大象传媒

I used to be a typist, but then purchased an LG Viewty last year, which used the touchscreen keyboard. I soon picked up typing on that, and actually typed at the same speed as a regular mobile phone.

I now have an iPhone, and love the keyboard. What you forgot to mention (as this wasn't a review of the iPhone!) was the software that apple have developed to correct "fat-finger-typing" mistakes. I can type on the iPhone with both thumbs pretty accurately and reasonably quickly... although i've only owned it for 2 weeks....

I'm a toucher having had an HTC Trinity, aka Orange SPV M700, for just over 18 months now. Took me a while to find a keyboard i could use on screen with a finger but i have persevered and found one and can now type almost as fast on it as i can on my PC, yes I am a two finger typist.

I'm definately a typist. I got myself an iPod touch, whilst the original iPhone was still prohibitly expensive for me. The touch was great, but typing on it (just to find an song by a particular artist) got quite annoying. I've improved over time, but could never use one for text messages/email.

As regards a typist's phone, I got a HTC TyTN II, the O2 Stellar. Whilst being much better for typing, it still gave some touch screen functionality. It was useless - Windows Mobile wasn't designed for touch screen use (if it was the designer needs to be sacked) - as the menus are too small and fiddly. I broke it 3 months into an 18 month contract - and actually feel like this was a positive step, as i moved back to my nokia 8310 (the OpenMOKO neo 1973 I bought in July the year previously _still_ doesn't have stable software for it)..

So now, I look at the android phone. If it offers an intuitive touch-interface with properly designed menus, it could be the best of the two. The pictures I've seen make it look quite pretty - but I'll have to see when it comes out. I may even consider taking the plunge and get one :)

Regarding the aesthetics of a handset, it really depends on the market. If google, or a handset manufacture is trying to edge into the younger markets, it's got to look cool.

For business users, i don't think looks matter, i mean, look at blackberry handsets for proof! As long as it works, that'll do!

For those of us who are "real" typists (eight fingers and a thumb or two) not sure any mobile works really satisfactorily.

Touch Type all the way. I can type so fast on my iPhone now, it takes a few weeks of practice and the knowledge that the software will auto-correct 90-95% of the time.

And, as a professional graphic designer, I ALWAYS proof my work before submitting it - be it a new layout for a client, an email for my Mum or a txt to my girlfriend.

I've had the new iPhone for just over a week. The lack of a physical keyboard was a big concern but I'm already up to speed with the two thumb typing method. Auto-correction is great.

I echo what #5, auntJayBlogger said... having tried both mobile phones with tiny keyboards and with touch screen keyboards, I find neither of them satisfactory. On such a small device, I actually find it easier to write messages using the T9 predictive text mode found on almost all mobile phones.

Touch still feels a little unnatural to me. I like the tactile feedback than can only be had by pressing physical buttons.

I use two-thumbs touch and much prefer it to fiddling with tiny keys. Nothing makes you feel over the hill like having to squint down at your mobile.

I like both. :)

On touch screens I use QWERTY for landscape and T9 for portrait (texting usually).

On a laptop, typist every time but on anything smaller keys are just too fiddly so touch is the thing!

I've tried both touchscreen keyboards and the slide-out keyboard phone variety but these days you'll find me back at square-one(ish) with a stylus in hand and Letter Recogniser open on my WinMob.

Typist - but the iPhone hasn't made it here to Iceland yet so I haven't really tried the whole touch thing properly. Having said that, I have a Blackberry Pearl with the reduced keyboard because the larger Blackberry keyboard makes for a seriously ugly design.

The difference between a querty keyboard and the standard 9-key mobile keyboard astounded me; there's no way I'd want to go back to a non-querty after this.

Your wrong - the best keyboard was on the O2 XDA!

I held on to mine for 2.5 years, but smartphone keyboards and screens all became smaller when I wanted them to be bigger - or at least stay the same size and the spec increased.

Eventually, the phone began to die and I needed to replace it. Now I have an iphone. I do miss the keyboard, but frankly that's all I miss. The iphone is so responsive and easy to use - one thing though: Why no cut and paste??

#3 ... I have exactly the opposite experience with my TyTNII (Vodafone variety) and have very few problems in navigating around the phone using the Touchscreen. The stylus rarely comes out of its nest and the keyboard is slid open solely to type texts and work on larger documents.

My one issue with the phone is the screen size and resolution, which I would prefer to be bigger, but other than that I wouldn't change it for anything.

A real keypad is always better. I can type a message on my N95 8GB without even taking it out of my pocket (should i wish to), i have learnt the order of predictive text andknow the menu system off by heart. Cant do that with a touch screen! Ideally id like a phone that offers both, but very few do.