Is the slide out keyboard history?

[Oldoobie]

As a old guy - I would really miss my keyboard if I had to give up my Samsung Galaxy Epic! I can type so much faster! Are they just not going in that direction any longer?

 

[DaRkL3AD3R]

Slide out keyboards in the current state of technology, prohibit thinner designs and limit internal specifications. Yes they are going out of style.

If you're trying to tap out text using the vanilla on screen keyboards and find it difficult, head over to the Swype beta website and install it on your phone. It's so smooth and easy, and in all honesty can't get much better for a touch screen keyboard than what Swype offers.

Give it a shot. You may just learn to enjoy having an 8mm thick phone and beautiful big screen

 

[Tkbredx]

I too liked slide out keyboards but what you have to do is just accept that it is out of style. Theres always accessories though! Bluetooth keyboard if you really need it. lol

 

[1p3261]

Hmmm..

Ever try to use OpenVPN and connectBot to your production servers while on call and attempt to admin them using swype? The slide out keyboard definitely still has a demand and valid use case.

 

[daehttub]

I'm another Epic 4g user. Love the full keyboard with number keys and android menu/home/back/find keys. I hate losing 3/4 of the screen with the virtual keyboards and the lack of a dedicated numbers row. The slim form factor of today's phone will enable new slider phones to be even skinnier than the Epic 4G. I can't see making phones any skinnier than the SIII as I would be afraid of it's fragility. I hope Samsung continues its "all-of-the-above" strategy and makes an SIII slider phone with a full keyboard like the Epic 4G. IMHO the SII Captivate Glide keyboard is rubbish. No numbers and no feel/feedback. Samsung might as well poach the last few blackberry users. I think that Samsung can capture a healthy slice of the market with an SIII with an Epic 4G type keyboard.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

 

[LazrRocketArm]

I wouldn't mind a slightly thicker phone, if it meant a physical keyboard.

 

[MannyZ28]

One thing a slide out keyboard phone misses is a solid feel. I had a Palm Pre....lets not get started how that thing felt.... Oreo effect!!! Remember that? The Epic 4G was much better built, but still, with age they just feel loose. Also, the engineering and added cost to manufacture along with the added weight seems to prohibit the release of any new phone with a slide out keyboard, except the Droid 5, 6, 7, 8, 9..... I wonder what the sales numbers for that phone are compared to all it's non slide out counterparts.

 

[daehttub]

Take a look at all the diehards on the epic4g cm9 sites. I think there is a sizable market segment waiting for a full SIII keyboard slider from Samsung. I've actually looked at the droid keyboard but don't like the screen. I use a bombproof otterbox case so I don't have any "oreo" issues with my Epic 4G. I'm also guessing that one more failure (BB10) from blackberry and 5% of the smartphone market will be looking for a new full keyboard smartphone. I'm pretty close to finally rooting and trying ICS and possibly overclocking my Epic 4G to squeeze more life out of it while I pine for the Epic 4G SIII (or whatever samsung will call it). I hope somebody from samsung is lurking on these boards and listening.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ilaifire]

I know I've seen some phone cases with bluetooth slide out keyboards, if you really need a physical keyboard, look for these cases and then choose a phone that has a case available. (This was the first example I found on google Bluetooth? Backlit iPhone Keyboard Case )

 

[katamari201]

I type even slower on a slide-out keyboard since they are so flat and hard to push on a lot of them. With bigger screens I think the keyboard becomes less desirable for many users. It has its fans and uses, but ultimately is becoming more niche.

 

[MikeWoot]

Keyboards take up valuable space, virtual keyboards can be a pain. My bet is on voice recognition, as it is perfected the only downside will be looking for a quiet space to speak into your phone without people saying "Are you talking to me.", "What did you say?"

 

[Zombieheadshot]

To be honest I really don't think Samsung (or anyone other OEMs) cares at all about the extremely small slice of cellphone market that encompasses the Epic 4g users and keyboard fans. Even though there are quite a few of them around I'm willing to bet they represent around 0.0005% (or less) of the smartphone market. The millions upon millions of normal every day users want their big touchscreen phones to be super thin and don't want a physical keyboard. How many millions of S3's, Iphone 4s/5, Note II, One X, Windows phones (newer flagship models) have been sold? None of them have physical keyboards. If phones with no keyboards sell THAT well why would they waste money making flagship phones with keyboards that only a very tiny percentage of users want? That would be foolish and irresponsible business practice. BUT that is just my personal opinion on the subject, perhaps I am wrong...

Matt

 

[pappcam]

Keyboards take up valuable space, virtual keyboards can be a pain. My bet is on voice recognition, as it is perfected the only downside will be looking for a quiet space to speak into your phone without people saying "Are you talking to me.", "What did you say?"

I really hope this is NOT the future.

I don't need to be surrounded by a bunch of people saying "lol" into their phones constantly.

 

[Soundtrack to Chaos]

That new photos looks great, I would have considered it had it came out when the GS3 did

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[fdbryant3]

While the slide out keyboard are no longer in fashion there are mid to high end phones that still sport them like the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE. Just have to look around for them. On the other hand though on-screen keyboards have improved considerably (even just the stock, to say nothing of something like Swiftkey). My wife didn't think she would want to switch away from a KB phone but when she checked out the S3 she chose it over the Photon and hasn't regretted it.

 

[Sandra10]

I think Blackberry missed their marketing opportunity. They should have focused on the keyboard users and developed a good combination touch and keyboard phone. In stead they tried to compete with IPhone. I think there are many more cell phone users that want a keyboard. (The President, Mika on Joe in the morning, etc.) I call them the silent majority. Many of the people I talk to really enjoyed their physical keyboard. It is much faster and more accurate. I don't like the option of voice command. I am annoyed enough at rude people that intrude on my personal space. I have a older Motorola Droid 4 and love it but I am starting to have some problems and hate the fact that I can't find a smartphone with a good performance history with a keyboard. I have truly tried to use the touch screen but it takes me forever because I spend so much time correcting mistakes. I want to try a slide out keyboard case. Do they work?

 

[GSDer]

but it takes me forever because I spend so much time correcting mistakes

SwiftKey: http://market.android.com/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey helps to reduce typing errors.

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM 10.2 using Tapatalk 4

 

[AxlMyk]

There are a lot of keyboard cases on theBay. Although for the i9300.