I think I might have to leave the windows phone platform:-( While wp8 is not the reason why!

[Othmanbouharrat]

I felt like I have to share this with my fellow wp8 fans. Like all of you, I just love windows phone. There is no need to explain why, because we all know why. But the ugly truth is that I am afraid I have to leave it....

I own a Dell Venue Pro. It is a horsepower phone and never disappointed me with any problem that some smartphone users often have with theirs. But its core strength is the physical keyboard that no other windows phone (8) has. I am a type addict, which means I type a lot!!!!!! and with the physical keyboard there is no reason to stop typing. BUT now, I want to change my phone to another windows phone, but I left with no choice except full touch phones:-(! One thing though, I love the HTC 8x Limelight Yellow and I thought like ok, I will put my addiction aside and order that beauty of a phone! So I did, but after more than 30 days, I am still waiting for delivery and something tells me that it never will! Than BB Q10 came.... A perfect hardware phone with a physical keyboard which made me struggle to keep my attention away from it. But it is kind of winning. It is like I hate that I love the physical keyboard.

But it is not my fault. If Microsoft makes an OS that is also perfect for business men, which it does perfectly, why did they not force any of the smartphone producers to create a hardcore business phone with a physical keyboard?!!....

Anyway, windows phone fans, try to convince me no to buy the BB Q10.

 

[snowmutt]

First off, I feel your pain. I so absolutely miss a real keyboard. My Samsung Focus S is the first phone- smart, feature, cordless, or hanging on a wall- without a real keyboard. I have had it for a year and a half, love it, and miss a real keyboard nearly every day. It is fairly common on these boards. We are a small but sad group.

But, I can give you 4 reasons for you to truly consider sticking with WP over the Q10.

1) The improvement in virtual keyboards is truly amazing. No, you do not get the satisfying response of a tactile keyboard, and I still make a few more mistakes on a virtual then I ever did on a slider. But the keyboards are very dependable, and you get used to the layout quickly. Your fingers will learn the spots, and within a few months will be sliding to the correct keys more often then not. Virtual keyboards are truly much better then you would expect.

2) The option to use a landscape or portrait keyboard based on what you are doing and your needs is really nice. It is a tad liberating as opposed to being tied to one or the other. I use portrait almost exclusively, but landscape is more practical then I thought it would be.

3) The reason why the physical keyboard is dying out is that more and more users want the larger screens to enjoy the multi-media options that are becoming so easy to access in this day of mobile. The reason why BlackBerry has a large hold on the QWERTY audience is that BB07 is simply put a great professionals OS and a horrid multi-media OS. The small screen is not missed. The Q10 screen size is smaller then your DVP, and if you enjoy any of the smartphone advantages you will lose that on it's tiny screen. Virtual keyboards are not the beat all end all, but the 4" to 4.8" (on WP 8 devices) screen sizes truly make a difference in your enjoyment with all the other tools, games, videos, so on and so forth.

4) Having had the DVP, you lived through a lot of heartache with a develop-from-scratch reboot of an OS. Do you really, REALLY want to do that again?? Look, I have faith in BB to get this right, but Microsoft has built in advantages that BB just doesn't. Cloud storage, across platform support, deep pockets, Office, a true vision of where they want to be in 10 years and the ability to get there. The artist formerly known as RIM just doesn't have these things.

Hey, it really boils down to this: Is the keyboard the single most important thing? Does it outweigh any other concern??

Good luck, and share your decision!!!

 

[PeltFrelken]

The reality is that physical keyboards are almost extinct, especially for top of the line phones. If having a real keyboard is a deal breaker, then the Q10 is the way to go.

Does anybody know if there's a WP with haptic feedback, where the keyboard vibrates with each tap? That would be a good bridge.

 

[Slai]

It doesn't have that but the sound on press really helps. I could have sworn it had a tactile feedback until i actually paid attention and noticed that "hey, it doesn't!".

I type a lot myself, and the closest Ive come to the awesomeness of the n900 is Swiftkey X on large display Android (s2 and s3), but my typing needs dictate behaviour WP cannot accomodate. When using a single language constantly the WP keyboard is REALLY good on my 920 (4.5"). It wasn't as good on the 800 due to the very small screen (3.7"), but on the 920 its a whole new world.

I don't use my computer for 80% of my typing, its all through the phone these days. I don't think it will be a bad experience if you just give it an honest try.

 

[Huime]

yep, for a keyboard smartphone Q10 seems to be the only choice.

 

[Othmanbouharrat]

Thanks for your opinion snowmutt!

First of all, you are totally right. Windows phone is by far the best OS with its high value apps such as office etc. But if I did not knew these values I really wouldn't have waited more than 30 days for the HTC 8x Limelight to arrive. So I am really giving it a go to try live without the awesome pyhysical keyboard. But if there is still no sign of delivery, my feeling towards the BB Q10 will grow each day. Physical keyboard are made to type during all circumstances and temperatures. I once red someone saysomething that is kind of true: touch phone are made for soft climate regio s such as LA. Physical keyboards are made for every occasion!

I will call the phone store today with the hope that they can give me a date wherein that htc will be shipped. I hope it is very soon, because I cannot see any other more beautiful WP. I still think my DVP is more beautifull than what is now available from Nokia, Samsung and Htc.

 

[Slai]

The 920 can type during all conditions, trust me. I live in Norway, and it can get quite cold here. Using my 920 with gloves is very nice, actually.

 

[nessinhaw]

but you can use 920 with gloves! honestly, i don't why you went for the htc just for "beauty" (as i understood) lol
not saying it is a bad phone...just saying that 920 (and 720 if you want smth cheaper) can be used with gloves, therefore, in all climate conditions!

 

[WhippedKream]

Hmmm, I haven't really had any physical keyboards ever to be honest, but I can assure you two things. 1) i was truly all over the place with this phone when i first got it (8X) and made so many mistakes, and now im a typing machine! Can't stop me now! (Typing with it as we speak) 2) It can survive all weather conditions, trust me. I live in a country that's known for it's quite bipolar weather (Canada) so I've experiences extreme cold, hardcore rainy days, and no damage it's meant to last my friend

 

[Gergolos]

hey hey,

I know it is not quite what you want, but how about the HTC 7 Pro? Of course: it runs WP7.8 and not WP8, but I love mine and it works really great!

If that's not an option for you, I really hope WP8 will get an awesome qwerty-device someday and you will come back to Windows Phone

 

[Technoloay]

I really doubt it, but this could be the answer to your question: What

(This might be a Lumia with a qwerty keyboard - Is that even possible?)

 

[Coreldan]

The E7 was and still is incredible popular in the business world here in Finland. My brother for one took extremely long before he upgraded from it cos he thought the keyboard was so amazing. It always comes at a tradeoff in specs, though, so I understand that reluctancy to make such phones, but I would think that a proper slideable QWERTY phone would be quite popular in the business world, not sure if that's gonna sell enough though...

 

[Othmanbouharrat]

Thanks for sharing that link Technolosy! A Lumia with a Qwerty is just perfect. I hope it will become reality!
Thank you guys, all of you for your help and response. There are always two things that attract me most since the DVP. The looks and a Qwerty. The limeligh yellow from my opinion is the most beautifull wphone available. But you know what, does wp8 have the option to convert the on screen keyboard into a oldschool keyboard where you have more letters at each button? Although it may be slower in typing, but I remember it was a joy to type like that.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Go ahead - share this on the dedicated sticky: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ot...evice-including-windows-phones-post-here.html