Edit: realizing this is the PinePhone section (because the posts so far seem to be focussed more on the PineBook somehow), I don't think anyone should worry about the different layouts on the PinePhone keyboard.
We're used to having to deal with different layouts on phones, and this post should only be considered a reference.
That's the problem with especially Japanese keyboards, it's just too different from a US QWERTY keyboard.
To give one example:
![[Image: iIdjCdp.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/iIdjCdp.jpg)
For context:
・カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 (katakana/hiragana/latin alphabet key) enables/disables IME mode (same as CTRL + space).
・変換 (convert key) swaps between different kanji versions of the word you just typed in (same as tapping space after typing).
・無変換 (unconvert key) changes modes between hiragana/kanji, katakana-only, and katakana half-width only input if IME is enabled and not yet typing, converts to these in the same order mid-typing, and does nothing if IME is disabled.
・英数 (alphanumeric key) switches between Japanese and English inputs without disabling IME, does nothing if IME is disabled. So if you need to enable caps lock, you'll need to hold shift while pressing this key.
・半角/全角/漢字 (full width/half width/Chinese character key) key is the same as the カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 key.
These are all based on Fcitx + mozc, they will differ if you're using a different OS or IME.
For example, on Windows the カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 key only enables IME, but won't disable.
To disable IME input, you'll need to press the 英数 key.
Other differences are the notably smaller space key (to sacrifice for the extra keys that don't exist on other keyboards), there are 4 keys between M and Shift instead of 3, and 3 keys instead of 2 between 0 and Backspace.
Don't worry about the placement of symbols, software keyboard layouts can handle them already.
And don't worry about the Japanese characters, nobody is typing that way nowadays anyway.
We're used to having to deal with different layouts on phones, and this post should only be considered a reference.
That's the problem with especially Japanese keyboards, it's just too different from a US QWERTY keyboard.
To give one example:
For context:
・カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 (katakana/hiragana/latin alphabet key) enables/disables IME mode (same as CTRL + space).
・変換 (convert key) swaps between different kanji versions of the word you just typed in (same as tapping space after typing).
・無変換 (unconvert key) changes modes between hiragana/kanji, katakana-only, and katakana half-width only input if IME is enabled and not yet typing, converts to these in the same order mid-typing, and does nothing if IME is disabled.
・英数 (alphanumeric key) switches between Japanese and English inputs without disabling IME, does nothing if IME is disabled. So if you need to enable caps lock, you'll need to hold shift while pressing this key.
・半角/全角/漢字 (full width/half width/Chinese character key) key is the same as the カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 key.
These are all based on Fcitx + mozc, they will differ if you're using a different OS or IME.
For example, on Windows the カタカナ/ひらがな/ローマ字 key only enables IME, but won't disable.
To disable IME input, you'll need to press the 英数 key.
Other differences are the notably smaller space key (to sacrifice for the extra keys that don't exist on other keyboards), there are 4 keys between M and Shift instead of 3, and 3 keys instead of 2 between 0 and Backspace.
Don't worry about the placement of symbols, software keyboard layouts can handle them already.
And don't worry about the Japanese characters, nobody is typing that way nowadays anyway.
母語は日本語ですが、英語も喋れます（ｒｙ
