I'm with you. My first smart phone was a droid 2 with 5he slide out keyboard. Had the best of both worlds. The new Swype keyboard for one handed texting and then full keyboard for when you got a novel to tell. I really miss those early smartphone designs. including metal cases!
this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2023
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Unpopular Opinion
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This is unpopular? I guess I’m unpopular with you. Buttons are absolutely indiscriminately superior to touchscreens for most uses. Autocorrect is the bane of my existence. I think touchscreens only have the edge as far as the physical space they (dynamically) require
I think as with reddit, unpopular opinions are usually actually popular at least within a demographic, if not generally. Or else you'd never see them upvoted.
Makes sense. Good for discussion too, if nothing else
I wouldn't think so but since blackberry went down the tubes apparently it is. I try notto Stan companies too hard but BlackBerry could kill my wife and I would forgive them
100%.
I would not mind my device being a little fatter if it had a flip out physical keyboard like my old Danger Sidekick used to have.
I had a Blackberry flip phone that was great. I miss that thing.
Oh man, I really feel this one. I miss slider phones.
If you tap to type, definitely learn the swype method, it does get close to typing speed with practice.
I disagree, physical keyboards can break easily whereas virtual ones don't have that issue at all (unless you break the whole screen), also if you type in more than one language it's just a nightmare to use, have my upvote.
I'll concede the multi language bit, but I'm Canadian so that'd mean speaking Fr*nch though 🤮
100%. I used to occasionally do software development over SSH with a phone with sliding keyboard when I was out and about without a laptop, the keys were just big enough not to be uncomfortable. It was great to type into a smartphone like a desktop computer, and some programs could use the keyboard for functionality. Mobile experience has become more bland and cluttered with virtual keyboards/buttons/'joysticks' taking up screen real-estate. At the very least, it's nice that with an adapter many USB keyboards can work with an Android device.
I miss my slider phone and my flip phone. But honestly, I think I was using my phone as a fidget without realizing it.
I do actually agree, though. I like real buttons.
I think phone size makes a difference with touch screen keyboards. Back when I had an iphone 5 I could type so fast people would actually comment on how fast my fingers went. Now on my 14 pro max I'm constantly fixing errors.
Pixel 3a XL and I still suck lmao
There was a decent bit of traction on the dumbphones subreddit, but no one had a great phone that would fit everyone’s needs.
I wish there was some kind of phone I could take with me that had calls, texting, and music but none of the apps. I still want my iPhone but sometimes I want to force myself to not use my smart phone
Couldn't you just use an iPop touch, i know the ui are similar. I have one just for groups chats and apps. Wireless is pretty mush everywhere now (at least where I'm at).
nothing can beat the versatility of digital on screen keyboards. if you're having that many errors typing normally, you can adjust your keyboard to show bigger keys, or a smaller keys with more dead space between them, or a smaller keyboard that you can reach all of with just one thumb, etc. not to mention things like emojis and special characters. there isn't space for all the physical keys that people today would need to communicate as efficiently and clearly as they do, your physical keyboard would be twice the size of your screen and you'd still be making sacrifices. this is truely an unpopular opinion
I definitely typed faster on my phones with physical keyboards. No need for autocorrect when tactile sensation tells you where your fingers are at. :)
I used to be able to text in my pockets during class with ~95% accuracy just from feel on those old slide phones. Sure they were inconvenient, but damn the tactile feel was so much better
I too love physical keyboard, but using the SwiftKey keyboard has been going pretty well for me
Amen! I still miss my Palm Pixi keyboard. If someone made a vertical keyboard case for my Pixel, it would have to be very bad for me not to buy it.
Sometimes I miss the physical keyboard on my Palm Treos but I do like that the entire phone surface is a screen now.
You can have both though! This is the only correct form factor for a cell phone IMO
That with proper Android would have been awesome! I use a fold4 now and wouldn't mind if Samsung snuck a keyboard in there.