BlackBerry Pearl’s Chinese Input Method Support #1

By k | January 20th, 2007 | 21 Comments »
BlackBerry Pearl’s Chinese Input Method Support #1

BlackBerry Pearlzhongguo.gif
Well, I searched in forums, blogs, boards, where ever there might be a hint or hack to get this work. None! But as you all know my Pearl needs to get Chinese support soon. Changing the BlackBerry OS to the HK CSL (which has Chinese character support) was relatively easy. Hoping that “Chinese character support” means I can use Chinese characters was false. That support is only meant to make the Pearl able to show Chinese characters. OK, that is more than before but not enough. Being able to read see Chinese characters does not mean you can write them. As of now, there is no BlackBerry OS 4.2 available that supports at least one of the Chinese input methods. HK CSL, Singapore Telecom, Smartone-Vodafone and more were tried. We even tried to hack some files of the BlackBerry OS to get the chinese input method from the 7290 (which we upgraded successfully to the HK CSL BlackBerry OS before) work with the Pearl.

We will keep on looking for a solution for our Pearl users that are located in China and want to get real Chinese character support – like we do.


  • rex

    hi, came across your site on BB chinese input, i’m checking for my user on chinese input support and i rangup one of telco in singapore and the tech guy said chinese input is supported on 8707/8700 series phones….could you confirm via below link ?

    1010.hkcsl.com/download/blackberry/Setting_Up_BlackBerry_Chinese_Input_Methods.pdf

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    I have read on a lot of forums and have seen the Chinese Input Method from the BlackBerry OS 4.1 on a 7290. As there is no big difference in the OS between the 72xx and 87xx models (all have a full QWERTY keyboard) the Chinese Input Method is available for the 87xx series.

    Try to install the most recent BlackBerry OS 4.1 from HKCSL:

    BlackBerry Downloads for Individuals

    If you need help on how to upgrade your OS please take a look to:

    Upgrading the BlackBerry OS

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/2007/02/16/no-chinese-input-method-for-the-blackberry-pearl/ BlackBerryInsight » No Chinese Input Method for the BlackBerry Pearl

    [...] Related Links: BlackBerry Pearl’s Chinese Input Method Support #1 Buying a BlackBerry Pearl in Hong Kong BlackBerry in China [...]

  • tim

    just purchased a bb pearl from Cingular, just got it unlocked, and changed OS to HKCSL, still cannot view Chinese character. anyone can help?

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    Hi Tim,

    you must activate the “Chinese Character Support” in the “Application Loader” of your “BlackBerry Desktop Manager”. It is also essential that you installed the Chinese version of the HKCSL BlackBerry OS as they also have an English version which does come with Chinese fonts.

  • tim

    I already checked the boxes right beside “Chinese character support” in apps loader, supposedly, that would activate language support. surprisingly, still not working well. I also noticed that even after reinstallation to HKSCL OS, my phone is still Cingular set up.

  • Song Zhao

    Which Service provider do you have? and when you installed HKCSL OS, did it lock you to the Hongkong cell service? I have an AT&T/Cingular Pearl, I’m affraid that if I flush the OS to HKCSL I won’t be able to make phone calls again. I just need the Chinese viewing support. Thanks

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    I am using China Mobile and have no problems in making phone calls. Even if you would experience some you always switch back to your old OS ;)

  • Cali

    Quick question.

    Will installing the CSL OS with Chinese work if I live in the US and am on T-Mobile not Cingular/AT&T? I have a Blackberry Pearl, but often get messages from friends/family in China and am frustrated that I cannot view them with my BB. I am worried that installing the new OS will turn my BB into a expensive paper weight.

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    Short answer.

    Yes, it will work.

  • Jia

    Hi, you can go to handago.com get a application:”METAmessage Language Support (annual) 20% discount! NOW also Japanese Input” it’s 95 dollars a year for blackberry pearl, you can read and even typing chinese on your phone. that is easy, and one of my friend is useing that.

  • ed

    I don’t have anything to add to this thread other than to inquire whether or not any further progress has been made regarding this issue Chinese character display and input for the Pearl. It isn’t pressing that I have this ability, but would love to if I can. I’ve looked some at the handango offering, but I’m not convinced about that. Is anyone else using this product?

  • TK

    I had a Blackberry Curve 8800 with Rogers in Canada as provider. How can I read the chinese character on the e-mail?
    Appreciate

  • TZ

    To those of your who installed Hong Kong version of Blackbarry OS and still can’t see Chinese characters, please launch the AppLoader again and this time, check all the option boxes for components to install. The AppLoader won’t install Chinese language pack by default. You have to select them. On my laptop, I can’t even read what those components are as they are all ?????, but I checked them anyway and it worked. I can read Chinese characters though still no input methods.

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    You should install chinese characters on your Windows PC as well :)

    It is actually pretty easy: Visit a chinese site (like http://cn.blackberryinsight.com/ with your Internet Explorer (not Firefox, Opera, or another browser) and you will be asked to install Chinese characters. By confirming this, the Chinese character set for Windows will be downloaded and installed to your desktop PC kind of automatically.

    After a restart – I guess – you should be able to see Chinese characters; even in the BlackBerry desktop manager :)

  • lyhb

    Well, I followed the instructions on this page as close as I possibly could for my Pearl 8100. All Chinese language options I need were explicitly selected at the apploader time. Everything seemed to be completed successfully. But I just do not see “Chinese” listed under Settings->Option->Language, both Language and Input Language. Ironically I see “Chinese Simplified” under Voice Dialing Language. Btw, the file I downloaded is HK CSL’s 8100 OS (8100C_PBr4.2.1_rel179_PL2.3.0.85_A4.2.1.108_CSL)

    Earlier on, I tried the BB AT&T (my carrirer) download (8100C_PBr4.2.1_rel154_PL2.3.0.78_A4.2.1.96_AT&T), which is supposed for Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Well, the same result.

    After a few rounds, my apploader quit on me by complaining “Blakberry Desktop Manager does not have Blackberry Device Software for the device that you have connected to the computer…”. Thankfully my phone still works. I am now scratching my head for a solution that I would really, really like to have by tomorrow.

    Thanks for any help you may lend.

  • http://www.blackberryinsight.com/ k

    You need to delete the Vendors.xml like mentioned in the linked article.

  • lyhb

    yes, I did.

  • Yifan

    I was trying to figure out why my 8GB microsdhc card was only recognized as 4GB and stumbled onto this.

    https://www.blackberry.com/hhupgrade/

    Input your BB PIN, found in Options under Status.
    Now choose the correct PPT EMR Patch for your phone (mine is ATT 8310 Curve).
    Now you will have at least download options: Multilanguage or Japanese, Korean, Chinese.

    I didn’t bother w/ the multi-language and went straight for the chinese.

    Installation took quite some time but it worked.

    Good Luck!

  • Yifan

    Oh, forgot to mention, even though my BB can display chinese now, you still can’t input the characters. Maybe some third party will develop an application for that in the future.

  • happy

    5fl K thank u soooo much i been tried soo many time doesnt work , but your tips is work , thank u .




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