.KEYWORD panel
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT SHOOTOUT
.TITLE Inputting text one SIP at a time
.OTHER
.SUMMARY There are so many programs out there for entering data into your Windows CE device, you might find yourself confused as to which one is right for you. Fortunately, contributing editor Clifford Brooks does the work for you by breaking down the wide array of Soft Input Panels. In this article, he investigates some of the leading SIP panel alternatives on the market today.
.AUTHOR Clifford Brooks
Ironically, I’m writing this article on one of the IBM WorkPad z50s. The z50 is one of the few larger Window’s CE form factors–the PC Companion goes laptop. For all intents and purposes, it’s a small laptop with an even smaller OS, but for men and women who make their livings processing words, it’s a dream machine. For now, though, suffice it to say, I’m still primarily a Palm-sized PC/Pocket PC user.
This brings us to the SIP panel. SIP stands for Soft Input Panel, so calling it the SIP panel creates a bit of redundancy (i.e., Soft Input Panel panel). However, it makes for cleaner prose, so that’s how I will refer to it. The SIP panel, as the name implies, allows you to select the manner of input. Since Palm-sized PCs don’t have keyboards, the SIP panel is probably the most important, not to mention overlooked, element of the operating system. Without the SIP panel, our devices would be read-only units. You can take a look at the SIP panel in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The SIP panel takes our devices above the level of mere read-only units.
Palm-sized PCs come with two SIP panel methods to choose from: JOT and the soft keyboard. While JOT is similar to Palm, Inc.’s Graffiti input method, there are a couple of important differences. First, the learning curve is decreased thanks to a less archaic input method. Graffiti’s shorthand-like abbreviated letters work well, but they require a bit of getting used to. With the exception of letters that normally require you to lift your pen, JOT’s system is less didactic and more forgiving.
Second, and equally important, the SIP panel is a pop-up panel, freeing up screen real estate when not necessary. This is very important, as the extra screen space allows programmers to create more complex and interesting programs and provides more room for displaying electronic books, maps, games, etc. Also, when using a couple of the alternative SIP panel programs outlined below, the SIP panel is not displayed at all, freeing up room during the input stage.
While a number of programmers and developers have dabbled in SIP panel programming, the granddaddy of them all has to be Developer One. Developer One offers a number of creative alternatives to the built-in offerings and even provides a free SIP panel manager so you can organize and select among the installed offerings.
If you’re like me, and you’ve grown tired of the built-in methods, you may want to investigate some of the SIP panel alternatives on the market.
.PAGE
.H1 The SIP Panel Programs
What follows are some of the more interesting SIP panel alternatives I’ve come across.
.H2 Calligrapher by ParaGraph
Calligrapher is my SIP panel program of choice. I use it exclusively now. It allows you to input text by writing anywhere on the screen in your own handwriting. Whether script or print, Calligrapher is amazingly accurate. Rather than writing letters, you can write words, sentences, or even paragraphs. Then watch in amazement while Calligrapher takes what you’ve written and converts it to text.
Earlier versions of Calligrapher, while cool, weren’t accurate enough for my use. The current version is much more accurate, provides an easier means of correcting your text, and runs more smoothly. If you tried an earlier version but have yet to try version 5.3, you really should. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Get used to allowing ample space between words. Calligrapher sometimes gets confused as to where one word ends and another begins. I usually write two to three words per line. That still allows me to write a complete sentence on screen before stopping to allow Calligrapher to convert my words to text. Another problem I’ve had is the pesky period. Calligrapher often mistakes a period for a screen tap, causing it to relocate the cursor. This is understandable. When using Calligrapher, just make sure you dot your i’s and end your sentences in real time; don’t pause. If you do, Calligrapher will think that dot was meant to be a screen tap.
Calligraper is fast, so if you’ve waited too long, simply erase the last letter of the last word, rewrite it, and put a period right after it. Another solution would be to bring up Calligrapher’s built-in keyboard and use that, but I like the erase/rewrite method myself. Also, don’t over-write your periods. If you can’t see it, don’t worry; Calligrapher registered it. Rewriting it will only cause confusion. A quick tap is all it takes.
In 1999, Microsoft invested in Vadem, the owners of ParaGraph, who in turn own Calligrapher. It now appears that Mircrosoft felt as strongly about Calligrapher as I do. The Pocket PC, or version 3.0 of Windows CE, has a ROM version of Calligrapher called Microsoft Transcriber. This is a really cool addition to their operating system and bodes extremely well for the future of Windows CE. By the time you read this, the new Pocket PCs will already be on the market. If you’re like me, you’ll be in the stores giving the latest offerings a test spin. While you’re there, don’t forget to give Microsoft Transcriber a try.
.H2 Fitaly by Textware
I’d seen advertisements for Textware’s new Fitaly keyboard in the Windows CE press, but I never really paid any attention to it. For all intents and purposes, it looked like just another keyboard. It seemed a lot like the DVORAK keyboard, which promised increased speed for the tradition-bound keyboardist. The Textware soft-keyboard alternative is another design where the keys have been arranged to facilitate speed and accuracy. Preparing this article, I decided to give the free demo version of Fitaly a try. Like the standard QWERTY keyboard and the DVORAK keyboard, Fitaly gets its name from the row of keys second from the top, as you can see in Figure B.
.FIGPAIR B The Fitaly keyboard is arranged to maximize speed and accuracy.
Fitaly comes with glossaries of common phrases, so as you type in a word, it tries to guess not only the word (a standard Palm-sized PC feature) but the phrase you’re attempting. This is a very nice feature, but even cooler is the shortcut key that allows you to create and maintain a list of quick shortcuts.
Fitaly promises increased speed over the built-in keyboard, and I’ve no doubt that’s true. They also state that many people now type 50 words per minute in the palm of their hand. Well, okay, if they say so. As I haven’t given it an honest workout yet, I can’t say it’s out of the realm of possibility, but I’m still skeptical. On the other hand, the program is really slick, and it may just find a permanent spot on my Cassiopeia.
.H2 RapidCalc by Developer One
RapidCalc is another one of my favorite programs. It’s a simple calculator program that’s disguised as an SIP panel program. Not being a number cruncher, it’s hard to get excited about a calculator, but this one did it for me. What’s so cool about it? Imagine that you’re in Orchard Supply Hardware checking out patio blocks for a yard project. They’ve got some nice green ones for 89 cents each, so you whip out your Palm-sized PC and open your Note Taker file to the project file. Since Calligrapher is your input method of choice, you quickly write:
Orchard Supply
Forest Green patio blocks
.89 each
To resurface the patio area, I will need 145 blocks. This comes to
