Data Input

[Joshp]

Ok I know that the sl-5500 comes with a bilt in keyboard, vitril keyborad and hand wrighting.  However all these ways are slow, and the bult in keyboard dosint work well in the dark.  I was just wondering if there was any other type of way to input text :?:

JP

[V-Man]

I rarely use the handwriting recognition.  I use the built-in keyboard or a pockettop keyboard.  There are some threads about adding lights for the built-in keyboard.  I will have to do one of those soon.  Until then, I have to turn on a light in order to type.  The only advantage is that my car has two overhead lights.  One bright white light and one rather dim red light.  The red light isn\'t much good for anything but typing with the Z.  

V-Man

[derekp]

\"qwikscript\" (search the software feeds) is a good method of data input, about 2-3 times faster than grafitti on a palm, and much better than the handwriting recognition used in Qtopia.  Not quiet as quick as using the built in keyboard, and of course much slower than a real keyboard, but it will do in a pinch. (For comparison, I\'ve timed myself at 12 - 15 words/minute with qwikscript, about 30 words on the builtin keyboard, and 90 words or so on a real keyboard).

It looks like the two viable keyboard options is the Pocketop, and the Targus universal keyboard.  The Pocketop keyboard doesn\'t have dedicated number keys (instead, you have to use a key combination, similar to what the built-in keyoard uses).  The Targus keyboard is nice, but the number keys are scrunched over, so if you are used to touch-typing the numbers, it will throw you off.  So neither one is good for programming work (where you type about as many numbers as letters), but fine for regular text (the Targus one\'s key spacing being a bit more like a real keyboard).  Also, the Targus keyboard is a bit bigger than the Pocketop.

As for putting a light on the builtin keyboard, you could always do what this guy did: http://www.tekprosystems.com/zaurus/mod.htm

[Joshp]

Ok I downloaded qwikscript and installed it.  Now how to use it.  I figered out how to use the iner circle, but I can\'t use any of the outer ones.  Help

JP

[derekp]

Example: To do an \"A\", drag the stylus from the center, into the upper-left quadrant, then back to the center.  To do an \"M\", go from the center, to the upper-left quadrant, then go down to the left-middle section (where the H and C characters are), then back to center.  The \"Q\" is done similar, but you go from center, to upper left, to left, to lower-left, then back to center.
The symobols are done by goin from the center, straight up, then to the upper-left, back to center, (so you end up imputting the \"box\" symbol), then you can follow the appropriate path to enter a symbol.

There is a link from the QwikScript site to a paper describing the qwikwriting system  http://mrl.nyu.edu/projects/quikwring
It takes a while to get used to, but after a bit you\'ll find that common words, such as \"the\", are done in a single fluid motion without thinking about it.  Once you figure out the basics, the best way to get good at it is to use some common typing practice phrases, which use all the letters of the alphabet, such as \"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy yellow dog.\"  Enter that several times a day, and after a week you should be up to around 15  - 20 words a minute.