I would recommend using the DX keyboard, i used this a lot on my Incredible, i love the ability to easily switch language, plus it had the mic button which would work flawlessly (in whatever language) and it was easy to switch between language by swiping the space bar, unfortunately, the standard keyboard doesn't have the capability of switching language, and swype can be a pain sometimes when it won't recognize the word you have to type it in manually and you get this pop-up screen while you type, its okay, but i find myself doing this far too often. In either case, my main concern is the ability to switch language as you can see, hopefully that helps. I still need to try and root my phone so I can install the DX keyboard for my new Fascinate.
How do you do the special characters and symbols on this keyboard? I loved that it was multitouch, but I remember not liking or not being able to efficiently pop in the special characters when I needed them. Often I'll use two different languages in the same text (names with accents on letters).
Well hopefully you can answer this for me, I want to root my phone for 3 reasons (hopefully root can do this), whats the best route to take to address these issues:
1) Install DX keyboard
2) remove lag
3) remove Bing
Thanks,
We can certainly help you here! With a working recovery image that can be flashed through Odin (both of which are free, btw) resurrecting this phone is not only possible, but something I've done more than once, on more than one fascinate. (Sadly, I bricked my sister's phone shortly after rooting it, before trying any custom kernels or anything, either.)
As for the keyboard, I believe you have to install it via clockwork if you don't want force closes, so that would have to come after rooting, of course. Here's the most successful order of business that I have used in tweaking and customizing my phones. It is a very safe way to do it, in my opinion, and many are finding success with this method, not just me.
1. Purchase Fascinate (thx, cpt. obvious...)
2. Get it rolling with your google account (you can bypass this for now if you want to do it later, but you'll need it for market access.)
3. Enable USB debugging and follow the one click root process
HERE.
4. If that doesn't work, let me know and I or someone else here will point you in the direction of the command method (which you can actually use with the files you download for the linked method above!)
5. After rooting, I install my purchased copy of Launcher Pro Plus. This alone with make the phone feel snappier and much more responsive, not to mention it will give you a completely customizable interface to make your phone the way YOU want it to be. It's fast and clean. You only have to buy it if you want their nifty widgets and the resizable feature.
6. Next, I install root explorer (another app worth every penny). This accomplishes two important tasks for you in a fairly non-invasive way. It quickly and painfully verifies if your root was successful or not. You'll get a message saying the one click way was a success when it's done, but you never know until root explorer or another root-requiring program happily announces it has been granted superuser access. The second task this accomplishes is now you can go in and de-bloat and partially de-bing. I did both at the same time. Just don't use search or browser until you have a suitable replacement installed if you de-bloat and de-bing first!
7. Immediately after step 5, I installed Dolphin HD browser, then the google enhanced search APK file, then Google Navigator. When you try to search, open a browser, or navigate, set the default to all your no google goodies, and you're set.
8. After all that, I do the clockwork mod (requires Odin).
9. Download the battery percentage tool found
here to your SD card. Battery % should be a stock displayed item on EVERY PHONE FOREVER. I don't know a more effective means of communicating how much battery you have left than simply stating a percentage. Our minds are incredibly accustomed to dealing with percentage figures every day! 10% off this!! 25% off that!!! May contain up to 10% ethanol!! 50% of self made millionaires are high school dropouts!! Etcetera!! Etcetera!! (/rant)
10. Next, download the ZIP you want to flash to your SD card.
11. Install ROM manager (free) and reboot into CW recovery
12. From there you can install your battery meter, your custom kernels, and then reboot your phone.
13. Install SetCPU (configure to whatever settings tinkle your chimes)
14. Install AutoKiller (makes other task managers look silly)
IMPORTANT: After each major change/installation, I would strongly recommend rebooting your phone, such as after launcher pro, or installing ROM manager or flashing the CWM. Verify that each change was done properly and is not locking up your phone before going on to the next, just to be on the safe side. Also, start with a milder kernel, possibly with stock speed and voltage. SetCPU will still save you some battery life because of its aggressive ability to scale down CPU speeds drastically upon your demand. I am running the D02 1100 LV kernel, and it is currently filling me with happiness and joy, but your phone might be different!
Hopefully that is helpful!