The leaked firmware you just installed is really old and full of known bugs and issues. I don't know anyone who still uses it anymore. It has been far surpassed by any of the dozen or so current hacked custom ROMs out there, all of which are based on much newer code.

If you're going to go down the hacked ROM route, you're better off using one of those. Most come with multiple keyboards. You're bound to find one you like. Just be aware that while a hacked ROM may address annoyances you've had with stock 2.1, they come with their own issues so it's a bit of a trade. You need to decide what you can live with.