About Enterprise Keyboard

Enterprise Keyboard 2.0

Overview

Enterprise Keyboard is a soft input device that's designed to provide the most productive means possible of inputting data into Zebra devices. Building on the stock Android keyboard, Enterprise Keyboard provides programmable keys, can switch quickly between languages and key layouts, and has the ability to scan barcode data directly into an application using any of the device's scanners.

Enterprise Keyboard (1.1 and higher) can be configured in the following ways:

  • Manually on the device
  • Remotely using StageNow and the UI Manager service
  • Remotely through a company's own enterprise mobile management (EMM) system (if supported by that system)

Enterprise Keyboard makes use of the Android Personal Dictionary for spelling corrections and shortcut substitutions, and permits the dictionary to be easily populated with industry-specific terms to help improve the speed and accuracy of keyboard input. A custom dictionary can be populated in bulk and mass-deployed through Zebra's Mobility Extensions (MX) and StageNow tools.

This version of Enterprise Keyboard includes the following languages:

  • English (UK)
  • English (US)
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • Russian

Learn more about:

New in v2.0

Supported Devices

EKB 2.0 comes pre-installed on the following Zebra devices running Android 8.x Oreo:

  • MC33
  • PS20
  • TC51
  • TC51 Healthcare
  • TC52
  • TC56
  • TC56 Healthcare
  • TC57
  • TC70x
  • TC72
  • TC75x
  • TC77
  • VC80x

See all supported Zebra devices.

Added Features

  • Escape key support - allows the ESC key to be remapped to an ASCII or Unicode character or to an EMOJI symbol or to function normally. About key remapping.
  • Multi-user Mode - supports deployment of Primary and Secondary Users, the latter of which are blocked from making EKB settings changes on the device. Supported only on SDM660-platform devices running Android 8.x Oreo.

Unique EKB features

All versions of Enterprise Keyboard offer these other unique capabilities to help improve the speed and accuracy of input:

Switch layouts with taps or swipes across the keypad:
The Tab bar can be set to automatically hide away, maximizing screen space for applications.

Scan directly with the Barcode tab to collect data where and when it's needed: The scan tab displays a scanner button for in-app data acquisition from barcode(s).

Input long-press characters with a finger-flick of the main key: High-contrast key colors are visible in all lighting conditions.

Quickly page through selected languages using the "globe" key:

Design custom key layouts easily with six (6) remappable keys: Shown here with the EMOJI key (upper two layouts) and other default key assignments.

View the keyboard indoors or out thanks to a specially designed color scheme:
Enterprise Keyboard:

Stock Android keyboard:

Version History

Changes in v1.9

Behavior Corrections:
  • Auto-capitalization now works properly after navigating away from the alpha keyboard prior to typing.
  • Keyboard pop-ups no longer disappear when swiping from alpha to symbol layouts and back.

Added in v1.8

NOTICE: Enterprise Keyboard comes preinstalled on Zebra devices running Android 7.x Nougat and higher. For supported pre-Nougat devices, EKB is added as a LifeGuard patch. See download page for more information.

Supported Devices

EKB 1.8 adds support for (and comes preinstalled on) the following devices:

  • WT6000 N

Added Features

  • The Symbol Key P1 can be remapped to an ASCII or Unicode character or to an EMOJI symbol.
  • The Text Correction suggestion bar remains visible whenever voice input key is enabled, even if no corrections are suggested.
  • If voice input is disabled, correction suggestions (if enabled) appear only when typing.

Discontinued Features

  • Personalized suggestion and Next Word suggestion features have been removed
    (Text Correction suggestion and other Personal Dictionary features are unaffected).

Added in v1.7

Enterprise Keyboard 1.7 comes pre-installed on Zebra devices running Android 7.x Nougat and higher.

Supported Devices

EKB 1.7 is certified on the following Zebra devices running Android 7.x Nougat:

  • MC33
  • TC51
  • TC51 Healthcare
  • TC56
  • TC56 Healthcare
  • TC70x
  • TC75x
  • VC80x

For more information and device options, see the download page.

Added in v1.6

New settings in the Preferences panel:

  • Navigation controls the means of navigating between keyboard layouts. "Tabs" mode permits switching layouts by swiping across a layout (to bring up the adjacent one) or tapping directly on the desired layout tab. The tab bar is visible at all times except when word corrections (if enabled) are being displayed. "Keys" mode permits keys to be used for switching layouts. Such keys are typically in the lower-left corner of the layout.

  • Tab configuration allows a user or administrator to enable or disable the numeric, alphanumeric, symbol and/or scan key-layout tab(s), hiding them from view and preventing display of the corresponding layout.

  • Select prefer tab causes the selected tab to appear whenever EKB is invoked.

Navigation and Tab configuration features are supported only on devices with MX 7.1 and higher.

See the EKB 1.6 download page for a list of supported devices.

Added in v1.5

New device support:

  • MC40 KK
  • TC55 KK
  • TC75x KK, L, M
  • TC8000 L
  • WT6000 L

Added in v1.4

The downloadable soft keyboard was certified for use on the following Zebra devices running Android 6.x Marshmallow:

  • ET50
  • ET55
  • TC51
  • TC56
  • TC70x
  • TC75x

Support for MX 6.3 and the "Loadable" Personal Dictionary, which can be bulk-loaded from a file of custom terms.

Added in v1.3

Support for the Zebra ET50 and ET55 tablet devices running Android.

See the EKB 1.3 download page for a complete list of supported devices.

Added in v1.2

A Calculator Mode arranges numerical keys for input with financial apps:

A Telephone Mode arranges numerical keys like a phone:

New portrait layouts cater to tablets and wearables such as the ET50/ET55 and WT6000:


A Flick Enable/Disable switch simplifies control of this time-saving input feature:

Supports dynamic selection of text- and scan-tab focus to match the desired input:


How to Get It

Enterprise Keyboard comes pre-installed on supported Zebra devices.

For more information, see the download page or contact a Zebra representative or partner.