Tactile keys and The New York Times

The Samsung Alias 2: You can touch and feel its keys.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

You know you've arrived when a New York Times writer takes notice of your work, even if it's to make a snarky remark about it. CNET got such an honor Monday when David Pogue, the newspaper's tech and gadget columnist, included us in a tweet about one of his pet peeves.

Here's what Pogue twittered: "CNET writes 'All the keys feel tactile.' HELLO? 'Tactile' means 'You can feel it.' What the hell is a 'tactile feel'!?"

Now, I'm not 100 percent sure, but I'd wager that Pogue was referring to my recent review of the Samsung Alias 2. I admit that "tactile feel" is redundant, and I regret any confusion I might have caused. I'll try to clear that up now.

The quality of a phone's controls are an important factor in CNET's cell phone reviews. We look for keys that allow you to dial without looking at the phone. We examine a handset to see if its keys are raised and if they're separated from each other by a ridge or crevice that you can feel. Either way, we keep the feeling of the keys in mind when figuring the final rating.

At CNET, we try to look for those "little things" that will annoy or please consumers over time. Too many phones have flat, slippery keypads that resemble one big touch pad. We don't think such handsets are easy enough to use so, at the end of the day, we're looking out for you.

[iroq321]

well alrighty then!

[make_or_break]

Kent,

Don't worry about it. The NYTimes won't survive the year, anyways. Then it'll be YOU who will have the last laugh. ("bwahahahaha"...ad nauseum...etc.)

[Eldiablodelosaves]

Don't worry about it. The guy is a pogue. We used to call ignoramouses 'pogue' in the military. His twitter puts him in that league even if his name didn't.

[wojx]

You have arrived. Kudos for clearing it up!

[Cruton]

I think feeling tactile keys is important. If I feel non tactile keys, then how do I know what button I'm pressing?

Honestly, CNET rocks, Pogue is feeling less job security as newspapers are cutting back, so instead of applying for a job at growing CNET, he burns bridges. Smart move there Pogue.

[sting7k]

And they wonder why their business is dying, get a clue NYT.

[jamespeda]

"We look for keys that allow you to dial without looking at the phone."

Great for when you're dialing while driving. Or better yet, texting while driving.

[liferashe]

Actually, I love David Pogue. He's got talent and a great sense of humor. I have to say that having a phone that you can dial without looking at it is fairly pointless in my mind, so having keys with a "tactile feel" seems not only redundant but unnecessary to me. But, then, I'm happy with my iPhone's virtual keyboard.

[NervClaX]

What is this "New York Times" you speak of and what is a "newspaper"? Someone once told me they used to print liberal blogs on dead tree pulp. Imagine that!

I know I wouldn't go to a newspaper or newspaper website for my tech and gadget news, that's for damn sure. Why does the New York Times have a tech and gadget columnist anyway? Does it take a tech and gadget column to bash Bush and leak sensitive national security information? Did they teach the tech and gadget columnist to plagiarize like the rest of their reporters?

[eabu10]

they only reason you would really need not be able to look at the keypad to type a phone number is if youre drive a car or operating a train or bus

[NervClaX]

I would include texting in class, at a wake/wedding/funeral, or in a hostage situation.