Please Apple, release a QWERTY phone

taz323

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Mar 10, 2013
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As a longtime BlackBerry user I'm so disappointed that the new BB10 OS has abandonded many of the things that made it great, especially for business users - data compression with BIS, push email, instant access seperate email inboxes - and have release an OS which copies the rest. As a longtime MacBook user I really like the Apple ecosystem, and would seriously consider moving to Apple if they brought out a QWERTY phone. Yeah, I know it's never going to happen and I'm just dreaming, but please, Tim Cook, if you're reading this, please give it some serious thought.

Also along time BB user and had the 9930 forever and it's a great phone, but must say I am impressed with the 4s, thought it would be tough to type on. But am adjusting to it nicely.
 
Nov 7, 2012
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I'm sorry, but i can't imagine someone with a truly objective approach to the "keyboard" discussion wanting a physical keyboard over the virtual counter part...It's like trying to argue that modern manual transmissions (since it was mentioned before) vs. modern dual clutch transmissions that are quickly replacing them. There will always be a niche of people who want manual transmissions (i personally love them too), but to be 100% honest, there is NOTHING better about them vs. their dual clutch counter parts that remove the clutch pedal to remove the time and potential error of the driver...it gives the shift sequence to the computer, which can perform this duty faster than a human could ever optimally do...it's simply better than the standard manual transmission because of it's upgraded performance and the options that can be combined with it.

The keyboard is the same...the virtual keyboard performs as good or better than the physical one, and it has the ability to add features with seemingly no limitation. The bottom line here is this, there will always be some people who PREFER the physical keyboard for whatever reason, but in no way is it a better option for nearly countless reasons.

I love a car analogy, but If a dual clutch transmission accidentally put me in 1st instead of 6th, or if I had to double check which gear was about to be initiated before I released the shift button, I would like dual clutch a lot less. I haven't tried the Z10, but in my experience touch screen keyboards are more like general automatics, where you just hope the gear changes when you want it to. One can't forget that a physical keyboard can be typed on with out taking eyes off the screen and the physical keys usually bring many shortcuts. I used Treo, Windows Mobile, IOS, Android, and lastly BBOS. Physical is my objective preference due to efficiency and reliability. I absolutely appreciate that a touch screen gives you much more screen for everything but messaging, and I'm willing to make that sacrifice on a tablet, but not a smart phone or computer.
 

Daniel Ratcliffe

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Dec 20, 2011
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As Apple release one tried and tested format a year, this won't happen I'm afraid. They're too dead-set on their touch-screen device. As for companies like Nokia, Samsung, HTC, etc, you may be able to get one off those companies. They just churn out devices (I remember the days of when every week there seemed to be a new HTC android device being released). I'll admit, personally I'd rather see a Torch-esque Nokia device (I loved their keyboards as well as BlackBerry's), but I can see why people would want Apple to release one. After all, the iPhone is just the iPhone. Everyone and their dog knows about it. But what would it be called though, the kPhone?
 

quamdar

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Nov 19, 2012
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I do miss my blackberry keyboard at times (it made typing without looking WAY easier) but I would never want one on an iPhone...
 

Sarcasm Detector

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As a longtime BlackBerry user I'm so disappointed that the new BB10 OS has abandonded many of the things that made it great, especially for business users - data compression with BIS, push email, instant access seperate email inboxes - and have release an OS which copies the rest. As a longtime MacBook user I really like the Apple ecosystem, and would seriously consider moving to Apple if they brought out a QWERTY phone. Yeah, I know it's never going to happen and I'm just dreaming, but please, Tim Cook, if you're reading this, please give it some serious thought.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with OP on several points: as a long time blackberry user I am glad that BIS is finally dead. For all the benefits of reduced bandwidth usage, it did not mitigate the added latency and the show stopping single point of failure that would bring down the entire network.

Push email is still available on BB10 and it's still as fast as always. You can also still drill down into separate email accounts instantly.

As for copying other OSes... If you are referring to the grid layout; you should probably know that was on my 7100r and 7290 LONG before the iphones or android came out. Who is copying who?

There are millions of users out there who absolutely have to have a physical keyboard. No amount ridicule or condescension will make them change their minds.

Since you guys like to use car metaphors; let's look at manual and automatic transmissions. Automatic transmissions have been around for decades yet they still make cars with manual transmissions.

Why? Because even though dual clutch and automatics can be more efficient and t chnologically more advanced, people still like to feel like they have more control over their vehicule. To them it is a better driving experience.

There will always be cars with manual transmissions, and as long as there are still millions of people who want it; there will always be phones with physical keyboards.
 

mulasien

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Feb 28, 2013
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I see both sides of the argument. Many non tech people want the iPhone because it is simple and only has the one button and no complicated gesture sequences.

Have you seen the new BB10 gesture list? There is a gesture for everything and it changes with each app and screen. Most people over 30 and girls, in general, prefer the home button and a single gesture for notifications.

I could see them making it an on screen button, but I don't see it going away. You see how well gestures on the iPad have done. They are available but hidden away on a menu.

I could see making the home button a virtual button similar to newer versions of Android. It would free up a lot of screen real-estate.

But then again, I've had times on my Android device where an app is locked up, and the virtual home button does not help...because it is locked up.

So I could see both the positives and negatives for it.
 

folgrz

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Jun 9, 2010
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I'm sorry but I have to disagree with OP on several points: as a long time blackberry user I am glad that BIS is finally dead. For all the benefits of reduced bandwidth usage, it did not mitigate the added latency and the show stopping single point of failure that would bring down the entire network.

Push email is still available on BB10 and it's still as fast as always. You can also still drill down into separate email accounts instantly.

As for copying other OSes... If you are referring to the grid layout; you should probably know that was on my 7100r and 7290 LONG before the iphones or android came out. Who is copying who?

There are millions of users out there who absolutely have to have a physical keyboard. No amount ridicule or condescension will make them change their minds.

Since you guys like to use car metaphors; let's look at manual and automatic transmissions. Automatic transmissions have been around for decades yet they still make cars with manual transmissions.

Why? Because even though dual clutch and automatics can be more efficient and t chnologically more advanced, people still like to feel like they have more control over their vehicule. To them it is a better driving experience.

There will always be cars with manual transmissions, and as long as there are still millions of people who want it; there will always be phones with physical keyboards.

I'm not too sure about that... Even Porsche is making the switch to PDK transmission :(