Discussion about
Keyboard, too small?
I dunno, I kind of like it. It felt a little small at first, but it really began to grow on me after a couple of days. It's no BB or HTC keyboard, but I'll take it over the iPhone's virtual keyboard any day.
Kind of but it's not just the size it's the rubberyness (touch and feel under my fingers) of it that kills it for me...
I totally agree. I have large but not huge hands and I've adapted quite quickly to the Pre keyboard. I never got super quick on the iPhone keyboard. At least not as quick as the Pre. I like the rubbery feel and the slight feedback of the keys. I haven't had an issue with hitting the wrong keys, just speed. I'm up to the point now after owning the phone since June 28 that I am comfortable writing medium length emails quickly and I'm lightning fast on texts.
coming from me, if you have big hands. grow yourself a pimp nail. you become a hell of a lot quicker when you type with the nail rather than the thumb. shouldn't have to do that but it is what it is
whats annoying me is that my phone keeps sim locking. really really annoying when you have no calls or texts for a few hours and you check your phone only to see that its asking for a sim code AGAIN. its really random. happening 3 times a day for me and i don't know whether its hardware or software issues
whats annoying me is that my phone keeps sim locking. really really annoying when you have no calls or texts for a few hours and you check your phone only to see that its asking for a sim code AGAIN. its really random. happening 3 times a day for me and i don't know whether its hardware or software issues
Hmm, yeah, I think that I could pretty easily get used to it. Especially since I'm coming from the tiny keys on the SureType Pearl 8130.
I'm really considering getting the Pre now. My contract is up on VZW soon, almost time to make a decision. I know one thing for sure, I cannot live with just a touchscreen keypad.
I'm really considering getting the Pre now. My contract is up on VZW soon, almost time to make a decision. I know one thing for sure, I cannot live with just a touchscreen keypad.
I've played with my friend's Pre and I've come to the conclusion that if you take the Pre and add the self correction features of the iPhone's virtual keyboard, it would defeat the iPhone's virtual keyboard any day. Until then, I cannot type on the Pre without hitting every key around it.
honestly, I hate predictive text, and would much prefer a phone with a killer keyboard and the option to turn the auto correction off. There are certain places where it is nice, such as typing "theyve" or "im" and automatically getting "they've" or "I'm," but when I want to type "genre" on my iPhone, it types "gener" every single time. I slowed it down, took careful notice, and even when my finger is clearly on the "R" key and not the "E," it changes it at the moment of the keypress.
Maybe phones should have settings within the feature, like toggling spelling fixes, or toggling punctuation and capitalization. I'd love to keep punctuation and capitalization on, but throw that dynamic spellcheck out the window.
Maybe phones should have settings within the feature, like toggling spelling fixes, or toggling punctuation and capitalization. I'd love to keep punctuation and capitalization on, but throw that dynamic spellcheck out the window.
I agree, seemed small at first but I got used to it quickly. It helps to type with the tip vs the ball of your thumbs. Keyboard brought back memories of my old Samsung i730 slider.
I agree. I prefer the portrait-style QWERTY over the landscape-style. It requires less thumb travel, and I've gotten used to it on the Pearl. Keeps me from getting that oh-so-dreaded "finger-fatigue" ha. I think the Pre will be a real winner as future software updates make their way through the airwaves.
I was excited to have the chance to play with the Touch Pro after using the Centro for a couple years (and Treos prior to that). Little did I know that my WPM would slow drastically due to my thumbs having to move a couple extra centimeters. I don't have large thumbs...Nor are they small...But it would seem as if horizontal keyboards don't cut it for me. The one-handedness usability of the Pre is where I'm at.
I think what you boys are looking for is a little something known as the Compal Tabasco.
www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/mystery-t-swivel-hands...
www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/mystery-t-swivel-hands...
lol... I think I would throw functionality in favor of attractive design when it came to that Tobasco... normally it's the other way around for me, but that thing is just looking super weird... it's not often I say that I'd be embarrassed to carry around a certain device, and this one be one of em.
It's only taken me a couple days to get use to the Palm Pre keyboard. I came from a 800w which I would argue is the best keyboard Palm has created. I have no issues with typing on the keyboard. I've sometimes found myself typing without looking which is pretty neat.
Ryan is 100% spot on. It's no Blackberry, but it's definitely better than the iPhone. The first few days I had the Pre, I didn't like the smallness of the keyboard. Now after using it for quite some time, it's not bad at all though I still want a physical portrait keyboard. That'd be so much more useful for web surfing as I prefer portrait mode when on the internet.
The Pre's keys are small, but usable. I still have trouble hitting the ampersand & orange key with one digit...I bet Palm diversifies and offers a landscape QWERTY fairly soon.
I disagree. I owned the Pre for 3 weeks on a trial, and I wanted to love it so much. I really was bragging about it and telling people that it beat the iPhone. However, hardware issues plagued my experience with it. I subsequently returned it.
About the keyboard, it's too small. It would be fine if it was of a higher quality, but on all three of my phones (yes I exchanged it twice) there was a small amount of plastic keyboard flex that made it that much harder to press each button. I have relatively delicate hands. The smallness of the keyboard also prevents you from cross-typing. What I mean is, if you're pressing 'A' with your left hand, it's really difficult to follow that up by pressing 'E' or 'D' with your right thumb.
I find myself tying much faster in landscape mode with the iPhone. Pre doesn't have a decent spell checker so that also slows things down.
With all disclosure, I purchased an iPhone after the Pre. I was deciding between the two, and I'm happy with my choice. I really don't like Apple users though. I detest the religious cult of Jobs. I have no bias, I just want whats best for me. I really wanted to love the Pre. Web OS is awesome. But the hardware is a little too cheap, and in Hawaii I had terrible coverage compared to Verizon. The delay on apps was a big factor for me too.
About the keyboard, it's too small. It would be fine if it was of a higher quality, but on all three of my phones (yes I exchanged it twice) there was a small amount of plastic keyboard flex that made it that much harder to press each button. I have relatively delicate hands. The smallness of the keyboard also prevents you from cross-typing. What I mean is, if you're pressing 'A' with your left hand, it's really difficult to follow that up by pressing 'E' or 'D' with your right thumb.
I find myself tying much faster in landscape mode with the iPhone. Pre doesn't have a decent spell checker so that also slows things down.
With all disclosure, I purchased an iPhone after the Pre. I was deciding between the two, and I'm happy with my choice. I really don't like Apple users though. I detest the religious cult of Jobs. I have no bias, I just want whats best for me. I really wanted to love the Pre. Web OS is awesome. But the hardware is a little too cheap, and in Hawaii I had terrible coverage compared to Verizon. The delay on apps was a big factor for me too.
I went from a Treo 650 to a pre, while the keyboard is small it is not hard to type on at all. I concur with most of the other posts that it is still quite usable and should not be a deal breaker for most people. Hope the have a bigger unit in near future with slightly larger keyboard, bigger battery, etc. for road warriors.
I think that any good predictive text can make up for a bad keyboard. Come on Palm, come thru with this!!
I think the Pre's keyboard is good, and the keys are spaced out good too. I like the key layout more compared to my old Treo 700w. Nice job
One negative "possibly" is that the keyboard feels thin, especially with sharp the edges. It feels like typing on a piece of sheet metal at times. But I wouldn't trade it for a virt keyboard or my old Treo keyboard.
I think the Pre's keyboard is good, and the keys are spaced out good too. I like the key layout more compared to my old Treo 700w. Nice job
One negative "possibly" is that the keyboard feels thin, especially with sharp the edges. It feels like typing on a piece of sheet metal at times. But I wouldn't trade it for a virt keyboard or my old Treo keyboard.
I like it. I had an 8330 curve before and the size is very close. I had no trouble adapting to it for normal characters, but I'm still having issues with the Orange+ keys, just because they are different than the BB's alt keys. I still tend to do "alt+m" for period, even though I have a period key now. These, however, aren't really issues worth worrying about.
it's tough to get used to after a blackberry but you get used to it. there's a secret though - just trust you'll hit the right key instead of looking too closely and after a while it all clicks in. it's like all those people who get a blackberry for the first time and complain about the small keyboard. trust in the force and the message will get through...
This is helpful, "just trust you'll hit the right key instead of looking too closely."
I was either looking at every key before I entered it or watching the screen after each word to confirm no misspells but as soon as I started trusting the fingers and the feel of the keys from stroke to stroke I started getting faster.
I was either looking at every key before I entered it or watching the screen after each word to confirm no misspells but as soon as I started trusting the fingers and the feel of the keys from stroke to stroke I started getting faster.
i was having the exact same problem with the G1 that i migrated from. after a few days with the pre it has been just fine. i can type almost as fast as i did when i had the curve and im diggin the landscape kb, especially on the off chance that i have to type one handed while driving (not recommended or condoned) or eating haha.
Every time I see the comment that the Pre keyboard is too small, I line it up next to my Treo 700p and see that it is EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE. Same height, same width, same spacing & curve. The keys are not as deep/tall, but have about the same amount of travel. They have a rubbery surface, instead of hard plastic.
All in all, I've had no trouble at all adjusting to the Pre keyboard, after 2.5 yrs on the 700p and 2 yrs on a Treo 600 before that, other than the relocation of period, comma, and at-sign (but they are in better places now).
"Too small" is so subjective. And I think it's a bad rap on the Pre.
All in all, I've had no trouble at all adjusting to the Pre keyboard, after 2.5 yrs on the 700p and 2 yrs on a Treo 600 before that, other than the relocation of period, comma, and at-sign (but they are in better places now).
"Too small" is so subjective. And I think it's a bad rap on the Pre.
