[Macworld]

Post your comments for Apple overtakes RIM, Microsoft in smartphones here

[Grapho]

What, a phone with no keyboard? How can this be?

[mac_minion]

The iphone has no keyboard? News to me.

[Grapho]

mac_minion said:

The iphone has no keyboard? News to me.

I am being sarcastic from comments made by Steve Ballmer.

Check this Video I think is very funny.

[akira34]

I'll keep my BlackBerry 8330 Curve thank you very much... I have an iPod touch (gen2) and hate the 'keyboard' it has (which is identical to the one the iPhone uses)... I won't even go to the BlackBerry Storm since I have the impression that it's only a [vastly] improved version of that same keyboard type.
With physical qwerty keyboards, you can use more than one hand/finger to type. With the ones on screen i don't see being able to type quickly, accurately, with two fingers/thumbs... Especially since you'll have to go to landscape form in order to get the full keyboard, not an abbreviated one. This is an area where devices like the Curve shine, and the full touch screen devices lose all luster. At least to those of us that care more about FUNCTION over bling or social status.
I've had my Curve for almost a full month now and won't go back to either the flip phone I had (and loved) before, nor see going to a full touch screen device later. I'm even going to get my mother a Curve as her next phone (coming up in less than two weeks, since she's on my plan)...

[mac_minion]

Yeah that occured to me after I made the post. :8}

[Deromax]

From watchers, 2 years ago :
Apple is a computer company. Sure they had success with their iPod gadget but the cell phone is a whole different industry and the big boys won't let Apple eat into their business any time soon. Watch for the iPhone to remain a niche product with no mass appeal, blah blah, blah...
Teeh hee hee!

[mac_minion]

Have you used an iPhone? With the iPhone you can use more than one hand/finger to type. You don't have to go to landscape mode to get a full keyboard. Your post sounds like an attempt to save face for your purchase decision, but it's obvious you are clueless about the iPhone. I care deeply about function and that exactly why I have an iPhone.

[bjojade]

What's really interesting is that Apple can be on top with only ONE model of phone to choose from. (Yeah, you can get different storage capacities, but it's still the same design.
The other companies have sometimes dozens of different phones to choose from, all obviously with their differences. Programming software to work on all models must be a challenge.
I have an 8330 curve and I'll agree that for sending text messages, the keyboard is much faster than the virtual keyboard of the phone. However, for everything else, the iPhone wins hands down.

[nmpike]

I challenge ANYONE with a QWERTY physical keyboard to my iPhone with a text off.
I can out type anyone on my iPhone, i've won a lot of $5.00 bets because people think they can type faster than me with a real keyboard vs. my virtual iPhone keyboard.
I whip out iPhone typing better than any qwerty keyboard! :)
Any takers on here?
I also just bought the G1 Google Phone... It has a real QWERTY keyboard. Let me say this, after having the iPhone, the QWERTY keyboard is cumbersome... I like the iPhone much more, but we develop software for both...
I will whip anyone's ass with my iPhone in a text-off. Bring it on :)
Mike

[Wondercow]

akira34 said:

>With physical qwerty keyboards, you can use more than one hand/finger to type. With the ones on screen i don't see being able to type quickly, accurately, with two fingers/thumbs... Especially since you'll have to go to landscape form in order to get the full keyboard, not an abbreviated one.

Your post implies that you don't often type on your iPod Touch, so perhaps you need to use it more to get more practice ;) It took me a while to get used to using the iPod's keyboard but I can now type out documents at great speed and I regularly use more than one finger/hand to type. It's also not restricted to me--everyone I know who has an iPod Touch has gone through the same process: takes some time to get used to, but it'll come and it'll work.

[Grapho]

The iPhone as cool and useful as it is stand alone, has something that the competing products can't touch, that is the entire iTunes, AppleTV, App Store, Mac ecosystem that Apple has created around the iPhone. This, I think, Apple can extend even further. But if you don't have an AppleTV it's hard to explain what a cool remote the iPhone makes using the Apple Remote free application. I have it configured for my iTunes library on my MacBook that happens to be connected to some nice speakers, and off course to my Apple TV. We had some people over for Halloween and they brought their kids. I was controlling the music selections on my MacBook during dinner and at the same time what the kids where watching on the Apple TV up in the family room. All without leaving my chair.

As far as physical keyboard and the one on the iPhone, I don't think one is inherently better then the other. It a matter of taste and just like some like glossy screens and other hate them, people will always come out with arguments in favor of ether, again it boils down individual preference. I got some pretty big hands and at first it was not easy typing on my iPhone, but now I know to use the very edge of my fingers and now I am pretty comfortable with it.

[Lord_Meroving]

I am very glad for HTC and Microsoft (Windows Mobile) respectively. Despite all the iPhone and BlackBerry mania, it's still not enough to sway me from Windows Mobile hence i'm thoroughly enjoying my Touch Pro (coming from a Treo 650/700p/700Wx) as it suits my needs. iPhone and BBerry are still too restricted a platform for me at the moment.
Sad that Motorola got dethroned by Samsung from its top spot in the U.S though.

[nyip11]

I like Mike's challenge to take on anyone's typing with his typing on the iPhone. I'm not the one to face you, Mike.
Just to point out that all typing needs learning and practice. My daughter can type a text message on an old cell. phone using the numeric keypad - without looking, and she's very fast. She's proven it to me by holding the phone under the table and typing a message I dictate, without looking at the phone - very fast and accurate. All it takes is practice.
In case anyone's forgotten, the QWERTY keyboard is purposely designed to slow down your typing because the old typewriters would jam when people type too fast.