diff --git a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index bdd9495..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 63015ec..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png b/java/res/drawable-hdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
deleted file mode 100644
index a62daf9..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-hdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ea5692..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 83cb653..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png b/java/res/drawable-mdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 3639363..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-mdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 9d797ed..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_close_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png b/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 88d01c9..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/btn_expand_candidates_pane.9.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png b/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
deleted file mode 100644
index cd7c2c7..0000000
--- a/java/res/drawable-xhdpi/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider.png
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/java/res/layout/candidate_divider.xml b/java/res/layout/candidate_divider.xml
index 7481630..a1059dc 100644
--- a/java/res/layout/candidate_divider.xml
+++ b/java/res/layout/candidate_divider.xml
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@
 */
 -->
 
-<ImageView
+<TextView
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="wrap_content"
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
-    android:src="@drawable/keyboard_suggest_strip_divider"
+    android:text="@string/label_candidate_divider"
+    android:textSize="@dimen/candidate_text_size"
+    android:gravity="center"
     android:padding="0dp"
     android:focusable="false"
-    android:clickable="false"
-    android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal" />
+    android:clickable="false" />
diff --git a/java/res/layout/candidate_word.xml b/java/res/layout/candidate_word.xml
index 7b6db2f..b711e8f 100644
--- a/java/res/layout/candidate_word.xml
+++ b/java/res/layout/candidate_word.xml
@@ -18,16 +18,19 @@
 */
 -->
 
-<Button
+<TextView
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
     android:minWidth="@dimen/candidate_min_width"
     android:textSize="@dimen/candidate_text_size"
+    android:gravity="center"
     android:paddingLeft="@dimen/candidate_padding"
     android:paddingTop="0dp"
     android:paddingRight="@dimen/candidate_padding"
     android:paddingBottom="0dp"
+    android:focusable="false"
+    android:clickable="false"
     android:singleLine="true"
     android:ellipsize="none"
     style="?attr/suggestionBackgroundStyle" />
diff --git a/java/res/layout/candidates_strip.xml b/java/res/layout/candidates_strip.xml
index ea6708e..0f542c0 100644
--- a/java/res/layout/candidates_strip.xml
+++ b/java/res/layout/candidates_strip.xml
@@ -25,73 +25,39 @@
     <LinearLayout
         android:id="@+id/candidates_strip"
         android:orientation="horizontal"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+        android:layout_weight="1.0"
+        android:layout_width="0dp"
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
     >
-        <RelativeLayout
-            android:layout_weight="1.0"
-            android:layout_width="0dp"
-            android:layout_height="match_parent"
+    </LinearLayout>
+    <LinearLayout
+        android:id="@+id/candidates_pane_control"
+        android:orientation="horizontal"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+    >
+        <TextView
+            android:id="@+id/expand_candidates_pane"
+            android:text="@string/label_expand_candidates_pane"
             android:gravity="center"
-        >
-            <include
-                android:id="@+id/word_left"
-                layout="@layout/candidate_word" />
-            <include
-                android:id="@+id/info_left"
-                layout="@layout/candidate_info" />
-        </RelativeLayout>
-        <include
-            layout="@layout/candidate_divider" />
-        <RelativeLayout
-            android:layout_weight="1.0"
-            android:layout_width="0dp"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="match_parent"
+            android:minWidth="30dp"
+            android:textSize="@dimen/candidate_text_size"
+            android:padding="0dp"
+            android:visibility="visible"
+            style="?attr/suggestionBackgroundStyle"  />
+        <TextView
+            android:id="@+id/close_candidates_pane"
+            android:text="@string/label_close_candidates_pane"
             android:gravity="center"
-        >
-            <include
-                android:id="@+id/word_center"
-                layout="@layout/candidate_word" />
-            <include
-                android:id="@+id/info_center"
-                layout="@layout/candidate_info" />
-        </RelativeLayout>
-        <include
-            layout="@layout/candidate_divider" />
-        <LinearLayout
-            android:orientation="horizontal"
-            android:layout_weight="1.0"
-            android:layout_width="0dp"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="match_parent"
-            android:gravity="center_vertical"
-        >
-            <RelativeLayout
-                android:layout_weight="1.0"
-                android:layout_width="0dp"
-                android:layout_height="match_parent"
-                android:gravity="center"
-            >
-                <include
-                    android:id="@+id/word_right"
-                    layout="@layout/candidate_word" />
-                <include
-                    android:id="@+id/info_right"
-                    layout="@layout/candidate_info" />
-            </RelativeLayout>
-            <!-- Image drawables are set in CandidateView constructor -->
-            <ImageButton
-                android:id="@+id/expand_candidates_pane"
-                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-                android:visibility="gone"
-                android:background="@null" />
-            <ImageButton
-                android:id="@+id/close_candidates_pane"
-                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-                android:visibility="gone"
-                android:background="@null" />
-        </LinearLayout>
+            android:minWidth="30dp"
+            android:textSize="@dimen/candidate_text_size"
+            android:padding="0dp"
+            android:visibility="gone"
+            style="?attr/suggestionBackgroundStyle"  />
     </LinearLayout>
     <LinearLayout
         android:id="@+id/touch_to_save"
diff --git a/java/res/values-sw600dp-land/dimens.xml b/java/res/values-sw600dp-land/dimens.xml
index 5016f42..d732c87 100644
--- a/java/res/values-sw600dp-land/dimens.xml
+++ b/java/res/values-sw600dp-land/dimens.xml
@@ -53,4 +53,5 @@
     <fraction name="key_uppercase_letter_ratio">29%</fraction>
 
     <dimen name="candidate_strip_padding">40.0mm</dimen>
+    <integer name="candidate_count_in_strip">5</integer>
 </resources>
diff --git a/java/res/values-sw768dp-land/dimens.xml b/java/res/values-sw768dp-land/dimens.xml
index 8cbd37e..45a3d40 100644
--- a/java/res/values-sw768dp-land/dimens.xml
+++ b/java/res/values-sw768dp-land/dimens.xml
@@ -58,4 +58,5 @@
     <dimen name="key_preview_offset_ics">0.05in</dimen>
 
     <dimen name="candidate_strip_padding">40.0mm</dimen>
+    <integer name="candidate_count_in_strip">5</integer>
 </resources>
diff --git a/java/res/values/attrs.xml b/java/res/values/attrs.xml
index c5897c8..fb99336 100644
--- a/java/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@
         <attr name="colorTypedWord" format="color" />
         <attr name="colorAutoCorrect" format="color" />
         <attr name="colorSuggested" format="color" />
-        <attr name="iconExpandPane" format="reference" />
-        <attr name="iconClosePane" format="reference" />
+        <attr name="colorDivider" format="color" />
+        <attr name="candidateCountInStrip" format="integer" />
     </declare-styleable>
 
     <declare-styleable name="Keyboard">
diff --git a/java/res/values/dimens.xml b/java/res/values/dimens.xml
index 36074b3..6cf5fe9 100644
--- a/java/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@
     <dimen name="candidate_min_width">44dip</dimen>
     <dimen name="candidate_padding">6dip</dimen>
     <dimen name="candidate_text_size">18dip</dimen>
+    <integer name="candidate_count_in_strip">3</integer>
+
     <!-- If the screen height in landscape is larger than the below value, then the keyboard
          will not go into extract (fullscreen) mode. -->
     <dimen name="max_height_for_fullscreen">2.5in</dimen>
diff --git a/java/res/values/donottranslate.xml b/java/res/values/donottranslate.xml
index 21e6c55..f88d2df 100644
--- a/java/res/values/donottranslate.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/donottranslate.xml
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@
     <!-- Label for "switch to phone symbols" key.  Must be short to fit on key! -->
     <string name="label_to_phone_symbols_key">\uff0a\uff03\uff08</string>
 
+    <!-- Character for candidate divider (BOX DRAWINGS LIGHT VERTICAL) -->
+    <string name="label_candidate_divider">\u2502</string>
+    <!-- Character for expand candidates pane (BLACK DOWN-POINTING TRIANGLE) -->
+    <string name="label_expand_candidates_pane">\u25bc</string>
+    <!-- Character for close candidates pane (BLACK UP-POINTING TRIANGLE) -->
+    <string name="label_close_candidates_pane">\u25b2</string>
+
     <!-- Option values to show/hide the settings key in onscreen keyboard -->
     <!-- Automatically decide to show or hide the settings key -->
     <string name="settings_key_mode_auto">0</string>
diff --git a/java/res/values/styles.xml b/java/res/values/styles.xml
index 29b9d58..c0cc8fb 100644
--- a/java/res/values/styles.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/styles.xml
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@
         <item name="colorTypedWord">#FFFFFFFF</item>
         <item name="colorAutoCorrect">#FFFCAE00</item>
         <item name="colorSuggested">#FFFCAE00</item>
-        <item name="iconExpandPane">@drawable/btn_expand_candidates_pane</item>
-        <item name="iconClosePane">@drawable/btn_close_candidates_pane</item>"
+        <item name="colorDivider">#20FFFFFF</item>
+        <item name="candidateCountInStrip">@integer/candidate_count_in_strip</item>
     </style>
     <!-- Theme "Basic high contrast" -->
     <style name="KeyboardView.HighContrast" parent="KeyboardView">
@@ -189,12 +189,12 @@
         <item name="android:background">@drawable/keyboard_popup_panel_background_holo</item>
     </style>
     <style name="CandidateViewStyle.IceCreamSandwich" parent="SuggestionsStripBackgroundStyle.IceCreamSandwich">
-        <item name="autoCorrectHighlight">autoCorrectUnderline|autoCorrectInvert</item>
+        <item name="autoCorrectHighlight">autoCorrectBold|autoCorrectInvert</item>
         <item name="colorTypedWord">#FFFFFFFF</item>
         <item name="colorAutoCorrect">#FFFFFFFF</item>
         <item name="colorSuggested">#FFFFFFFF</item>
-        <item name="iconExpandPane">@drawable/btn_expand_candidates_pane</item>
-        <item name="iconClosePane">@drawable/btn_close_candidates_pane</item>"
+        <item name="colorDivider">#20FFFFFF</item>
+        <item name="candidateCountInStrip">@integer/candidate_count_in_strip</item>
     </style>
     <style name="PopupMiniKeyboardAnimation">
         <item name="android:windowEnterAnimation">@anim/mini_keyboard_fadein</item>