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Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
Android 1.5 "Early Look" SDK Now Available: Adds Soft Keyboard, Video Recording, and Way, Way More

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TheWerewolf - Sotto voce
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
Or in other words, there are times when the onscreen keyboard is more expedient (like a fast SMS) and other times when the keyboard makes more sense (like typing in email).

I kind of get where they're coming from though. My MDA has a slide out keyboard, and like all WiMo devices, also has an onscreen keyboard, Graffiti (like Palm), Jot/letter writing and full on handwriting reco.

I found I was using ALL of them - each one for different situations.
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MaQ
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
I do not own nether iPhone nor Pre, but I did play with the iPod Touch

and enjoyed the soft keyboard, so when Pre was announced, I Pre-sumed that it would have a soft one too.

I'm a programmer

and when Pre gsm comes out, and I get it, I'll write one for myself, at least.

Don't know why it wasn't included in the first place.
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TessCulver
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
"One of the biggest, loudest complaints about all-touchscreen phones like the iPhone is its lack of a hardware keyboard, and now a survey shows Pre users most want a soft keyboard."

First I laughed long, then I laughed hard, then I laughed loudly...

I love the iPhone touch keyboard.
People whining about it still had last century's phones with about 50 too small to use plastic buttons...

You've seen the future, you don't need a zillion buttons any more...

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Con Seannery
07/11/09

@TessCulver: I. LIKE. MY. BUTTONS. I also haven't picked up the soft keyboard for must uses...the physical one feels better to use...G1 owner, best phone on the market.
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Con Seannery was starred Con Seannery was unstarred

Identity (Metric)
07/11/09

@TessCulver: To each his/her own. I don't mind software, but I prefer hardware. Say for example you wanted to type a url into the address bar.

iPhone: click address bar, type.

Pre: type.

Sometimes it saves time, and usually it's a lot easier to type while not looking.
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quayzar
07/12/09

@my secret identity: I always had trouble with small hardware keyboards so the iPhone's keyboard was just about perfect for me.

I previously had a Samsung Blackjack II and that physical keyboard that I found just awful especially since my passwords are based of a Qwerty desktop keyboard.
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Identity (Metric)
07/12/09

@quayzar: I get that. I loved the keyboard on the Blackjack I, but loathed the one on the II.

With that said though, I do like having the option, and I would like it if both (Pre and iPhone) had both.
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switchblade saints
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
I was the same way with my g1 waiting for the cupcake update.

Honestly after wanting the soft keyboard so bad I think I have used it twice. I found myself using the same argument also, "the soft keyboard would be handy for quick replies..." but to be honest its easier just kicking out the keypad and typing faster on the keys. The onscreen is slower.
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Con Seannery
07/11/09

@switchblade saints: Same here...while I bitched, I got used to the wonderful feature of a REAL KEYBOARD.
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NurseDave
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
I have a pre, and while for a short reply or typing the few letters it gets to bring up a contact it would be nice not have to slide the keyboard out, but I have no problems sliding it out and typing one handed.

...haha he said "sliding it out" Pre-reply posted for you.
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LeighMnemosyne
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
It's not really a preposterous thing to want. I am a Palm Pre user and when I'm typing long texts and e-mails theres no way anyone on a virtual keyboard could do it faster/more accurate. We do love our physical keyboard. But when you want to type in someone's initials real quick to find them on universal search, it's a little much to slide out the keyboard for 2 letters then close it. It would also be very handy in the browser, because a virtual keyboard could orient itself in landscape, unlike the physical keyboard which is always portrait.
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Monty
07/11/09

@LeighMnemosyne: I never underestimate the reality distortion field that spreads throughout our universe from the home office in Cupertino.

I can understand the desire to have an on-screen keyboard option in rare circumstances when you are driving in rush hour traffic drinking a latte and needing to send a quick text message to the arrogant mother in law and not wanting to pull out the keyboard. Or, maybe not.

I agree with your point. On screen keyboards can be useful, but not practical for real typing, in my opinion. Still, I suspect most iPhone owners would argue that point, so - what do I know? I just need to suck in that tasty field energy and go with the flow.
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Edited by Monty at 07/11/09 4:00 PM Monty was starred Monty was unstarred

Con Seannery
07/11/09

@Monty: I got dinged by that field near an Apple store... I ALMOST went in, too. Fortunately, I had my G1 in my pocket to protect me and I was just driving by...ALMOST pulled into a space, but I was about 8 feet from that door. I wasn't right for the rest of the day...rampant typos, a faint headache, losing my train of thought more often than normal... Powerful fields, man.
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Bobby Woods
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
This really doesn't surprise me.. But they should've known what they were getting in to. I think having both would just be weird.. I'll take my iPhone keyboard any day. It's much easier to tap a screen than it is to push a button. That's why the fastest texters are on the iPhone..
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Con Seannery
07/11/09

@Bobby Woods: Well, that, and you don't have to get anywhere close to being right on the spelling and it'll fill it in for you...on a non-predictive touch keyboard and a non-predictive physical keyboard, I can blast out some text much faster on the real keyboard...throw in the G1's suggestions (no autocorrect, I don't think...I haven't actually tried it to see, I always go back to fix the mistakes...) and it's close to as fast as the physical keyboard...
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[Medic]iEro-Sennin
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
Shows that no matter what you do, there will always be some people complaining about it.

What a sad world we live in. :'(

WHERE IS THAT PREVIEW BUTTON; GOD DAMNIT?!
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[Medic]iEro-Sennin was starred

Nick
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
sometimes i drop my pants and sometimes i just undo the zipper. i think it's the same principle here.
and no, not all the way down to my ankles.
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Nick was starred Nick was unstarred

MeanMF
07/11/09

@Nick: You might find typing easier if you use your thumbs.
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SysRq
07/11/09

@Nick: It's actually more like that than you think.
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Invisible-Echidna
07/11/09

@Nick:

It sounds like AT&T users drop them all the way down to the ankles.
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Invisible-Echidna was starred

Nick
07/11/09

@MeanMF: easier for you maybe, but that's why the ladies love me.
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Con Seannery
07/11/09

@Invisible-Echidna: With those prices, they've gotta open the backdoor for the Death Star...
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Edited by Con Seannery at 07/11/09 6:24 PM Con Seannery was starred Con Seannery was unstarred

TheShredder
07/11/09

In reply to Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard
I dont think it's a ridiculous complaint. Why slide out the keyboard every time?
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NurseDave
07/11/09

@TheShredder: Because that's where it is.
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SysRq
07/11/09

@TheShredder: Because you don't have an iPhone.

This is a good example of people whining because they didn't do their research. They knew the Pre didn't have an onscreen keyboard, just like iPhone owners know the iPhone doesn't have a physical keyboard. And yet the chose the phone they did because of...well, who knows why. Shut up and enjoy your damn phone.
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PhineasJW
07/11/09

@SysRq: Not an entirely good analogy. An onscreen keyboard is just software, therefore, it only takes an OS update. A phone that never had a hardware keyboard (iPhone) can never have a hardware keyboard.
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PhineasJW was starred PhineasJW was unstarred

Con Seannery
07/11/09

@SysRq: Well, you know, some people like a phone that can actually do...anything. They also don't care to look like a complete tool when they take a phone call, and they like having more than one button. Throw in the fact that AT&T blows, the iPhone is all hype and no value, and there are better phones out there in all areas from all carriers, and you've got yourself an answer.
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TheWerewolf - Sotto voce
07/11/09

@SysRq: Actually - *I* have an iPhone. And two WiMo phones, one with and one without a slide out keyboard.

And simply put: the reason you don't get it is because you've never tried it.

Which makes owning an iPhone the cellphone equivalent of only eating at McDonalds and suggesting that no one really likes Beef Wellington because it has that icky liverwurst inside.
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tande04
04/13/09

In reply to Android 1.5 "Early Look" SDK Now Available: Adds Soft Keyboard, Video Recording, and Way, Way More
Awesome.

I'm glad to see that all explained out. I've been looking at the G1 and that might just make my look easier.
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switchblade saints
04/13/09

@tande04: I just upgraded to a g1 from a blackberry curve 3 weeks ago.

I am very please and it was a pretty smooth transition. I definitely recommend it.
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tande04
04/13/09

@switchblade saints: The more I'm seeing and hearing the more I'm liking.

I'm not a real early adopter. I've got to play with something a dozen times and do the research before I pony up the cash. I almost bit the bullet on this last week.

There was a kid paying his bill (or something) in the store that had one and I asked how he liked it. I believe his quote was something along the lines of "its the greatest phone ever".

I'll definitely take your recommendation into account too.

Thanks
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switchblade saints
04/13/09

@tande04: well I don't think there is a "greatest" phone out there, I had an iphone for a week and it didn't work for me. I wasn't a phone of a non physical keyboard, and to be honest there are a few things the g1 could have that would be better.

But after using all of the 3 top phones, (BB, iphone,g1) the G1 works out a little better for me, for what I use it for at least.
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tande04
04/14/09

@switchblade saints: Right, I don't think I could get across the way he said it. He was being serious but like any young kid but the over generalization and the way he said it came across as quite humorous to me. Guess its one of the many things you can't really get across in a comment.

Anyways...

It does seem to hit most of what I'm looking for. The iPhone isn't an option and since I've got a touch anyways I haven't really seen much there that I think is to die for anyways. A physical keyboard is something that I defiantly want and I'm not a BB fan.

The only thing is I am thinking about waiting it out a bit to see what else is coming. The thing with phones is that something better is always around the bend though and you end up waiting forever.
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Bo Shonka
04/14/09

@tande04:

Honestly, thats the only thing that worries me. I really hope the android platform is well regulated when it comes to certain specifications. If the following Android phones don't have the same size screen, I could really see some problems for devs and consistency. But other than that The Android platform is one of the most promising forms of tech I've ever seen. I lvoe my G1, I am constantly surprised by what its capabilities are and can be. Its openness is a blessing! I recommend the G1 as well and if you go with it, I can recommend some of the best programs available. The best part about it is that they are all (with the exception of 1 app) FREE and at least 4/5 stars.
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Con Seannery
04/14/09

@Bo Shonka: I got my G1 about a month ago. No regrets, the best phone I have ever used. The iPhone just won't cut it for me, I like buttons and an inclusive app store. BlackBerries are too business-oriented for my tastes.

Also, what are your suggested apps? I know I LOVE Shazam, ToggleWiFi, Barcode Scanner, AK Notepad, Labyrinth, and the included features like maps and the messenger.
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hodayathink wants WWFRD back!
04/14/09

@Con Seannery '09: Illegal in 1 Giz: Barcode Scanner + My Collection Free is really cool, plus Toggle WiFi is great, Google Scoreboard is actually fine if you don't need the updates in real-time (i.e. if you're at work and want to know the scores when you get off). The one thing I'm waiting on (and I'm about three weeks from writing it myself) is something that works like iTunes Remote, but for Winamp.
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Bo Shonka
04/14/09

@hodayathink is looking for a white 20-something porn actres...: Can I test it for you? and If you ARE a dev, I've got an idea I'd like to pitch to you as well if you're interested.
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hodayathink wants WWFRD back!
04/14/09

@Bo Shonka: I am a developer, but I'm not all that great at it (yet), and I'd be doing it outside of my job and looking for a second job, and I have a tendency to be lazy when it comes to my free time projects. So, unfortunately, I'm not one to be pitching ideas to at the moment. And when I say I'm three weeks from writing it, I mean I'm three weeks from starting it, which is to say I'm about 2 months from finishing it. But I'll give you a ring if I get it working.
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Auzburner
04/13/09

In reply to Android 1.5 "Early Look" SDK Now Available: Adds Soft Keyboard, Video Recording, and Way, Way More
God dammit! Apple, why can't you make your updates so expansive ALL at ONCE? 3.0 is nice, but the features should have been a 2.0 update at the latest. Booh.
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Linux chief hardware engineer
04/13/09

@Auzburner:

Says who...?

Lets cry more about Apple updating the iphone with new features every couple months...

"boo i hate how my iphone gets new stuff all the time. I want android so its only updated once a year! Or a nokia phone that is never updated."
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tande04
04/13/09

@Shirkk: Your definition of once a month seems somewhat flawed.

Major iPhone updates are once a year. What other then iTunes DJ support has been added in a non-major update?

Its mostly bug fixes just like the bug fix updates that have gone out for android (and yes, symbian gets updates too).

This isn't even technically a major update. Its still a .5
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tande04 was starred tande04 was unstarred

Linux chief hardware engineer
04/14/09

@tande04:

Sigh*

Please stop taking my words out of context.

my words: every couple months...

Yours: once a month seems

Im not over-glorifying anything here.. the iphone is truly the only phone that gets new features and major security updates every few months.

I have proof this time:

[en.wikipedia.org]
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hodayathink wants WWFRD back!
04/14/09

@Shirkk: Yeah, because the G1 didn't just get an update in January/February:

[i.gizmodo.com]

Stop letting your bias blind you.
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Palm Pre Users Complain About Lack of On-Screen Keyboard

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