MessagEase™ Application for Palm

V. 5.4
(October, 5, 2004)

For a quick introduction to MessagEase see:

http://www.exideas.com/ME/videos/MEintro.wmv

 

MessagEase is the fastest technology for entering text on PDAs, cell phones, Tablet PCs, or in fact any small mobile device. It's a cross-platform technology, making convergence of small devices practical.

The innovative, patent-protected MessagEase keyboard enables you to enter full text using buttons that are much bigger than a QWERTY keyboard. These bigger and fewer keys are easier to find and faster to target.

MessagEase uses an ingenious combination of taps and drags for entering text: Taps for most frequent letters and numbers and drags for less frequent letters and special characters.

MessagEase's keyboard comes to you with built-in editing functions. You can use MessagEase in any application requiring text. Like getting used to any innovation, it may take you a few minutes to become familiar with MessagEase's keyboard. But once you do, you will never go back to other ways of entering text on your PDA.

This software is complete and it is not crippled in anyway. It is provided to you FREE. If you like this software, visit our website and learn about our other tools for Palms, Pocket PCs and Tablet PCs.

Get acquainted with MessagEase's powerful keyboard!

You enter letters, characters, digits, and many editing functions with either a tap or a drag on MessagEase's keyboard buttons. Notice the letter buttons of MessagEase keyboard are almost three times as large as the letter buttons of the QWERTY keyboard occupying the same overall area.

 
Enter any of the most frequent letters (a, n, i, h, o, r, t, e, s) by simply tapping anywhere on its key. Since the keys are larger, it's much easier to target and tap these keys. 71% of times you'll be doing just that.
Enter any of the less frequent letters (q, u, p, b, j, d, g, c, q) by simply dragging from anywhere on the center key (O key) toward one of eight directions shown by that letter. For example, to enter "u" drag up from anywhere on the center key.
Enter any of the less frequent letters (v, l, x, m, f, w, y, k, y) by dragging from anywhere on the its key toward the center key. For example, to enter "v" drag down-right from anywhere on the top-left key.

 
Tab on "123" first and then the keyboard changes to the number keyboard. Enter numbers by tapping on the number keys.

 

 
To enter a "space", tap anywhere on the big spacebar. For "Enter" or carriage return drag down anywhere on the spacebar. Drag left on the spacebar for "backspace." A drag right on the spacebar is a forward delete.

 
Enter special characters by dragging on their position on the number or letter keys. Drag from anywhere on its key toward the direction shown by that special character. For example, to enter "(" drag left from anywhere on the 4 or H key. Or, to enter "@" drag down-left from anywhere on the 6 or R key.

 

To enter capital letters, there are two ways:

  1. Drag up on "r" button for "Shift" or drag up twice for "Caps Lock". in "Shift" mode, the very next character will be capitalized. In "Caps Lock" mode, all characters will be capitalized until you change the mode. Drag down to change back to lowercase mode.
  2. Draw a circle (for main letters) or drag-and-return (for less frequent letters) to enter a single capital letter without changing mode.

You can also drag up on the spacebar to toggle to the busy mode, where you can see both the letters and the special characters. Even if the special characters are not showing, you can drag ni their position to enter them.

A drag and return on special character positions enters another special character related to the frist one.

 

To enter capital letters, there are two ways:

  1. Drag up on "r" button for "Shift" or drag up twice for "Caps Lock". in "Shift" mode, the very next character will be capitalized. In "Caps Lock" mode, all characters will be capitalized until you change the mode. Drag down to change back to lowercase mode.
  2. Draw a circle (for main letters) or drag-and-return (for less frequent letters) to enter a single capital letter without changing mode.

 

More special characters: Combine:
To enter an accented special character enter a letter followed by its accent, then drag on Combine (up-left from the "a" key). For example to enter ê, enter e followed by ^ then drag on Combine. Similarly, enter C, followed by O, followed by Combine to enter ©.

 

Shortcut:
You can enter the Palm shortcut character by dragging up on the key marked with "A". This way you can Palm's shortcut facility to assign a few letters to a phrase or paragraph for quick recall. For example: <shortcut>ds expands into the current date stamp Likewise <shortcut>ts expands into the current time stamp

 

Game:
MessagEase includes a fun and entertaining game. Use the menu or command-G, to start the game. You'll see the letters or characters
drop from the top of the screen. The object of the game is to enter the flying letters before they reach the bottom. You score based on
how fast you enter these letters. The game will be over if three letters crash to the bottom without you typing them.

This game is designed to increase your skill and enjoyment of using the keyboard. You can practice letters or words of each category choosing from

Menu > Game > Levels

If you score 500-1000 on all three categories, you can probably type more than 40 wpm with MessagEase.

Entering Japanese Katakana :
To demonstrate the power and flexibility of MessagEase, we have included Katakana options in this version. To activate Katakana
typing, tap on Menu, then Help then, Japanese Katakana) option. The Katakana keyboard design is the result of the application of MessagEase to Katakana characters.

By using Katakana frequency data, this keyboard layout allows most frequent characters to be entered by a single tap. Less frequent characters are entered with a drag, according to the same technique used for the roman-letter keyboard. You can even play the game using Katakana characters; that will be a great way to improve your keyboard skill and Katakana
character recognition.

 

MessagEase's License Agreement

This version of of MessagEase software for Pocket PC is a time-limited demo or beta. You are hereby licensed to use the beta or time-limited demo version of the MessagEaseST software for the duration of the evaluation period, or until its time limit expires, whichever comes first. You are also authorized to make exact copies of the MessagEaseST demo or beta software and give it to anyone as you wish provided that you do not charge or request donations for any such copies, however made and also provided that the persons you give this software to agree with the terms of this agreement.

You may also copy, print and distribute the supplied documentation of MessagEase in its unmodified form via electronic means, provided that you do not charge for it in any shape or form, and provided that your action is only for the purpose of facilitating the use of MessagEaseST. You may not use all or portion of this documentation for using or enhancing the use of another tool or software.

You acknowledge that the beta or the demo version of the MessagEaseST software contains means to cause it to cease to operate on or after the day the evaluation period ends. You agree not to reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, change, translate, or attempt to discover the security mechanisms of the MessagEaseST software, or create derivative works from it. You may not encourage or facilitate any of the activities that are prohibited by the terms of this agreement. You may use the artwork provided on the Internet by ExIdeas to print and fashion your own Stamp overlay, provided you are the sole user of this stamp overlay with your licensed software. You may also provide the artwork to others who may be interested in using MessagEaseST on trial bases, provided you do not charge any money for your service. You may use the artwork provided only in conjunction with MessagEaseST and not for any other purpose.

Disclaimer Of Damages

Neither nor anyone else who has been involved in the creation, production or delivery of this product assumes any liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of the software and/or accompanied support material. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, and regardless of whether any remedy set forth herein fails of its essential purpose, in no event will ExIdeas be liable to you for any special, consequential, direct, indirect or similar damages, including any lost profits or lost data arising of the use or inability to use the product, even if ExIdeas has been advised of he possibility of such damages. Under no circumstance shall ExIdeas liability exceed the purchase price for the MessagEaseST software and its associated support material. This disclaimer and limitations set forth above will apply regardless of whether you accept the Software Agreement and the Software.

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California. This Agreement may only be modified by a license addendum which accompanies the license or by a written document which has been signed by both you and Licensor. For questions concerning this Agreement, please write to: ExIdeas, 2708 Monserat Avenue, Belmont, California 94002

 

MessagEase Technology
is protected by US & foreign copyright & patent laws
Copyright ©, 2004 EXideas, Inc.

 

Please visit

www.exideas.com

to access our extensive PDF manual.

Also visit our users group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/messagease