GetWindow () setSoftInputMode (WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_ALWAYS_VISIBLE). can help you. Please note that there are Android devices with hardware keyboards. eg. GoogleTV devices often do not have a touch screen, but a hardware keyboard. Some of them even emulate a touch screen.
This is relevant if you are developing an emulator:
http://plainoldstan.blogspot.com/2010/09/android-set-focus-and-show-soft.html
"When I experimented, I didn’t get what I wanted, until I realized that I should have an emulator device without a hardware keyboard:"
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