aspidites | # 41 | 2010-05-04, 15:31 | Report

I was actually thinking of mimicking the phone app -> add another row for send and back button and add the star and # keys.

I don't think the arrows make since -- seem a bit foreign. I think it would be more practical to allow for cursor movement by tapping. That or map the volume rocker to forward and back.

I was also thinking about adding a menu.

Thanks for mentioning the missing items.

[edit]
I literally made this right after the initial post. It's not a mock up, and I still need to find proper unicode characters for shift and perhaps realign the */+ text. On my nokia 2720, everything is actually on one row (eg "2 abc"). Would people prefer this over the two row approach currently being used?

[edit 2]
I just reread your post slender. As for padding, I'm trying to make this thing look as integrated as possible. That is, people who have n900's already use the phone app, so it should be an easy transition from it to vertsms. The phone app itself doesn't introduce padding. I could play with it a bit and see about making it a customizable option though.

Of course, this is ossi's baby and I'm just a patch monkey, so my opinions may very well be wrong and the changes that I've made to the ui might not even make it into the master branch of development :-)

Attached Images

 

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Last edited by aspidites; 2010-05-04 at 15:46.

Hagar | # 42 | 2010-05-04, 15:44 | Report

Please let those arrows be where they are. It's not once or twice that while texting, you realize that you have made some spelling mistake two three words behind. Going back to that point using the touch screen directly is quite a difficult task by just touching with the finger. And if you need to take out the stylus to point at the exact position where the mistake is, it beats the whole point of having the "one handed SMS sending application"

And one more request if I may

Let's hope that you have the carriage return under the "0" button (I think that the sequence was something like "0 > space > CR"). Many times, I send shopping list by SMS. Having the items on separate lines, improves the readability to a whole new level

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Last edited by Hagar; 2010-05-04 at 15:49.

mobiledivide | # 43 | 2010-05-04, 15:48 | Report

Great work on this app Ossipena, Aspidites and Qwerty12 this application will be a godsend for many of us users. Is there any chance that a mini qwerty keyboard could be provided as an alternate input method?

aspidites | # 44 | 2010-05-04, 15:51 | Report

They aren't anywhere. It was a mockup.

As for correcting arrows, Here's an example of how I was thinking it would work (again, I'm just a patch monkey, so I could be grossly wrong):

User types "hellp joe".
User taps in the general area of hellp, but the cursor lands on the e ("he|llp joe").
The user presses the volume rocker down a couple of times to go to the p.
The user then presses the back arrow.

As for carriage return, I'm adding it right now :-)

slender | # 45 | 2010-05-04, 15:56 | Report

Hmm. About arrows. IMHO I think it´s easier to correct your mistyping with those than trying to hit right spot with your finger when on go.( I assume that whole point of this app is that you should be able to sms when on go. IMO there is no point in using this when you can sit down and use proper keyboard and type) With tapping you can hit links(sometimes even this is hard) and buttons but getting cursor between right letters is bit too much

I do not have N900 on my hand, but if it´s possible to use volume rocker easily with one hand then i think it´s good idea.

Also I understood that cursor movement by tapping is self-evident.

About padding. IMO it makes typing actually easier. First you might think that bigger buttons means that it´s easier to hit those, but actually at same time you give user bigger change to hit between keys(or wrong key) So that´s the point of padding to make texting easier. So little padding between keys imo gives in long run less mistypes. (no scientific data about this)

Send button is something you do not want to hit by accident so it should be away from keys what you are typing. With touch screen its really really i mean really easy to touch wrong key.

Hagar | # 46 | 2010-05-04, 16:05 | Report

You guys are the real gurus in the actual coding so of course "we users" will accept your final decisions. But before you make your final decision, I request you to do this (please bear with me for a few seconds).

Please take N900 in your hand (right hand most likely).
Now open the phone application with the dialing pad. Hold it comfortably in your hand as if you were actually using the SMS function (press a few numbers if you want). Now imagine you have to correct the spelling mistake and reach out for the rocker button. You have to change the position of the phone in your palm before you can reach there with your thumb, right? And now to press the back space, you have to again change the position of the phone in your palm, right?

Now if you still want to use that as the method of moving the cursor in your text, so be it

You are a mind reader

Hagar | # 47 | 2010-05-04, 16:14 | Report

Looks like slender beat me to the reply

Fötus | # 48 | 2010-05-04, 16:47 | Report

This app will be awesome.

MohammadAG | # 49 | 2010-05-04, 16:47 | Report

@ossipena
Got this packaged (mostly for an easier installation), .desktop file with a flipped conversation icon added.
Can push into -devel if you want. If you prefer to upload it yourself then be it

Fötus | # 50 | 2010-05-04, 16:49 | Report

I'm looking forward to test it!