:( no fair do you guys have special keyboards too right in kanji:( - Feed Post by marabean
:( no fair do you guys have special keyboards too right in kanji:(
posted by marabean
Comments 12
I don't but you can do the whole google translate thing. It may not be a good way to learn, but if you want to impress, you can translate a phrase, then copy and paste. At least until you can get a special keyboard for kanji
ARUMIN!!!
kekkou a few seconds ago
Windows Ultimate, iPods and iPads provide complimentary, multi-lingual keyboards. Others just use translation software and websites.
Google IME can be used as well
There was a thread below that described the many options. Just look for TokiDoki's post
this is a great virtual Japanese keyboard, no install: http://gate2home.com/Japanese-Keyboard
If you are on a MAC (not sure about windows) you can just go under language and change it to Japanese Hiragana, its that simple.- To be clear: No, we don't have special keyboards! You don't need a special keyboard to write kanji.
Virtual keyboard websites are very pointless if you are on a computer, unless maybe you are not allowed to install anything.
You can install the proper thing you need to type Japanese on your own keyboard, within like 60 seconds... What you need to install is called an 'IME', which turns the romaji you type on your keyboard into kana and kanji.
Google IME is probably the best and easiest to use. All you need to do is follow these very short instructions:
Download page = http://www.google.co.jp/intl/ja/ime/download.html
On that page, click the install button '同意してインストール'. It should download and install itself automatically. Once the installation is complete, just click '閉じる' to exit. ^^
On your taskbar there should be a language bar. There should now be some new icons for turning Japanese input on/off. Make sure it's turned on, start typing romaji, and it should turn into hiragana. :) 
I don't know about Google Ime, I've just added Asian languages when I installed Windows and switch to Japanese keyboard when I need to.- Yeah, I also had been using Microsoft IME for a long time, but recently I've switched to Google IME.
Microsoft IME is very old and doesn't really get updated at all. It is pretty sturdy and does the job, but the configuration menus are a bit awkward for setting it up how you want.
Google IME is new and is actively being worked on. The menus are much more clear, so configuring it is easier. It does virtually everything that Microsoft IME does, but also has some very helpful extra features. If you try it out though, you might be like me and think it's almost exactly the same and pointless to change to, because some of these cool features are not in-your-face obvious.
Some of the nice extra features of Google IME:
・When you switch between hiragana/katakana/alphanumeic input modes, an icon pops up at the cursor to show you which one you've changed to (no need to look down at language bar).
・Word/phrase prediction -- As soon as you start typing, the conversion drop down box is visible (instead of waiting until you press Space). This drop down box not only shows conversions but also predictions of what you might be trying to type. For example: If you type 'ありがと' it will suggest things like 'ありがとうございます'.
・If you type a base form of a verb, 'たべ' for example, then press TAB (not Space, which does the normal thing), then it gives you around a hundred word completion predictions in the drop down box to select from. It will suggest useful things like 食べる, 食べた, 食べましょう, 食べたい, etc.
・If you type in certain special words the press Space, the conversion drop down list contains very interesting clever results:
いま = 今, 03:07, 午前3時7分, ...
きのう = 昨日, 2014-05-20, 2014年5月20日, 平成26年5月20日, ...
ことし = 今年, 2014, 2014年, 平成26年, ...
みぎ = 右, →, ⇨, ▶, ...
・Type 'heart' (in English input), highlight it, and then with IME turned on press the 'reconvert' key... It will suggest the following: ハート, Heart, heart, ♡, ♥, （♥ω♥）, ...
Other examples: 'computer' reconverts to 'コンピュータ'; 'beer' reconverts to 'ビール'; 'Jack Sparrow' reconverts to 'ジャック スパロウ'; ...
There's loads of cool stuff like this, and because it has Google's AI built in it does a decent job of predicting what you're wanting to type. Definitely recommend it over neglected old MS IME. ^^ - Sounds interesting, it may predict the kanji better than Microsoft, I will give it a try. Thanks. :)
- The handwriting option is really cool with google IME
