Hi everyone. I’m close to buying a Unihertz Jelly Star (this nugget here). One of the last things keeping me away from ordering is my concern with typing quality. (“Say what, on a three inch screen??”)
Normal qwery-keyboards won’t cut it, and thus I’m looking for recommendations on software keyboards for either tiny screens or super fat fingers. As I don’t love auto correct, are there any T9-like keyboards for Android (9 keys is quite few, but how about like half of the keys of a full size keyboard)?
Also, is there a way to install WearOS (or whatever Google calls it this week) keyboards on a normal Android phone?
If you’ve got either very fat fingers or a tiny screen, hit me with the keyboard apps you’re using. Thanks a lot!
I can’t help you with the keyboard recommendations, but I just want to say that thing is hilarious. I kinda want to buy one just for shits and giggles when I whip it out at the bar.
I actually have a friend that uses such a small phone, they use a regular querty keyboard, just usually in combination with glide/swipe typing. I don’t think you can install WearOS keyboards, and afaik the default keyboard on WearOS is a full-size querty anyway…
I use a compact mode in AnySoftKeyboard, which might work well for tiny screens! The keyboard is only 5 keys wide, and most keys have two corresponding letters (double tapping to type those letters). It is quite nice even on normal sized phones for individuals who are prone to mis-tapping resulting in typos like myself, I recommend giving it a try.
I second AnySoft! I use a full size layout, but absolutely love all of the customization available in other aspects (keyboard size/location, autocorrect, symbol keyboards, gesture features, etc.).
I just use swipe typing, but my dad absolutely loves MessagEase, which is basically a 9-key keyboard. The gimmick is that every letter is a gesture; nine letters are just taps, and everything else (including some punctuation) you start on one of those nine keys and swipe in one of eight directions (up, left, upper left, etc.). I think there are a couple of other large keys, like a space bar at the bottom and delete and “switch to numbers and extra punctuation” on the right, but you mainly use the nine for words. It’s not terrible, and he’s gotten moderately fast at it. Might be worth a look.
Edit: Oh, I’ve just seen that MessagEase is now unmaintained, and the “thumbkey” mentioned in another comment is basically a replacement. So I guess this is just another recommendation for that keyboard! Oops.
I use MessagEase keyboard. It’s a has sizable learning curve. When I was learning I would only do crosswords. But now it’s basically all I use on my phone in most situations. I would consider it quite close to T9
As a Jelly Pro user, I am currently using Traditional T9 keyboard. On-screen keyboard functionaly was recently added there, and it performs great on a 2.45" screen.
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I can’t help you with the keyboard recommendations, but I just want to say that thing is hilarious. I kinda want to buy one just for shits and giggles when I whip it out at the bar.
totally a funny nugget. Also IMO somewhat of a steal, considering your average iPhone doesn’t have a headphone jack and costs about 5x that thing.
Just found out it won’t work on Google Fi :(
oof, gotta double check if my carrier is supported
I actually have a friend that uses such a small phone, they use a regular querty keyboard, just usually in combination with glide/swipe typing. I don’t think you can install WearOS keyboards, and afaik the default keyboard on WearOS is a full-size querty anyway…
thanks, I was a bit afraid, typing was nearly impossible on a tiny phone
There is ThumbKey on F-Droid that, if you get good at the layout, I imagine would be ideal for that phone.
thanks, if it works as expected, that might be exactly what I’m looking for
I use a compact mode in AnySoftKeyboard, which might work well for tiny screens! The keyboard is only 5 keys wide, and most keys have two corresponding letters (double tapping to type those letters). It is quite nice even on normal sized phones for individuals who are prone to mis-tapping resulting in typos like myself, I recommend giving it a try.
thanks a lot, sounds quite promising!
I second AnySoft! I use a full size layout, but absolutely love all of the customization available in other aspects (keyboard size/location, autocorrect, symbol keyboards, gesture features, etc.).
There’s also Minuum if you’re interested in trying it out.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whirlscape.minuumkeyboard
Sadly not updated in years, it’s an incredibly impressive keyboard otherwise.
I use this OpenBoard fork:
https://github.com/erkserkserks/openboard/releases
It has Swype-like gestures and it’s very accurate even if you swipe fast and without paying too much attention.
Why the fork instead of the fdroid version?
Ah I see, no swipe!
I just use swipe typing, but my dad absolutely loves MessagEase, which is basically a 9-key keyboard. The gimmick is that every letter is a gesture; nine letters are just taps, and everything else (including some punctuation) you start on one of those nine keys and swipe in one of eight directions (up, left, upper left, etc.). I think there are a couple of other large keys, like a space bar at the bottom and delete and “switch to numbers and extra punctuation” on the right, but you mainly use the nine for words. It’s not terrible, and he’s gotten moderately fast at it. Might be worth a look.
Edit: Oh, I’ve just seen that MessagEase is now unmaintained, and the “thumbkey” mentioned in another comment is basically a replacement. So I guess this is just another recommendation for that keyboard! Oops.
I use MessagEase keyboard. It’s a has sizable learning curve. When I was learning I would only do crosswords. But now it’s basically all I use on my phone in most situations. I would consider it quite close to T9
You should replace it with thumbkey, it’s even made by the Lemmy devs!
Fuck. While you’re right, I am not learning a new a layout. I imagine that I can customize the layout to be like mine. But I’m lazy.
I retract my recommendation though. OP, listen to this guy.
They have it in the settings it’s the top option under layout, choose messagease.
I’m just a bit sour that I’ve been using an unmaintained keyboard, needlessly, for years.
Thumbkey is a pretty recent project, it’s not that bad!
I very much appreciate the recommendation. Will try it soon. Theres some annoying stuff on MessagEase I hope they have fixed up
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As a Jelly Pro user, I am currently using Traditional T9 keyboard. On-screen keyboard functionaly was recently added there, and it performs great on a 2.45" screen.
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