CNET News Poll
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CNET)
A large number--if not the majority--of the phones we saw at this year's CTIA trade show in Vegas featured some sort of QWERTY keyboard instead of (or in addition to) the traditional T9 numeric keypad most phones have had for years. The HTC Snap and Samsung Impression pictured are just two examples of QWERTY phones.
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Samsung)
We think QWERTY might replace T9 entirely within just a few years. As T9 fades into memory and QWERTY becomes the default, a few things might happen. What do you expect to see?
As always, if we missed anything, be sure to let us know in the TalkBack section below.
Wi-Fi paint? Bust warmer? Face slimming mask? Bandai telling women how to understand men? Why, that's just crazy talk! The Gadgettes are back in the saddle again, and this time, they ain't going anywhere anytime soon.
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EPISODE 122 |
Made-in-Japan Wi-Fi blocking paint
British Airways to allow in-flight texting
Computer newbs kick QWERTY to the curb
Thanko’s new plug-in bust warmer… whatever next?
Bandai helps women understand men
Japanese face slimmer will definitely not work as advertised
... Read more
Finally, a keyboard that makes sense.
(Credit: Fast Finger Keyboard)Say goodbye to QWERTY because a new revolution of keyboards has begun. Call her crazy, but Faith Quintavell, the creator of the Fast Finger Keyboard, has released a keyboard whose keys are in the order of the ABC's.
After she noticed a store clerk use what she calls the 'hunt and peck" method of typing, she was inspired and created this intuitive keyboard. The Fast Finger Keyboard is especially helpful for beginner typists, as they can simply plug in the keyboard, and begin typing (assuming they know their ABC's) Like the Keyboard for Blondes, this keyboard has the quick IM keys with phrases like "LOL", "CYA", and "BTW". Additionally, if not everyone in the household wants to give up QWERTY, the keyboard can be switched by pressing a special button.
Perhaps with this keyboard, gramps can answer your emails a little quicker, and your kid sister can get on MySpace a little sooner. For $27.95, the keyboard can be purchased on her website, and will soon be available on Amazon.com
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FCC)
Before collapsing under the incredible blogger peer pressure and buying an iPhone, I was a user of Helio's Ocean. The thing was great. It did everything the iPhone did and still outperforms it in some ways (MMS and video capture, anyone?), and Pantech's engineers used the dual-sliding idea to create the Pantech Duo for AT&T last year.
Sadly, the Duo was all hardware. Running Windows Mobile 6 meant that while it had a lot of things it could do, they weren't going to be as easy as you'd like. But now, thanks to the FCC, we've got a look at the successor, the Duo 2.
Using a similar form factor with dual sliding keyboards--one T9, one QWERTY--the Duo 2 adds Windows Mobile 6.1 and upgrades the camera to 2 megapixels, but that's about it. The rest of the key features remain for the most part the same.
That being said, it does have a more Ocean-like design, far slicker than the original Duo, so that's something. No word on when AT&T will start selling the phone or what it will cost, but we'd guess early next year for about $100 after rebates and the signing away of two long years of your life.
(Credit:
Pantech)
The Pantech Slate, which AT&T claims is the world's thinnest QWERTY mobile phone, officially met the public when AT&T started selling the handset Wednesday. No word from AT&T yet how many units it has sold, but when your other selections include the iPhone and Palm Centro, we can't expect this tiny unit to be a door buster.
The Slate has a 1.3-megapixel camera, 2.5G (Edge) connectivity for data, and Bluetooth. It's not for everyone, and we can't really call it a smartphone, but for people who text often, it's a great deal at $50 after $50 MIR and a two-year contract.
(Credit:
Crave UK)
Today HTC swept away the rumors that its new smartphone was going to be called the HTC Raphael or HTC TyTN III by giving its latest Qwerty keypad mobile the moniker of HTC Touch Pro. A bit boring, we know, but at least it didn't name it after a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Dull nomenclature aside, this bad boy is stuffed with more features than Ray Mears' travelling pouch. HSDPA (7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi and GPS keep you connected on the road, while a slide-out, five-row keypad lets you tap out long e-mails with ease.
Other desirable features include a 3.2-megapixel camera and a large VGA touch screen. The whole thing runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, natch, and features TouchFLO 3D, the same finger-friendly front end as on the HTC Touch Diamond. Pricing has yet to be announced, but HTC says the Touch Pro will be available this summer in the U.S., U.K., and Asian markets.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
SlashPhone)
Other than to call for a cab, something tells us that new phones won't be on too many people's minds this St. Patrick's Day. But if you adhere to some strange custom by which gifts are exchanged every March 17, LG has a handset that's made to order.
The "Rumor" has been around for awhile, but SlashPhone says a special green version has been made available to Sprint customers just in time for the occasion. Other than the color, the handset seems to have the same features as earlier models, including a built-in GPS unit, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. And don't expect the warranty to cover one that gets dropped in green beer.
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