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Given below is four alternative applications that can be used for text entry with Palm OS.
Jetkeys (Shareware)
The Jetkeys onscreen keyboard consists of a 3x4 matrix of keys each having more than one function. Each key can contain several characters and/or functions. The key is selected by tapping anywhere on the key area, while the character/function selection is done by sliding the stylus or your finger in the direction of the character/function label relative to the key centre. The keys are large enough to be used with a finger tip rather than a stylus. There are three keyboard layouts including one similar to a mobile phone keypad with which most users would already be familiar. The keypad can also be inverted with white on black keys instead of black on white. The program is a separate application but can be used within any other application with a text entry field as you would the native Palm onscreen keyboard.
A review of Jetkeys by Palm Gear
A Silkyboard is a combination of a shareware software program and a Qwerty keypad overlay for the Graffiti area. The overlay is fixed onto the graffiti area and the keys can be pressed from through the overlay. Graffiti functions can also be used. This keyboard would replace the use of an onscreen keyboard without sacrificing any screen space. One problem is that the four silkscreen / Graffiti buttons are overlaid and replaced by small icons at the bottom of the keyboard. This keyboard would be most useful for those who cannot get to grips with handwriting recognition and prefer the standard Qwerty key layout as their main text entry method.
A review of Silkyboard by Geek.com
This onscreen keyboard consists of a 3x3 matrix of multifunction keys. The most common characters are placed in the centre of each key and can just be tapped. Either dragging the stylus from an outer key to the centre key or vice versa produces the remaining characters. The keys are large enough to be used with a fingertip rather than a stylus. The keyboard includes support for Japanese Katakana characters and is available in two versions, one as a separate writing application and the other as a Palm extension to replace the native Palm onscreen keyboard. The keyboard also allows you to save and use up to 90 macros of saved text. This could be very helpful for those who find spelling difficult and wish to have stock phrases ready for use or need to use complex vocabularies
A review of Messagease by palmspot.com
This is a unique palm extension program that allows the writer to use the hardware keys of the Palm to type text. The keyboard is activated by pressing the two leftmost hardware buttons (1+2) or two rightmost buttons (3+4) at once. Typing takes place by pressing and holding down one of the four application buttons. This brings up a list of letters in the current layout from which to make choices.
Each hardware button will map to a different letter of the alphabet according to the key layout selected. The Home Keys are distributed across the alphabet so that any other letter can be reached with a minimum of scrolling. The TealType "keyboard", (comprising of the four hardware buttons), is divided into two parts. The left two buttons (1 and 2) are for the left thumb and the right two (3 and 4) are for the right thumb. One thumb on one half of the handheld is used to press the button of the letter closest to the letter chosen, and the other thumb presses the two buttons on the other side of the handheld to scroll left (L) and right (R) through the characters.. With any of the four "initial" buttons, users may also follow up with the up and down scroll hardware buttons to type numbers, symbols, and punctuation, and to perform functions such as deleting, inserting a space, and indenting.
This keyboard is slightly slower than some of the other stylus based entry methods but because it is so position and spatially orientated it could be learnt easily by those who thrive on more kinaesthtic approaches to learning. This could also be a simple means of text entry for those who do not have the dexterity to hold a stylus but can use the hardware buttons, though it does require two handed use.
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