Lack of alternative keyboards pushing me to switch back to Android

[Iron Mew]

For the past few months I've been using a Nokia 520 I was given as a present. I've found it surprisingly useable and I'm not jumping up and down at the idea of replacing it; it's true that it has many less apps than Android, but what's available is sufficient for what I need it to do. There is, however, one big problem that's massively spoiling my experience: the lack of alternative keyboards.

I kinda got used to the stock keyboard, in an unenthusiastic sort of way, until I added another language (I'm in Italy but often visit English-speaking boards and subreddits so I need both predictive dictionaries). The additional language-switching key made the spacebar smaller and moved the comma to its right, under the N and exactly where I used my right thumb to hit the spacebar (and even then I'd occasionally hit the period), so I'm now putting commas instead of spaces everywhere and constantly having to backtrack and correct. This has changed the typing experience from dreary to outright miserable and pushed me from grudging acceptance to exasperation. I must find a solution - except there doesn't seem to be one in the WinPhone world, and Bluetooth keyboards (of which I'd gladly permanently MacGyver one to my phone, N900-style) are, needless to say, not supported at all.

Outside of the WinPhone world, a Huawei Y300 - essentially identical to the 520 hardware-wise but offering the many keyboards in the PlayStore and support for bluetooth ones out of the box - would cost me the princely sum of €90 - store-bought, even. Ever since I added the second language, every message or post I write on the 520 is increasing my temptation to buy one.

Do you have any compelling reasons for me to save the money and keep the 520? For instance, might the upcoming Black update add support for bluetooth keyboards, or relax the restrictions for software ones?

 

[neo158]

For the past few months I've been using a Nokia 520 I was given as a present. I've found it surprisingly useable and I'm not jumping up and down at the idea of replacing it; it's true that it has many less apps than Android, but what's available is sufficient for what I need it to do. There is, however, one big problem that's massively spoiling my experience: the lack of alternative keyboards.

I kinda got used to the stock keyboard, in an unenthusiastic sort of way, until I added another language (I'm in Italy but often visit English-speaking boards and subreddits so I need both predictive dictionaries). The additional language-switching key made the spacebar smaller and moved the comma to its right, under the N and exactly where I used my right thumb to hit the spacebar (and even then I'd occasionally hit the period), so I'm now putting commas instead of spaces everywhere and constantly having to backtrack and correct. This has changed the typing experience from dreary to outright miserable and pushed me from grudging acceptance to exasperation. I must find a solution - except there doesn't seem to be one in the WinPhone world, and Bluetooth keyboards (of which I'd gladly permanently MacGyver one to my phone, N900-style) are, needless to say, not supported at all.

Outside of the WinPhone world, a Huawei Y300 - essentially identical to the 520 hardware-wise but offering the many keyboards in the PlayStore and support for bluetooth ones out of the box - would cost me the princely sum of €90 - store-bought, even. Ever since I added the second language, every message or post I write on the 520 is increasing my temptation to buy one.

Do you have any compelling reasons for me to save the money and keep the 520? For instance, might the upcoming Black update add support for bluetooth keyboards, or relax the restrictions for software ones?

The Black update is Lumia only and has nothing to do with the OS so it won't relax restrictions on software keyboards. What apps do you use? Do they support landscape mode?

 

[mike13ftw]

I understand you . I have two languages one English and one Greek . In the first month I was typing always commas and i instead of o . Now i can type faster without that problems but still keyboard is worse than swift key from android .

 

[svenhassel]

I used to really miss Swype from my Windows Mobile years, but I got used to the one in WP. It?s the best "typing letter by letter" keyboard on any platform that I?ve tried (the 3 main ones).

 

[Iron Mew]

The Black update is Lumia only and has nothing to do with the OS so it won't relax restrictions on software keyboards.

What about Bluetooth ones?

What apps do you use? Do they support landscape mode?

All the typing I do is in landscape mode. I ditched the few apps that don't support it (whatever possessed the Evernote people?). The mere thought of using portrait mode gives me nervous tics.

I used to really miss Swype from my Windows Mobile years, but I got used to the one in WP. It?s the best "typing letter by letter" keyboard on any platform that I?ve tried (the 3 main ones).

I don't like qwerty-swiping boards. On Android I use Messagease, but I'd settle for something less extreme (like, I dunno, Thickbuttons) if it could be had on WinPhone.