Related
Maybe this phone exists somewhere but if so, I haven't found it - and not for lack of searching. It all started with a 2007 Shadow. I loved the slim size and slide-out form factor, could live with WinMo if I had to but hated the 2.0 mp camera and non-touch screen.
I've tried the Incite, the Kaiser and currently use a G1 for day to day but none of them made me as happy as my Shadow. Part of it's because if I need to make a call I don't like the touch screen dialer. Another factor is the Blackberry-like keyboard arrangement on the Shadow - I really liked it. (I could never master texting using the usual numeric keys.) It's too cumbersome to pop out the G1 or Tilt keyboard, especially dealing with stupid automated phone systems.
I like HTC phones a lot because of the community but am beginning to wonder if somewhere out there is a phone better suited for me. I'd like to stay in the Android fold but does anyone have any suggestions? Has to be GSM and unlockable because I use a weird local carrier, too, although I might consider going back to Sprint (gag) for the perfect phone.
Terry
The Palm Pre might suit you...although there is always more to get out your device when you are running WinMo or Android on an HTC device. WebOS is fantastic but you're stuck with what they give you.
chambo622 said:
The Palm Pre might suit you...although there is always more to get out your device when you are running WinMo or Android on an HTC device. WebOS is fantastic but you're stuck with what they give you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I played with a Pre at a local kiosk and was impressed by how nice it was but not enough better than the G1 to go back to Sprint. Now if the GSM version becomes more affordable and available, maybe...
Thanks,
Terry - now if I could just do a camera transplant on a touch dual
It would be something like this:
VGA 4" screen
From factor like HTC Universal
2ghz processor
1gb RAM
Hardware keyboard
Slim nice design
Made by HTC
A mix of Universal, Rhodium and Leo
I guess I have to wait till 2011 or 2012...
I remember reading that android was working quite well on the HTC Nike a while back. That's the same slide format as the shadow.
jez83uk said:
I remember reading that android was working quite well on the HTC Nike a while back. That's the same slide format as the shadow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is so very close, but I'm spoiled by the ability to do bar code scanning with the G1. AFAIK, the 2.0 cameras can't do that - which is why I made the comment about the camera transplant. I guess I could look into the port a little closer to see if they made it work or not.
Terry
Who is getting the ChaCha?
The form factor makes me so interested. But I know they're gonna ruin it by putting it on 2 year contract and pricing it awfully without the contract.
That keyboard reminds me of the HTC Snap!
Ugly. As. S#!t.
And what's with that fakebook button? For the love of bloody albatros...
Post delivered via piece of paper tied to a brick... sorry 'bout the window! XD
Absolutely!
I have that device for my wife and sure I´ll be upgrading her to Chacha!
svetius said:
That keyboard reminds me of the HTC Snap!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
love it!
don't care if it's facebook phone, every phone can run facebook... i've been waiting for candy bar qwerty android phone for many years already!
Glad to see there was actually some innovation happening. I think these 'gimmicks?' were the star of HTC's MWC show, and at CTIA is coming the superphone everyone expected. I love the design of the ChaCha, i't's just so different from all the other phones. Keyboard looks great too. I hope the screen has a good resolution.
The form factor is pretty cool, I'd get it if I got the chance to.
I like the form factor with the keyboard, let's hope it's also powerful enough CPU-wise, I found the Acer QWERTY Android phones too slow to work with.
drait said:
I like the form factor with the keyboard, let's hope it's also powerful enough CPU-wise, I found the Acer QWERTY Android phones too slow to work with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same concern here, i guess you are using e130... well i also have one, just wondering why it looks NOT so slow in youtube video!
If it's anywhere close to the price tag on desire z... then you should have no doubt what to pick.
I guess most people here on XDA care for the QWERTY physical keyboard on a candy bar form factor, which, sadly, is still very rare in Android world. As far as I know, there are only 4 phones launched or to be launched: Motorola Droid Pro, HTC Chacha, Samsung Galaxy Pro and Spriiing Smile (http://www.spriiing.com), all of which are inferior to full touch screen super phones, either in CPU, Memory or Screen specs... Hoping that those big guys will introduce more compelling Candy Qwerty phones.
I came from Blackberries before getting into Android, I once owned the Charm but chucked it quickly due to its massive bugginess and Motorola's sucktacular lack of support, so this device (and perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Pro) has me interested. Only thing is if they'd eliminate that Facebook button for the North America version, or perhaps it can be binded to a custom shortcut, I don't use FB nor care about it.
sookster54 said:
I came from Blackberries before getting into Android, I once owned the Charm but chucked it quickly due to its massive bugginess and Motorola's sucktacular lack of support, so this device (and perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Pro) has me interested. Only thing is if they'd eliminate that Facebook button for the North America version, or perhaps it can be binded to a custom shortcut, I don't use FB nor care about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remapping the button shouldn't be too hard to do. We wont know until someone actually gets their hands on one and tries it.
sookster54 said:
I came from Blackberries before getting into Android, I once owned the Charm but chucked it quickly due to its massive bugginess and Motorola's sucktacular lack of support, so this device (and perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Pro) has me interested. Only thing is if they'd eliminate that Facebook button for the North America version, or perhaps it can be binded to a custom shortcut, I don't use FB nor care about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
be careful with Samsung Galaxy Pro, it only has a 320x240 screen which won't give u good android experience... i almost overlooked it when choosing between 9300 & 9780
If the chacha comes to AT&T, I may try to find a good deal on craigslist
thangnh said:
I guess most people here on XDA care for the QWERTY physical keyboard on a candy bar form factor, which, sadly, is still very rare in Android world. As far as I know, there are only 4 phones launched or to be launched: Motorola Droid Pro, HTC Chacha, Samsung Galaxy Pro and Spriiing Smile (http://www.spriiing.com), all of which are inferior to full touch screen super phones, either in CPU, Memory or Screen specs... Hoping that those big guys will introduce more compelling Candy Qwerty phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
strongly disagree, xda members are exactly the type of people that know better then to buy a hardware qwerty. why you'd want a slower and smaller keyboard is beyond me.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
There are different users and different opinions. I my self, use right now a Nokia E72 after i played with a htc Desire. I love the android functions and the OS in general but i hate touchscreens. This is why i use E72. I don't like Blackberry OS and i waited for a long time to see an android phone like ChaCha. I am sure that people who will buy this phone will use the qwerty feature and will love the android OS. If they want hy res display's and dual procesors they will head out for toucscreens like galaxy S II or something else.
still waiting... blackberry 9900 also on the way... i hope somebody resign from google and join blackberry as CEO (I assume you all knew what's happening in nokia now)
Samsung Galaxy Pro = awful screen
cocaice2009 said:
be careful with Samsung Galaxy Pro, it only has a 320x240 screen which won't give u good android experience... i almost overlooked it when choosing between 9300 & 9780
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the screen resolution on the Samsung Galaxy Pro is awful to look at. Spoils an otherwise reasonable qwerty phone.
Also if you use it as a wifi hotspot the signal for me was significantly weaker and unstable compared to my dell streak.
The chacha looks interesting but the whole facebook integration puts me off. I just can't stand facebook.
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_is_done_with_the_qwerty_phones-news-4128.php
So much for QWERTYs....
That makes the MT4GS the most powerful GSM QWERTY
Omfg yyyyy. This will not b forever....trust me. When you get a year later than this they'll make QWERTYs again because f lack of sales to an all touchscreen line up. Don't u think?
Typed by ---- oh wait! I'm schizophrenic!
I guess that means I'll be investing my money elsewhere. It's probably a smart decision for their failing business, but Samsung will be there to pick up the slack.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
I think enough people are fine with all-touchscreen phones for HTC to do fine.... the article said qwerty sales just aren't cutting it enough for them to continue. In my mind, part of the problem is the keyboards aren't really good enough, but that is just my opinion. For me, I haven't seen a really good keyboard on a device that wasn't branded a Sidekick. But I think more what it is is that the iPhone kinda shaped people's perception, and for some reason people like that form factor. But I also think that some company(s) will step up and realize there is still a market for qwerty phones.
My introduction to smartphones was the old Sidekicks, so to me a smartphone is a mini console or terminal, with keyboard and landscape screen. And I'm gonna keep seeing it that way until there just aren't any more like that..... which perhaps means this might be my last HTC phone!
That's a shame - they really had a happy customer in me.
I should get a galaxy with my next paycheck just to start getting used to the samsung way of things.
Motorolla is kinda in limbo until we find out whether Huwai is going to buy them or not from Google...
...who else does that leave? just off brands or low quality losers like LG - every LG phone i've ever owned was a complete and utter POS failure, and would never buy one of their products again, period.
I like HTC, but I guess they don't like me.
yogi2010 said:
I think enough people are fine with all-touchscreen phones for HTC to do fine.... the article said qwerty sales just aren't cutting it enough for them to continue. In my mind, part of the problem is the keyboards aren't really good enough, but that is just my opinion. For me, I haven't seen a really good keyboard on a device that wasn't branded a Sidekick. But I think more what it is is that the iPhone kinda shaped people's perception, and for some reason people like that form factor. But I also think that some company(s) will step up and realize there is still a market for qwerty phones.
My introduction to smartphones was the old Sidekicks, so to me a smartphone is a mini console or terminal, with keyboard and landscape screen. And I'm gonna keep seeing it that way until there just aren't any more like that..... which perhaps means this might be my last HTC phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
excuse me...u forgot the tp2 lol...i dont even recall them releasing a tilting screen android either. Having my phone serve as its own dock would be nice again. I dont care much for the bb style kbs but the dell had some nice looking phones for wp7....it wouldve been nice to run wm or android on one. I think htc & others would do better in qwertys sales if the released higher end device instead of these cheapo lg quality ones. Far as the iphone in away it did but there also been a craze for thin/light phones. Its funny cuz those are normally the same ones complaining about battery life.
What a joke...that actually really pisses me off because I woke up this morning with my new POS hummingbird processor powered samsung exhibit 1 4G and tried to draft up an article for my website, failed, and moved to my laptop. I'm a guy who has huge hands, so it's looking more and more like I'll have to scrap HTC and go with an albatross Note. Whoever said that the qwerty phones were failing because of a lack of power behind them, you're absolutely right! How can the smartphone maker not see that correlation...
Not cool htc smh.
Sent from my DoubleShot Lite using Tapatalk 2
Every smartphone I've ever used has had a physical keyboard. My first was the T-Mobile DASH (Win6.x), then a Moto Cliq (the best keyboard but a crappy phone). Next was the MyTouch 3G Slide, also a really nice keyboard. Now, the MT4GS. Though the keyboard on the 4GS isn't as good as the 3GS, I still prefer it over having a phone with no keyboard.
pimppoet said:
excuse me...u forgot the tp2 lol...i dont even recall them releasing a tilting screen android either. Having my phone serve as its own dock would be nice again. I dont care much for the bb style kbs but the dell had some nice looking phones for wp7....it wouldve been nice to run wm or android on one. I think htc & others would do better in qwertys sales if the released higher end device instead of these cheapo lg quality ones. Far as the iphone in away it did but there also been a craze for thin/light phones. Its funny cuz those are normally the same ones complaining about battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I <3 my Rhodium (TP2). First smartphone I got was the Kaiser (Tilt), then the Rhodium, and now the MT4GS. The TP2 had the best keyboard of the 3 by far.
I must say I am going to miss hardware keyboards, especially from HTC since they're the only phone manufacturer I buy from. I don't think touchscreens will ever be as quick and easy as hardware keyboards are.
As an side: duly noted about the tp2 I never had one but I do hear lots of people praising that phone and it's keyboard, and not just in this thread. I also agree that for the most part, the companies sacrifice other things when they make a great keyboard.
I loved my TM2 as well! The keyboard was great and only replicated on the HTC Pro, released only for Sprint in the US. Honestly, I'd probably be rocking that right now if there was a T-Mobile version in the US.
This is all sad but I'm really hoping that the niche QWERTY line continues in step with the MyTouch, Sidekick, Droid, and Samsung models. No one can ever type fast in home row fashion on a virtual keybaord with great accuracy!
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA Premium App
HTC is walking the same line that Nokia did a couple years ago. Consolidate! Save Resources! Be Mediocre! Lose Market Share! Sell Out to M.... Huawei?
Better know about it now, so I can start looking for another company. Samsung seems good right now. They are big enough to support a qwerty phone for a while.
As long as there is an Asia, there will be a market for ancient anything.
Hell, HTC's website still markets Windows Mobile phones...
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
Guys, it's not like keyboards are dying out all together. Only HTC is out of the running.
Besides, we've still got a powerful device to be reckoned with
If we can get merged into the official CM tree, we will be the official most powerful QWERTY they've got. Not to mention we'll get updates for God knows how long
If anything this should spur us all on to dev even harder for the device and keep the keyboard legacy alive.
You can trust I will start devving myself as soon as school lets out. Anyone willing to take me on as their apprentice?
I know nothing, but I'm quite eager to learn if someone wants to take me under their wing.
I think this news will have some folks picking up doubleshots off Craigslist. This news and the realization that the phone spec wars have gotten ridiculous. I'm holding on to my doubleshot for good.
First the locked bootloaders, then the buggy "bootloader unlockers" on their website, now this. Samsung should start manufacturing high-end QWERTY keyboards to pick up the demand.
This seems weird to me, because as far as I can remember, HTC has only released QWERTY phones with T-Mobile and Sprint. Those aren't the carriers to turn to if you want to shift a lot of phones, IMO.
I'm really hoping samsung releases a glide variant of the SGIII. I haven't seen anything about that in the leaks, so I'll likely end up using the DS until it isn't viable anymore and re-examine my options at that point.
jonnycat26 said:
This seems weird to me, because as far as I can remember, HTC has only released QWERTY phones with T-Mobile and Sprint. Those aren't the carriers to turn to if you want to shift a lot of phones, IMO.
I'm really hoping samsung releases a glide variant of the SGIII. I haven't seen anything about that in the leaks, so I'll likely end up using the DS until it isn't viable anymore and re-examine my options at that point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Samsung and Sprint are looking better and better as time goes on.
blackknightavalon said:
Same here. Samsung and Sprint are looking better and better as time goes on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from Sprint. It's a disaster.
Anyone have any first impressions on the Samsung T699? Will it be a viable replacement to our Sidekick 4G? Or could the analysis of the T699 help with the development of the Sidekick 4G? These are what crossed my mind when I saw the following post at Engadget.
Source: engadget.com/2012/07/09/samsung-t699-may-become-galaxy-s-blaze-q-on-august-15th/
Your Thoughts?
The keyboard looks good, especially the inverted T arrow pad. I sure wish our Sidekick had that. The form factor's a bit more generic. I quite like how the sidekick feels in landscape mode, so that's slightly less appealing. And the spec would be a nice step up, perhaps enough to make those console emulators practical.
No mention made of price or battery life though. We'll have to see how those are. If they're reasonable, I suspect I'll be picking one up for christmas.
I'd be interested if the keyboard has good tactile feedback and works well, and if the device gets official CyanogenMod support i'd like to avoid OEM overlays if possible from now on.
5-row key /w arrow keys is very nice.
As said above, I really like the feel (raised left/right edges) of the SK4G, and that will be worse, but if the keyboard feels good it will work.
A cap-buttons for menu & back is weird too (I prefer real buttons, but with 4.0 I thought it was not supposed to have buttons at all).
I could end up with that next year as well. I really wish they would just repackage the SK4G with the same case, bigger/better edge-to-edge screen, better camera with flash, and better cpu/ram (nfc + hdmi-out would be my only other wishes).
DigitalSnow said:
Anyone have any first impressions on the Samsung T699? Will it be a viable replacement to our Sidekick 4G? Or could the analysis of the T699 help with the development of the Sidekick 4G? These are what crossed my mind when I saw the following post at Engadget.
Source: engadget.com/2012/07/09/samsung-t699-may-become-galaxy-s-blaze-q-on-august-15th/
Your Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After the way Samsung and T-Mobile continually mis-handled and then abandoned the Sidekick 4G, my main criterion for a new device is going to be a vibrant Android development community, and built-from-scratch community ROMs.
I'm done with Samsung's ROMs. If I'm not 100% certain of a complete, buildable, relatively standard Android source tree, with sensible drivers and whatnot, I simply won't be buying.
nxd said:
After the way Samsung and T-Mobile continually mis-handled and then abandoned the Sidekick 4G, my main criterion for a new device is going to be a vibrant Android development community, and built-from-scratch community ROMs.
I'm done with Samsung's ROMs. If I'm not 100% certain of a complete, buildable, relatively standard Android source tree, with sensible drivers and whatnot, I simply won't be buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was sad to see them drop the Sidekick so quickly, but how was it mis-handled? I did not follow much news about the Sidekick until the beginning of this year. However, I too am frustrated with the Samsung ROM. I have looked around here for a good replacement, but have not tried any yet.
Well, unless there is another qwerty phone out by this time next year, it looks like i will be getting a T699, whether or not there is a dev community.
DigitalSnow said:
It was sad to see them drop the Sidekick so quickly, but how was it mis-handled? I did not follow much news about the Sidekick until the beginning of this year. However, I too am frustrated with the Samsung ROM. I have looked around here for a good replacement, but have not tried any yet.
Well, unless there is another qwerty phone out by this time next year, it looks like i will be getting a T699, whether or not there is a dev community.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How was the Sidekick 4G mishandled? Let me count the ways.
1. Shipped with Froyo instead of Gingerbread at a time when GB was the current release
2. Never updated past Froyo
3. Kernel sources, when released, were an abominable mess. Too eccentric to help with integration into Cyanogen, AOKP, etc.
4. Never fixed TouchWiz' preposterous memory leaks
5. Abandoned officially at just around a year after release
Basically, T-Mobile appears to have cared more about refreshing the "Sidekick" name, than they cared about the user experience or software quality. The Sidekick's official ROM is complete garbage. Such great hardware... but Samsung and T-Mobile put concrete galoshes on the SK4G and chucked it in the river.
If I remember correctly from kies and such, the last update, kj2 came out around 11/7/2011, making the support for the device lasting less than 7 months after the launch date(which was 4/20.... I remember that for some reason )
All in all it sounds like the stock Touchwiz UI was a bit of a hack job and got little attention. It's a shame because I too really like the physical design of the device.
Disappointing QWERTY myTouch
@nxd @yogi2010,
Wow, I guess I should have paid better attention. Only 7 months is pitiful.
Likewise, today I saw this post on Engadget about the new QWERTY myTouch.
Source: engadget.com/2012/07/11/t-mobile-mytouch-series-hands-on/
Seriously, they are going to only be running Gingerbread 2.3 on the new myTouch device. That means the Samsung's T699 is my only hope.
I'm pretty excited about it. I've been wanting a high-end qwerty device again, and the spec bump on the T-699 looks to be very nice. 1.5ghz dual core S3(or possibly S4, but not getting my hopes up) with a gig of RAM and a 720P screen. Going from a Sidekick 4G to this device will be like going from a Galaxy S with a keyboard to a Galaxy Nexus with a keyboard.
Regarding the very poor SK4G software support, my theory is that T-Mobile got their hands too much in the software and Samsung just didn't want to spend the time to truly fix and update all the T-Mobile customized stuff. Don't get me wrong, all the "designer" elements of the lock screen and launcher and everything were nice and kinda expected for the Sidekick name, but they did such a half-assed job making it work right that I would rather have had regular old Touchwiz. It's my fond hope that with the T-699, T-Mobile will ask much less of Samsung in the customization department and we'll at least wind up with a very good functional 4.0.4 release software. Heck, maybe we'll even get lucky and Jellybean will hit sometime in the first half of 2013
Anyway, I'm getting this phone. I tried very hard to move to a touchscreen only device, but I just miss my qwerty keyboard too much. Even the 4.3 inch screen on my One S combined with the trace keyboard just doesn't cut it for me. I only got the One S because I truly believed that qwerty phones with even moderately decent specs were no more. Hell, the last good one that came to T-Mobile was the myTouch 4G Slide, and I hated the weak feedback on the keys on that one. Now I find out that not only are we getting a 720p screen on 1.5ghz dual core device, but the keyboard on it has the fifth row for the numbers? Thank you Samsung for keeping the slider form factor alive!
...barely alive! I too went a few months with no slider-keyboard, and to tell you the truth, I didn't even miss it that much... until I went back to a slider-keyboard and realized every time I used the hard keyboard what a PITA it would have been to do the same on a soft-keyboard only. My parents all use slider phones too because they say they can't type on a soft-keyboard at all. I use my soft keyboard 80% of the time, but the other 20% I'm very glad to have a slider. I don't know why they haven't become the standard, other then the fact Apple doesn't make one and people are sheep. If everyone were forced to use a slider for a week (running the same OS they were used to), I bet very few would want to go back to a candybar in exchange for a few mm in thickness.
rpmccormick said:
...barely alive! I too went a few months with no slider-keyboard, and to tell you the truth, I didn't even miss it that much... until I went back to a slider-keyboard and realized every time I used the hard keyboard what a PITA it would have been to do the same on a soft-keyboard only. My parents all use slider phones too because they say they can't type on a soft-keyboard at all. I use my soft keyboard 80% of the time, but the other 20% I'm very glad to have a slider. I don't know why they haven't become the standard, other then the fact Apple doesn't make one and people are sheep. If everyone were forced to use a slider for a week (running the same OS they were used to), I bet very few would want to go back to a candybar in exchange for a few mm in thickness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While the T699 looks very appealing, I don't think the Sidekick 4G is going to be the final Sidekick device ever released. At least...I hope not...
Well tmobile never said this was the only sidekick android so maybe a new one next year?Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
Hopeful
xtrem88 said:
Well tmobile never said this was the only sidekick android so maybe a new one next year?Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sure hope they do release another Sidekick! :fingers-crossed:
Man, I want that T699 so bad....
DigitalSnow said:
I sure hope they do release another Sidekick! :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I loved the sidekicks when I was a kid, even though I never could afford one
Sliders in general feel like home to me, and the Android factor in the 4g made me fall head over heels in love.... until I saw that it was on froyo. :/
I desperately hope bhudaven (hope I spelled his name right) perserveres through the trolling and ports 2.3 from SGS4G over to the sidekick. ANYTHING higher than froyo would be appreciated.
If tmobile even thinks about making another sidekick, it better be 4.0 or better or i'm going to give a mental jackslap to their logo every time i see it.
RenaldiDroidXDA said:
Same here. I loved the sidekicks when I was a kid, even though I never could afford one
Sliders in general feel like home to me, and the Android factor in the 4g made me fall head over heels in love.... until I saw that it was on froyo. :/
I desperately hope bhudaven (hope I spelled his name right) perserveres through the trolling and ports 2.3 from SGS4G over to the sidekick. ANYTHING higher than froyo would be appreciated.
If tmobile even thinks about making another sidekick, it better be 4.0 or better or i'm going to give a mental jackslap to their logo every time i see it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bhundven is the man for doing this for us. I have made it my personal goal to follow his instructions and not request ETAs.
Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
Sidekick or not, there are only 4 QWERTY phones with Android 4.0 and higher... Only 4. Looks like the end.
djh said:
Sidekick or not, there are only 4 QWERTY phones with Android 4.0 and higher... Only 4. Looks like the end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, T-Mobile will be releasing LTE-capable phones this year. Let's hope there's a Sidekick LTE on the way.
ged92781 said:
Well, T-Mobile will be releasing LTE-capable phones this year. Let's hope there's a Sidekick LTE on the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a long time user of hardware keyboard (G1 and T mobile G2) finally gave up and got Galaxy Note 2. Scren is large enough to use on screen keyboard even with my fat fingers. If they ever make high end phone with hardware keyboard I may switch back but so far I'm happy with quad core cpu and large screen.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
darekz said:
As a long time user of hardware keyboard (G1 and T mobile G2) finally gave up and got Galaxy Note 2. Scren is large enough to use on screen keyboard even with my fat fingers. If they ever make high end phone with hardware keyboard I may switch back but so far I'm happy with quad core cpu and large screen.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phonescoop.com has only one review and had zero discussions on the Relay...until I posted one.
It seems that physical keyboard phones are just not in high demand. What a shame.
Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
Hey, it's my sister's birthday coming up and she wants a new phone. So being the android fan that I am, I want to get here an android. However, she's slightly autistic and struggles with touch screen keyboards (She used to own a touch screen Samsung and has an android tablet) since she got herself a crabberry I have noticed a huge improvment in her typing and she has even told me she doesn't want to get a phone where she is required to use a touch screen to type.
So my question is, are there any half-decent android phones with a physical qwerty keyboard on the market right now that aren't ridiculously priced?
Thank you in advance.
I think there is no fresh model with physical keyboard. I once had HTC chacha and it was probably last decent android phone with qwerty keyboard
Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk
Xperia_Play said:
Hey, it's my sister's birthday coming up and she wants a new phone. So being the android fan that I am, I want to get here an android. However, she's slightly autistic and struggles with touch screen keyboards (She used to own a touch screen Samsung and has an android tablet) since she got herself a crabberry I have noticed a huge improvment in her typing and she has even told me she doesn't want to get a phone where she is required to use a touch screen to type.
So my question is, are there any half-decent android phones with a physical qwerty keyboard on the market right now that aren't ridiculously priced?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
niziou is right, i dont think they make physical keyboard phones anymore.
The DROlD 4 is you best bet.
Q
Depends on the carrier (assuming you're in the US). The 4 major carriers all have or had sliding QWERTY keyboard phones, but nothing terribly recent. AT&T had the Samsung Captivate Glide, T-Mobile had the LG F3Q, Sprint had the Motorola Photon Q, Verizon had the Droid series. They're at least a couple years old, and none run anything newer than 4.0 or 4.1.
I feel weird saying this, and it's probably the only time I've ever recommended looking at a BlackBerry, but check out the Q10. Classic BB keyboard, a smallish 3.1" 720p screen (1:1 ratio, that's kinda weird), OK processor, 2gb RAM. Stuff apparently runs smooth and snappy, although the gesture-based navigation is very unlike Android or iOS. The main reason I'd say to look at one is that BB OS 10.2 can run Android apps (via side-loading, I assume) that are 4.1 JB compatible and earlier. The Q10 is available on pretty much any provider.
Otherwise, you're looking at finding a good condition used or refurbed or possibly NOS Android from a couple years ago or so. The LG F3Q is actually pretty new (came out in January), but its specs aren't. The good news is that any of those older ones should be pretty cheap.
Planterz said:
Depends on the carrier (assuming you're in the US). The 4 major carriers all have or had sliding QWERTY keyboard phones, but nothing terribly recent. AT&T had the Samsung Captivate Glide, T-Mobile had the LG F3Q, Sprint had the Motorola Photon Q, Verizon had the Droid series. They're at least a couple years old, and none run anything newer than 4.0 or 4.1.
I feel weird saying this, and it's probably the only time I've ever recommended looking at a BlackBerry, but check out the Q10. Classic BB keyboard, a smallish 3.1" 720p screen (1:1 ratio, that's kinda weird), OK processor, 2gb RAM. Stuff apparently runs smooth and snappy, although the gesture-based navigation is very unlike Android or iOS. The main reason I'd say to look at one is that BB OS 10.2 can run Android apps (via side-loading, I assume) that are 4.1 JB compatible and earlier. The Q10 is available on pretty much any provider.
Otherwise, you're looking at finding a good condition used or refurbed or possibly NOS Android from a couple years ago or so. The LG F3Q is actually pretty new (came out in January), but its specs aren't. The good news is that any of those older ones should be pretty cheap.
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aw man I forgot all about those phones
Sorry. I think there is no recent smartphone with physical keyboard
Planterz said:
Depends on the carrier (assuming you're in the US). The 4 major carriers all have or had sliding QWERTY keyboard phones, but nothing terribly recent. AT&T had the Samsung Captivate Glide, T-Mobile had the LG F3Q, Sprint had the Motorola Photon Q, Verizon had the Droid series. They're at least a couple years old, and none run anything newer than 4.0 or 4.1.
I feel weird saying this, and it's probably the only time I've ever recommended looking at a BlackBerry, but check out the Q10. Classic BB keyboard, a smallish 3.1" 720p screen (1:1 ratio, that's kinda weird), OK processor, 2gb RAM. Stuff apparently runs smooth and snappy, although the gesture-based navigation is very unlike Android or iOS. The main reason I'd say to look at one is that BB OS 10.2 can run Android apps (via side-loading, I assume) that are 4.1 JB compatible and earlier. The Q10 is available on pretty much any provider.
Otherwise, you're looking at finding a good condition used or refurbed or possibly NOS Android from a couple years ago or so. The LG F3Q is actually pretty new (came out in January), but its specs aren't. The good news is that any of those older ones should be pretty cheap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that is not completely true. To be honest I can talk about the captivate glide only but for it there are 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 and of course also the newest 4.4 Android version available as custom rom. If you have no fear to install a custom rom I absolutely and highly recommend the captivate glide. Depends on what your preferences are but in my case it is the best qwerty atm. At least for me because I live in Europe and I do not want to do any physical SIM mods etc like you need to do for the Photon e.g.
The Glide has a a good community and many different roms available.
The LG Optimus F3Q which was released this year is available at tmobile only atm. That and the fact that it is quite new results in not a good support for custom roms for it atm. That may / hopefully will change (there is already work on this) but who knows what happens. So IMHO buy a glide
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Hey, I've been thinking about this for almost 4 years and finally have an answer.
The Blackberry PRIV, aka STV100-1, is a slider with a physical keyboard. (Yes, that Blackberry, though someone else actually does the phone.) I don't use the keyboard, but I have the phone because I like it otherwise. For whatever reason, it was not a big hit, so you can buy them used for $100 or so on you-know-where. It runs Android 6.0.1. It includes many fancy BB high-security messaging things, but I don't use those either.