I don’t get it, I have a new Blackberry Pearl and have been enjoying getting used to its predictive typing system, SureType, but all of a sudden my phone is now into the same annoying multiple-keypress input system that my pre-Pearl phone forced me to use. How do I switch back to the predictive SureType system?
I have suffered through the exact same frustration too, so I know exactly of what you speak. My problem is that I wasn’t sure what to call the predictive typing system on the Blackberry Pearl, so I searched Google for “predictive typing”, “t9 input” and even the “ABC” that’s displayed on the Pearl screen if you’re in what Blackberry calls “multi-tap input mode”.
For the record, it’s not “T9” on this phone and there’s no reference to “predictive typing” in the 240 page User’s Guide either. You need to search for SureType[tm, of course] to find anything at all.
The solution is oddly tucked away in the Language settings of the phone. Here’s how I switched out of Multitap and into SureType on my own cellphone:
- Go to the main applications view on the Pearl.
- Choose Options (it’s the little crescent wrench icon) and select it.
- Scroll down to Language and click the trackball.
- Under “Input Language” you want to either select your language with Multitap (to enable Multitap) or without (which puts you into SureType mode). For example, I selected English (United States) to get SureType.
- Now just click the menu button and select Save and you’re back to normal.
I hope that helps you get out of this weird mode. I have to say that I am amazed at just how well the predictive typing capability works too!
In the middle of typing a message press Menu and select Multitap.
This is without doubt the most useful tip I have found on the internet in my search for solutions for dealing with the many foibles of the Black Berry. You saved me hours of searching and possibly trying solutions that could have ruined my phone.
Many thanks.
Dave–
I was having so much trouble with the keyboard that had switched to predictive typing and I couldn’t even text. I tried the suggestions of easy switching but your comment at the type was what did it. Thanks so much — now I can text!!
Thank you soooo much! My 18 month old got a hold of my cell phone and switched it. I was going crazy until I found this website and your help:-)
Thanks for this help. I have pushed a button and switched Suretype off but cant find it but the option language option does work. The shift button does not work. For those of us who use it a lot it does learn so you add words. 8110 over 2 years old now.
hi dave, u r really legend bro.u solved my blackberry pearl multi tap problem.i appreciate u.thanks for that.