Typing in ZUNE player - an idea

[XellD]

Some time ago I thought up a feature that enables typing in ZUNE player. The writing I invented for the ZUNE is more similar to the writing used in mobile phones than to the one used on an iPod (shudder); I thought this would be more seminal because it holds the possibility to get a certain routine. Here is a link of a picture that illustrates this feature (though the explanation beneath is much better than the one underneath the linked picture): Typing in ZUNE player by ~XellD on deviantART


Similar to the writing in mobile phones, each key is assigned a certain number of letters. Since there are only the four direction keys that can be used for typing, each direction of the control wheel is assigned to 9 or 10 characters:

UP: Space, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h
RIGHT: i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q
DOWN: r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
LEFT: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Through hitting one of these directions the user browses through the available letters for the respective direction until the desired letter is selected. To confirm, he or she hits the CENTER button or another direction button or waits for 3 seconds so that the chosen character gets placed in the text field.

To delete the last letter, the user just hits the BACK key. Pressing and holding the BACK key closes the text field and takes the user back to where he or she was before.

A character that is just chosen but not yet confirmed appears semi-transparent at the end of the already written letters in the text field

To end the writing, the user just presses CENTER while no letter is chosen (BACK brings him back, in case he accidently hit BACK).



FOR EXAMPLE

Let's say I'd like to take a note saying "call mom", because it's her birthday today. So i just open the Notes in the ZUNE player (let's say there was such a feature), select new note, and the typing mode starts.



I hit UP four times to select "c" and confirm with CENTER.

I hit UP two times to select "a". (This time I do not need to hit CENTER because a letter is added automatically when I hit another key.)

I hit RIGHT four times to select "l" and confirm with CENTER.

I hit RIGHT four times to select another "l".

I hit UP once to select "SPACE".

I hit RIGHT five times to select "m".

I hit DOWN four times to select "u".

I hit RIGHT five times to select "m" and confirm with CENTER.

I hit CENTER again to leave the typing mode, save the note and thus I (hopefully) do not forget to call mum later that day



Well...however, I posted this suggestion over at Zune.net and some guy said I just should suggest my proposition here, so that people could use this kind of writing when developing games and applications for the ZUNE... so, tell me what you think.



Sincerely, yours XellD!

[lpxxfaintxx]

Heh, I actually saw this on DeviantArt and shared with the guys in a private forum.

[SimReality]

I think it would only work well if you also implemented a system like T9 into it. T9 being the feature of simple phone text input where it guesses what you are typing so you don't have to keep hitting a button to get the correct letter. So for example on a mobile phone you type 228 and it recognizes the word "cat" as opposed to you having to type 222 (pause so it knows you want a new letter) 28.

Of course that's near impossible with only four buttons since there are so many combinations to take into account. But without it I just don't see how this would be any more efficient than having an on screen keypad. But that's just my opinion.

[Anachostic]

I use a similar method where there are nine clusters of letters (like a cell phone) and you move an underline between groups of letters using the d-pad. You use center to select a letter, repeated centers cycle through the letters. Play button is Enter.

I think we'll see a lot of different implementations of typing before any favorite standard is set.

[omegagames]

I like it, but what if it was 3 tiered? Lets say each key is assigned 16 characters. You hit 'up' to go to the 16 character set (say a-p), which would move the letters in groups of 4 graphically to each of the directions (so now up is abcd, right is efgh, etc). Then you hit it again and each character has exactly one letter. It would take exactly 3 presses per letter, but I imagine you could be decently fast at that (though yes, a little slower than a phone w/o T9). You would be able to have 64 characters at once, or you could dedicate one 1st level direction to another task (maybe a text menu?) and still have 48 -- enough for the whole alphabet, 10 numbers, and 12 characters.

Of course, another idea is make it two tiered, then on the second tier just repeatedly press the button.

I like the idea of a T9 library with some standard file that has a custom content processor though. It could definitely be used with either of the above methods, but I'm not 100% sure how would work best...

I think I might have to work on this after my current project either fails or gets done. Fun things to play with.

[unknown005]

whoa, omega i literally just had the same type of idea this morning. i posted it in the ZIM thread though, cuz i was annoyed by the slowness of typing in it, the one program i ever used that had any text input.

ever played quest 64, by chance? that's what inspired me, but now i feel like i'm gonna get accused of stealing your idea

[omegagames]

can't say i have... but by all means go ahead. I've got too much to do as it is! I might still go ahead and write it anyway though...