Windows Mobile looks to be getting new native keyboard in 6.5.3
By Donald Melanson 
posted November 25th 2009 4:28PM
posted November 25th 2009 4:28PM
It's not exactly a wild accusation to say that the current native on-screen keyboard in Windows 6.5 is, well, bad, and it looks like Microsoft has now picked up on what HTC and others have been not-so-subtly hinting at. While's it's obviously still not official subject to change, that fresh new keyboard you see above has been turned up in Windows Mobile 6.5 build 28002 by the folks at XDA, and is likely similar to what should eventually hit the public in Windows Mobile 6.5.3. They also say that since the source is in a DLL file, the keyboard is prime for some customization -- we'll take ours with the "o" and "p" in their proper place, thanks.
Looks highly undeveloped thus far, an improved keyboard is a VERY welcome change for WinMo. HTC's offerings are nice, but WinMo definitely needs a native onscreen keyboard that doesn't complete suck for finger usage.
@(Unverified) No point. Might as well just switch to Android and put WinMo out of its misery. It's a dead platform anyway.
It looks a lot like the onscreen keyboard in Windows 7 and Vista.
Looks like a whole bunch of non-sense to me.
@HighestRanked Sucks that they didn't specifiy. I'll try my best.
I'm guessing that pictures 1, 3, 5, and 6 are all in portrait mode. Picture 5 is probably a prototype that sans the backspace and space keys, for some odd reason. I have a feeling that 1 and 3 will be the ones they will use. Picture 6 is the number and symbol keys in portrait mode. Pictures 3 and 5 are definitely in landscape mode, and they look to be final.
Everything seems clear to me except Picture 5. That's a pretty odd implementation IMO.
@N900 Have you never used the default WinMo keyboard? There's no difference in landscape and portrait. Here's the 411:
1) Small key mode: pic1 (normal state) & pic2 (shifted state).
2a) Big key mode: pic1 (normal state) & pic4 (shifted state).
2b) Big key mode without Shift, Backspace, Enter, and Space keys because you use gestures instead (the gestures are available in every mode btw): pic5.
Pic4 is the 123 view, which is the same for every mode of the keyboard.
I didn't know Winmo used dlls just like Windows, wow epic fail. Does it have a registry u have to clean up every month too? and defrag? do u need norton 360 lite edition? I'm just kidding of course, but if they want to turn around the free falling market share Winmo 7 needs to be built from the ground up and completely new and touch friendly or well it'll disappear under Android and iPhone
@al3d The iPhone likely has kexts, too, and Android definitely has packages. On all 3 of those platforms, that kind of stuff is just hidden from the user. How do you think, say, the iPhone OS works? Magic Pixie Dust?
@al3d i'm pretty sure you don't even know what a dll is.
@MarcusMaximus I know but somehow hearing dll and phone together in one sentence just gives me chills, do u get missing dlls dialogs on winmo too?
My point was they need to get rid of this and start from scratch? Regular Windows has too much garbage, but in a powerful desktop they can play it off, but they can't on a phone, too much garbage on a phone os equals poor user experience.
@maveric101 I know what they are, and don't tell me you've never had to go to http://www.dll-files.com/ and find one for directx or any other app, or simply cause they got corrupted or deleted, they are a nightmare to every tech support out there.
@al3d, you're completely correct, but by the time anyone realizes it, it will be too late. In fact, it already is too little too late as is now. WinMo is a dead platform.
@al3d Right, but just because it has dll's buried in the system doesn't mean you actually have to deal with them. From when I had my HTC Touch(the original one), my experience was that I never, ever saw a .dll, or any mention of them. So they seem to be there just as much as the kexts on the iPhone or the packages on android are: existing but completely invisible.
@al3d Not since windows 98, What planet are you on?
@MarcusMaximus ok thanks for clearing that up since I don't own a Winmo phone, nonetheless they need to turn around quick before they drive off the cliff
@al3d
More doom saying, of course. It's getting pretty old you know.
"Repent WinMo, the end is nigh!" OK sure, whatever helps you sleep at night... =\
@Valentine what do u mean since win 98? in every pc I've used at some time I've to deal with dlls, if you're a gamer u know what I'm talking about
@N900 Well, the truth hurts, have u seen the latest Winmo market share reports? they are going down quicker than u can say "ballmer", winmo 7 needs to be bigger than life to change that
@al3d
No actually, I don't know what you're talking about. I can't remember the last time I ever actually had to dig around and manually find a .dll, probably because I never had to.
@al3d Perhaps, then, some form of user error is involved in your less that stellar Windows experience.
@al3d
Are you high? Do you know what DLL's are used for? Have you ever coded anything before in your life? Stop talking out of your ass.
@MarcusMaximus I've had 3 WinMo phones since 2003 and never had a problem with bad dlls
@al3d The error message you're talking about has nothing to do with corrupt dlls, it's user error. You need to install DirectX to play most 3D games. If you installed the game properly the DirectX installer will start automatically. A real gamer doesn't forget to install DirectX.
Hmm, I wonder what the context is of each of these layouts, especially the one on the bottom left with no spacebar.
@MarcusMaximus
I still think it's incredibly lulzy that somebody is apparently so cry baby pissy pants that they're down ranking all your comments. Either they're wasting their time to seek out all your posts and down rank them manually, (In which case, don't they have something better to do?) Or they made a bot for the sole purpose of down ranking you. (Again, don't they have something better to do?)
@MarcusMaximus It's exactly the same as the current keyboard. You don't need Space, Enter, Shift or Backspace keys because of the gestures.
OP is only in wrong places in the larger images. Are we going to see a different keyboard layout in landscape vs. portrait modes??
@strang The L is miss placed in the bottom left image.
I didn't even notice it was in there, ill have to see if I can switch to it from the keyboard I'm using.
Nope, I don't have any other keyboards listed.
@XIYL, I suggest switching to Android instead.
@HighestRanked
Why? I happen to like WinMo. Its so deeply customizable. I cook my own roms for my phone so I have it set up exactly how I want. I doubt I could do that on Android without a C&D from Google.
@XIYL switch so you won't have to do all that extra work.
Looks a bit Maemo/S60 v5 to me.
But that's a virtual keyboard!
Ballmer says no one wants those!
As an aside, why did they feel the need to move the 'o' and 'p' keys?
This whole thing is very strange.
its funny that w/ all the improvements that have been made in terms of 6.5.1 builds and the new 6.5.3, you're destined to hear the same old writers on engadget (who are seemingly becoming more like the douchey writers of the giz) continue to talk about how its nothing different that what you got on WM5/6. If that doesn't happen you can queue the "well it doesn't support capacitive screen" line well, by this time tomorrow.
I like the one with the dedicated number row on top... like a desktop keyboard.
(runs from the AT&T Fuze and Tilt2 owners)
@(Unverified) lol, that's the only one that isn't new. Well, they skinned it black to make it look pretty. But if you go to the current default WinMo keyboard and set small key view you can use that layout right now.
Still the best imo, and I've used at least 5 3rd-party keyboards. It's the least finger-friendly, but the most functional and efficient.
@(Unverified)
The one that I have seems much smaller... like on the original 6.0.
Fingerkeyboard FTW As for you Android trolls FOAD
Is is just me or does every modern on-screen keyboard have the identical design?
@designfabulous the same can be said for real keyboards. function over form
that numeric keyboard looks good
I love how HTC learns what to do by making Android phones, but then has a hard time talking Microsoft into making improvements.
According to an MS marketing rep, 6.5.1 isn't a real name, and neither is 6.5.3.
There is an alternative UI being created to better support capacitive screens.
There's an article about this on MoPocket dot com (that I think the comment system is not allowing me to post, because I could have sworn I posted this as a link 3x already, and its keep verifying to my email, but I never get the verification!)
...And it seems that stupid novelty-sized Enter button is still there... Not cool.
Why don't they just arrange the letters in alphabetical order?
@pppun
You're kidding, right?
@E71
Did you think I'm serious? LOL
Just to point out both approaches are totally absurd.
Am i the only one who noticed the L is in the wrong place as well on the lower images.