The Future of Keyboard Blackberries?

[Joseph Witchard]

I know that this isn't specifically a BlackBerry forum, but I'm posting anyway because I don't want to register for yet another forum right now.

With 4G phones coming, I googled blackberry 4g. So far, the only rumored 4G BlackBerries have been a touch screen model, similar to their Storm line. Does anyone know or suspect if keyboard phones are going the way of the dinosaur in favor of touch screens? I really like my BlackBerry Bold, and I've gotten pretty fast at typing with my thumbs. People have told me that I would like touch screens, and that may be true. Even so, I plan to stick with keyboards as long as I can. What's the thought?

[Declan1991]

I like the keyboard on the blackberry. But I must say, their touch screen is excellent, because it has a two click. You actually feel the click which seems to me to be a good idea. Then again, I've only briefly used both, but I like the touch screen a lot, and it's very handy to be able to turn it horizontally for more space on the keyboard.

[aj_nsc]

But I must say, their touch screen is excellent, because it has a two click. You actually feel the click which seems to me to be a good idea.

A coworker owned a blackberry with the touchscreen you're describing....after a while, he absolutely hated it. He got an iPhone after a while and has said that he'd never use a blackberry again. To each his own I guess.

[Yelgnidroc]

I've got a Nokia 5800 touch screen, must say I prefer a proper keyboard with real buttons.

[sohguanh]

I've got a Nokia 5800 touch screen, must say I prefer a proper keyboard with real buttons.

As we Asian have smaller hands, the weight and size of the phone matters a lot. The keyboard do add substantial weight to the smart phone. I own a Motorola Milestone known as Droid in US I think. It is heavy.

However I think the latest incarnation Droid X do away with the keyboard to reduce the weight. Unfortunately this latest version still not available in my country yet.

Do US ppl prefer a real keyboard on top of the on-screen keyboard? Is it because you ppl prefer to have some "firm" base to do your typing instead of light tapping on the screen which feel flimsy to your finger touch ?

[criterion9]

I prefer tactile feedback from actual buttons. This is very important for me since I type up texts/emails without looking at the screen for the most part. You just can't get that type of feedback from a touch screen.

[Joseph Witchard]

What's the opinion? Do keyboard phones still have a place in today's mobile market or are touch screens going to do away with them altogether?

[aj_nsc]

Buttons are getting fewer and fewer in society (think modern vending machines, gas pumps, ATMs, etc). I think keyboards on phones will encounter quite a bit of resistance (as they already have been encountering, otherwise they'd be dramatically reduced in phone hardware by this point) but eventually, in time, they're going to go the way of the dinosaurs.

As sohguanh said, they add unnecessary weight to a phone. Not to mention the fact that a keyboard has a lot more mechanical moving parts to give out.

I wouldn't say they'll be any large scale back within 5 years (again, resistance), though. But that could be extremely naive given the breakneck speed the industry is currently moving at.

[Declan1991]

What's the opinion? Do keyboard phones still have a place in today's mobile market or are touch screens going to do away with them altogether?

QWERTY keyboards are going to go I think, but I would be very slow to say that keypads will be totally replaced by touchscreens, or if so, slowly.

[JPnyc]

In combination with voice recognition? I could see that. I hardly touch my keyboard now, maybe 4 or 5 times a day. I do most everything with voice recognition and the mouse.

[Declan1991]

I do most everything with voice recognition and the mouse.

Really? Do you know approximately how fast your voice recognition works? I do nearly everything from the keyboard on a computer, I rarely touch the mouse unless I'm on someone else's computer and I don't have certain programmes or addons installed. I'd be loathe to abandon it now!

Though I suppose, most people, even some of those who can touch-type would find good voice recognition useful, even I use it sometimes in Opera for browsing.

[JPnyc]

if you use the one built into Windows 7, works pretty fast. Third-party programs such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking, not as fast.

[Joseph Witchard]

QWERTY keyboards are going to go I think, but I would be very slow to say that keypads will be totally replaced by touchscreens, or if so, slowly.

What exactly is a qwerty keyboard? Is that what BlackBerries use?

[Declan1991]

Where the letters on the top row start with QWERTY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY).