Over the next few weeks I will be documenting some of the changes that every blind
Samsung Galaxy S3 user should consider doing to improve their experience. These include
changing the default input method, installing nova launcher and configuring a number of
other settings on the phone.
First out of the gate is to get rid of the barely functional
samsung on-screen keyboard and replacing it with the stock 1 that comes from google. Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t made this as easy as they could
because they haven’t left the google input method on the phone. However, this isn’t a complete roadblock, we will download a copy of it and re-install it into the phone.
I am doing this on a samsung galaxy S3 with jellybean installed. If you haven't already
upgraded to jellybean on your S3, do that before continuing
Here are the instructions for changing your keyboard on the
S3 running JellyBean
- Download the android keyboard file
- Connect your S3 and copy the apk file to your downloads folder
- Go to my files,sd card, downloads and double
tap the LatinImeGoogle_signed.apk file - if you haven’t enabled install unsigned
apps, a dialog will pop up and you need to do the following: click settings, scroll down to
on the security screen to check “enable unknown apps” and than hit back until
you get to the LatinImeGoogle_signed.apk file again; and double tap, - tap the install
- when install is done, go to settings, language and input
- Check the “ android keyboard, english US
- click default and set this as your default keyboard
Voila, a much
more screen reader friendly keyboard on your S3
Thank you for this!!! The spacing is so much more fitting than the samsung stock keyboard is!
Do you now of a way to manually “add-on dictionaries”to the android stock keyboard?
Some JB users say that with the stock android keyboard, they were able to type the now android-visible emojis using keywords. But first, they had to “add-on” a the “Emoji for Engish words” dictionary within the settings.
Now I have the android keyboard on my s3, but I am not seeing this option (which is usually situated right above the “Auto correction” options, as seen here: http://phandroid.com/2012/08/30/tips-tricks-heres-a-quick-list-of-a-few-jelly-bean-emojis/ ). There must be a way! Please let me know 🙂
And thank you again,
Dara
Update: I would highly recommend that instead of using the stock keyboard from android you switch to
Jellybean keyboard prohttp://is.gd/1j8GJo
or
the free version; JellyBean Keyboardhttp://is.gd/g4ll71.
This keyboard works fantastically with talkback. It is completely configurable. You can set the layout, size, spacing and color of keys and the keyboard itself. Most useful is the ability to set it so that the volume rocker can be used to control the cursor within the edit field. This is extremely convenient as it allows you to use the volume up to go back a character and the volume down to go forward a character within any edit field when the keyboard is visible. I also set it to show a number row above the letter row on the keyboard and give a much louder key press sound when typing.
Hello. I got a Samsung S4 Mini on Saturday. Can I follow the same rules to install the android keyboard on my S4 mini? I managed to do it up to the point where I have to select it as my default keyboard. My phone doesn’t want to untick the samsung keyboard. Any advice would be apreciated. My email is morne@mb-net.co.za
Yes, it should still work.
Although, I highly recommend you check out my article on the Jellybean Keyboard Pro, as it is vastly superior than the stock keyboard.