Database Info

Hardware keyboard future options?

After owning the X1 for 18 months I am fixed on a hardware keyboard.
Recently the cable between teh keyboard and the screen started to wear and I was forced to use software input. I have to say my typing speed reduced by 75%. I am sure that some of the new phones with bigger screens have better software keyboards and in landscape mode they may be OK but I don't believe they will ever be as good as a quality (or in the x1's case mediocre!) hardware keyboard.
So what are my options in the upcoming months? I would like to try android but am happy to stick with windows mobile which I have been uing for the last 4-5 years if ther are no Android options. The HTC roadmap looks a bit bleak...
There is the droid but that is USA only and a bit old now. Is there anything on teh horizon for me?
An HTC Desire with a keyboard looks like it would be perfect.

Sounds like a no then

Upgrading from touch pro, what do I get?

So today I decided I wanted to replace my Touch Pro. I've been having some issues with it lately so I took it to my repair center, as I have service plan on it, to see what they could do for me. Long story short all they did was replace it with a refurbished Touch Pro - not a problem as mine was really beat up.
However, I have an upgrade coming at the beginning of next month and am having troubles deciding on what phone to get.
This is what I narrowed my choices down to, all sprint:
1. HTC Hero
- This phone is $79.99 right now online all instant rebates!
2. HTC Touch Pro 2
- Exact same specs as my current Touch Pro but with better keyboard and screen and is $199.99 after $100 MIR
3. HTC Moment
- Android with full qwerty slide out keyboard and is $99.99 after $100 MIR
Here are my concerns:
1. The Touch Pro 2 is what i have been leaning towards for the past several months. I was hoping to get the free upgrade to this from the repair center but that did not happen. Also I do not think it makes sense to pay $199.99 for a phone which is identical in specs to the "crappy" phone I have now.
2. The HTC Hero is my next option which I am really starting to like the more I look into it. However, it is android and I am a windows man. I have used android on my Touch Pro and have found it to be very nice, but i'm worried I wont be able to manage my calendar, text, calls, emails as easily as I was able to before. Lastly, this phone is missing a hardware keyboard, even though it does have a very nice virtual keyboard!
3. The moment has got to be one of the uglier android phones I have seen floating around. But it would have the "power" from android that everyone is talking about and I would retain my hardware keyboard. I still can't seem to get past the price of the Hero right now though.
In Summary:
I think i'm going to get the Hero but really would like some input from some other Touch Pro users and if there is anyone that has upgraded to android from Touch Pro what your thoughts are. I have looked around these forums and have read a lot about the phones and what they are capable of...but it still comes down to how well they work as a whole not what they can do.
Also, if there are any other phones that might be a good choice over what I mentioned let me know, it has to be compatible with sprint. I will not switch carrier they are the best in my area. And the EVO is out of the question, battery life is bad due to screen size and I don't think the extra $10 is worth it when i have to go into another state to get 4G!

HTC Hero
I recently switched from an HTC Touch Pro2 to an HTC EVO. I've previously had Android setup on my Touch Pro2 and it felt nothing like it did on the EVO or even my brother's Hero. When I had the Touch Pro2, it felt bogged down due to WinMo compared to the Hero with similar specs in my opinion. There were lots of times I would admire the hardware keyboard and while it is one of the Touch Pro2's greatest asset, I felt it hindered the experience sometimes when it came to switching between orientations. For instance, there were times when I would text someone and swap to the hardware keyboard only to find that the input box wouldn't display my key presses and I would have to quickly swap orientations again to "refresh" my inputs.
To me, Android seems to manage processing and handle lag better than Windows Mobile. So far, it's been a smooth and enjoyable experience for me (HTC EVO) and my brother (HTC Hero).

Brandizle said:
I recently switched from an HTC Touch Pro2 to an HTC EVO. I've previously had Android setup on my Touch Pro2 and it felt nothing like it did on the EVO or even my brother's Hero. When I had the Touch Pro2, it felt bogged down due to WinMo compared to the Hero with similar specs in my opinion. There were lots of times I would admire the hardware keyboard and while it is one of the Touch Pro2's greatest asset, I felt it hindered the experience sometimes when it came to switching between orientations. For instance, there were times when I would text someone and swap to the hardware keyboard only to find that the input box wouldn't display my key presses and I would have to quickly swap orientations again to "refresh" my inputs.
To me, Android seems to manage processing and handle lag better than Windows Mobile. So far, it's been a smooth and enjoyable experience for me (HTC EVO) and my brother (HTC Hero).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you use the calendar or gps heavily? Also, I just found out that froyo 2.2 will be awhile before it reaches the hero. I have yet to even see froyo or what has been added. Does anyone think it is worth fussing over?

GPS & Calendar
I am generally a schedule- and task-oriented person. So yeah, I find that Android offers a nicer interface and input for logging in appointments. I've always been a Google person, so syncing it with my Google calendar is a no-brainer.
As for the GPS, I have found that Google Maps is by far the best GPS I have used. I have a high-end TomTom device and after using Google Maps, I no longer feel the need for the TomTom. Augmented reality Android applications such as Layars and Layers from Google Map makes it easier to find places and things of my interest within a specific proximity which I find convenient if I'm in an area unfamiliar to me.
The intuitiveness of Android won me over in the end.

Well, you really really helped me out here. I have been leaning towards android for awhile and have been using it on the touch pro, but that doesn't compare to the real thing.
I just needed to hear it from someone else who was more "business" orientated and wasn't just in it for the stupid beer can apps like iphone.
I got the Hero from sprint a few hours ago. I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I have yet to use the Google Maps, but i'm sure it will suffice. I will miss my Garmin XT app though. Along with all the customizations that SPB Mobile brought to the windows market. But it was pretty slow.

"Stay Frosty"
That's good to hear! Yeah, I hear ya. I also had my doubts when I was operating it on my HTC Touch Pro2. But, once the Android phone I wanted so long came out I threw away any and all hesitation. I'm glad it was a no compromise situation for me and I hope it will be that way for you.

After playing with it all day....I love this phone!!! It is everything I needed in a phone and everything I wanted in a phone. The virtual keyboard is one of the best I have used, in my mind the evo has the only better virtual keyboard.

I would go for Rhodium with no doubt!
And even more if you are coming from a device with REAL keyboard.

Hardware Keyboard vs Touchscreen Keyboard

Being used to touchscreens for years now, i wanted to know from some of the veterans of mobile phones how the transition from hardware kb to touchscreen kb was.
Do you think hardware keyboards are still worth it or have touchscreens taken over and provided an accurate replacement to the real thing?
Also how are you liking the Thunderbolts touchscreen and keyboard(s)

ray5780 said:
Being used to touchscreens for years now, i wanted to know from some of the veterans of mobile phones how the transition from hardware kb to touchscreen kb was.
Do you think hardware keyboards are still worth it or have touchscreens taken over and provided an accurate replacement to the real thing?
Also how are you liking the Thunderbolts touchscreen and keyboard(s)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having had numerous phones over the years.. the one thing I value on a hardware keyboard is that I don't have to look at it to type
Sent from my ThunderBolt using XDA Premium App

I love hardware keyboards. Pity they are not as common these days.

i would love to know the thoughts on this matter from all the major rom,kernal,theming contributes. Thanks adryn for dropping in my thread

I've had a ton of phones. Recently I came from the Samsung Omnia (touch screen) and went to a BlackBerry Tour. I did love the BlackBerry keyboard and I think most know they have one of the best hardware keyboards out. Ok- maybe that's just my opinion. I had the same question as you prior to upgrading to the thunderbolt. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still get the Bolt. No issues with the touch screen. Yes, you have to look at the screen like Adrynalyne said, but they have come a long way. I think I can type as fast or faster on the touch screen vs my BlackBerry. I think you'll be fine.

I had a G2 and I do miss the keyboard it had. It didn't take long to get use the touchscreen because I had several touchscreen keyboards before the G2. I wish Verizon would release a good HTC phone with a physical keyboard. ......I really miss the G2.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App

you can't swype on a physical keyboard... and I can't do without swyping (I use FlexT9).

I came from a blackberry bold and the keyboard is the only thing I miss dearly. I could type almost as fast as I can on a PC with that thing. The Thunderbolt's screen is large enough that it's adequate but it will never be like my blackberry. I'm hoping Verizon/HTC releases a 4.3" with a hard keyboard eventually.

Vbosch1 said:
I've had a ton of phones. Recently I came from the Samsung Omnia (touch screen) and went to a BlackBerry Tour. I did love the BlackBerry keyboard and I think most know they have one of the best hardware keyboards out. Ok- maybe that's just my opinion. I had the same question as you prior to upgrading to the thunderbolt. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still get the Bolt. No issues with the touch screen. Yes, you have to look at the screen like Adrynalyne said, but they have come a long way. I think I can type as fast or faster on the touch screen vs my BlackBerry. I think you'll be fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
went the exact same route lol, I had the Omnia first, screen wasnt that great so i was wanting a hard keyboard. I ended up losing the Omnia and replaced it with a blackberry tour liked not having to look at the screen when texting, replaced the tour with the thunderbolt and no regrets big upgrade over the omnia

I went from a blackberry tour to a droid to a droid x then my thunderbolt. The biggest adjustment for me was going from the tour to the droid. The droid's keyboard sucked at first, but then I got used to it. I never thought I could get used to a touchscreen, but as soon as I started typing on a 4.3" screen I loved it. I'm actually faster now on my tbolt since its a wider aspect ratio than my droid x.

I liked having the slide out keyboard on my droid a lot. It's not a big deal using the screen on my TB to type, but flipping over my droid to play with the NES emulator was the ****. Playing emulator ROMs with a touchscreen sucks a lot

52brandon said:
Playing emulator ROMs with a touchscreen sucks a lot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will have to disagree with this one. I play N64, SNES, GBA, GBC, and PSx on my Thunderbolt flawlessly.

My last phone, Sidekick LX 09, had one of the best hardware keyboards I've ever used. I could easily get 70 words per minute on that thing.
I hated the thunderbolt's keyboard, but I installed Swype and it's a little better, every once in awhile I'll sound like I'm drunk when typing with it, but for most of the time it's pretty consistant. I do have to look to type though, didn't have to look with my old Sidekick

I went from an HP Jornada 680 -> HP Jornada 728 -> iPaq 4355 -> Samsung i760 -> Touch Pro 2 (best keyboard ever) -> Droid 2 -> Thunderbolt, and the Thunderbolt is the first smartphone/PDA I have ever had without some sort of physical keyboard. I thought I'd get used to it, but frankly, its driving me nuts. I have been thinking about going back to my Droid 2, but I like having my bootloader unlocked, locked in my unlimited 4G for $10/month, and simultaneous voice and data on 3G.
So, I am going to try to see if I can make a slide-out bluetooth keyboard for this thing. I already ordered the parts from China but it will be a few weeks. My family has some plastic molding tools so I'm gonna give it a shot. Something that can just snap on the back like a hard case and be very low profile.
I don't see why HTC couldn't make a slate phone that has a removable back, and they could sell "backpacks" for extra $$ for it that you can attach so you can have a physical keyboard if you want it, or some other kind of add on. Something sort of what ASUS did with the Transformer and the keyboard dock making it into a netbook for people who wanted that. Win-win, and they are blowing everyone else away in Android tablet sales.

[Q] Is there a recent gen android phone with hardware portrait keyboard?

I'm not sure if this exists, but I thought I'd ask.
I've been using a Samsung Galaxy S Captivate (and loved it) up until about 1 month ago, when I got sick and tired of 30-35 effective WPM on the touchscreen keyboard and switched back to my old first generation Blackberry Bold. Believe it or not, the relief of going back to the blackberry was HUGE even while sacrificing all of the obvious advantages of Android. Touchscreen keyboards just arent for me. I spent nearly a year hoping I would get better at it, and I'm not particularly bad, but I'm just quite quick on a hardware keyboard (65-75wpm) and that is hard to ignore. I do a lot of typing (emails for work and also fairly heavy SMS user ~6000 in+out per month).
So to the point, can anyone recommend a phone for me? I've tried the landscape style hardware keyboards and I am not a fan unfortunately, because I think there are a couple of those to choose from.
Any portrait hardware keyboards? Blackberry style? It would need to be a slider of course to avoid having a tiny screen.. still looking for a ~4"+ screen.
Thanks <3

jammin1911 said:
I'm not sure if this exists, but I thought I'd ask.
I've been using a Samsung Galaxy S Captivate (and loved it) up until about 1 month ago, when I got sick and tired of 30-35 effective WPM on the touchscreen keyboard and switched back to my old first generation Blackberry Bold. Believe it or not, the relief of going back to the blackberry was HUGE even while sacrificing all of the obvious advantages of Android. Touchscreen keyboards just arent for me. I spent nearly a year hoping I would get better at it, and I'm not particularly bad, but I'm just quite quick on a hardware keyboard (65-75wpm) and that is hard to ignore. I do a lot of typing (emails for work and also fairly heavy SMS user ~6000 in+out per month).
So to the point, can anyone recommend a phone for me? I've tried the landscape style hardware keyboards and I am not a fan unfortunately, because I think there are a couple of those to choose from.
Any portrait hardware keyboards? Blackberry style? It would need to be a slider of course to avoid having a tiny screen.. still looking for a ~4"+ screen.
Thanks <3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC makes the T-Mobile Dash and the Ozone with portrait hardware keyboards, and 12 other phones with the more popular landscape slider keyboards and the big screens. It's gonna be tough to get a 4" wide screen with a portrait keyboard. That would be one big phone!
Happy shopping!

for the 4" I was thinking more like the Blackberry Torch slider style to avoid the phone being huge
Thanks for the input!
//EDIT// I would LOVE to see a phone that is basically what Motorola is showing off right now, the Droid 4 with slideout qwerty keyboard, except for it to slide up and down instead of requiring i turn the phone sideways to use it (aside from these keyboard being too wide to type comfortably on, using an android phone sideways in most cases is pretty obnoxious).

Have you checked out the DROID pro? I know it's a little old now but I owned this phone and I loved it, my first smartphone was a treo and that's all I've been use to. I don't care what anyone says, physical keys especially portrait style keyboard is so much netter then landscape

MO3iusONE said:
Have you checked out the DROID pro? I know it's a little old now but I owned this phone and I loved it, my first smartphone was a treo and that's all I've been use to. I don't care what anyone says, physical keys especially portrait style keyboard is so much netter then landscape
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree with you more. That is a pretty wicked phone and that's exactly what I want but with a current generation OS and specs

I have a i9000 and a Droid Pro to replace it on the way.
But I think it will be too slow.
How's about the LG Optimus Pro

Any potential successor to our beloved Photon Q?

Any potential successor to our beloved Photon Q? Has any of the big makers announced a more powerful, better spec'ed smartphone to take the throne from our Photon?

I don't think any of the new phones have kb's.
The Q might be one of the last sliders. Enjoy it.

Nope, nothing so far :'(

It's quite dramatic. I have owned an HTC One X prior to this, and in no way typing on a touch screen is as fast, precise and ergonomic as typing on a hardware keyboard.
I have owned the Nokia E70, E90, N900, as well as the Motorola Droid 2 Global and Samsung Captivate Glide in the past, and I really hope the Photon Q won't be the last one.

I have been thinking the same thing recently - this is the last Android phone with HW keyboard (if you do not count some low level Chinese phones). Seriouslyyyyyy - it is the middle of 2013 and there are zero phones announced. I am not complaining of lack of speed but I would really appreciate some battery life improvements, build quality and maybe display resolution .

idimitro said:
I have been thinking the same thing recently - this is the last Android phone with HW keyboard (if you do not count some low level Chinese phones). Seriouslyyyyyy - it is the middle of 2013 and there are zero phones announced. I am not complaining of lack of speed but I would really appreciate some battery life improvements, build quality and maybe display resolution .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully in the future someone will make a handset with full keyboard unlockable for any network. Open source phones. Hopefully in the future.
Was there ever a point in the past that had zero qwerty phones on the horizon? Is there a period of drought we can compare this one to or is this one unprecedented?

matt2k12 said:
...Was there ever a point in the past that had zero qwerty phones on the horizon? Is there a period of drought we can compare this one to or is this one unprecedented?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If memory serves correctly, QWERTY phones didn't start showing up en masse until Blackberrys came onto the scene. Even in their heyday (if there ever was such a thing), hardware keyboards were niche products.
I've always been partial to the physical keyboard, myself. At first, it was because my large hands have a difficult time using the on-screen keyboards effectively (even with swype or some derivative). Now in addition to that, the tactile feel of pressing buttons makes it seem like I'm doing something useful with my phone.

xaelith said:
If memory serves correctly, QWERTY phones didn't start showing up en masse until Blackberrys came onto the scene. Even in their heyday (if there ever was such a thing), hardware keyboards were niche products.
I've always been partial to the physical keyboard, myself. At first, it was because my large hands have a difficult time using the on-screen keyboards effectively (even with swype or some derivative). Now in addition to that, the tactile feel of pressing buttons makes it seem like I'm doing something useful with my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess we need to go buy the new BB to game the market for physical keyboards? lol.... Samsung or Motorola will have the next QWERTY phone, whenever that may be. No one else has any interest.

matt2k12 said:
I guess we need to go buy the new BB to game the market for physical keyboards? lol.... Samsung or Motorola will have the next QWERTY phone, whenever that may be. No one else has any interest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HW keyboard phones have always been slow for new models to come out. it's a much smaller market. but those of us that love the keyboard will always be there. A new keyboard model will come out eventually. I just got my Photon Q in May because I knew there was no other model in the near future with a HW keyboard.

I've been looking around, and there are a few keyboard cases that will go on the likes of an iphone or a Galaxy S4. I think that's going to be the best option for those of us with thick thumbs. I would pay a premium for a good phone with a good keyboard, but there's just not enough demand for it anymore, I guess.
Sent from my XT897 using xda premium