MessagEase Stamp

AKA MessagEaseST or MEST!

the fastest text entry system for your Clié

For a complete description of the features

download MessagEaseST's manual at:

http://www.exideas.com/ME/MestManualLink.html

Version 1.4 (virtual stamp)
for Clies NR, NZ and NX series
April 24th, 2003
ExIdeas, Inc.
http://www.exideas.com

Copyright © 2003 ExIdeas Inc.

MessagEase, MessagEaseKB and MessagEaseST are trademarks of ExIdeas.

Find the folder corresponding to your Clié model and follow the instructions provided in that folder to install your virtual stamp.

(If your PDA does not have a virual Graffiti area (most PDAs are like that) please see our website for obtaining physical stamp overlays.

For your Clié NR series with Palm OS4.x:

1. Install MessagEaseST-1.xx.prc and X-Master.
2. Run X-Master and Check MessagEaseST.
3. Tap on “Configure” (or on K).

1. Install MessagEaseST5-1.x.x.prc
2. Tap on MEST5-1.x.x's icon to run MessagEaseST.
3. Tap and select MessagEase

Please consult our extensivePDF manual for many features of MessagEaseST.

Please also visit our website for updates and news on MessagEase

Also visit our Yanoo Users groups to share and exchange ideas

Why it works: MessagEaseST (Stamp) is a faster alternative to
Graffiti, providing the ideal interface to write full text on your PDA.

MessagEaseST uses the same revolutionary keyboard invented by ExIdeas, making entering text fast, intuitive, and easy. Visit
www.exideas.com for more information on MessagEase,
MessagEaseKB and MessagEaseST.

For a summary of the options and their description tap on the (i) button on the MessagEaseST Configure page.

While you can enjoy using MessagEase ST for about a month without registering for it, to continue using it beyond that Evaluation period you’ll need to register it. Please see the “Register” page (reached from the configure page) for further details.

The innovative and patent-protected ideas behind MessagEaseST renders its principle keys fewer, and their size larger. This in effect optimizes your stylus movement while entering text. Since the keys are fewer (to enter all letters, you essentially tap or drag on only nine keys) they are bigger and easier to target

Download MessagEase and MessagEaseKB (keyboard extension) if you have not done so already. These two programs are available for free. Both are complete with no expiration date. They demonstrate how you can learn and use the keyboards based on the innovative MessagEase technology. MessagEase includes a learning game to help you gain familiarity and speed. It also demonstrates MessagEase's language independence as it has Japanese (Katakana) capability.

How to enter text?

MessagEase's keyboard is based on fundamental ergonomic ideas, enabling you to enter frequent letters with single taps on relatively larger keys. You enter other letters and characters with single drags, starting anywhere on those large keys and dragging to one of 8 principal directions (top, top- right, right, etc.).

To enter the nine most frequent letters E, T, A, O, N, I, R, S, or H, just Tap on its button. For example, to enter "A" tap on the button marked A (the top-left button).

To enter letters U, P, B, J, D, G, C, or Q, drag from the center button (marked O) toward that letter. For example, to enter U, drag up from center button. You can start your drag from anywhere on the button, as
long as you drag to the direction defined by the center of that button to the position of that letter. To enter letters: V, L, X, M, F, W, Y, or K, drag from its button toward the center button. For example, to enter V, start from button A and drag diagonally, down-right. To enter Z, drag-right from button E.

The spacebar is the big green button in the middle. Tap on it to enter a space; drag down on it to enter a linefeed. The button with the left pointing arrow is the backspace button. Tap on it to backspace, drag right on it to delete the character to the right of the cursor.

Entering Capital Letters: Drag up on the R button to change to the Shift Mode. In this mode the very next character will be entered in upper case. Drag up twice to change the mode to Caps Lock. Drag down on
the same button to change the mode to lowercase. Following Palm OS's convention, MessagEaseST automatically capitalizes when a period, question mark, or exclamation mark is followed by a space.
On-Spot capitalization: You can also enter a capital letter by drawing a circle starting on any main key (ANIHORTES) or dragging and returning for any other letter (on-spot capitalization). You can tap on the numbers to enter them, or configure the circling feature to enter numbers from the letter keyboard (see the Set Up page).

Enter special characters by dragging on its location on the number keyboard (or the similar location on the letter keyboard). You can enter any special character found on a full computer keyboard just by a drag. For example, drag-left on button 3 to enter a "?".

Entering more special characters: You can combine 2 characters to enter special characters beyond those found on a regular computer keyboard using the Combine command (drag-up-left from button A). For example, for "ê" enter "e", then enter "^", then enter Combine (drag-up-left from button A). Alternatively, if you just enter a letter and then enter a Combine command, then next combined form of that letter will be entered. You can use this feature to enter all printable ASCII characters. MessagEaseSt also allows you to reprogram your special characters locations to contain any character you choose, thereby making it easier for you to enter your frequently-used accented or unusual characters. Please see our online manual for a complete list of all combined characters and for the instructions for programming your keyboard.

In addition to regular text, you can issue all common editing commands with a tap or drag by using the command button (The middle button, right on top of the button marked with the star). A right-drag on that button will issue a Copy command, and a down- right drag will issue a Paste command. You can also enter Command or Shortcut symbols using this button. You can even program some of keyboard locations with these commands or completely design and define your own set of elaborate editing (scripting) commands. (See our online manual for details.)

Memory: You can store and recall up to 200 frequently used phrases, paragraphs, or even chapters of unlimited length, for easy text composition. To store a text in Memory, enter it, highlight it, and then tap on the command button twice; and then tap or drag on a letter or character address (or one of the Star locations). To recall, tap on the command button, then tap or drag on the character address where you saved it. To recall from a Star location you don't need to tap the command button first. In addition to simple text, you can include commands or shortcut sequences in your saved Memories. These sequences will be executed upon recall. Please see our manual for details.

Set Up:

Use this setting to customize the behavior of your MessagEaseST keyboard:

Drag Size: You can change the minimum size of a drag. Specifying the drag length you prefer improves MessagEaseST’s drag recognition. If your taps sometimes get interpreted as drags, perhaps because they slip, specify a longer minimum drag size. On the other hand, if your drags are very short and are sometimes taken for taps, specify a shorter drag
size.

Circle ANI: By default, a circle starting on a main letter (ANIHORTES) produces the uppercase form of that letter (on-spot capitalization). You may, however, choose to have either a circle in the clockwise direction (cw:#) or a circle in the counter-clockwise direction (ccw:#) enter the corresponding number. For example setting this option to “cw:#” will let you enter the numeral “1” by drawing a clockwise circle on the “A” button. A counter-clockwise circle on that button will then produce an uppercase.

Drag on Arrows: This option configures the Up/Down arrow on the Command button to perform one of three functions: 1) Page: If you select this option, then a drag on the Up/Down arrow enters a Page Up/Page Down command. 2) Select: This option will change a drag on the Up/Down arrow to the select-to-start/end functions. 3) Field: If you select this option, a drag on the up/down arrow enters a previous/next field command.

Special Chars: You can select MessagEaseST’s default character set (“Default”), or define and use your own (“You Define”). (See the chapter on Programming Character Locations.) If you want to select your own character set, then you must select “Storable” so that you can program your own character set. Once done, it is prudent to lock your keyboard so that it is does not get accidentally overwritten. This can happen if, for example, you try to store a single character in a memory location while still in storable mode. At any time, you can tap on the Restore button. This will reset your character set to the default setting.