TouchPal
Encyclopedia
TouchPal is an alternative software input method for mobile devices, designed and developed by CooTek. It is a software application
running on Windows Mobile
devices. It places a virtual keyboard
on the touch screen of the handhelds, with which you can enter text by tapping on the screen or sliding between letters. It is an alternative text input method to the traditional physical keyboards.
is designed based on the T+ technology, a patent pending
technology owned by CooTek. It combines two letters and one symbol on each key, whose layout looks like a "T". The overall layout of all the letters follows a common computer keyboard
layout, for example the QWERTY layout. This makes each button big enough for thumb tapping, while keeps the general computer keyboard layout.
Tapping on the keys directly to input predictively. Sliding on a key in four directions like a "+" to input precisely. Below is a summary of the basic usage.
1. Tap directly to input predictively.
2. Slide to the left/right to precisely input the letter on the left/right.
3. Slide down to input a symbol on the bottom.
4. Slide up to input uppercase letters.
5. Slide up then down to input the numbers on the top.
s such as Shift or Ctrl because the functions achieved by them were built-in and can be easily implemented directly by finger tapping
or sliding. It has many useful features such as self-defined "My Sentences" and "My Commands", drag & drop
buttons, comprehensive content editing functions. It only supports English input.
TouchPal v2 came out in late December 2007. Besides what v1 has, its virtual keyboard is resizable by finger sliding. It also includes customizable emoticons and a few other features. It supports several European languages
input such as English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.
TouchPal v3 English version was released in April 2008, together with several European input languages. TouchPal v3 Chinese input version came out one month later.
Compared with the previous two versions, TouchPal v3 has a lot of new features. It supports three layouts on one virtual keyboard: T+ layout, full QWERTY layout, and 9-key PhonePad layout. Users can switch keyboard layouts by finger sweeping. There is cool animation effect when turning the pages or switching the layouts. TouchPal v3 significantly improved the predictive algorithm by incorporating its patent pending context-based word prediction and mistyping auto-correction algorithm. TouchPal v3 has much better extensibility than the previous two versions. With its SDK, users can self develop the supported input languages, the skins, and can change the keyboard layout. It also provides changeable keypress sound.
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
running on Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
devices. It places a virtual keyboard
Virtual keyboard
A virtual keyboard is a software component that allows a user to enter characters. A virtual keyboard can usually be operated with multiple input devices, which may include a touchscreen, an actual keyboard and a computer mouse.- Types :...
on the touch screen of the handhelds, with which you can enter text by tapping on the screen or sliding between letters. It is an alternative text input method to the traditional physical keyboards.
Technology
TouchPal default keyboard layoutKeyboard layout
A keyboard layout is any specific mechanical, visual, or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key–meaning associations of a computer, typewriter, or other typographic keyboard....
is designed based on the T+ technology, a patent pending
Patent pending
The expressions "patent pending" or "patent applied for" refer to a warning that inventors are entitled to use in reference to their product or process once a patent application has been filed, but prior to the patent being issued or the application abandoned...
technology owned by CooTek. It combines two letters and one symbol on each key, whose layout looks like a "T". The overall layout of all the letters follows a common computer keyboard
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
layout, for example the QWERTY layout. This makes each button big enough for thumb tapping, while keeps the general computer keyboard layout.
Tapping on the keys directly to input predictively. Sliding on a key in four directions like a "+" to input precisely. Below is a summary of the basic usage.
1. Tap directly to input predictively.
2. Slide to the left/right to precisely input the letter on the left/right.
3. Slide down to input a symbol on the bottom.
4. Slide up to input uppercase letters.
5. Slide up then down to input the numbers on the top.
History
TouchPal v1 was released in October 2007. It only has the T+ layout virtual keyboard. The keyboard is one-layer design. There are not additional function keyFunction key
A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions...
s such as Shift or Ctrl because the functions achieved by them were built-in and can be easily implemented directly by finger tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
or sliding. It has many useful features such as self-defined "My Sentences" and "My Commands", drag & drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
buttons, comprehensive content editing functions. It only supports English input.
TouchPal v2 came out in late December 2007. Besides what v1 has, its virtual keyboard is resizable by finger sliding. It also includes customizable emoticons and a few other features. It supports several European languages
Languages of Europe
Most of the languages of Europe belong to Indo-European language family. These are divided into a number of branches, including Romance, Germanic, Balto-Slavic, Greek, and others. The Uralic languages also have a significant presence in Europe, including the national languages Hungarian, Finnish,...
input such as English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.
TouchPal v3 English version was released in April 2008, together with several European input languages. TouchPal v3 Chinese input version came out one month later.
Compared with the previous two versions, TouchPal v3 has a lot of new features. It supports three layouts on one virtual keyboard: T+ layout, full QWERTY layout, and 9-key PhonePad layout. Users can switch keyboard layouts by finger sweeping. There is cool animation effect when turning the pages or switching the layouts. TouchPal v3 significantly improved the predictive algorithm by incorporating its patent pending context-based word prediction and mistyping auto-correction algorithm. TouchPal v3 has much better extensibility than the previous two versions. With its SDK, users can self develop the supported input languages, the skins, and can change the keyboard layout. It also provides changeable keypress sound.