diff --git a/kivy/core/window/__init__.py b/kivy/core/window/__init__.py
index 0ad21777d..0fa45b4a2 100755
--- a/kivy/core/window/__init__.py
+++ b/kivy/core/window/__init__.py
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ class Keyboard(EventDispatcher):
         'screenlock': 145, 'pause': 19,
 
         # a-z keys
-        'q': 97, 'b': 98, 'c': 99, 'q': 100, 'e': 101, 'f': 102, 'g': 103,
+        'a': 97, 'b': 98, 'c': 99, 'd': 100, 'e': 101, 'f': 102, 'g': 103,
         'h': 104, 'i': 105, 'j': 106, 'k': 107, 'l': 108, 'm': 109, 'n': 110,
-        'o': 111, 'p': 112, 'a': 113, 'r': 114, 's': 115, 't': 116, 'u': 117,
-        'v': 118, 'z': 119, 'x': 120, 'y': 121, 'w': 122,
+        'o': 111, 'p': 112, 'q': 113, 'r': 114, 's': 115, 't': 116, 'u': 117,
+        'v': 118, 'w': 119, 'x': 120, 'y': 121, 'z': 122,
 
         # 0-9 keys
         '0': 48, '1': 49, '2': 50, '3': 51, '4': 52,
diff --git a/kivy/data/glsl/default.vs b/kivy/data/glsl/default.vs
index 62f2f1690..ac9ac4d6d 100644
--- a/kivy/data/glsl/default.vs
+++ b/kivy/data/glsl/default.vs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 $HEADER$
 void main (void) {
-  frag_color = color;
+  frag_color = color * vec4(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, opacity);
   tex_coord0 = vTexCoords0;
   gl_Position = projection_mat * modelview_mat * vec4(vPosition.xy, 0.0, 1.0);
 }
diff --git a/kivy/data/glsl/header.vs b/kivy/data/glsl/header.vs
index ef00fcf35..a2638bffc 100644
--- a/kivy/data/glsl/header.vs
+++ b/kivy/data/glsl/header.vs
@@ -14,3 +14,4 @@ attribute vec2     vTexCoords0;
 uniform mat4       modelview_mat;
 uniform mat4       projection_mat;
 uniform vec4       color;
+uniform float      opacity;
diff --git a/kivy/data/style.kv b/kivy/data/style.kv
index 86af49c1f..2d4d773b4 100644
--- a/kivy/data/style.kv
+++ b/kivy/data/style.kv
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@
         Color:
             rgba: self.background_color
         BorderImage:
-            border: (16, 16, 16, 16)
+            border: self.border
             pos: self.pos
             size: self.size
-            source: 'atlas://data/images/defaulttheme/textinput%s' % ('_active' if self.focus else '')
+            source: self.background_active if self.focus else self.background_normal
         Color:
             rgba: (1, 0, 0, 1 if self.focus and not self.cursor_blink else 0)
         Rectangle:
diff --git a/kivy/graphics/instructions.pxd b/kivy/graphics/instructions.pxd
index 1bda49dfe..fe90ae929 100644
--- a/kivy/graphics/instructions.pxd
+++ b/kivy/graphics/instructions.pxd
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ cdef class CanvasBase(InstructionGroup):
 
 cdef class Canvas(CanvasBase):
     cdef object __weakref__
+    cdef float _opacity
     cdef CanvasBase _before
     cdef CanvasBase _after
     cdef void reload(self)
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ cdef class Canvas(CanvasBase):
     cpdef add(self, Instruction c)
     cpdef remove(self, Instruction c)
     cpdef draw(self)
+    cdef void apply(self)
 
 
 cdef class RenderContext(Canvas):
diff --git a/kivy/graphics/instructions.pyx b/kivy/graphics/instructions.pyx
index acaacc0e6..10e8ca3ba 100644
--- a/kivy/graphics/instructions.pyx
+++ b/kivy/graphics/instructions.pyx
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ cdef class Canvas(CanvasBase):
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         get_context().register_canvas(self)
         CanvasBase.__init__(self, **kwargs)
+        self._opacity = kwargs.get('opacity', 1.0)
         self._before = None
         self._after = None
 
@@ -530,6 +531,19 @@ cdef class Canvas(CanvasBase):
         '''
         self.apply()
 
+    cdef void apply(self):
+        cdef float opacity = self._opacity
+        cdef float rc_opacity
+        cdef RenderContext rc
+        if opacity != 1.0:
+            rc = getActiveContext()
+            rc_opacity = rc['opacity']
+            rc.push_state('opacity')
+            rc['opacity'] = rc_opacity * opacity
+        InstructionGroup.apply(self)
+        if opacity != 1.0:
+            rc.pop_state('opacity')
+
     cpdef add(self, Instruction c):
         # the after group must remain the last one.
         if self._after is None:
@@ -569,6 +583,30 @@ cdef class Canvas(CanvasBase):
                 self._after = c
             return self._after
 
+    property opacity:
+        '''Property for get/set the opacity value of the canvas.
+
+        .. versionadded:: 1.4.1
+
+        The opacity attribute controls the opacity of the canvas and its
+        children.  Be careful, it's a cumulative attribute: the value is
+        multiplied to the current global opacity, and the result is applied to
+        the current context color.
+
+        For example: if your parent have an opacity of 0.5, and one children have an
+        opacity of 0.2, the real opacity of the children will be 0.5 * 0.2 = 0.1.
+
+        Then, the opacity is applied on the shader as::
+
+            frag_color = color * vec4(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, opacity);
+
+        '''
+        def __get__(self):
+            return self._opacity
+        def __set__(self, value):
+            self._opacity = value
+            self.flag_update()
+
 # Active Canvas and getActiveCanvas function is used
 # by instructions, so they know which canvas to add
 # tehmselves to
@@ -629,8 +667,8 @@ cdef class RenderContext(Canvas):
         self.default_texture = tex
 
         self.state_stacks = {
+            'opacity': [1.0],
             'texture0' : [0],
-            'linewidth': [1.0],
             'color'    : [[1.0,1.0,1.0,1.0]],
             'projection_mat': [Matrix()],
             'modelview_mat' : [Matrix()],
diff --git a/kivy/uix/textinput.py b/kivy/uix/textinput.py
index 3839076c3..31e634e9d 100644
--- a/kivy/uix/textinput.py
+++ b/kivy/uix/textinput.py
@@ -1472,6 +1472,40 @@ class TextInput(Widget):
     to [0.1843, 0.6549, 0.8313, .5]
     '''
 
+    border = ListProperty([16, 16, 16, 16])
+    '''Border used for :class:`~kivy.graphics.vertex_instructions.BorderImage`
+    graphics instruction. Used with :data:`background_normal` and
+    :data:`background_active`. Can be used for a custom background.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.4.1
+
+    It must be a list of four values: (top, right, bottom, left). Read the
+    BorderImage instruction for more information about how to use it.
+
+    :data:`border` is a :class:`~kivy.properties.ListProperty`, default to (16,
+    16, 16, 16)
+    '''
+
+    background_normal = StringProperty(
+        'atlas://data/images/defaulttheme/textinput')
+    '''Background image of the TextInput when it's not in focus'.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.4.1
+
+    :data:`background_normal` is a :class:`~kivy.properties.StringProperty`,
+    default to 'atlas://data/images/defaulttheme/textinput'
+    '''
+
+    background_active = StringProperty(
+        'atlas://data/images/defaulttheme/textinput_active')
+    '''Background image of the TextInput when it's in focus'.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.4.1
+
+    :data:`background_active` is a :class:`~kivy.properties.StringProperty`,
+    default to 'atlas://data/images/defaulttheme/textinput_active'
+    '''
+
     background_color = ListProperty([1, 1, 1, 1])
     '''Current color of the background, in (r, g, b, a) format.
 
diff --git a/kivy/uix/widget.py b/kivy/uix/widget.py
index bb4a582ea..f06dd326f 100644
--- a/kivy/uix/widget.py
+++ b/kivy/uix/widget.py
@@ -532,6 +532,30 @@ class Widget(EventDispatcher):
     dict.
     '''
 
+    opacity = NumericProperty(1.0)
+    '''Opacity of the widget and all the children.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.4.1
+
+    The opacity attribute controls the opacity of the widget and its children.
+    Be careful, it's a cumulative attribute: the value is multiplied to the
+    current global opacity, and the result is applied to the current context
+    color.
+
+    For example: if your parent have an opacity of 0.5, and one children have an
+    opacity of 0.2, the real opacity of the children will be 0.5 * 0.2 = 0.1.
+
+    Then, the opacity is applied on the shader as::
+
+        frag_color = color * vec4(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, opacity);
+
+    :data:`opacity` is a :class:`~kivy.properties.NumericProperty`, default to
+    1.0.
+    '''
+
+    def on_opacity(self, instance, value):
+        self.canvas.opacity = value
+
     canvas = None
     '''Canvas of the widget.