Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
are other issues I'm not happy with.
90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
would be greatly appreciated.
> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sharon
Too many imponderables! For example:
Who's your current carrier, and who else might be a candidate?
How are the various handsets these all offer?
Will any new carrier effortlessly port your current number if you want?
If you can't easily use the on-screen keyboard of the Droid X, what makes
you think that of the iPhone will prove any easier?
Would a PagePlus super-economy, budget-friendly plan be in order?
What's the last 10% (non-talk, non-email, non-text) of your phone use? Can
just about *all* carriers accomplish that for you? or only a select few?
Just stuff to think about :-) . HTH. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800, "MineralKing@live.com"
<MineralKing@live.com> wrote:
>Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
>90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Sharon
How about an iphone with a bluetooth keyboard? Check Brookstone
#774810 for about $80
On 1/7/2012 6:01 PM, MineralKing@live.com wrote:
> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sharon
You might ask Verizon Wireless to let you try out an iPhone
in the store. You are the one who has to carry your phone
all day. You are the one who will make and receive calls.
You are the one who must decide which phone you will buy!
Can you successfully dial phone numbers with an iPhone?
Can you carry it comfortably? Can you hear the person you are talking
to? Can the person you are talking you hear you clearly? Can you
type text easily on phone's keyboard? Can you see the keyboard in
poor lighting or "pitch black"?
Whatever you choose, you will be stuck with it for two years minimum!
That should be reason enough to spend some time and effort to find
a phone that really meets your needs!
MineralKing@live.com wrote on [Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800]:
> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
> are other issues I'm not happy with.
The iphone has a smaller screen, and thus a smaller on screen
keyboard that the droid x
> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
> would be greatly appreciated.
I hear lots of people complain that the iPhone is a great camera
or personal information manager that runs apps and is sometimes an OK
phone.
"Justin" <nospam@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:jeb8gk$lab$1@dont-email.me...
> MineralKing@live.com wrote on [Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800]:
>> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
> The iphone has a smaller screen, and thus a smaller on screen
> keyboard that the droid x
>
>> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I hear lots of people complain that the iPhone is a great camera
> or personal information manager that runs apps and is sometimes an OK
> phone.
Good point. I switched from Blackberry to iPhone4 and found that call
quality is definitely better on Blackberry (at least in my area). My
daughter made similar switch, except to newer iPhone4S (which supposedly
improved call quality with dual antenna), and feels BB call quality is still
better. She does, btw, love the SIRI feature on iPhone 4S. Others may have
different results, so check it out.
As far as keyboards go, it's up to the user. iPhone phone numbers are
super-easy to type (way easier than B, but some of the other touch screen
typing (those few where you can not turn the phone to landscape) can be
difficult for "fat fingers". The small keys on a BB were actually pretty
easy to get used to.
There are so many other features to iPhone and Droid phones, that you
probably should to to a store for a test drive of various models. Good
luck.
On 1/8/2012 12:10 AM, Justin wrote:
> MineralKing@live.com wrote on [Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800]:
>> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
> The iphone has a smaller screen, and thus a smaller on screen
> keyboard that the droid x
>
>> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I hear lots of people complain that the iPhone is a great camera
> or personal information manager that runs apps and is sometimes an OK
> phone.
Good point! What are your priorities? Does "phone" come first?
If you need a "Personal Information Manager" (P.I.M.) is it more, or
less important than "phone"?
There may be a gadget out there that is BOTH the worlds best phone
AND the worlds best P.I.M. If there is or soon will be you may not
have to make a painful choice. In the mean time, get ready for pain!
Per MineralKing@live.com:
> However, my fat fingers cannot
>deal with the on-screen typing.
I don't have an iPhone, but I do have a gen 4 iPod - which seems
to have the same screen and UI.
I find the on-screen keyboard that it presents in portrait mode
usable, but just barely. When I have the presence of mind, I
turn it sideways so it presents a slightly-larger keyboard in
landscape mode and I find that size completely usable - and I'm
no prize when it comes to typing on-screen.
OTOH, my 19-year-old granddaughter seems to be typing about 50
wpm on her iPod, so YYMV.
--
Pete Cresswell
Per shellyf_DELETE_@hotmail.com:
>How about an iphone with a bluetooth keyboard? Check Brookstone
>#774810 for about $80
If somebody wants to go that route, I can vouch for Apple's
bluetooth kb. Got one for the wife's iPad, and it's totally
transparent to somebody used to a standard PC keyboard.
--
Pete Cresswell
On 1/8/12 1:13 PM, stevev wrote:
>
> "Justin" <nospam@insightbb.com> wrote in message
> news:jeb8gk$lab$1@dont-email.me...
>> MineralKing@live.com wrote on [Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800]:
>>> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>>> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>>> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>>> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>>> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>>
>> The iphone has a smaller screen, and thus a smaller on screen
>> keyboard that the droid x
>>
>>> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>>> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>>> would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> I hear lots of people complain that the iPhone is a great camera
>> or personal information manager that runs apps and is sometimes an OK
>> phone.
>
> Good point. I switched from Blackberry to iPhone4 and found that call
> quality is definitely better on Blackberry (at least in my area). My
> daughter made similar switch, except to newer iPhone4S (which supposedly
> improved call quality with dual antenna), and feels BB call quality is
> still better. She does, btw, love the SIRI feature on iPhone 4S. Others
> may have different results, so check it out.
>
> As far as keyboards go, it's up to the user. iPhone phone numbers are
> super-easy to type (way easier than B, but some of the other touch
> screen typing (those few where you can not turn the phone to landscape)
> can be difficult for "fat fingers". The small keys on a BB were actually
> pretty easy to get used to.
>
> There are so many other features to iPhone and Droid phones, that you
> probably should to to a store for a test drive of various models. Good
> luck.
>
It's amazing to me. They're cell PHONES, yet when you see credible,
objective ratings of them, few if any get better than middling marks on
intelligibility-- incoming or outgoing.
--
These are the charges as recorded this day.
Faithfully submitted,
Douglas C. Neidermeyer, Sergeant-at-Arms.
Douglas C. Neidermeyer wrote on [Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:08:52 -0500]:
>
> It's amazing to me. They're cell PHONES, yet when you see credible,
> objective ratings of them, few if any get better than middling marks on
> intelligibility-- incoming or outgoing.
>
The phone usage portion for many is something they don't like to use
anyway.
> In article <elmop-11343D.18290807012012@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Elmo P. Shagnasty says...
>
>> Or get a Blackberry.
>
> No.
>
> People with fat fingers shouldn't use the tiny keyboard keys on a
> BlackBerry.
No.
People with fat fingers (such as myself) are VERY happy with the tiny
keyboard keys on a BlackBerry, I type with my thumbs as does most every
other BB user. I wish I could do that on an android KB, I'm pretty fast
on the BB, much slower on the on screen KB of my T'bolt....
XS11E wrote on [Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:45:20 -0700]:
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
>> In article <elmop-11343D.18290807012012@news.eternal-september.org>,
>> Elmo P. Shagnasty says...
>>
>>> Or get a Blackberry.
>>
>> No.
>>
>> People with fat fingers shouldn't use the tiny keyboard keys on a
>> BlackBerry.
>
> No.
>
> People with fat fingers (such as myself) are VERY happy with the tiny
> keyboard keys on a BlackBerry, I type with my thumbs as does most every
> other BB user. I wish I could do that on an android KB, I'm pretty fast
> on the BB, much slower on the on screen KB of my T'bolt....
I find it pretty easy to type onscreen on my android phone using swype
quickly too
On 1/8/2012 8:02 PM, Justin wrote:
>
> I find it pretty easy to type onscreen on my android phone using swype
> quickly too
Yes, I was going to suggest the Swiftkey X replacement keyboard. It's
much better than the standard Android keyboard. That's actually what I
think is great about Android phones -- if you don't like how something
works, there's typically an app to change it. As an example, I hated how
the phone would automatically dial when I touched someone's entry in the
address book -- I installed the Call Confirm app to fix it. Funny how
Apple has the "there's an app for that" saying when it's truer for Android.
"meh" <you@mouse-potato.com> wrote in message
news:rmqhg7hdj8upusmks6n6pqlgkc0gd085on@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800, "MineralKing@live.com"
> <MineralKing@live.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>>have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>>deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>>out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>>are other issues I'm not happy with.
>>
>>90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>>mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>>would be greatly appreciated.
>
> If you DO get the iPhone, make sure it's the one with the big GBs..
>
>
>
Not necessary for OP's stated use.
If you aren't storing lots of music and/or photos or videos on the phone the
16GB version is ample.
In article <Xns9FD4B49EF7E11xs11eyahoocom@127.0.0.1>, XS11E says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <elmop-11343D.18290807012012@news.eternal-september.org>,
> > Elmo P. Shagnasty says...
> >
> >> Or get a Blackberry.
> >
> > No.
> >
> > People with fat fingers shouldn't use the tiny keyboard keys on a
> > BlackBerry.
>
> No.
>
> People with fat fingers (such as myself) are VERY happy with the tiny
> keyboard keys on a BlackBerry, I type with my thumbs as does most every
> other BB user. I wish I could do that on an android KB, I'm pretty fast
> on the BB, much slower on the on screen KB of my T'bolt....
My experience is different. The stock Android keyboard works well for
me, and Swiftkey X works even better... and the onscreen keys are pretty
small, but I can rotate the phone and fix that problem. Can't do that
with the physical keyboard on a BB.
stevev wrote on [Sun, 8 Jan 2012 17:57:00 -0800]:
>
> "meh" <you@mouse-potato.com> wrote in message
> news:rmqhg7hdj8upusmks6n6pqlgkc0gd085on@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0800, "MineralKing@live.com"
>> <MineralKing@live.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
>>>have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
>>>deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
>>>out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
>>>are other issues I'm not happy with.
>>>
>>>90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
>>>mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
>>>would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> If you DO get the iPhone, make sure it's the one with the big GBs..
>>
>>
>>
>
> Not necessary for OP's stated use.
> If you aren't storing lots of music and/or photos or videos on the phone the
> 16GB version is ample.
> "meh" <you@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>>
>> If you DO get the iPhone, make sure it's the one with the big GBs..
>
> Not necessary for OP's stated use.
> If you aren't storing lots of music and/or photos or videos on the phone ...
You're not when you first get the phone. A year later, on the other hand,
you may find yourself constantly kicking yourself for having been a
foolish, short-sighted penny-pincher not to have realized you'd have good
use for more storage :-) . Now if it had a card slot ... but no, not on
Jobs' watch!
Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
> In article <Xns9FD4B49EF7E11xs11eyahoocom@127.0.0.1>, XS11E
> says...
>> People with fat fingers (such as myself) are VERY happy with the
>> tiny keyboard keys on a BlackBerry, I type with my thumbs as does
>> most every other BB user. I wish I could do that on an android
>> KB, I'm pretty fast on the BB, much slower on the on screen KB of
>> my T'bolt....
>
> My experience is different. The stock Android keyboard works well
> for me, and Swiftkey X works even better... and the onscreen keys
> are pretty small, but I can rotate the phone and fix that problem.
> Can't do that with the physical keyboard on a BB.
They're totally different keyboards and require totally different
techniques. You'll find the BB keyboard is faster for most people, ask
those who've used both.
Steve Sobol wrote on [Sun, 8 Jan 2012 18:40:15 -0800]:
> In article <Xns9FD4B49EF7E11xs11eyahoocom@127.0.0.1>, XS11E says...
>>
>> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>>
>> > In article <elmop-11343D.18290807012012@news.eternal-september.org>,
>> > Elmo P. Shagnasty says...
>> >
>> >> Or get a Blackberry.
>> >
>> > No.
>> >
>> > People with fat fingers shouldn't use the tiny keyboard keys on a
>> > BlackBerry.
>>
>> No.
>>
>> People with fat fingers (such as myself) are VERY happy with the tiny
>> keyboard keys on a BlackBerry, I type with my thumbs as does most every
>> other BB user. I wish I could do that on an android KB, I'm pretty fast
>> on the BB, much slower on the on screen KB of my T'bolt....
>
> My experience is different. The stock Android keyboard works well for
> me, and Swiftkey X works even better... and the onscreen keys are pretty
> small, but I can rotate the phone and fix that problem. Can't do that
> with the physical keyboard on a BB.
I find landscape keyboards to be way too far spread apart
> Ahhh, the age-old argument! I'm due for an upgrade, and
> have been using a Droid X. However, my fat fingers cannot
> deal with the on-screen typing. I tried a Droid 3 (slide
> out keyboard) but it just doesn't feel "solid," and there
> are other issues I'm not happy with.
>
> 90% of my phone use is talk, email and text. With that in
> mind, should I make the switch to iPhone? Your thoughts
> would be greatly appreciated.
If you are having problems with the on-screen keyboard of the X, why
are you even considering a smaller phone? You should stick with the
larger Droids - the X2, Bionic, or Razr specifically.
You may also be interested in, if you're not already using one, an
alternate keyboard. Several of the replacement keyboards are
resizable, and with better or customizable text prediction.
BTW, my landscape keyboard on the X is larger than the hardware
keyboard on the OG Droid, D2 or D3, and likely larger than on the
upcoming D4.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
Double ROT13 encoded for your protection
"God, I hate dreams like that." (Cmdr. Ivanova, B5 "Sic Transit Vir")
> Too many imponderables! For example:
>
> Who's your current carrier, and who else might be a candidate?
Droid X means he's on Verizon.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
Double ROT13 encoded for your protection
Tips for the Innocent Bystander: 50. Artifacts that are found in
pieces should be left in pieces. Most importantly, if the pieces of an
artifact stick together during assembly without any sort of adhesive,
stop!
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Elmo P. Shagnasty said:
>
>> Or get a Blackberry.
>
> No, the only reason to get a Blackberry is if your employer hands you
> one and says "use this for work".
Or if you want a better phone. Every now and then I switch back and am
surprised at the BB's superior quality, sound fidelity, call clearity,
etc. It does every thing my Android does but does it does MUCH better.
I suppose Android will catch up some day but so far, my experiments
with ICS don't show much promise....
If only my eyes would let me use the smaller screen I'd be using the BB
full time...
XS11E wrote on [Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:16:12 -0700]:
> Jeffrey Kaplan <nomail@gordol.org> wrote:
>
>> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Elmo P. Shagnasty said:
>>
>>> Or get a Blackberry.
>>
>> No, the only reason to get a Blackberry is if your employer hands you
>> one and says "use this for work".
>
> Or if you want a better phone. Every now and then I switch back and am
> surprised at the BB's superior quality, sound fidelity, call clearity,
> etc. It does every thing my Android does but does it does MUCH better.
> I suppose Android will catch up some day but so far, my experiments
> with ICS don't show much promise....
I find the Galaxy Nexus to have excellent call quality.
On Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:52:19 +0000, Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, tlvp said:
>
>> Too many imponderables! For example:
>>
>> Who's your current carrier, and who else might be a candidate?
>
> Droid X means he's on Verizon.
Stands to reason, this *is* a.c.verizon, after all :-) .
So who else might be a candidate? Other'n Page+, maybe?
Only the OP can answer that one, I fear.
Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
On 2012-01-10, XS11E <xs11eNO@SPAMyahoo.com> wrote:
> Jeffrey Kaplan <nomail@gordol.org> wrote:
>
>> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Elmo P. Shagnasty said:
>>
>>> Or get a Blackberry.
>>
>> No, the only reason to get a Blackberry is if your employer hands you
>> one and says "use this for work".
>
> Or if you want a better phone. Every now and then I switch back and am
> surprised at the BB's superior quality, sound fidelity, call clearity,
> etc. It does every thing my Android does but does it does MUCH better.
> I suppose Android will catch up some day but so far, my experiments
> with ICS don't show much promise....
I feel that same way about Nokia (GSM/UMTS) phones. Mine sounds
much, much better than any landline handset I've ever owned, let
alone other cell phones.
On the other hand, just about everything else I use on that phone
is (Symbian) swill. I think I would give up the sound quality for
something with a half-way decent user interface in an instant if
I could find a phone from another manufacturer with the same
band coverage.
Per Jeffrey Kaplan:
>If you are having problems with the on-screen keyboard of the X, why
>are you even considering a smaller phone? You should stick with the
>larger Droids - the X2, Bionic, or Razr specifically.
Isn't Samsung putting out something with a 5" screen?
In article <slrnjgnt2n.jn.dcferguson@akit-ferguson.com>, Dennis Ferguson
says...
..
> On the other hand, just about everything else I use on that phone
> is (Symbian) swill. I think I would give up the sound quality for
> something with a half-way decent user interface in an instant if
> I could find a phone from another manufacturer with the same
> band coverage.
Droid or iPhone? 
, but some of the other touch screen
Linear Mode
