I was really hoping ...

[sleepngbear]

... really hoping that the next slider running BB10 would look more like this (without those monstrous bezels on the sides):


This is a Nokia E7, and something like this with the specs they're throwing in the BB10 phones would make me drool. But I can now only dream about what a BB keyboard would be like in this orientation, 'cos I'm pretty sure I'll never actually see one. <sigh>

[chrisy520]

Looks like a Sidekick. I'd get a BlackBerry like that!

[Rello]

i would also love to see a BB in this form factor even though i couldnt tell u whether i would choose this or a vertical slider. i think RIM would really have to get ot right though since they are know for the best keyboards. i wonder what they keyboard would look like in such a layout?

[sleepngbear]

Originally Posted by Rello

i would also love to see a BB in this form factor even though i couldnt tell u whether i would choose this or a vertical slider. i think RIM would really have to get ot right though since they are know for the best keyboards. i wonder what they keyboard would look like in such a layout?

Having had two Torches and played with horizontal sliders of other types in the toy ... errr, phone store, I can safely say that I would choose a horizontal slider. As for what it would look like, having seen the sneak pics of the Milan already which loses the curved keyboard shape, I'd imagine it would be straight as well. And I have no doubt that RIM would nail it if they were to do such a thing ... they know mobile device keyboards better than anybody.

They keyboard on the E7 from other pics I've seen looks pretty flat, although you can't know for sure how it feels until you've actually tried one. I'd like to see a flatter surface (particularly the edges -- I know the smaller ridge on the Torch slider was something of a typing nuisance), and the keys a little more pronounced like the Bold's. This one looks like it would provide barely more tactile response than a touch screen. Although for something like this, I could do without BB's traditional trackpad since the keyboard has directional keys.


A BB with this form factor running BB10, I probably wouldn't need the PlayBook.

[jason8957]

I will be in the market for a new phone next fall. I currently have a Torch and have had it for a bit over a year. I mostly like it, but I have big hands and bad eyes. So, I would love to have a landscape slider torch with a bigger screen and bigger keyboard, if they would make one for BB 10.

It is either that or I will consider a Windows phone if there are any that I like out by next fall. Don't really want a one size fits all iphone and not really liking the android landscape.

For me, a bigger screen is probably more important, but a physical keyboard is important too. I may consider the Milan proto, but if there is a nice Windows phone I'll probably chose it. So, a landscape slider torch will probably win my next round of business. I prefer Blackberry, but want the device that fits me best.

[maddie1128]

Sorry guys- don't like that slider at all! I hope it doesn't look like that!

[ridesno159]

How would you type one handed on that thing? You wouldn't...

I hate slider phones of any kind, there's no such thing as best of both worlds, something is always scarficed.

I hope to never see a horizontal slider from RIM, they're awkward to use, and are about the most hideous looking phones out there...

[PeterRei]

I once had a Nokia N97 mini and I can tell you: the keyboard sucks! It's hard to hold a device with a horizontal keyboard typing. I wanted to sit down and place it on a table all the time...
But I must admit, I don't like sliders at all.

[chaoticblissx]

I got the Torch 9800 the first day it was available and upgraded to the Torch 9810 the day it was released too. I would almost be tempted to leave BlackBerry if they discontinued making the vertical sliders. I would never purchase a horizontal one. Can't use one handed. I honestly believe that my 9810 is the best of both worlds......has an amazing full screen AND and hiden keyboard when required. The other phones have one or the other. My old Curve and Storm seemed to have gotten together in the electronics bedroom and produced the most amazing line of Blackberrys to date with the Torch 9800/9810 in form factor and usabilty imo.

[D.Vader]

Originally Posted by 18to7fiddy

... really hoping that the next slider running BB10 would look more like this (without those monstrous bezels on the sides):
Click to view quoted image


This is a Nokia E7, and something like this with the specs they're throwing in the BB10 phones would make me drool. But I can now only dream about what a BB keyboard would be like in this orientation, 'cos I'm pretty sure I'll never actually see one. <sigh>

I prefer the vertical keyboard which allows for 1 handed operation.

[sleepngbear]

Originally Posted by D.Vader

I prefer the vertical keyboard which allows for 1 handed operation.

I hear ya .. I understand that not everybody would like this. Heck, some people don't want a keyboard at all. Myself, I hardly ever type one-handed, unless I've got one hand full and need to fire off a text in a hurry. My thinking is, for typing emails it's nicer to view the text in a landscape orientation. Also, when entering text on a web page (not at all unlike what I'm doing right now), I always browsed in landscape mode with the Torch, then had to flip the phone around to type. I messed around with a few landscape sliders in the phone store and found the typing position very comfortable, even on the cheap phones. Would be cool.if they offered both. As long as they have the same size displays, it doesn't seem like it would be much of a software support issue to support both, other than determining which way to lock the display orientation when the slider is out.

[jkomo001]

ehh the horizontal is just not for me. i would feel like im playing a nintendo ds or something, not very professional. also like stated above you couldn't do anything one handed on it. i love the vertical slider, hope they have a bb10 phone thats vertical. but im not judgin you guys, wouldnt kill me to see a horizontal slider bb10 out there (as long as the vertical was too :P )

[EGerhardt]

Im also one of the guys that is all about the vertical keyboard.

The problem that I have with horizontal sliders is that you hold your phone vertically, because that's how it fits in your hand and how practically everything is optimized for it. Particularly since everything is touch screen now, so you hold with one hand and use your finger to navigate.

On my Torch atm, it may as well not even have a touch screen keyboard, because whenever I need to type anything a quick slide and type takes almost no time at all, my hands just fall into place and off I go.

With all the horizontal sliders I've played with I start out typing with the touch keyboard, and then I get to something too long to want to type that way, and then the switch takes a long time and feels bad. Swivel it, slide it, wait for the orientation to update, recentre the window on where I was typing, and then start typing. And even then it feels odd because I'm over extending my thumbs and its just... just not as good. And if I am doing something like a forum where I am navigating around but also typing a lot too, the horizontal grip with one hand so I can navigate with the other finger just feels wrong because I'm not really gripping my phone just having it rest in my hand which feels like im going to drop it.

[grahamf]

I could see a full touch slider being a good thing. But it can't be too big, otherwise reaching all of the keys is a bit of a stretch. Just as long as it's still a full touch with a decent virtual keyboard.

[530XI]

Maybe they need to build a vertical slider that you could pivot 90 degrees enabling you to see the screen in landscape mode and still type one handed.