Chinese Input Methods For iPhone 2.0
August 10th, 2008
You’ve got the following options:
1. Apple
No additional installations, just several clicks on the Settings. But it’s very basic, i mean, in both features and Chinese character dictionary. No surprise at all, after you play it around for a while.
Use only when you’ve got no choice 
2.iCosta 1.2.3(in Chinese)
My choice now. Very stable, as good as it used to be before 2.0,from 1.0.x to 1.1.4.
Easy installation through Cydia is first to install their source from Sections->Repository(freecoder.org) then install your favorite IME from Sections->Localization.
3.WeFit iPhone 2.0(Chinese)
Still in very early development phase,but there’s already a release in Cydia. I Haven’t tried it yet. But i did use the old WeFit iPhone 1.1.x before when i was in 1.1.x. Works like a charm. If I’m right, WeFit iPhone 1.1.x is the first Chinese IME by which you can input character phase, other than character one by one. I may give the 2.0 version a try later when it’s out of beta.
If you are brave enough and can’t wait for a more mature release, you can get it from Sections->[WeiPhone] after enabling WeiPhone source from Sections->Repository.
4.iAcces(Chinese)
Initiated from the same dev group in HongKong who creates the previouse iphone 1.1.x IME NativeCN, now it has a brand new name and lots of cool features.
Very promising. I’m looking forward to its release. The only problem for now is you have to wait 
First Handwriting IME for iPhone Released
April 17th, 2008
Yes, the long-waited handwriting IME for iphone has been released. Source is here by ModMyifone.com.
I haven’t tried myself yet, but can’t wait to let you guys know it right now. Here’s the screenshot from MMI:
Even though it’s designed for chinese input specifically, it supports Latin alphabet input as well. Here’s how to intall:
add iphonecake.com/src/all to the Installer’s source list and then install ‘HWPen‘.
Last but not least, it’s still in beta, so as the one said, backup your /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.SpringBoard.plist, just in case…
Don forget to show your appreciation to the author mars1907, if you, by any chance, can be able to see him
iCosta 1.1.0 Is Done
March 9th, 2008
iCosta 1.1.0 finally supports phase input from now on, see pictures below(from icosta dev site).
Even though the private phase dictionary is still relatively small, better than nothing, anyway. Hopefully next iCosta could support self-learning(customization) on phase input, just like the WeFIT already does.
iCosta 1.0.5 for 1.1.3 Released
February 27th, 2008
I just learned that iCosta 1.0.5 for iphone 1.1.3 has been released. Even though i already had iCosta 1.0.4 working on my iphone based on George’s great tips, I still prefer to update to the *official* version. So i just add the http://iphone.freecoder.orge/rep to my installer’s sources and install iCosta 1.0.5 PinYin from the Localization category. Then shut off and on iphone and it’s done.
You may see that i haven’t uninstall the existed iCosta 1.0.4 before i install the new version, I know George has mentioned this how-to in his post as well, but, you know, just wanna find out how robust it could be 
After some small testing i should say iCosta 1.0.5 works fine for me until now. Since i don use Wubi(五笔), so the biggest improvement on 1.0.5 - adding the Wubi input method - does’t sound too much for me.
For now what I wanna most is the capability of entering a phase or sentense via PinYin, not just what it does now: one by one character input.
Actually i also know there’s a new Chinese input method called WeFit can meet my needs perfectly. and I’m gonna give it a try when the final version(now it’s in preview 6.1) is released soon. Below(WeFit PinYin) is exactly what i wanna most: phase input.
Check Out iPhone’s Firmware Updates History
January 29th, 2008
I’ve just collected all of the iphone’s published firmware features in one page here. So if you want to know what those ff version exactly means, either for fun or decision-making of whether or not to do the upgrade now, you may take a look.
And i’ll keep it up to date.
For me, I’ll do the 1.1.3 soft-upgrade once any Chinese IME(either iCosta or NativeCN) is ready for 1.1.3. Very soon, i guess.
My Top 10 3rd-Party Native Apps For iPhone
January 6th, 2008
There are tons of native apps for iphone already, no matter your ff is 1.0.x or 1.1.x. And there are tons of favorite app lists already by different people in different criteria. I don know how much you agree with them, but here’s mine. And the criteria is simple: free.
1.iCosta - the first native and system level Chinese input method. Absolutely No.1.
2.Installer - The one which makes the installation of following native apps pretty straightforward. A must, too.
3.MobileFinder - The first file system explorer and management tool. For me, most likely it works as kinda launcher
4.rSBT - The tool I used to re-arrange my springboard. Yes, i know SummerBoard. but I still prefer this one due to its simplicity and less resource requirement.
5.SMSD - Almost replaced my default SMS.app. And the author is keeping on working to make it better. I’ve talked it before.
6.Books - The ebook reader. Absolutely one of the first 3rd party native apps for iphone.
7.SwirlyMMS - The first and only MMS app for iphone until now. Even though it’s still lack of some key features like MMS receiving, it’s still worth to be in the list. And the feeling is great when I send the pictures to my friends successfully.
8.ScreenShot - A screen capture tool with GUI. Most of the pictures in this site are created by it, except the very early ones by the command tool.
9.TuneWiki - Lyrics showing while listening music. Very impressive, not only for its functions, but also for its idea of syncing lyrics by taking full use of the community. Only one thing, when can i see some Chinese song’s lyrics?
10.weDict - Dictionary, esp. for people whose mother language is not english. If you wanna know how to add your local dictionaries to weDict, read my previous post here.
One more thing, there’s some very valuable tools i didn’t cover, like jailbreaking toolkit and SSH server etc, because for most of iphone users they are transparent and hidden. Perhaps, that’s what foundation means
That’s it. Also, hackintosh has one sticky post talking about this. You may check it out if you are interested.
iCosta 1.0.4
December 22nd, 2007
I just installed the latest iCosta 1.0.4 for my 1.0.2 iphone from here(1.0.x). If yours is 1.1.x, please visit 1.1.2 or 1.1.1.
From the release notes i learn iCosta can now work with LumaQQ iPhone edition as well. I’m not a QQ user. If you are and happens to own an iphone, why not give it a try?
iCosta 1.0.0 Released
November 2nd, 2007
Several enhancements(news and pictures are both from the dev source site):
1. Keyboard layout fine tuned;
2. Related-Second character(联想) automatically displayed;
3. Wubi input method;
4. Landscape input mode;
5. Display the shift key correctly;
6. Tap space to enter the first related-second character;
7. Fix the unexpected shut down by disable auto-correction.
Leave the comment if you have a better translation of 联想输入
NativeCn: One More Chinse IME For iPhone
October 23rd, 2007
NativeCn is another chinese input method for iphone. It works only under fw 1.1.1 as said. Most latest build is 1.0.1 beta.
Compared with iCosta which i use in my iphone(1.0.2), NativeCn has more input methods like Traditional Chinese(繁体), Guangdong(粤语) even Japanese.
Installation steps:
1. Download NativeCn_1.01.zip;
2. Extract then copy the folder to iphone’s folder: Applications/
3. Set the execute permission by running:
cd /Applications/NativeCn.app
chmod +x ncn
The installer.app installation is under developing.
Since my ff is 1.0.2 then i haven’t got the chance to take a try on NativeCn yet. And i’m sure i will later, after an upgrade to 1.1.1.
iCosta:The First System-Level Chinese Input Method in iPhone
October 20th, 2007
Yeah! All chinese iphone owners can now enter chinese characters in any iphone applications now! Yes, you get it: a platform IME! COOL,right? :-):-):-)
Oh, I forgot its name: iCosta. And now version is 0.9.
If you use Installer (AppTApp), please launch Safari in iphone to visit here. Then follow the instructions and reboot your iphone;
If you use iBrickr, then download iCosta.pxl and install from your local disk. Don’t forget to reboot your iphone, either.
And the switch between en keyboard and ch is “.124” key. Try it out now! Time to say goodbye to my installed SMS chin apps now with much appreciation
