Do you prefer physical or virtual keyboard on a phone?

[ManSnake]

I was checking out the Samsung Epic 4G, it has a really nice screen but I just don't like the fact how the physical keyboard adds to the thickness of the phone...

 

[zerocool84]

I love a physical keyboard and it's always better to have one but I'm more than willing to give it up.

 

[TheWart]

I love a physical keyboard and it's always better to have one but I'm more than willing to give it up.

Yea, while a physical keyboard is nice, I value a phone's slimness over a keyboard. Especially given how good some multitouch keyboard implementations perform.

 

[zerocool84]

Yea, while a physical keyboard is nice, I value a phone's slimness over a keyboard. Especially given how good some multitouch keyboard implementations perform.

Only good ones are iPhone and HTC Sense. I have Swype and it's great but really takes some getting used to as it's totally different than the rest of them but it becomes insanely fast.

 

[Sheep]

A year ago I was solidly in the physical keyboard camp. I probably still would be if it wasn't for Swype, which won me over.

 

[MJinZ]

If you don't need your phone for work or anything serious, like typing out a long email, then you don't need the physical keyboard.

Anyone who uses phones like Blackberrys for work - we know the keyboard is irreplaceable when we have to correspond with work critical matters within time constraints.

 

[Bateluer]

Only good ones are iPhone and HTC Sense. I have Swype and it's great but really takes some getting used to as it's totally different than the rest of them but it becomes insanely fast.

The HTC IME keyboard is available for any Android phone, except AT&T's. Essentially, the same as Sense. Its decent, and better than the stock Android keyboard, IMO. The XDA dev who was maintaining it has set it on hiatus though. The Droid X's MultiTouch keyboard was nice too, but it doesn't work with Froyo yet and activating it also futzed with my settings for the hardware keyboard, so it became useless.

I'm pretty solidly in the hardware keyboard camp. With a hardware keyboard, you can type far faster and more accurately than any soft keyboard will allow, and without losing half your screen to the keyboard. For quick, short text messages to friends, the soft keyboard is fine. But for typing longer messages or more detailed emails, the hardware keyboard is a must.

I am glad to see more hardware keyboard options, the myTouch 3G Slide, the Epic 4G, the LG Ally, etc. Would like to see them offered on more carriers and price points though.

 

[Deeko]

Physical. 100%. I do a lot of texting and emailing on my phone. I took a chance with the HD2 - figured the extra size for HTC IME + Swype would do the trick. It hasn't. I'm getting the Epic 4G whenever they finally release it.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Someone just needs to release a GOOD Bluetooth or USB miniature physical keyboard that can easily be paired with phones. Yes, it would add one more thing that you need to carry around, but as long as you throw it in your car / laptop case / backpack / purse for when you really need it, you should be good to go.

If someone does make such a thing, I'd hope they'd model it after the LG Voyager's keyboard. The button size and button spacing were absolutely perfect - best cell phone keyboard I've EVER used.

 

[vshah]

when I had a G1, I swore I'd never get a phone without a physical keyboard.

I got an N1 due to the processor etc., and after a few weeks the touch keyboard was 2nd nature.


swype blows either out of the water though. way faster than on screen, at least as fast as hardware keyboard, and no trade-off in terms of phone thickness.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'm faster with Swype than with my Samsung Moment's physical keyboard. However, the physical keyboard is useful for certain things. It's way, way better at selecting text (try doing that with a virtual keyboard!) and it's also good for typing things that aren't in Swype's dictionary (for example, using the ConnectBot terminal).

 

[Raduque]

I prefer a good hardware QWERTY, but as long as the OSK is responsive and quick, I'm fine without it.

Can't stand swype, though.

 

[blackangst1]

I prefer physical. I tried Swype and it never really stuck with me, or I just couldnt get the hang of it. I carry my phone in a holster so thickness is not an issue for me.

 

[shortylickens]

Overall I prefer physical but it has to be good. I dont like anything from Blackberry or their clones like the Nokia E series.
And my Droid keyboard is shit.

The only ones I've liked were from LG, and they make horrible phones otherwise. If I could have a Voyager keyboard on an Android device I would be super happy.

 

[hanoverphist]

If you don't need your phone for work or anything serious, like typing out a long email, then you don't need the physical keyboard.

Anyone who uses phones like Blackberrys for work - we know the keyboard is irreplaceable when we have to correspond with work critical matters within time constraints.

put me in the opposite column then, i do just fine answering emails, making and editing spreadsheets and generally getting through my day-to-day without a physical keyboard. i used to love my old phones physical keyboard, but havent missed it on my omnia. i havent used my phone in landscape mode to type in over a year.

 

[Phobic9]

I've owned a ton of phones but I've come to the conclusion that I just simply don't like physical keyboards. I've probably used the one on my Droid maybe 10 times since the day it was released from Verizon.

 

[Gooberlx2]

The only ones I've liked were from LG, and they make horrible phones otherwise. If I could have a Voyager keyboard on an Android device I would be super happy.

Agreed. My LG enV had the best physical keyboard I've used to date.

That said. I do fine with decent VKBs like HTC sense. I'd definitely prefer it to my Pre's crap-ass PKB.

 

[randomlinh]

I will always prefer a physical keyboard. Though, I have not tried out Swype, but it shows a lot of promise from what I've seen (I also don't think standing at the store for 20 minutes will give it any real justice).

 

[QueBert]

the record holder for fastest typing on a cell phone keyboard did it with a virtual one. I can type a lot faster on an iPhone's keyboard over my Moto Q9C. If you adjust I don't see how anyone could not be faster on a virtual keyboard. Now liking it better will be personal preference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNcTE5WJGdw 81WPM on an iPhone, I can do about 40 on one. I'm slower on my Motorola with a real keyboard.

 

[zylander]

The fastest keyboard I can type on is the iPhone virtual keyboard. That is the only virtual keyboard I like, tried others but they arent as good. As far as physical keyboards go, I like the ones on most of the HTC phones. I hated the G1 and dont like the Droid either.

 

[soydios]

Dudes, this thread needs a poll. Like, seriously, a yes/no question = poll on the forums.

Anyhow, on topic, the HTC Touch Pro 2 keyboard was the best. I'm still waiting for HTC to bring it back on an Android phone.

 

[zerocool84]

I've owned a ton of phones but I've come to the conclusion that I just simply don't like physical keyboards. I've probably used the one on my Droid maybe 10 times since the day it was released from Verizon.

Cus the Droid`s keyboard sucks. There`s a lot of crappy keyboards out there.

the record holder for fastest typing on a cell phone keyboard did it with a virtual one. I can type a lot faster on an iPhone's keyboard over my Moto Q9C. If you adjust I don't see how anyone could not be faster on a virtual keyboard. Now liking it better will be personal preference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNcTE5WJGdw 81WPM on an iPhone, I can do about 40 on one. I'm slower on my Motorola with a real keyboard.

Yes like we said Swype is the fastest which it is but takes a lot of getting used to but it`s definitely the fastest.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Swype by far for me.

My fingers are too big for the tiny keyboards on most devices(some of the larger sliders are fine, Blackberry- not a chance). When comparing retro tech like iPhone4 and comparable virtual keyboards it depends on the particular device. Every virtual keyboard I've ever used I would take over most BlackBerries, but ~Droid size or larger I would have to give the nod to physical.

 

[QueBert]

Yes like we said Swype is the fastest which it is but takes a lot of getting used to but it`s definitely the fastest.

The guy in the video I posted isn't using Swype his fingers are completely coming off the screen for each stroke and he's still @ 81WPM.

 

[Bateluer]

Any good type speed testing apps for Android?