E6: Mod/Create Roomier Keypad Layout for SMS/MMS and Email

[nk126]

I just got an E6, found my way over here from HowardForums, and have successfully enabled Quad-Band and Voicemail Notification thanks to the SEEM edit posted by Alpha ... and credited to the work of folks here -- thanks for sharing your hard work with all of us.

I'm interested in learning more about development for the E6 (EZX platform in general, I believe) and there's a specific modification/application I'd love to figure out or see made:

I wish the virtual keypad that comes up in all situations save Contacts was roomier, to allow for thumb/finger (stylus free) usage. I'm wondering if it's possible to implelement a new one.

Basically I'm thinking about trying a few modifications to the messaging UI - altering the keypad layout, maybe trying a widescreen version, and so on. For starters I'm wondering if I'd be better off trying to alter the current SMS and Email apps - or adding a system-wide input option like "Widescreen English" - or if I'd need to develop a new, add-on messaging app from scratch.

This may be beyond my scope of knowledge and ability, but I'm more interested in trying to learn how to do some of this stuff than just putting up a bounty right away ... it may come to that down the line, and that's cool ... but I'd like to take a crack at learning some stuff first.

Any/all suggestions, starting points for learning about modding the existing UI or developing add-on apps, etc, would be very appreciated. I'm not looking for someone to straight-up do this for me (although that may come later as a bounty project!), but rather someone(s) willing to help me get started and answer questions/point me to new resources along the way.

Thanks in advance,
nk

[robocellkid]

hey i don't think i know enough to help out but this is a great project. i would most definitely use this and also wish this was possible

[nk126]

cool. thanks for the post. if i get far enough to know what questions to ask, i'll ask 'em here and see if anyone responds. if not, maybe i'll look into making it a bounty project.

[manchuia]

I know there is a t9 option to enter in letters in the contact section (or something of the sort), and there is thought that it might be easier to get that option to appear in the SMS section of the phone.

I am willing to offer money to the cause as this would be absolutely brilliant for the phone. I can't offer a lot in the way of tech resources (I don't do coding or anything like that) but I am willing to help in any way possible.

I don't know how to commission a developer to work on this specific project, but consider this a request for such.

[balthazar]

Great, i think it's a very good idea, moreover, what do you think about adding other keyboard layouts? such as "azerty" for exemple?
Most of us(nonenglish people) know how to navigate on the phone but when you're writting a message, it's easier whith the keyboard layout you know ("azerty" for me as i'm french).
So if you do it, it could be a kind of multilanguage firmware and if you add T9 in other languages too i'll call you my lord..no i'm jokking.
What do you think about that?

And sorry, but so far, i can't help as didn't receive my E6 yet. In addition, it will be my first linux phone, so..
But as soon as i'll receive it, if you want me to do some tests, i'm ok.

[manchuia]

well i have posted and then upped the bounty for such a project, but no one seems interested. I really don't know why.