Question: I have a textbox with a hint but I want the hint to always be shown, even when there is an input in the TB. Example is the "To" field in the Gmail app.

Answer: 
There are 3 approaches you could use (spoiler - use number 3), since as mentioned in my comment, in the Gmail example , it is not an actual hint:

1. **Using a Linear Layout, getting a cleaner look in my opinion:**

```
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<TextView android:text="@string/Hint"
          android:layout_margin="5dp"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
<EditText android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:inputType="text"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>    
</LinearLayout>

```
2. **Using a Relative Layout, getting a result that mimics the Gmail App:**

**Note:** might be problematic since the text will be displayed on top of the hint, see solution 3.

```
<RelativeLayout android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
          android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content">
    <TextView android:text="@string/Hint"
          android:paddingLeft="10dp"
          android:layout_marginBottom="0dp"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
    <EditText android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:inputType="text"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>    

```

**Result are as shown in this image:**

![Custom Permanent Hint](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fAoIx.jpg)

**Edit:**
3. **using a Drawable**:

This seems a better solution (I personally just created it from snipping the 1:1 display of the TextView, will be in correct measurements this way), this will allow a cleaner layout code, and the text will be aware of the drawable:

```
<RelativeLayout android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
     android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          >
<EditText android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:inputType="text"
          android:gravity="top"
          android:drawableLeft="@drawable/Hint"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>    

```

![Drawable Hint](https://i.stack.imgur.com/U7VsF.jpg)
The first thing that came to mind is to insert two editText layout relative layout.
First over second.at the top of that - put background as 
 android.R.color.transparent
Work with top elevent of relative layout! In item below - set hint(that you want) and try to put text. May be you will have specify padding of first element of top to greate display.

Oh. And one more thing.
Maybe put to editText background background image - but is the bad to scalability.