Damn physical keyboard

[BoNg420]

So I always thought the droid's physical keyboard was horrible. The keys were flat and made it hard to type fast and accurate. I then tried a few of my buddy's droids out and their keys are way bumpier.

I called and complained to verizon and I just got my second replacement today, but I am thinking of going to a verizon store and seeing if they will swap out for one of their like new replacements if they have one with a better keyboard. i haven't taken off the plastic film yet or anything.

So my question is, think I should give up on my quest for the perfect keyboard. I mean its really annoying trying to type on a flat keyboard. A few of my friends and coworkers droids are all bumpier and they got theirs 2 weeks + after launch.

I know I am probably being anal about it, but if I pay so much for a phone and $85 a month to use that phone, I want it to be like it should be. The ones I have had all feel different then my friends and even the ones Verizon has on display. The keys on the other ones feel more pronounced and easier to type with.

 

[Adiliyo]

if it's still in plastic and a new phone (not a refurb) then i'd at least try to see if they will let you find one with a newer keyboard.

maybe someone knows of a build date when they made the switch? i replaced my droid with another new one a couple weeks ago but my keyboard looks/feels the same as my original one (the battery door is far better and the sliding mechanism is not as loose though, so go figure)

 

[Dapke36]

Go switch it then. They're usually pretty good about it.

If they're not, find something broken, and go in and demand a replacement. Not really honest, but after you have 3 defective blackberries, you learn to just get a replacement instead of them just "fixing" it.

Or you can try this number 1-866-406-5154 for a certified like-new device. This is from a flyer I got from Verizon last time I went in to replace my girlfriends broken Storm.

 

[Geezer Squid]

I don't know that it's a "newer keyboard" issue. I've told this little story on a number of Droid forums so far and found quite a few folks with similar stories. I got my Droid the second week of November and when I got it I was disappointed at how flat the keyboard was. Well, I've used it more and more and the damn thing has gotten "bumpier" as time goes by. I was typing with it just a few minutes ago and I am now amazed that it is as good as it is. It's now great. It's so much better than my Blackberry or my Palm750. YMMV

 

[prometheus]

I've NEVER used the physical keyboard after the very first time. I found it horrible and thought I would just learn to use the virtual keypad.

I downloaded Swype and it works surprisingly well. There IS a learning curve. However, I think your quest for an improved keyboard is going to result in frustration. I'd (personally) just learn to live with it, or learn to use the virtual keypad.

 

[that1bb]

This phone has a sliding keyboard!? Wow, look at that... yeah, mine is flat too, but the on-screen one is awesome. I also appreciate how thin the phone is even with the keyboard. I do use it from time to time for games.

 

[STC09]

I've NEVER used the physical keyboard after the very first time. I found it horrible and thought I would just learn to use the virtual keypad.

I downloaded Swype and it works surprisingly well. There IS a learning curve. However, I think your quest for an improved keyboard is going to result in frustration. I'd (personally) just learn to live with it, or learn to use the virtual keypad.

+1. The physical keyboard is the worst Droid feature. Swype makes it all good though.

 

[gardobus]

READ THIS:

I don't know that it's a "newer keyboard" issue. I've told this little story on a number of Droid forums so far and found quite a few folks with similar stories. I got my Droid the second week of November and when I got it I was disappointed at how flat the keyboard was. Well, I've used it more and more and the damn thing has gotten "bumpier" as time goes by. I was typing with it just a few minutes ago and I am now amazed that it is as good as it is. It's now great. It's so much better than my Blackberry or my Palm750. YMMV

I got my Droid on launch and my friend got it just before Christmas. He rarely uses the physical keyboard and I use it whenever I can. My keys are now nice and bubbly while my friends are still very flat.

So if you don't like the keyboard, just keep using it. In addition to you getting used to the feel of it, the keys will actually get physically better if you use them more.

 

[MBSMD]

The keyboard is not the Droid's best feature, but I find myself getting adjusted to the keyboard the more I use it. It is mosty superfluous these days, I agree, but occasionally handy.
Even if you never open it, the Droid is still virtually the same size as an iPhone.
And for what it's worth, my keyboard is bumpy over each key.

 

[Dapke36]

I've NEVER used the physical keyboard after the very first time. I found it horrible and thought I would just learn to use the virtual keypad.

I downloaded Swype and it works surprisingly well. There IS a learning curve. However, I think your quest for an improved keyboard is going to result in frustration. I'd (personally) just learn to live with it, or learn to use the virtual keypad.

I actually tried Swype, and although I liked it, I uninstalled it. I was faster "typing" in portrait, but much slower in landscape, and it wasn't worth it to me. Especially because I like proper grammar in my texts (caps, etc), which was a pain with swype.

 

[Flyguide83]

The keyboard starts flat(almost concave) but with use and heat, it will become bumped. I have gone through a few droids and this has happened to all of them..Though one did come bumped to start with but Im thinking it was a used return...

 

[PITTSBURGHkid83]

My keyboard definetily got bumpier and I only had my droid for like 2 weeks...I prefer an actuall keyboard that's why I like the droid and I hated this keyboard when I first got it but now I love it I can fly on it!

 

[drudometkin]

The keyboard gets bumpier when you break it in. Mine is a launch droid and the keys are bumpy. My girlfriends which is also a launch droid has a flat keyboard because she never uses it.

 

[BoNg420]

Ok I will try using it more. I guess I will see if it need a break in period to get better.

I love my phone besides the keyboard, I might be getting one of the newer upcoming android based phones coming to verizon eventually anyways. I guess I will live with it. Ive become so accustomed to using the onscreen landscape keyboard and sometimes the portrait that using the physical one is just weird to me. Plus I always press the enter key and it sends texts, I do it by accident because I am trying to press delete...

 

[Cory Streater]

My experience mirrors everyone else's. It has softened up with continued use and is now quite useable. I personally would avoid a new one for that reason.

 

[tj722#AC]

I'll chime in as well... I was very frustrated with the keyboard at first, but now I am much better!

 

[ericatomars06]

We've gone over stories like this before... Still there hasn't been anything official about newer phones having better keyboards

Raised/Flat Keyboards

 

[nox]

My keyboard came bumpy and I used it over the soft keyboard anyday.
Think I got a release unit...!

 

[Chillout]

I couldn't use the physical keyboard to save my life when I first got my droid, and mine is raised (bumpy); my fingers are big so it was hard to try and type on it...but after awhile of working on it I can use it without too much issue, just takes some getting used too.

I honestly find I use the virtual keyboard WAY more, but I do use the physical one from time to time.

 

[thebizz]

I have to agree I use the physical keyboard more than swype and I've gotten pretty quick with this thing. Plus I like the feel of it every now and again. Oh yeah I got my phone lauch week and and its flat