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On-Screen Keyboard Maliit Demoed With Gnome 3

Posted by timothy on from the several-layers-of-the-latest dept.

Developer Jon Nordby has posted a video demo of the on-screen keyboard Maliit — intended "to be the input method project for MeeGo and other GNU/Linux-based embedded/mobile platforms" — working on a tablet running Gnome 3 under Fedora. Nordby mentions that Fedora packages are in the works for those who'd like to try it out. The keyboard looks impressively smooth and flexible (including language-specific character sets); I only wish it had the smooth-swiping predictive ability of keyboards like Swype.

12 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. swype sucks by h4rr4r · · Score: 2

    Try using it to write anything that is not in the dictionary. It totally sucks for everything outside maybe text messaging. On a tablet it would only be worse.

    1. Re:swype sucks by StripedCow · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Keyboards should also be sensitive to the application being used.

      For example, if I'm using "vi", i'd like to have a big Escape key, and it should recognize the commands specific for this editor.

      Maybe virtual keyboards should be assimilated by editors.

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      If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
    2. Re:swype sucks by no_such_user · · Score: 2

      No kidding. Just this morning I was sending an email to my boss, and sure enough it couldn't find "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in the dictionary. What a piece of junk!

    3. Re:swype sucks by vuke69 · · Score: 2

      And when you type something in manually, it's automatically added to the dictionary for next time.

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      Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. ~ Douglas Adams
    4. Re:swype sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Try using GNOME 3 to do anything. It totally sucks for everything besides annoying you.

    5. Re:swype sucks by H0p313ss · · Score: 5, Funny

      No kidding. Just this morning I was sending an email to my boss, and sure enough it couldn't find "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in the dictionary. What a piece of junk!

      That's because the sound of it is something quite atrocious.

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
  2. Video reminds me of how great keyboards are... by Duncan+J+Murray · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was at a conference recently watching a fantastic speaker who spent his life's work on elucidating the pathogenesis of antiphosholipid syndrome, and next to me was someone attempting to take notes on an ipad. Clearly somewhere in her distant memory were ideas of happiness and bliss, of form and function coalescing on the future of technology that would be her companion for the conference. The reality was somewhat different. The 20 wpm typing speed was particularly hampered by the visual presentations, which frequently interrupted her fervered hunt and pecking of the keys and word suggestions. I dare say all the effort involved precluded any understanding of the speaker, but I can't besure of this. I can be sure that it proved finally to all who noticed that data input will never be a strong talent of a tablet.

    1. Re:Video reminds me of how great keyboards are... by Hazel+Bergeron · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The British economy has reached the stage where real work done is inverse to amount of disposable income. We're a land dominated by clown management consultants with stupid toys which would never be suitable for any real productivity.

      I assume the US is going the same way: as far as our relationship goes, we either lead or follow y'all.

    2. Re:Video reminds me of how great keyboards are... by Hazel+Bergeron · · Score: 2

      That's weird. My Psion Series 3a with its beautiful physical keyboard has no fan, weeks of battery life and weighs less than any tablet I've ever used. Its screen is fairly small, but visibility under various light conditions is excellent.

    3. Re:Video reminds me of how great keyboards are... by Duncan+J+Murray · · Score: 2

      ...My Psion Series 3a...

      How has it been nearly 20 years and yet nothing has touched this machine with regards to form-factor, keyboard quality, OS responsiveness and sophistication of PIM applications?

  3. Re:Not to be discouraging... by Junta · · Score: 2

    Even then I find their keyboard deficient. It *resizes* windows on typing. Even if not 'maximizing', it still shrinks your window to make room for the keyboard. This might be 'ok' if it put things back when done, but it doesn't, leaving you a blank set of useless space.

    I would argue that 'most' people who want to have multitasking really want a laptop. If what you say has truth for 'most' people, I'd replace 'xoom' with 'tablet' and maybe I'd buy it. In tablet space, the biggest player is the iPad, which is nothing but maximized stuff. Tablets have had a long time to 'take hold' without doing so, always a niche product. Even the iPad figures pale in comparison to phone form factor devices despite being king of the tablet hill.

    Conversely, if *only* looking at the tablet market, I dare say that iPad's relative success is due in no small part to a market that has always wanted their 'computers' to act like a phone. I'm not part of that market, but they are out there.

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  4. Re:Maliit? by ciaran_o_riordan · · Score: 2

    My guess is it's from Tagalog (Filipino), where "maliit" means small.

    The Tagalog pronunciation is three syllables ma - lee - eet, with the final 't' barely pronounced - the syllable is ended by touching the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth, with your tongue, and your tongue stays there so there's no final puff of air.

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