ComboKey - The GKOS app for Sailfish OS

Chorded Keyboard on a Jolla phone   29 April 2014   The date to start selling Jolla phones in Finland was 27 Nov 2013. Since then, the ComboKey application could be tested on a real device. It should become available in Jolla Harbour application store hopefully before summer 2014, and earlier at OpenRepos.net. SMS reception and contacts are still missing in the app.   In addition to the Legacy GKOS keypad layout (figure on the right), there will be a ComboKey layout of buttons in 3 columns. The leftmost and rightmost columns will remain the same in the Legay GKOS but the four buttons in the middle, i.e. the two bars and the two smaller buttons (d, l), will be squeezed into one row. One extra key 'm' will be added (at the bottom of the column). Why?    The reason is clear if you try to type with one hand on a larger screen (larger than e.g. MeeGo N9), like that on the first Jolla: It is difficult to reach e.g. with the right thumb the left row, buttons a to c shown in the figure. In addition, many languages have letters m and u almost equally common, so having both directly available as single keys is a bonus. The pad of three columns can be positioned either left or right for left-hand and right-hand use. There will be some other improvements as well. The downside is that the space and backspace will have the same size as the other buttons so they must be tapped more carefully to hit them. Features still missing or under developmet in the draft app: - Show received SMS (may not be allowed on Jolla Harbour) - Accessing contacts in a better way (not allowed either?) - Finalizing the menus Here is a forum for your comments: >> *** ComboKey RPM FILE TO TEST (29 Apr 2014)   >> So... still waiting for the final GKOS ComboKey app, but being able to test the draft to get the idea ComboKey - Type fast on a small number of big easy-to-hit buttons! Enjoy the benefits of combos. Type text fast on a small number of big buttons with one or two hands. This innovative method is far from conventional. A bit to learn but rewarding. If you are not interested in exploring, learning and adopting new things and skills, don't try this at home! Every now and then you have to press two keys or, instead, make a short swipe. There are 16 languages fully supported. This is a stand-alone app where the text can be written and edited, even in a huge and clear font. The text can then be directly brought e.g. to the phone's SMS service for sending, or copied elsewhere. The incoming SMSs can also be viewed and replied to within the app. ComboKey is based on the GKOS Keyboard Open Standard.

GKOS Chorded Keyboard will be         available for the Jolla phone  The picture above is showing the Legacy GKOS pad.  See the new optional ComboKey pad here (on N9).

  16 March 2014