webOS virtual keyboard considered as future Palm Pre tweak

Monday, 22 June 2009 Andrew Young

An on-screen keyboard found in WebShell, a browser-based SSH client, caused a small stir over a Precentral when screenies of it being used on the Palm Pre were posted. However, the keyboard was discovered to be just part of WebShell, and the excitement quickly dissipated. PreDevWiki has taken notice though, already adding a "landscape virtual keyboard for the web app" to their Development & Tweak Ideas page.

Many reviewers were unimpressed by the ergonomics of the physical keyboard on the Pre, and many users are still left wanting of a virtual alternative. So it would make sense that the possibility of utilizing a keyboard, such as the one in Webshell, as a basis for developing one in webOS has not been overlooked. Also, we should hope Palm has not ruled out a virtual keyboard completely for a future revision. Would you make much use of an on-screen keyboard on the Pre, and if one were developed would you expect it to rival the experience on say, an iPhone?

5 Comments

Feed

JWilliams makes this comment

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Yes. I think a virtual keyboard would be a great asset to the Pre. It baffles me why Palm didn't include one as a second option from the beginning. I love having the option of the physical keyboard but sometimes it is a hassle to keep sliding the phone open & shut just to access it. If people don't use it, so what! But i'm sure that there will be more people that do use it than not.
Travis makes this comment

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

I just picked one up yesterday and I do like it but tweaks like a virtual keyboard would make it more likable. Also, it would be nice to change the landscape during any application for example reading pdfs is a pain. And of course games will be nice when they start cropping up.
BKEE makes this comment

Sunday, 16 May 2010

I would like to have the virtual keyboard. I have the PIXI for 5 days. i am with in the 30 day switch time, and I am thinking I wll switch to the PRE.
I have research a lot of things since I set us the SPRINT contract and I really feel I will like the PALM OS over the the ADROIDS and WINDOWS. But this is my none techy thoughts. I am retired and don't need a desk top like I use to. I have had my dest top for 10 years and I don't want to consider the notebooks, so the little hand helds are just right for me. I have the PDA, the computer and the phone all in one!
I am really glad I was surfing that day when I found that SPRINT was offering the PIXI for FREE. But I am
willing to pay a little to get the PRE.
THX BK
KLHudson makes this comment

Friday, 06 August 2010

I find it ironic that Handspring and Palm devices only had a virtual keyboard originally. And Palm opted for physical QWERTY only, even in the wake of the mad success of the iPhone, and now Droid, with their virutal keyboards. I've stayed with Palm smartphones for years because porting the contacts seemed onerous or impossible, but I truly hate the failing physical keyboard on my Treo 755p. I for one would love the option of having physical and virtual keyboards.
Mitch makes this comment

Friday, 22 October 2010

My app, WOG OSK, has a landscape keyboard in the browser (update to be published soon).

It also has slide to type, bubble letters, an edit box before sending to the app, programmable quick keys ...

View the coming update on youtube

https://goo.gl/EaMs and https://goo.gl/d5TC

Add Comment