On-screen Keyboard UBoard Still Rocks
Way back in 2005 I reviewed an on-screen keyboard utility for the Sony U that was great. UBoard was a keyboard designed by Nostram Studios, now defunct, that made text entry on the 5-inch screen of the Sony U very easy to do.
This weekend I was working with the Viliv S5 UMPC and remembered UBoard and wondered if it was still around anywhere and if it would work on the S5. I am happy to report a resounding yes to both of those questions.
When UBoard is run it puts a QWERTY keyboard on the screen to allow text entry into any program. UBoard is translucent (configurable) and most importantly it automatically resizes to fit the width of the screen when invoked. This means it works in both landscape and portrait orientation, something the pre-installed Viliv keyboard does not do.
UBoard- image from 2005 review
The designer who produced UBoard never made a go of it and allowed the program, which is donationware, to be hosted online. Diligent searching took me back to the Sony U Yahoo Group (membership required) where I found the program. I installed it and am excited to report it works fine so far on the Viliv S5. It sits on top of any window on the screen (you can see through it) and text entry is as simple as tapping the keys. An optional key click duly gives feedback when a key is pressed. I am really enjoying using UBoard once again after all this time, and I’ll bet it will work on any Windows XP-based UMPC with a passive touchscreen.
Can you host the file or provide a download link that doesn’t require signing up? My S5 is arriving today and I want to give this a try.
No, we don’t have the resources nor permission to host the file.
Do you lose the haptic feedback?
Yes you do but you can configure it to give feedback every time you touch the screen so you get it back.
Onfolio, James? Still? It’s an amazing piece of software, but MS has just let it languish for years.
Cool to see the UBoard again, though I didn’t remember the name. That you can type without covering the screen is very cool.
Onfolio was an amazing program that was bought by MS and taken off the market. What a shame. BTW, I had to really look at that screenshot to see where you saw that.
I had totally forgotten about good old Onfolio.
I suggest having a look at Zero Weight Keyboard. It has similar features to UBoard, but is under active development:
http://www.freshnet8.com/
The ZWK looks pretty cool but from what I’ve seen I think uBoard might be more flexible. I don’t like how the ZWK seems to take the entire screen and typing is done blind as you can’t see the text appear.
Has anyone been able to download this program from the Sony U Yahoo Group? I have been trying for over a day, and they still haven’t “accepted my membership”. I am just a terrible person, or are others having a long wait also. Perhaps, if this group is such a cloistered community, it was not fair to post their group here, since I am sure that a large number of people would see it and go to their site. When you read the information on their website, they seem to make it clear that they do NOT want “casual” reader to apply!
Unfortunately this is the only place to get the file I am aware of. This program was written for the Sony U and thus the author posted it in this group.
Perhaps the group is not very active given the Sony U is not a current gadget?
James, have a look at the readme for ZWK. The transparency is adjustable – as well as colours, fonts, layouts, size, and just about everything else.
Thanks for an actual usable keyboard: ZWT works great and obtainable by everyone.
I can’t download this from the Sony U Yahoo Group. But yesterday I’ve found new feature in Hot Virtual Keyboard: “Added new on-screen keyboard types FullScreen1024, FullScreen1440″.
http://hot-virtual-keyboard.com/
Is it cool or something wrong?
Does anyone have a decent WPM figure for an onscreen keyboard…? Is it much, much better for typing with the UMID, or could you possibly keep up on the S5?
James,
I think I found a copy of UBoard buried inside a CarPC tool package. Can you verify if this is the same UBoard you are using? Download CFX_Tools.zip at http://www.mobile-effects.com/skins-138.html
Thanks.
I haven’t run it but it’s by the same guy.
Thanks James. Are you still planning to be at Coffee Groundz this afternoon? I would like to have a look at the Viliv S5 in person.
Yep, should be there about 2 – 4 today.
James, I saw you got the Viliv keyboard button to run uBoard instead of the Viliv keyboard. How did you manage that?
Right-click on the Viliv keyboard icon in the tray, deselect Use.
Right-click on the uBoard icon. Select Properties. Put the cursor in the Shortcut Key field. Press the keyboard h/w button.
That’s it.
Fantastic. Thank you.
Now if you could work out how to stop the keys lighting up….
How do you get to the UBoard configuration screen?
Right-click on the keyboard icon in the tray.
Hmm…I don’t see the UBoard keyboard icon in the tray. The only keyboard icon is for the Viliv soft keyboard.