I was all jazzed up about the HTC Merge several months back but then VZW bagged that so I went into hibernation again.
As was I, coming from a Touch Pro 2 before the Droid 2, I knew HTC keyboards were very high quality and more comfy to type on than the D2 was.
All I have to do now is check out the Strato hands-on... especially the keyboard. But as long as Keybd isn't worse than the Moto Droids (how could it be?!) then I think I'm likely to get one.
I got a Stratosphere yesterday, and let me tell you, the keyboard is better than I could hope for it to be. It has a physical click to it that satisfies your fingers so you know the key was pressed, sort of like how the old 80's IBM clicky keyboards did. Go to the store and try one, you won't be disappointed.
I'm stuck on sliders. I still use an ancient Samsung (i760) and have to say it's a really really solid keyboard & spring. The Strato would do well to be as good.
You and me both! I tried the Thunderbolt and it didn't do it for me, so I was glad to hear when this one came out.
And you are still using an i760? That was my first smartphone ever, I used it for a year and a half until the Touch Pro2 came out and moved to that. I tell you what, that i760 is still kickin and the TP2 has since died. That also told me that Samsung's build quality is far superior.
Even though the i760 only had a three-row keyboard, I really missed the front numpad when it was closed. You could text T9 with it closed if you only had one hand available, and that was pretty cool.
The only other hesitation I have is that I really want to hear reports about how well it does ActiveSync to Exchange Server. If that doesn't work well, it's a deal breaker for me. Anyone tried EAS on the Strato?
We use Google accounts for work email so I couldn't tell you that, but from what I read, this phone is supposed to have advanced support for Exchange.
With Moto's protracted problems with EAS on their D2 and their lack of desire to help their screaming customers, I vowed to not touch any Moto Droid with a 10 foot pole.
I've been a pretty happy Samsung customer for years, and have much much higher hopes for the Strato because of that.
Yeah I left the Droid 2 due to the locked bootloader crap. Samsung seems to be more dev friendly, and that's what I like to see.