Where can I find a plain old 12-key touchscreen keyboard?

[Guest js.2005]

Hi, I have just bought a T-Mobile Pulse Mini to replace my sadly departed Nokia 6110 Navigator and, just as it was with the iPhone, I am HATING the virtual keyboard. There are too many keys, and as a result each one is tiny. I've tried the stock Android keyboard, Touchpal, ThickButtons and SwipeIT so far. None of them let you hold the phone in one hand and type with your thumb. Not only that, even the best of them (SwipeIT) only lets you type at little more than half the speed you can get from a proper keypad.

Can anybody please point me at a touchscreen keyboard that's just 12 keys in the traditional layout?

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I would be very grateful if anyone can point me in the right direction. I can't use the phone as it is- it's nearly been hopped off the nearest wall several times. If I can't find one, there'll be a Pulse Mini for sale on eBay by the weekend....

Thank you!!

[Guest Rob V]

Can anybody please point me at a touchscreen keyboard that's just 12 keys in the traditional layout?

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I'm surprised that you mention TouchPal as one that you tried and rejected, because IIRC it offers exactly the layout you're looking for. TouchPal also lets you choose their slightly different T9 layout with two characters/key, which I personally found to be a lot faster than the 12-key pad while still having large enough buttons. (At the risk of stating the obvious, you're aware that with TouchPal you swipe left/right to switch between the three keyboard layouts?) But you're right; those are the only two layouts that would probably enable one-handed thumb typing.

IMHO, for sheer typing speed with a virtual keyboard it would be pretty hard to beat Swype (similar to SlideIT, but I think it works a little better). Swype does take some time and practice to become really proficient, but once you do, it's amazingly fast. (In their TV commercial, Swype claims to have set a world record for texting speed.)

[Guest craigdabbs]

ultra keyboard has a compact mode that shows t9 i think

try the trial :D

[Guest js.2005]

Hi folks,

Thank you very much for your help- I'll give your suggestions a go! :huh: