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Help Whoever designed the droid X's keyboard needs to be shot!!

There are plenty of alternatives in the market. Shapewriter, Better Keyboard, Swiftkey, etc.


Also, Swype is installed by default and you can enable it by long pressing on any text field, selecting input method, and choosing Swype.

Also, you can add words to your dictionary in the default keyboard by pressing them as they come up in the "predictive bar"


It's strange because it's pretty much consensus among all the reviews that Motorola's multitouch keyboard is among the best keyboards available for Android...
 
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As a long time Blackberry user, I swore I would never get a phone like the Droid X or iPhone that didn't have a "real" keyboard. I could really cruise on my BB and type up an email no problem. But then our IT guy at work showed me his Droid X and swyping and the way you could also turn on the microphone and tell it what to type. So, I thought that was pretty cool and went and got one. Well, I am a MUCH slower typist on my X than I ever was on the BB. And on the BB, I could easily reposition where I wanted the cursor and also easily select words or sentences and cut and paste them somewhere else in my message using the shift key just like on a regular keyboard. With the X, I absolutely cannot type a message with it in portrait position - can anyone? I have to turn it landscape and even then (and I'm a girl with not so big hands) I'm always getting characters I don't want. And, IMO, moving the cursor on the X is an art. Most of the time, on my first try in a message, I get the window that comes up asking if I want to cut all, copy all, etc., etc. Then of course, when I want that window, I can never get it to come up! On a few occasions I have done something that makes a whole word get selected, but I'm not sure what that was - can't get it to happen on demand. :)

I'm sure the solutions to some of my issues are in the "user manual" somewhere, but for now it's trial and error for me.

So, this is my way of telling you with a whole lotta words that I sympathize - I am probably experiencing some of the same issues as you - but I also love having the camera and camcorder (I have the BB Global Edition so no camera) and all the cool apps in the market place.

My biggest issue with the X is the lack of syncing with Outlook tasks and memos. Man, I [used to] manage my work day around my Outlook tasks and not having that is really putting a damper on my productivity. And as always happens, I think of something at home that I really need to do the next day and adding a task was a great way to make sure I didn't forget. But I figure (I hope with fingers crossed) that someday soon the sync feature will be expanded to include tasks and memos... I do realize there are apps out there to help with managing tasks (and I've spent a fair amount of time on Google looking for a solution) - but I think they are all through gmail and I don't want to co-mingle my work and personal email accounts.

Cheers!
 
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With the X, I absolutely cannot type a message with it in portrait position - can anyone?

I'm a faster typist in portrait. Auto-correct catches what I miss and I can actually type very quickly.

I'm sure the solutions to some of my issues are in the "user manual" somewhere, but for now it's trial and error for me.

Unfortunately, text selection and cursor positioning is indeed trial-and-error. It's a lousy system. Navigation devices like trackpads or trackballs are a lot better, but Apple's system is pretty good - the DX has the magnifying glass but it's not implemented system-wide and the trigger points are better on the iPhone.

I do realize there are apps out there to help with managing tasks (and I've spent a fair amount of time on Google looking for a solution) - but I think they are all through gmail and I don't want to co-mingle my work and personal email accounts.

Just FYI, Google Calendar allows you to create multiple calendar categories so you can have events on your personal Gmail account but still keep them somewhat separate. Might not be exactly what you're looking for, but it's not a bad solution. I have a category for bills, a category for work, and then a "regular" calendar - so I can easily filter it at a glance by color, or turn off certain calendars.
 
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As a long time Blackberry user, I swore I would never get a phone like the Droid X or iPhone that didn't have a "real" keyboard. I could really cruise on my BB and type up an email no problem. But then our IT guy at work showed me his Droid X and swyping and the way you could also turn on the microphone and tell it what to type. So, I thought that was pretty cool and went and got one. Well, I am a MUCH slower typist on my X than I ever was on the BB. And on the BB, I could easily reposition where I wanted the cursor and also easily select words or sentences and cut and paste them somewhere else in my message using the shift key just like on a regular keyboard. With the X, I absolutely cannot type a message with it in portrait position - can anyone? I have to turn it landscape and even then (and I'm a girl with not so big hands) I'm always getting characters I don't want. And, IMO, moving the cursor on the X is an art. Most of the time, on my first try in a message, I get the window that comes up asking if I want to cut all, copy all, etc., etc. Then of course, when I want that window, I can never get it to come up! On a few occasions I have done something that makes a whole word get selected, but I'm not sure what that was - can't get it to happen on demand. :)

I'm sure the solutions to some of my issues are in the "user manual" somewhere, but for now it's trial and error for me.

So, this is my way of telling you with a whole lotta words that I sympathize - I am probably experiencing some of the same issues as you - but I also love having the camera and camcorder (I have the BB Global Edition so no camera) and all the cool apps in the market place.

My biggest issue with the X is the lack of syncing with Outlook tasks and memos. Man, I [used to] manage my work day around my Outlook tasks and not having that is really putting a damper on my productivity. And as always happens, I think of something at home that I really need to do the next day and adding a task was a great way to make sure I didn't forget. But I figure (I hope with fingers crossed) that someday soon the sync feature will be expanded to include tasks and memos... I do realize there are apps out there to help with managing tasks (and I've spent a fair amount of time on Google looking for a solution) - but I think they are all through gmail and I don't want to co-mingle my work and personal email accounts.

Cheers!

Im right with you.I use to have BB too before I got the droid X ;).One of the key factors was the big screen that got me to transfer to the Droid X. I always use the internet to check my email.I hate that you cant copy and paste from your email on the Droid X.Whos idea was that, the same one that designed the keyboard? lol

As far as typing in portrait mode,im a little faster but im a man so that probaly explains it as we have bigger hands than women.The droid X is a pretty big phone.

See thats another thing that you brought up that pisses me off about the droid X,and its the CAMERA.Theres been times when ive taken a picture and only later to go back to my gallery later to see a white box :mad:..I call and ask verizon and they tell me that it has to have a 20 % battey or higher for the camera to work??Taken pics is what I do in my line of work.I did buy me an expensive canon to do the job,so dont depend on the Droid X camera as its not that good.

Theres been times that I do miss my blackberry curve since getting the Droid.I do LOVE the Droid X's ability to surf the net.Its super fast.
 
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correct catches what I miss and I can actually type very quickly.

Auto correct hurts me ALOT more than it helps me.It always changes a word to something I dont want.Thats what I REALLY HATE about this keyboard.I just found out tonight that you can turn it off(thanks to the above poster for this tip) because having it off will be a BIG help for me.I really wish I could think of some of the words it changes on me because most of them was pretty lame.Whats even worst is when you went back to edit it Auto correct would change it again.You wouldnt believe how much time this has cost me!
 
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Ok I understand the predictive bar.When it comes up I press it and nothing happens.I have to go to my "user dictionary" to add it manually.Im using the multi tough keyboard though,not swipe.

Press and hold your finger on the word in the predictive bar for a second. Simply pressing it won't do what you want; you have to hold for a second and it'll save it :]
 
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This is with the word you typed being in the far left of the predictive bar and NOT the place where you're typing your full message, correct? Pressing and holding where you are typing your full message will bring up a bubble, which assists in placing the cursor where you want it. Pressing and holding on an unknown word at the far left of the predictive bar will save that word to your dictionary.
 
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Im right with you.I use to have BB too before I got the droid X ;).One of the key factors was the big screen that got me to transfer to the Droid X. I always use the internet to check my email.I hate that you cant copy and paste from your email on the Droid X.Whos idea was that, the same one that designed the keyboard? lol

Within Gmail first physical button (forgot the name), then "more" +, "select text". The other default email application I have no idea but I barely use hotmail at all.
 
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