QWERTY keyboard on Android?

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quickymart

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#130791 28-Sep-2013 09:10

Ahoy,
Toying with the idea of getting a new phone. I have my Nokia E5 and it's done well but it's a bit old school now and I wouldn't mind something with a more up-to-date OS.

Problem is, I really like the QWERTY keyboard on my E5 and am trying to find an Android phone with the same, but there don't seem to be too many with a keyboard around. I don't like touch screen keyboards. I was looking at an HTC ChaCha which looks good, but it's almost two years old now (and is it even still available?). Is there a recent Android phone with a keyboard, or am I out of luck?

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#904029 28-Sep-2013 10:10

I think you might be out of luck, I know HTC and Acer had qwerty models but I haven't seen a physical keyboard on any recent models :-(

johnr

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#904031 28-Sep-2013 10:14

Once you get use to the touch screen you will not want to go back to a physical keyboard

timmmay

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#904033 28-Sep-2013 10:20

I also wanted a physical keyboard, but the devices with them are all low end. I went from a Nokia with a physical but not querty keyboard to a borrowed S3 for a month. It took a little time to get used to it, but I liked it and bought an S4 with Swype. It's true it will never be as good as a physical keyboard for typing, but it's good enough and the extra screen size is nice to have.

Suggest you try a phone out, ideally an extended trial for a week or two if you can get a phone to borrow, otherwise just in stores. Not many have swype pre-installed, but youtube will have video demos. I've tried other keyboards and my personal preference is strongly toward swype.

quickymart

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#904047 28-Sep-2013 10:24

I have tried my wife's iPhone (not Android, I know, but still a touchpad keyboard) and a workmate's iPhone but I found I was making too many typos and it was frustrating. Yet on my E5 it's much easier.

eracode

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#904048 28-Sep-2013 10:26

I really like SwiftKey on my HTC One. It has cursor/arrow keys, which I find very useful.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

johnr

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#904049 28-Sep-2013 10:27

quickymart: I have tried my wife's iPhone (not Android, I know, but still a touchpad keyboard) and a workmate's iPhone but I found I was making too many typos and it was frustrating. Yet on my E5 it's much easier.

How long did you use them for?

timmmay

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#904055 28-Sep-2013 10:47

quickymart: I have tried my wife's iPhone (not Android, I know, but still a touchpad keyboard) and a workmate's iPhone but I found I was making too many typos and it was frustrating. Yet on my E5 it's much easier.

I have an iPod Touch, I find their keyboard hugely inferior to Swype on the larger S4 screen.

What city/area are you in? Someone here may be able to show you their phone.

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gregmcc

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#904083 28-Sep-2013 11:41

quickymart: Ahoy,
Toying with the idea of getting a new phone. I have my Nokia E5 and it's done well but it's a bit old school now and I wouldn't mind something with a more up-to-date OS.

Problem is, I really like the QWERTY keyboard on my E5 and am trying to find an Android phone with the same, but there don't seem to be too many with a keyboard around. I don't like touch screen keyboards. I was looking at an HTC ChaCha which looks good, but it's almost two years old now (and is it even still available?). Is there a recent Android phone with a keyboard, or am I out of luck?

You could alway get yourself a bluetooth keyboard, problem solved

quickymart

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#904105 28-Sep-2013 11:59

johnr:
quickymart: I have tried my wife's iPhone (not Android, I know, but still a touchpad keyboard) and a workmate's iPhone but I found I was making too many typos and it was frustrating. Yet on my E5 it's much easier.

How long did you use them for?

I can try hers anytime, but I tried them for a few days. Didn't do it for me, sadly.

gregmcc

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#904125 28-Sep-2013 12:58

there are also plenty of alternative keyboards for android like go keyboard, or get agalaxy note and use the stylus to directly write.

Technofreak

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#904136 28-Sep-2013 13:24

johnr: Once you get use to the touch screen you will not want to go back to a physical keyboard

John, I can't agree on that.

I have the Nokia E7, the on screen keyboard on a 4" screen is a good as any other I've used with the option of T9, QWERTY and QWERTY Swype. However the physical keyboard is the prime reason I still use the E7.

While it's getting on a bit being updated to Symbian Belle it does a pretty good job of things.

If I were to loose my E7 I'd be looking for another E7 to replace it.

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jeffnz

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#904158 28-Sep-2013 14:20

The idea of a smartphone is to make use of bigger screens so it makes sense to have on screen keyboards. Lets be honest its what you get used to as opposed to which is best and I'm thinking you won't see physical keyboards on phones anymore.
I struggled with early smartphones and keyboards but now its quite simple and I use an app that I can make keys bigger for my old eyes.

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Technofreak

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#904175 28-Sep-2013 14:43

jeffnz: The idea of a smartphone is to make use of bigger screens so it makes sense to have on screen keyboards. Lets be honest its what you get used to as opposed to which is best and I'm thinking you won't see physical keyboards on phones anymore.
I struggled with early smartphones and keyboards but now its quite simple and I use an app that I can make keys bigger for my old eyes.

The bigger screens make on screen keyboards quite usable but I disagree that the need for physical keyboards will disappear. It depends on the use the device gets put to.

A big part of why a physical keyboard is important to me is nothing to do with the key size, it's to do with that fact the on screen keyboard takes up too much real estate and doesn't leave adequate work space on the screen.

I regularly use my phone as a micro laptop. Carrying around a laptop or even a tablet isn't all that practical for me so my phone does the job replying to emails, editing spreadsheets and documents etc on the run. It's a bit of a carry over from my days of having a Palm Pilot and wireless keyboard which had the functionality to work with documents etc.

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jeffnz

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#904180 28-Sep-2013 14:52

I'm sure the need won't disappear just won't see them made in current form but maybe they will make a slide out one, who knows though.

I had palm pilots and their screen size was way smaller that what you get now so maybe it is what you are used to. Get an OTG cable and a fold able or roll up keyboard, not practical I know

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timmmay

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#904183 28-Sep-2013 15:16

Sounds like a small bluetooth keyboard is the best option for you.

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