absence of keyboard

[zed wheeler]

So Jobs will bet you a dinner that you'll prefer the non-physical keyboard. I think he's right. I've been doing an experiment on my Palm Tungsten, which will provide a mini keyboard on the screen if you prefer that to writing with the stylus. I've tried to "type" on that keyboard with my fingers and after some practice find it surprisingly easy to do!

Now, the Palm is not designed to be used that way. Imagine what you could do if you, like Apple, set out build a program and screen to be used that way.

 

[wot_fan]

I agree. I have read many posts on other forums where members say the iPhone is not going to work well for those that text a lot. IMO, the multi-touch screen is going to make the virtual keyboard even easier to use than the physical keyboards on many of today's phones. I am really looking forward to trying it myself to see if it lives up to my expectations.

 

[robhon]

Yeah, I think there's a lot more going on behind the surface of this (no pun intended). I think there's been a ton of development going on leading up to a new generating of touch screen technology. Apple just happens to be the first company using it in a significant way. I'd expect we're going to see a lot more of this type of stuff in the coming years.

 

[joe]

So Jobs will bet you a dinner that you'll prefer the non-physical keyboard. I think he's right. I've been doing an experiment on my Palm Tungsten, which will provide a mini keyboard on the screen if you prefer that to writing with the stylus. I've tried to "type" on that keyboard with my fingers and after some practice find it surprisingly easy to do!

Now, the Palm is not designed to be used that way. Imagine what you could do if you, like Apple, set out build a program and screen to be used that way.

I'm with you on that one! Like any new gadget, I'm looking forward to learning something new: a new typing method! Reminds me of when I "learned" graffiti. I think it will prove to be faster, easier on the appendages, and wave of the future.

 

[ColsTiger]

I think that's one of the coolest features. I never have been a fan of the big, bulky smart phones that we've had up to now.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

Definitely. The on-screen keyboard will be a revolution in typing and I think it will be fun to learn and explore with. Can't wait, as my name suggests!

 

[JeffBobula]

Im not gonna lie, I love running my hands back and forth on my Treo keyboard. Its nice to have something physical to fiddle around with. And at work, (one of my jobs...waiter) we have this big touch screen, which is fun to hit around on...but typing in specifics on the keypad is kinda a pain. I think about the iPhone everytime I use it, sometimes I love it and sometimes I wonder if Im going to miss the physicality or not.

I guess time will tell...ITS ALMOST JUNE!

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

Im not gonna lie, I love running my hands back and forth on my Treo keyboard. Its nice to have something physical to fiddle around with. And at work, (one of my jobs...waiter) we have this big touch screen, which is fun to hit around on...but typing in specifics on the keypad is kinda a pain. I think about the iPhone everytime I use it, sometimes I love it and sometimes I wonder if Im going to miss the physicality or not.

I guess time will tell...ITS ALMOST JUNE!

Typing on the iPhone will certainly be a different experience completely, and it will take some getting used to. I don't think good 'Ol Steve Jobs will let us down, though. Expect some smooth typing

 

[ColsTiger]

I agree the tactile memory one develops on a keyboard helps sometimes. I never did really get used to the smooth keyboard of the RAZR as much as my older cell phones with individual buttons. But in order to do some many different applications with one device, you can't have the fixed keyboard.

 

[JeffBobula]

True, and the whole time during Jobs' keynote, I kept saying in my head "BUT HOW DOES IT HANDLE TEXTING?!"

And answer he did.
I think it'll be pretty cool when all is said and done...and in the end...way cooler than my little keyboard.

 

[lasquintanas]

I agree the tactile memory one develops on a keyboard helps sometimes. I never did really get used to the smooth keyboard of the RAZR as much as my older cell phones with individual buttons. But in order to do some many different applications with one device, you can't have the fixed keyboard.

I hate my RAZR. I will slingshot it into the horizon upon purchase of an iPhone.

The GREATEST phone i have ever owned was a Nokia 6820 with the fold out QWERTY keyboard. I loved that phone and the only reason i have a RAZR now is because i was thrown in a pool and all insurance replaced it with was a RAZR. I don't think i will be able to type as fast with the iPhone, but to me there is so much more to gain. And again, only after trying one will i be able to make any sort of judgment.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

I hate my RAZR. I will slingshot it into the horizon upon purchase of an iPhone.

The GREATEST phone i have ever owned was a Nokia 6820 with the fold out QWERTY keyboard. I loved that phone and the only reason i have a RAZR now is because i was thrown in a pool and all insurance replaced it with was a RAZR. I don't think i will be able to type as fast with the iPhone, but to me there is so much more to gain. And again, only after trying one will i be able to make any sort of judgment.

I agree that it is a worthy trade-off. A little slower typing, but in turn, you get killer aps, a sweet OS, and much more. And I think you will get faster on it over time, as you get used to it. As they say, it's all practice. According to Steve, it's faster. He seemed to be typing pretty fast with it.

 

[ColsTiger]

I hate my RAZR. I will slingshot it into the horizon upon purchase of an iPhone.

The GREATEST phone i have ever owned was a Nokia 6820 with the fold out QWERTY keyboard. I loved that phone and the only reason i have a RAZR now is because i was thrown in a pool and all insurance replaced it with was a RAZR. I don't think i will be able to type as fast with the iPhone, but to me there is so much more to gain. And again, only after trying one will i be able to make any sort of judgment.

I like the RAZR, but I don't text much. Good to know I'm not the only one that had that problem.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

I like the RAZR, but I don't text much. Good to know I'm not the only one that had that problem.

I have a RAZR as well. The texting is okay, as with most phones, but I think it will be much better on the iPhone. What have I got to lose?


I love these topics that have tons of posts in short amounts of time. It's like pong, back and forth, back and forth.

 

[ColsTiger]

I hate my RAZR. I will slingshot it into the horizon upon purchase of an iPhone.

Don't slingshot it. Just send it to:

ColsTiger
Columbus, GA 31909

 

[joe]

I agree that it is a worthy trade-off. A little slower typing, but in turn, you get killer aps, a sweet OS, and much more. And I think you will get faster on it over time, as you get used to it. As they say, it's all practice. According to Steve, it's faster. He seemed to be typing pretty fast with it.

And that was just his index finger. Seems like you could rip along with both thumbs.

 

[wot_fan]

And that was just his index finger. Seems like you could rip along with both thumbs.

I agree. Let's hope that there is a landscape version of the keyboard which I imaging would allow you type even faster with your thumbs than the portrait version.

 

[iphonenut]

what hasn't been discussed yet is that this keyboard is no 'dumb' keyboard. it still has predictive text and the keyboard will 'guess' what letter you're trying to type based on the rest of the word (cool!)

i have never owned a plastic keyboard so i have nothing to base it off of. but like someone else said, i'm not a big fan of the razr...anymore. the razr is good for only one thing...portability. the only reason i like it is because it's THIN. the screen has a BUNCH of dust particles under it, the camera sucks, the keypad is decent.

i literally cannot wait for the iPhone. touchscreen and all.

 

[RyanFavre]

I think its pretty clear the two weakness iPhone will have are the EDGE network (when wifi isn't available--bigger problem for some more then others) and texting.

The study that was posted on this sites front page a week ago about 90% of handset owners rate iPhone experience superior singled out texting as the only area in which the focus group felt their current phone was better (but not by much).

I'm not saying texting will be an awful experience or anything, but its not going to greatly superior to our current phones and may actually inferior to the current keyboard models.

 

[JJL]

Im not gonna lie, I love running my hands back and forth on my Treo keyboard. Its nice to have something physical to fiddle around with. And at work, (one of my jobs...waiter) we have this big touch screen, which is fun to hit around on...but typing in specifics on the keypad is kinda a pain. I think about the iPhone everytime I use it, sometimes I love it and sometimes I wonder if Im going to miss the physicality or not.

I guess time will tell...ITS ALMOST JUNE!

As a fourth-generation Treo user (270, 600, 650 and now the 750), I agree with JeffBobula on the need for tactile feedback . As a gadget freak, though, I can't wait to try it out . And as an Apple shareholder from back in the $35-per-share days, I'm positively giddy about what the next 30 days will bring !