HTC to stop producing QWERTY phones?

Kristoph

Kristoph

Kristoph

Soldato
Joined
11 May 2007
Posts
8,303
In my usual monthly search for my next new qwerty phone I see HTC are abandoning the style.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/45360/htc-no-more-qwerty-keyboards

Pocket-lint attended the Frequencies event in Seattle where HTC’s design team spoke candidly about moving away from phones with physical keyboards, with emphasis very much being on touchscreens.
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I got the G1 when it came out, followed by some good timing from HTC, the Desire Z.

Is there anything on the horizon that I've missed? I have a few months to go but I'd be interested in anything new, with a slide out landscape style keyboard.
 
I am a quick typer in general and I can say that with 4.3" screens like the Sensation and One S, I can type quicker on a screen than one of those miniture physical keyboards.

The keys are much bigger on the screens we have today and make typing much easier.

Not a big loss and HTC seems to have realised this too.
 
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I guess I'm just used to touch typing with the mini keyboard and would rather have something that doesn't take up half the screen when you want to fill in a field.

I get the feeling I might have to bite the bullet and get used to it.
 
I found the physical keyboard on my Nokia E72 was better than any touch screen, especially single handed.
 
TheCenturion said:
In the age of touchscreens, physical keyboards are fail imo. You can type just as well (if not better!) on a touchscreen, than on a tiny physical keyboard.
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Indeed.

I don't think they sell particularly well but they are more popular in the US.

People insistent on a hardware keyboard are going to be reliant on BlackBerry most probably.
 
Physical keyboards FTW. E72 one is brilliant as said above. I find my self writing shorter texts on my touch screen out of laziness because of the slower typing.
 
TheCenturion said:
In the age of touchscreens, physical keyboards are fail imo. You can type just as well (if not better!) on a touchscreen, than on a tiny physical keyboard.
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Maybe you can but not everyone ;)...i have a One X and a BB9900 and I prefer typing on my BB than on the One X...touchscreen keyboards I find annoying and avoid typing anything long on them, can't beat a physical keyboard...well for me that's definitely the case.
 
Kristoph said:
I guess I'm just used to touch typing with the mini keyboard and would rather have something that doesn't take up half the screen when you want to fill in a field.

I get the feeling I might have to bite the bullet and get used to it.
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You may very well have to...really the only decent physical keyboard device is BB but it's not even close to Android at the moment hardware and software wise.
 
I can tap out text as fast as I can on a PC keyboard and I reckon I'd give someone typing on a touch screen a good 'type-off' :p

I'd rather get the text I type correct the first time and not rely on auto corrections and suggestions.
 
Spawn said:
Maybe you can but not everyone ;)...i have a One X and a BB9900 and I prefer typing on my BB than on the One X...touchscreen keyboards I find annoying and avoid typing anything long on them, can't beat a physical keyboard...well for me that's definitely the case.
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I actually think for typing and correction, the iPhone keyboard is well ahead of anything else. I wonder if you found that too?

The One X is fine but it just doesn't seem as good, same for all of the other Android phones (and market keyboards, I've tried the lot, Swiftkey is great).

Once I got used to the 9900 keyboard I really liked it, but it's not something that would really influence my decision and I don't think the cropped screen is worth it.
 
It's just what you're used to. I can type faster on a touchscreen than I can on a physical, but I'm sure if I had a BB for a few months I could type just as fast.
 
Does no one remember the days when peoples fingers would move lighting fast on their non qwerty phones, and they would text people without even looking at the screens? It is so much more difficult now.
 
Robbo said:
I actually think for typing and correction, the iPhone keyboard is well ahead of anything else. I wonder if you found that too?

The One X is fine but it just doesn't seem as good, same for all of the other Android phones (and market keyboards, I've tried the lot, Swiftkey is great).

Once I got used to the 9900 keyboard I really liked it, but it's not something that would really influence my decision and I don't think the cropped screen is worth it.
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Nope I found my iphone4 also annoying for typing out...like Ross said above I only text on my One X if I really need to and even then they are very short ie replies or texts usually consist of hi, bye etc.

Personally I just can't see myself giving up my BB because of the keyboard mainly....that's why I carry 2 devices around.

I find both the ip4 and One X keyboards far too small for my fingers and it's not like I got fat fingers lol...even my BB playbook I'm not keen on typing with it..
 
Spawn said:
Nope I found my iphone4 also annoying for typing out...like Ross said above I only text on my One X if I really need to and even then they are very short ie replies or texts usually consist of hi, bye etc.

Personally I just can't see myself giving up my BB because of the keyboard mainly....that's why I carry 2 devices around.

I find both the ip4 and One X keyboards far too small for my fingers and it's not like I got fat fingers lol...even my BB playbook I'm not keen on typing with it..
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I guess it depends on each person then, but I can type lightning fast (and accurately with the odd auto correction) on the iPhone keyboard!

Ultimately, I don't write loads very often anyway, I'll wait until I'm at a computer for that. :p
 
non-qwerty is quicker on a small pad i'm sure.

I just use Swype now though and it mostly know what I mean to say.
 
I still miss the QWERTY keyboard on my Nokia E71 and E72...yes I had both.But I wouldn't say I'm any slower on a large touch screen phone although I do seem to make more minor mistakes due to hitting the wrong letter.
 
I would never compromise my phone choice for want of a HW KB. Swype makes typing soo much less of a chore. Mind you I don't type massively long messages.
 
Touch typing depends on the device. Hated it on my San Francisco because the touch screen was slow and buggy.nlightning fast on my iPhone though.
 
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