Thai keyboard issue in iphone 3.0

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Level 1

8 points

Thai keyboard issue in iphone 3.0

I am not a native Thai speaker (writer), but I do send messages out in Thai. Unless I am missing something (likely) I cannot seem to find the upper (number) row of Thai letters on the iphone keyboard. The (Thai)numbers are available on the number screen, but there are 4 rows of letters usually. so the letters ๅภถุึคตจขช all seem to be missing. Also the general layout is cryptic at best. It is not possible to send a message without them. Maybe some method is published somewhere in Thai, but as I said my Thai is at a 3rd grade level at best, but I still need it.

iphone, iPhone OS 3.0, missing letters?

Posted on Jul 22, 2009 11:47 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,252 points

Jul 23, 2009 3:16 AM in response to lowmah

On iPhone keyboards you often need to hold down a key to generate a menu to select extra characters which might otherwise seem to be "missing". Try doing that with some of the Thai characters.

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Answer 2

Tootster

Level 1

12 points

Jul 23, 2009 6:29 PM in response to lowmah

Is there more than one Thai keyboard layout? I have all the characters...
Note that Thai keyboard layout on iPhone is different from the real physical keyboard. So even though there are only 3 rows of keyboard, all the characters are accounted for. The สระ are hidden in a button next to the spacebar. I actually like the iPhone keyboard layout better than the physical keyboard since I can't type without staring at the keyboard. iPhone keyboard actually makes more sense to me...

Here are some snapshots, you should find everything that you said was missing. Just a different layout, that's all.

!http://lh5.ggpht.com/ rTf6BgPuMdI/SmkJJHPbMVI/AAAAAAAAFWg/DRknJQpZvxg/IMG0766.PNG!

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Answer 3

Tootster

Level 1

12 points

Jul 23, 2009 6:24 PM in response to lowmah

!http://lh6.ggpht.com/rTf6BgPuMdI/SmkJKeUXQvI/AAAAAAAAFWk/nP2IoUDYssY/IMG0767.PNG!

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Answer 4

Tootster

Level 1

12 points

Jul 23, 2009 6:25 PM in response to lowmah

!http://lh4.ggpht.com/rTf6BgPuMdI/SmkJMCqC13I/AAAAAAAAFWo/jev6zzj9bH4/IMG0768.PNG!

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Answer 5

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,252 points

Jul 23, 2009 6:54 PM in response to Tootster

Here are some snapshots, you should find everything that you said was missing. Just a different layout, that's all.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/rTf6BgPuMdI/SmkJJHPbMVI/AAAAAAAAFWg/DRknJQpZvxg/IMG0766.PNG

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Answer 6

lowmah Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 24, 2009 7:26 PM in response to lowmah

Well, I guess I was wrong, they are all there, but I don't have the patience to check them. Getting older, my vision is less accurate and the letters are small. I find the keyboard impossible to use, especially with the vowels and tone marks are screwed up. Used the 5 row version but now it is broken and the Apple replacement is not useful for me. Leave it to apple to reinvent a keyboard for another culture...quite arrogant actually. I can, surprisingly, touch type Thai, in their standard keyboard, faster than I can translate or read it. A native Thai can probably adapt quickly enough, but now I am constrained to a painful hunt, hunt and peck and a steep frustrating learning curve that I am reluctant to commit to my already overburdened aging brain. It might not even be supported in the future anyway, been known to happen. Long live open source!!

Thanks for the prompt feedback though.

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Answer 7

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,252 points

Jul 25, 2009 3:06 AM in response to lowmah

Tell Apple your opinion about the layout here, so they can take it into account in future updates:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

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Answer 8

lowmah Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2009 9:28 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Actually, I would have thought that some Apple people would have read this and probably are already aware....maybe not, but My Bpen Lai (nevermind). With the new SMS virus about to hit and the already flaky SMS of 3.0, I have retired the phone in favor of an Android system. Using my N95 till I choose an HTC or Samsung. BTW, I put the Thai keyboard in front of several of my Thai (girl) friends, who are mobile addicts. They, unanimously, HATED the Thai layout. The Android Thai Keyboard in more normal.

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Answer 9

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,252 points

Jul 31, 2009 3:03 AM in response to lowmah

Actually, I would have thought that some Apple people would have read this

No, they have a special channel for that so they don't have to waste time reading through countless irrelevant messages in these forums, which are for user to user help.

They, unanimously, HATED the Thai layout. The Android Thai Keyboard in more normal.

Interesting info!

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