[kjaslow]

Hi, all. I've got an opportunity to buy a Torch in the US and bring it back with me to Australia for less than I'd pay in Australia. But I haven't been able to find a store with an actual live phone - just the demo drones that are form-factor phones with no working electronics.

I'm a long-time Blackberry user, and use home screen shortcuts regularly. Has anyone else switched to the Torch who was used to the shortcuts such as M for mail, N for messenger, B for browser, etc? I'd like to know if it was a difficult transition to having to navigate the home screen using the touchscreen, or if it was no biggie. It looks like I may not get a chance to try this myself before I have to make the commitment and purchase the phone or not. Really eager to hear your opinions. Thanks!

[Thanontos]

The torch has an option to enable shortcuts with the keyboard. You can either have the keyboard default to search for what you type out, OR have it like the standard shortcut keys you are used too. And you have the option to still use the touch screen. Best Buy or a local AT&T store should have a working model

From the home screen hit the bb key and click options, then the top option says launch by typing or you can select application shortcuts.

So You can haz shortcuts with the torch too!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kjaslow]

Ok, thanks. I suppose what I had in mind was to only slide out the keyboard when I intend to type on the calendar, mail, or url. Otherwise, I'm hoping the touchscreen will suffice. But it just occurred to me that the flaw in my plan might be my day-to-day navigation and whether I'll find myself sliding out the keyboard every time I take the phone from the holster. Is that what you find you do? Or do you pretty much just navigate by the touchscreen?

Thx.

[ohbarnes]

I was a big key shortcut person and really missed it for the first few days, then I arranged my homescreen icons and now don't even think about it. I also bought Gesturepad which gives a great shortcut menu by writing on the screen.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Thanontos]

I came from a Storm, so touchscreen is all I know. I tried the shortcuts but it isn't my thing. I did what ohbarnes suggested and arranged my homescreen icons for easy finding. I never slide out the keyboard unless I'm typing. I actually find myself only using the keyboard now where as when I first got the phone, coming from the 9530, I used the physical keyboard maybe 10 percent of the time. Gesturepad is pretty cool too! I'd like it if it was a bit more customizable, such as having an invisible background to draw on, I think the white looks tacky, but it is useful. Vlingo is another app that is cool to launch Facebook or the browser by speaking

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[jfs101]

I also used shortcuts on my other devices. If you set the torch to not use universal search and set the phone to not dial from the home screen you will have the same shortcuts that you're used to...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Stinsonddog]

Quicklaunch for Blackberry - Blackberry Tips & Tricks from the Mods

also see Six Tools to have extra convenience keys.

Best combo possible. The gesture app could be good too.

[kjaslow]

Thanks for the tips, all. I bought my Torch today and will try it out shortly. I think that between Six Tools and this gestures application, I'll be fine. I'll also enable shortcuts for those times that the keyboard is out, but don't want to haveto pull it out just to get to the app I'm after...

[djtrent04101]

I was a big key shortcut person and really missed it for the first few days, then I arranged my homescreen icons and now don't even think about it. I also bought Gesturepad which gives a great shortcut menu by writing on the screen.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

+1. Same here. You get used to it quickly.