As we eagerly await the release of the new iPhone and a slew of other smartphones, I’m faced with a decision - should I hop on the nearly-button-free, touchscreen bandwagon or do I want a QWERTY keyboard for easy texting and emailing?
Touchscreen Options
While Apple’s latest addition to the touch-screen movement is probably the most buzzed about, many cell phone manufacturers have touchscreen phones on the way for this summer. Blackberry’s Thunder is a much anticipated product, as it ventures away from the typical Blackberry form, but keeps some of the essentials, such as quick-touch buttons for sending and ending calls, browsing the menu, instant camera access, and other often used applications. It has, however, lost the tactile keyboard, leaving the user with only the visual one typical of touchscreen phones. Also in this category are the LG Dare, Samsung Instinct, and HTC Diamond.
Tactile QWERTY Keyboard Options
The new HP iPAQ 910 has just been released, and packs a punch with its Windows 6.1 Mobile OS and sleek Blackberry-esque look. Another option with a full keyboard is the brand new Blackberry Bold, the first Blackberry with HSDPA networking. LG also has several QWERTY handsets for the mobile messager - the enV2 offers a full keyboard, and some great extras such as a 2MP camera, but leaves much to be desired with its subpar appearance. But for a consumer strongly concerned with ease of texting and emailing, a QWERTY keyboard could be the most important feature.
My Verdict
As far as my bottom line goes, I think my requirements are GPS, a full web browser, a high quality camera and reliable service. As a novice mobile messager, I think I can sacrifice the tactile QWERTY keyboard, but only because I don’t think I’ll be using a keyboard (in any form) much from my smartphone. So right now my frontrunner is the Bold, with its sleek touch screen and easy-access buttons, but I am confident I am not the only one facing this dilemma. As the products are released, and the race unfolds, we’ll see what a smartphone will need to take the lead.
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Tags: BlackBerry Bold, Blackberry Thunder, HP iPAQ 910, HTC Diamond, iPhone, LG Dare, QWERTY, Samsung Instinct, smartphone, Touch Screen