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Nexus One

How To: Install a Better Keyboard on your Nexus One

The Android software keyboard which ships with the Nexus One is very capable, but its international character support only covers the world’s more widely spoken languages and comes with fairly limited options for customisation. I’ve been on the lookout for a keyboard which supports Czech characters for a while now and tried out several solutions from the Android Market, none of which really impressed me enough to use as my default keyboard. I was pleasantly surprised however when I came across an XDA modified version of HTC’s Touch Input keyboard which turns out not only to support a much wider range of languages, but also allows greater degree of customisation than the stock Android keyboard which ships with the phone, something I didn’t realise I was missing out on until I tried it out.

After using Touch Input for a couple of weeks I’m impressed enough that even if I didn’t need Czech character support I’d still keep it as my default keyboard. Text prediction and word completion is very nicely implemented, and an extended settings menu offers an almost bewildering array of customisation options as well as a user dictionary and 3 different keyboard layouts. In addition to the Android keyboard’s language support, Touch Input also supports Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finish, Greek, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish and Turkish. 

To install Touch Input, download the zip file and follow these steps: (Or install using adb if you’re familiar with that method)

  • Unzip the downloaded file and copy HTC_IME.apk to your SD card. 
  • If you don’t have it already, install the apkInstaller app from the Android Market.
  • Open up the apkInstaller, find the HTC_IME.apk which you copied over to your SD card and install it.
  • Go to Settings > Language & keyboard and select ‘Touch Input’ to enable.
  • Open your keyboard (the stock Android Keyboard will appear). Press the ?123 key and select Input Method and then Touch Input from the popup dialogue.
  • Press the back key and then open the keyboard again and you should now see the HTC Touch Input keyboard.
  • Enjoy.
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A couple of days after we Google has officially announced the new Android application on their mobile blog. Showcased on the Nexus One the software will also be available for other devices running Android 2.1 or later versions.

As we hinted at last month, we knew Nexus One was going to be a great platform to showcase the rich (and technically demanding!) features of Google Earth. With a 1GHz processor, advanced 3D graphics, and Android 2.1, Nexus One packs a lot of performance in a thin package. Ever since we got our hands on one, we have been putting it through its paces, drawing complex scenes of 3D imagery, terrain, roads, and other layers, and Nexus One never misses a beat. Now that we have put the final touches on the app, we are happy to announce that the latest member of our family is ready for the world — Google Earth for Android. This is our fastest mobile version of Google Earth yet, with a smooth framerate and a beautiful 800 x 480 screen.

Full announcement on Google’s .

Google Earth has just appeared in the Android Market, and it looks for the moment like it’s Nexus One only. There’s been nothing from Google yet on their mobile blog about the release but with the application first being demoed at the Nexus One launch this would make sense. So Nexus One owners can now fly around the planet with the swipe of the finger, with the same 3D imagery available in the desktop version. It’s also possible to search by voice for cities places and businesses and browse all the layers of geo information Google has embedded into their Earth data.

Google Earth has just appeared in the Android Market, and it looks for the moment like it’s Nexus One only. There’s been nothing from Google yet on their mobile blog about the release but with the application first being demoed at the Nexus One launch this would make sense. So Nexus One owners can now fly around the planet with the swipe of the finger, with the same 3D imagery available in the desktop version. It’s also possible to search by voice for cities places and businesses and browse all the layers of geo information Google has embedded into their Earth data.

Flash demoed running in the browser on a Nexus One. Coming later this year with Flash for Android. [Thanks Gonçalo Silva]

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A preview of Opera Mobile running on a Nexus One at MWC in Barcelona. This is the full version of the Opera Browser as opposed to the already available Opera Mini. Thanks to Mobile Crunch.

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An early version of Opera Mobile 10 shown here running on a Nexus One at MWC. This Android version of Opera’s latest mobile browser is still in development but will bring the full Opera experience to Android, including speed-dial, turbo and tabs when released later this year. via AndroidGuys

An early version of Opera Mobile 10 shown here running on a Nexus One at MWC. This Android version of Opera’s latest mobile browser is still in development but will bring the full Opera experience to Android, including speed-dial, turbo and tabs when released later this year. via

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Google have announced their intention to increase support for game-development on the Android mobile platform. As a first step they will be presenting a number of Android sessions at the Game Developers Conference on March 9th and 10th in San Francisco. The sessions will aim to provide everything developers need to know about Android game development in Java or C++, with Android engineers being on-hand to answer any questions.

As an added incentive to get developers signed-up for the event Google, in partnership with the conference organisers, is offering complimentary handsets to attendees.

Google and GDC will also be providing complimentary Android phones to attendees who register for All Access or Tutorials and Summits passes by the Early Bird deadline of February 4, 2010. Qualified attendees will receive either a Nexus One or a Verizon Droid by Motorola, so they can quickly apply what they learn from the various Android sessions.

You can find out more details about the offer on the conference site. With seven out of the top ten most popular paid applications in the Android store being games, it could be worth a look for developers interested in the platform.

Truphone application provides VoIP for Nexus One

VoIP provider Truphone has announced that version 3.0 of its software will now be available for Android phones. The application allows users to place low cost international calls and free calls to other Truphone, Skype and Google Voice accounts when connected via Wi-Fi. It also offers IM for Skype, Google Talk, AIM, Yahoo, MSN and Twitter integration.

The application, is available as a free download direct to your phone from the Android Market.

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