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T9 Numeric Keypad

Toggle key to switch between numeric keypad and T9 text input.
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I know, you either love it or hate it, but I know myself I'm fairly proficient with the mobile phones T9 "Predictive Text" input. Why not add the functionality to a computers numeric keypad? It might work out to be faster than using the old QWERTY for some people.
sloaned, Jul 16 2003

T9 Program for PC Using the Numeric Keypad http://koti.mbnet.fi/korsu/t9.html
Someone has actually coded a T9 program for Linux. It looks like Windows and DOS versions were planned but never actually released. However, the source code is offered so someone could probably port it to Windows or DOS. Haven't tried it, so I can't really say how well it works, but there's a nice little screenshot which actually looks pretty neat. [randallb, Oct 04 2004]

A Similar Idea -- A Keypad on the Mouse http://www.halfbake...ea/Keyboard_20Mouse
Another idea that's very similar, but involving implementing a keypad on a mouse. [randallb, Oct 04 2004]

fastwrite http://fastwrite.bambuk.co.il/index.php
t9 for keypad [ahdlm, Jun 01 2006]

[link]






       It probably wouldn't be too hard to write a program that does this.
JRandMoby, Jul 16 2003
  

       I just did it in 20 minutes and it works. Can't really test my speed on it though, the only dictionary i managed to find in a readable format on the net is very skimpy, and I dont really feel like entering the entire english dictionary :) Can anyone see a practical use for this?
sloaned, Jul 16 2003
  

       Might be good for coders since the syntax of a programming language is relatively small. If the IDE is smart enough, it could include defined variables and declared includes in the dictionary so they become available too.
phoenix, Jul 16 2003
  

       Have been using T9 now for some five years or so (was by the way first introduced by now pretty dead and small phone manufacturer Benefon) and it is OK in mobile. First I thought that what the heck there is no point in doing it when you have QWERTY, but sure especially for coding, and other rutine work, and even for surfing where you would use your other hand for mouse (I have learned to use left hand for mouse so that I can still use keyboard) it could really work. The problem of T9 is that you cannot easily configure it (have dirty words and your own dictionary included) and it doesn't presume ahead the letters.. So there could be room for improvement. One hand keyboard mode.. An open source project?
superkai, Jul 16 2003
  

       Well the way I've set this up is that the "dictionary" is nothing more than a plain text file with a new word on each line. So adding your own words couldnt be easier, and unlike the T9 on the phones it does predict ahead so for example if you have typed "da" it is already displaying the first matching word in the dictionary which is "dad", at that point you can just hit the space key and it will take "dad" as the chosen word and move on.   

       How would it work in terms of coding? Theres so many keywords in a language. Hmm, I might just try sticking a list of C keywords and function names in place of the english dictionary. Any other ideas? :)
sloaned, Jul 16 2003
  

       I've liked T9 since I first saw it on a TI Avigo PDA, many many years ago... I'm an adaptive technology resource teacher, meaning that I coordinate grant applications and hardware and software purchases within our school board for students with special needs. Hooked up to an alternative keyboard, such as http://www.intellitools.com/products/IntelliKeys/home.htm, T9 would have HUGE potential for people with fine motor difficulties, those who only have use of one hand or students with learning disabilities who would benefit from the simplified keyboard layout and the ability to choose from the word list that pops up.
mcameron, Aug 20 2003
  

       <sloaned>, excelent idea, anyone got it to work by ripping the dictionary out of MSoffice - would help my crappy spelling and speed up typing
wobbly, Aug 20 2003
  

       one handed typing would be really handy for people with one arm. Although there are a number of other add-on keyboards that would do the trick, this is something everyone's already trained in.
neilp, Aug 20 2003
  

       It's a great idea putting t9 technology on the PC's numeric pad. Does anyone knows what programming language to use to create a new t9 language on a nokia phone. I kinda like t9 on mobbile phones. :)
elmo65, Mar 09 2004
  

       Can someone who has any source code for this type of thing please please please contact me. The reason is that i have a friend with cerebral palsy who is only able to use a keyboard using a pointer. And for him to type letter by letter is very strenuous for him. So if he was able to have some sort of predictive text input like this it would help him no end. Can someone please help me with this, my knowledge of programming is still quite limited and i really want to get this working for him. thanks.
tr4nce4mer, Jun 25 2004
  

       My girlfriends little sister came up with this idea over a year ago. She can text incredibly quickly but typing on qwerty is slow.
not-arf, Jun 25 2004
  

       This T9 idea is cool. the frogpad.com company have on their website that the size of keyboard is what keeps laptop PCs from becoming much smaller than what they are today... if I could adapt one of those USB numeric keypads to be the only keys on a small laptop PC, some T9 software could do the rest. cool. I'd probably add a few other 'real' keys just to make sure it works... like "Y" "N" "ESC" "TAB" :)
nunolima, Dec 22 2005
  

       I think what is needed is a more general translation program for the numeric keyboard - T9, dotless braille, and dasher combined would be brilliant.
raroth42, Feb 12 2006
  

       That's a great idea. Have a bun. I can imagine that this would save a huge amount of time and space with computer input.
dbmag9, Feb 12 2006
  

       Could be handy on an Ipod or something - and the 'dictionary' would simply be the existing artists, tracks or whatever.   

       I don't own an Ipod, so maybe they already do this ?   

       (+)
monojohnny, Jun 02 2006
  

       An interesting idea, but what about the fact that numeric keypads have the keys arranged in the opposite order to a mobile phone keypad? Or would it be the positions of the keys rather than their actual number that would be used?
K o R, Dec 13 2006
  

       nice idea, bun for you my friend. You could also adapt a "brail" version for those people visual impaired, if they dont exsist allready.
Dmedia, Dec 14 2006
  
      
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