CooTek's TouchPal brings iPhone-like touchpad to Windows Mobile
by Sean Cooper 
posted Oct 12th 2007 at 7:57PM
If you've been harboring itchy, jealous feelings toward your iPhone-toting friend's slick onscreen keypads, now's your chance to join the fun. CooTek's Touchpal brings an arguably improved keypad design to Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices for free -- at least, free until December 8th. Powered by "T+" technology -- a patent pending typing method -- the keypad features two letters and a symbol on each key in a "T" shape so by quickly sliding your thumb left, right, or down, you'll eventually become a 300 char per minute texting grand master. In our humble opinion, anything is likely an improvement on the child-size onscreen keyboard featured on most current devices, so if you have some spare moments, give it a shot and let us know how you get on. Read on for a video of the keypad in action.
[Via Technabob]
[Via Technabob]
Filed under: Messaging, Software, Windows Mobile
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
yaniv.chokron @ Aug 10th 2009 9:38AM
Touchpal came out today on the Android market.....
That was fast... just uninstalled Touchpal... dunno but usually I like to be able to type a word before I get 6 force closes... ZOMG.. FAIL
Alex @ Oct 12th 2007 8:12PM
I don't know why, but for some reason, I really like this. The one problem though is that there's still no tactile response from touching a screen. I suppose there could be a way to combine this with haptic feedback in some way. Although this looks very nice, you still have to press a "key" and then perform another gesture to select your letter.
David Carrington @ Oct 18th 2007 7:12PM
You don't need to drag the key to select the letter. The predictive text works the same way as many mobile phones by choosing the correct letter for you.
My personal negative point towards this keyboard is that it doesn't allow easy access to many symbols. The standard on-screen keyboard gives me access to 26 letters, 10 numbers and 26 symbols without having to change mode. This only gives me letters and 16 symbols, with everything else pushed into tabs.
PeterF @ Oct 12th 2007 8:42PM
Or just get a windows mobile phone with a real keyboard, works much better!
T @ Oct 12th 2007 8:51PM
Somehow I can't justify growing mongo thumbnails like that guy just to type on my phone...
Preston @ Oct 12th 2007 8:54PM
i am digging this, for sure. I love my Mogul keyboard, but for a quick text, i hate having to use two hands
PhilR8 @ Oct 12th 2007 9:56PM
I've been using this for a few days, just to get used to suretype in case I decide to get the Sprint Touch. I gotta say, I'm not a fan. I wish the spacebar was in the middle of the bottom row, and I think the entire top row of stuff is taking up valuable real estate.
I haven't used the official suretype touchpad from HTC (the Telus-branded Touch talks about it in the users manual, which you can view on the Touch's product page at telus.com) but I think it looks better. I'll reserve judgement until I use it; but as of now, I'm not really digging this CooTek version.
Mark @ Oct 14th 2007 7:19PM
You can drag the space key to the center by taping and draging it. You can even place it on the right side if you wanted to.
Neat.
PhilR8 @ Oct 12th 2007 11:34PM
Wow, thanks for the info. That was one of my major complaints; I'll try and see how I like it from here on out.
gregger @ Oct 12th 2007 10:10PM
Wow... I submitted this today, but my name isn't Technabob...
Cool stuff though!
TTFN
Will @ Oct 12th 2007 11:08PM
JC engadget... this is nothing like the iPhone's pos keyboard (unless you believe colour counts as apple's IP). If you want the annoying hard to type on iPhone keyboard for winmo then go download pocketcm keyboard... I've been using this suretype like keyboard for about a week and it rocks on my "HTC Touch"
Joe @ Oct 12th 2007 11:19PM
You can move the spacebar to the middle by dragging it there.
I like this keyboard, even though it does take up a lot of real estate. The T9+ and precision input modes are great! The thing I don't like about it is that I can't start typing someone's name on the address part of the SMS. I'd have to go into contacts to do that, but hey, it's still cool.
Will @ Oct 12th 2007 11:35PM
apparently if u hit back space first u can type a name without going into the contacts.
Fnet @ Oct 13th 2007 5:52AM
engadget ,Please get over the 'i-phone like' bullshit crap...
Mills @ Oct 13th 2007 9:30AM
This software is really great. I cant typoe on it like i can on the real keyboard but its a lot better than the POS that comes with WM. the only thing i have found so far is words with apostrophes really cramp my style. i can fly on typing and then suddenly i have to type an "i'm" or type a "don't" and it wont recognize just the letters without the apostrophes in the predictive text. thats just plain nuts
Spencer @ Oct 13th 2007 9:59AM
this is the best thing ever to come out for ppc much easier then any other on screen keyboard i have tried
noob @ Oct 17th 2007 1:46PM
way better than the gayphone
kludge @ Oct 13th 2007 3:52PM
Engadget, are you retarded or what?
Why is this like iPhone keyboard? Are you blind or something?
I cannot believe you said like that ... *sigh*.
lawrence @ Oct 13th 2007 4:39PM
PocketCM Keyboard does this too and its free and it is like the actual iphone keyboard, not 3 keys on one button... just found it the other day and have been using it all the time... it certainly does the trick for me
http://www.pocketcm.com/
Kunikos @ Oct 14th 2007 2:15AM
Uh, isn't that just an application though? Replacing the text input method in ALL locations (ie hooking into it at the OS level) would be more interesting.
Will @ Oct 14th 2007 12:35PM
@Kunikos
Your obviously not a Windows Mobile user. Imagine having a device and being able to CUSTOMIZE it any way you like! That includes installing new Input methods that work through out the OS, Complete theme overhaul either by simple theme or full blown buttons dialogs et all. No Hacking required! A WinMo user can even customize their phone to look like your iPhone.
lawrence @ Oct 14th 2007 12:56PM
the pocket cm keyboard is actually a replacement SIP which you can use in any part of the windows mobile OS.
Constable Odo @ Oct 13th 2007 5:44PM
It's looks just like the iPhone keyboard alright....if the iPhone keyboard was on crack, retarded or in another dimension. Jeez, it might be somewhat useful, but still kinda lame.
Servoisgod @ Oct 15th 2007 3:54PM
And why would I want the useless iPhone keyboard on my awesome Pocket PC?
I have to tell you, that iPhone keyboard is a turd! I hate using it with every bit of my soul. I have never successfully typed in and SMS or web address once! I always have to go back OR start over because I hit enter. Perhaps I have fat fingers or maybe I'm just getting old? I will say this, I have been texting with phones since before it was "cool" back when you couldn't even text between carriers and the iPhone is the most useless keyboard I have ever used.
Later,
Aaron
Dan @ Oct 16th 2007 12:40AM
I've been using this on my HTC Mogul for about a week or so now and I'm liking it. It's more convenient when I don't feel like using two hands (you can use one hand to type on the physical keyboard, it's just a bit bothersome) to type. My only complaint (which isn't about the keyboard) is more about how my phone has that stupid 1mm drop in screen. I'd rather it be perfectly flat like the HTC Touch or iPhone. :[
But yeah, knock it off with the 'iPhone-like' shit, it's nothing like the iPhone's keyboard.
guitardoc @ Oct 18th 2007 12:09AM
Excellent! I have confirmed that I can type about 75% faster than I can on my desktop. That said, my typing skills really suck,and the layout combined with the predict "makes" me a competent typist! I already emailed them about a version for my desktop!