link Bluetooth devices to other players not forcing to use WMP linked with TF3D .
There is a cab out there from RuffRuff (still need to test it) , but including this possible solution in AdvConfig V3 would be a big added value.
As for the Beta testing , it starts to look like recruting for La Legion etrangere (The Foreign Legion)
People want but how many can give ?
Anyway, success with the new UI + Rom combination. Looking forward.

[REQ] Finger Friendly WorkOut App

I would love if someone could create an app to use in the gym. To log what exercises you do to see if you can improve workout since the last one.
This is what I would love it to have:
WorkOut Log:
List of exercises to select from with ability to add new ones.
Enter sets and reps with large popup numerical keypad.
Enter weight amount with large popup numerical keypad.
List sorted by date so you can see how many reps and weight you did last time at the gym.
All big buttons to press with finger.
Something basic with not too many features.
WVGA support.
Great looking skin.
I know a lot to ask but current workout apps are still not finger friendly and who wants to get a stylus out in the middle of a workout.
This is what I used to use when I had a Palm and it was a fantastic app: http://standalone.com/palmos/workout_tracker/
Anything similar to this but finger friendly would be wonderful!
Any takers to create one?
Any users would find this useful?
(Fingers crossed).
I was looking for something similar for the gym!
I currently use excel though

Anyway to fix this dual texting crap?

Delete.
One's man burden is another man's blessing!
Most folks seem to hate the threaded SMS which you like, for reasons including that you get such a tiny little area to see what you've typed, plus you don't have the option of adding other recipients.
I'm not trying to get into a debate about it .. just hoping to point out that there is more than one solution to your problem of "dual texting crap": I haven't seen any tweaks to embrace the nice new interface, but here is one for killing it and sticking with the tried and tested 30 year old way ..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=373681
BTW .. a bonus is that once you have applied this, you can easily change your mind later and simply go and toggle the value between 0 and 1 without rebooting the device
Hope this helps
I have to agree with vin5cent0, I bl**dy hate the WM SMS reply interface. It's _so_ ugly. I don't care for threaded SMS's though.
Maybe you'd like Vito SMS-Chat, vin5cent0?
I prefer the TF3d threaded interface over the windows mobile interface as well. However it only appears accessable by replying to a message on the messaging tab in TF3d. Any new message or other way of replying to a message brings up the older WM interface. I would like be able to use the TF3d threaded interface for all the ways you can send a text.
This is the first i've seen someone wanting to actually embrace the TF3d message interface. It's woefully inferior to the WM one for the following reasons:
1.) Lack of character counter for sending message
2.) No support for signatures
3.) Phone numbers aren't clickable
4.) URL's aren't clickable
5.) Stupid Soft Key for Sent isn't the same as WM messaging program and is back (without confirmation) instead of send resulting in lost messages
6.) Reply to: screen / threaded view TERRIBLY SLOW when you have a lot of messages - we're talking 10 seconds pauses sometimes when pulling it up or replying (I imported all my SMS from my old phone so I have 9k text messages currently...)
I'll take functionally over "prettiness" any day. If they can fix these issues, I'd use it again I suppose. For now I'm using the "zoom sms" hack to disable the TF3d reply to interface and it goes to the WM instead.

[Q] Easier text editing?

I have a stock E4GT. While entering words with Swype is great, unless I am missing something, I am finding editing already-entered text (in web fields, in the email app, in the gmail app, etc.) really annoying. Sometimes I get the annoying giant copy/paste/etc. toolbar which covers up most of the text field, making scrolling in it difficult. Sometimes, I can't move the cursor to a given location, either because the device insists on selecting a whole word rather than just moving the cursor or because for some reason things don't show up on the right line. The on-screen keyboard has no arrow keys for precise positioning. Often (especially in the email app) when I tap on a word further up and then try to tap on one of Swype's alternatives for it, the alternative doesn't replace the word I tapped, but occurs in some fairly random spot in the text field. Zooming in would help, but typically I can't zoom while editing a text field.
I really, really miss the ease and precision of editing text on the resistive screens of my Palms with a stylus, with an on-screen keyboard that has arrow keys (I used myKbd, which I wrote). Swype beats the Palm on-screen keyboard (but maybe not the Treo thumbboard) for speed of entry (and the Palm TX had some infamous hardware-based digitizer problems), but correcting stuff on the E4GT is really annoying.
Am I the only person who writes lengthy, thought-out emails?
Enough griping.
Question: Is there anything I can do to make editing text less painful?
Will ICS fix this? Is there some app, perhaps a root-requiring one, that improves text field editing?

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