No numberpad for text? (Score: 1) by fishybell@pipedot.org on 2016-10-09 17:39 (#1XGZT) I remember the days when the texting first hit the teenage audience in a widespread manner, and damn did they learn to type fast using just the number pad, which was their only input method. I can't fathom how impossible it will be to use the itty-bitty touchscreen anywhere close to as quick. I'm still convinced the physical keyboard will always be the quickest input method, regardless of how large or how smart the touchscreen is.Now get off my lawn. Re: No numberpad for text? (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2016-10-09 19:22 (#1XH7Q) It's hardly "itty-bitty". The touch-screen alone is 3.5", which was considered BIG just a few years ago. The iPhone 4S had the same 3.5" screen size (circa 2012).There's no bigger fan of (full QWERTY) hardware keyboards than yours truly (see: #3NZG), but I absolutely HATE T9 (text on 9 keys) input. Back when I had a phone with T9 as the only option, I simply didn't send texts to anybody, nearly ever. T9 has given us all manner of ugly, unwieldy "txtslang" terms we're only slowly getting away from (like "smthg"), as input was so cumbersome that learning a new shorthand language was quicker than both parties writing messages in full and proper English. The most primitive on-screen keyboards are superior to that nightmare. The physical keypad could still be quite useful. Android has lots of games, and mechanical buttons with tactile feedback would be far superior to control by touching nondescript regions on a smooth screen. Perhaps also for controlling apps such as music players. Re: No numberpad for text? (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on 2016-10-14 22:36 (#1Y4G2) Fully agreed on hardware keyboards. I'm using a Blackberry Priv. It's a bit large - I'd prefer a smaller phone, really - but it works well and balances okay in my hand with the keyboard slid out.I do like the idea of this flip phone, though. Especially for my parents. Dad has a tendency to wreck the screens on smartphones and a flip would fix a lot of that.
Re: No numberpad for text? (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2016-10-09 19:22 (#1XH7Q) It's hardly "itty-bitty". The touch-screen alone is 3.5", which was considered BIG just a few years ago. The iPhone 4S had the same 3.5" screen size (circa 2012).There's no bigger fan of (full QWERTY) hardware keyboards than yours truly (see: #3NZG), but I absolutely HATE T9 (text on 9 keys) input. Back when I had a phone with T9 as the only option, I simply didn't send texts to anybody, nearly ever. T9 has given us all manner of ugly, unwieldy "txtslang" terms we're only slowly getting away from (like "smthg"), as input was so cumbersome that learning a new shorthand language was quicker than both parties writing messages in full and proper English. The most primitive on-screen keyboards are superior to that nightmare. The physical keypad could still be quite useful. Android has lots of games, and mechanical buttons with tactile feedback would be far superior to control by touching nondescript regions on a smooth screen. Perhaps also for controlling apps such as music players. Re: No numberpad for text? (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on 2016-10-14 22:36 (#1Y4G2) Fully agreed on hardware keyboards. I'm using a Blackberry Priv. It's a bit large - I'd prefer a smaller phone, really - but it works well and balances okay in my hand with the keyboard slid out.I do like the idea of this flip phone, though. Especially for my parents. Dad has a tendency to wreck the screens on smartphones and a flip would fix a lot of that.
Re: No numberpad for text? (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on 2016-10-14 22:36 (#1Y4G2) Fully agreed on hardware keyboards. I'm using a Blackberry Priv. It's a bit large - I'd prefer a smaller phone, really - but it works well and balances okay in my hand with the keyboard slid out.I do like the idea of this flip phone, though. Especially for my parents. Dad has a tendency to wreck the screens on smartphones and a flip would fix a lot of that.