[Emaderton3]

If you spend 18 hours a day on the move and need to revise contracts, update script changes, and edit various documents, you need either a BlackBerry or a laptop. There's a reason why the writers and executive producers of the major televised awards shows and events primarily still use BlackBerry devices.

Noted. As someone who does a decent amount of writing, I have never done it on my phone. But I do have the luxury of being primarily in my office. But even traveling, I have to pull out my laptop. Plus for me, there are too many other things I need to do while writing that wouldn't work on a phone.

[Emaderton3]

If this were true, laptops would have virtual keyboards and iPad Pros wouldn't have keyboard attachments.

Vkb for laptops may be coming. The foldable laptop shown at CES had one. While this design somewhat necessitates it, I have wondered if technology will shift in that direction.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Well I’m here in the land of Tampa Bay Suckaneers

We have three pro teams in Florida..... As much as I've wanted too, I've never could love the Bucs.

Long time Dolphins fan.... as they once were pretty consistent winners (going way, way back). But they might as well be three states away - I've only gone to see them on the rare times they have played the Saints, Jags or Falcons. Which are about the same distance away as Tampa from me. I think the main reason we never went to a Tampa / Miami game... is they are usually preseason events in August. Open stadium - August - Tampa....

[Chuck Finley69]

We have three pro teams in Florida..... As much as I've wanted too, I've never could love the Bucs.

Long time Dolphins fan.... as they once were pretty consistent winners (going way, way back). But they might as well be three states away - I've only gone to see them on the rare times they have played the Saints, Jags or Falcons. Which are about the same distance away as Tampa from me. I think the main reason we never went to a Tampa / Miami game... is they are usually preseason events in August. Open stadium - August - Tampa....

Yes and yes.

[joshualebowitz]

We have three pro teams in Florida..... As much as I've wanted too, I've never could love the Bucs.

Long time Dolphins fan.... as they once were pretty consistent winners (going way, way back). But they might as well be three states away - I've only gone to see them on the rare times they have played the Saints, Jags or Falcons. Which are about the same distance away as Tampa from me. I think the main reason we never went to a Tampa / Miami game... is they are usually preseason events in August. Open stadium - August - Tampa....

Well, were you to be at the Super Bowl in Miami in February, you'd see the executive producer of the halftime typing away on his BlackBerry KEY2.

[Chuck Finley69]

Well, were you to be at the Super Bowl in Miami in February, you'd see the executive producer of the halftime typing away on his BlackBerry KEY2.

Get me and my son into the booth and I’ll verify everything for everyone here on the CB forums. Seems worth the drive from Tampa, right?

[joshualebowitz]

Sadly, can't even get my own relatives into the game. It is in Tampa next year though. Am sure much of the production team will still be on BlackBerry devices in 2021.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Sadly, can't even get my own relatives into the game. It is in Tampa next year though. Am sure much of the production team will still be on BlackBerry devices in 2021.

Chuck likes doing Meat-Greets.... you guys should get together. I'm sure he'll ever pull out his KEYone for the occasion.

[Sigewif]

If this were true, laptops would have virtual keyboards and iPad Pros wouldn't have keyboard attachments.

I challenge anyone to try texting and looking up in a vkb like I do on my pkb KEY2. Can't be done. There would be fewer people running into posts or tripping while texting on their cell phones if they used pkb devices.
It is a safety measure. Lol

[Sigewif]

Vkb for laptops may be coming. The foldable laptop shown at CES had one. While this design somewhat necessitates it, I have wondered if technology will shift in that direction.

Hopefully someone will find a way to fold out a keyboard. Now that would be something cool that tcl could develop as a BlackBerry device in the future. Dreaming.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I challenge anyone to try texting and looking up in a vkb like I do on my pkb KEY2. Can't be done. There would be fewer people running into posts or tripping while texting on their cell phones if they used pkb devices.
It is a safety measure. Lol

I agree for blind typing a PKB has a huge advantage.... but how often is that the primary usage? I remember being able to do it during meetings, to answer a quick message or let someone know I was in a meeting and would get back to them. But that usage would be a tiny part of what I use a smartphone for these days. Which is why I and 10's of millions of other moved on from the PKB.

Someone that does a lot of walking and messaging (doesn't use an assistant with voice dedication)... or lives in a conference room (with no auto reply option) - should have wanted them.

But that's an argument going back to a time when PKB still dominate and slabs were just becoming a thing. It didn't work twelve years ago, so I'm not sure what it would do today.

[bb10adopter111]

I challenge anyone to try texting and looking up in a vkb like I do on my pkb KEY2. Can't be done. There would be fewer people running into posts or tripping while texting on their cell phones if they used pkb devices.
It is a safety measure. Lol

I find one-handed typing much more valuable than blind typing, and my smaller Z10 is a better one-handed text platform than my oversized, top-heavy KEYone.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

[Chuck Finley69]

Chuck likes doing Meat-Greets.... you guys should get together. I'm sure he'll ever pull out his KEYone for the occasion.

I’d dual carry both KEYone for the entire Super Bowl next year for event access

[chain13]

I have a Surface Pro that came with a keyboard.... 100% if I'm doing a Excel sheet or typing a multi page letter... I pull out the keyboard to use.

While I can see using a Phone to do both of those in a pinch... neither are something I'd want to do on a small display. Most the time I plug my Surface into a dock to use my 24" monitor.

Thing is I never used my 2007 onward smartphones for the amount of typing that some here do... which is why I never valued the PKB, even back then. I suspect that most people with a smartphone aren't using it to do a lot of data input, which is why most people don't value a PKB device.

I do want to believe there are more that would use one... if it didn't require paying more or accepting sacrifices. But in the end I don't think a PKB can be done cheaply or without the user being willing to make sacrifices....

Yup. I think pkb on a tablet device makes more sense, because you can type with 10 fingers, and do full works with it. In a phone, would be very specific case of work.

[chain13]

I challenge anyone to try texting and looking up in a vkb like I do on my pkb KEY2. Can't be done. There would be fewer people running into posts or tripping while texting on their cell phones if they used pkb devices.
It is a safety measure. Lol

No use, we born with both eyes, why bother? Doesn’t matter how you type on pkb (blind or not), you just end up using only 2 fingers (thumbs) with it. Also comparing pkb on a phone and a laptop isn’t relevant.

[Sigewif]

No use, we born with both eyes, why bother? Doesn’t matter how you type on pkb (blind or not), you just end up using only 2 fingers (thumbs) with it. Also comparing pkb on a phone and a laptop isn’t relevant.

My comment, at any rate, did not compare a laptop and was not referring to using thumbs. I was comparing someone walking around using a vkb compared to using a pkb. Has anyone seen the memes of people texting on a vkb and walking into something or tripping (because of not looking up)? Maybe chain13 quoted the wrong post.

[larryjb1120]

The summer that I used the VKB on a smartphone I found that I made more mistakes even with predictive texts. The predictive routines are pretty good, but not good enough. If I use a VKB, I still have to proof read the entire text before sending because I couldn't see what was coming up on the screen. With the PKB I either can feel that I misstyped immediately, or I can see the error as I'm typing. I know this isn't everyone's experience though. I grew up learning to touch type where you don't look at the keyboard as you type.

I guess this dates me. Most people I see using a PKB on a computer use the hunt and peck method these days. The only real issue with the PKB is the non-standard size of the keyboard. Every time you'd get a new device, you'd have to relearn the key positions. I can't type as fast on my wife's Classic, and that keyboard is only slightly larger than the Q10.


I'm not dissing the VKB. I'm just lamenting that there aren't enough of us hardcore PKB consumers to warrant many choices in the market.

Posted via CB10

[chain13]

My comment, at any rate, did not compare a laptop and was not referring to using thumbs. I was comparing someone walking around using a vkb compared to using a pkb. Has anyone seen the memes of people texting on a vkb and walking into something or tripping (because of not looking up)? Maybe chain13 quoted the wrong post.

Yup. I thought you have the same thinking about that "laptop would have vkb and ipad pro wouldn't have pkb attachment". Makes no sense.

[anon(10387168)]

For me, although I much prefer a BlackBerry PKB and only BlackBerry, I have had the Samsung S4 and iPhone 5&6. The typing experience was problematic and Joyless at best! Now, fast forward to 2019 and the Haptic Feedback on the iPhone 11 and Pro is excellent not to mention the Gestures! Not a PKB feel albeit but very enjoyable none the less! Transitioning to a slab for me, although not my first choice, will be painless and filled with Nostalgic yearning for what once was! All hail the Iconic BlackBerry PKB! The King is dead, long live the King!

Posted via my Passport

[joshualebowitz]

The summer that I used the VKB on a smartphone I found that I made more mistakes even with predictive texts. The predictive routines are pretty good, but not good enough. If I use a VKB, I still have to proof read the entire text before sending because I couldn't see what was coming up on the screen. With the PKB I either can feel that I misstyped immediately, or I can see the error as I'm typing. I know this isn't everyone's experience though. I grew up learning to touch type where you don't look at the keyboard as you type.

I guess this dates me. Most people I see using a PKB on a computer use the hunt and peck method these days. The only real issue with the PKB is the non-standard size of the keyboard. Every time you'd get a new device, you'd have to relearn the key positions. I can't type as fast on my wife's Classic, and that keyboard is only slightly larger than the Q10.


I'm not dissing the VKB. I'm just lamenting that there aren't enough of us hardcore PKB consumers to warrant many choices in the market.

Posted via CB10

I know many people that still carry around Classics and 9900s. A physical keyboard is essential.

[the_boon]

Maybe there is somewhat of a PKB market but the device has to come from a well-supported OEM and TCL isn't it.

I'm looking at you Samsung/Nokia/OnePlus

[chain13]

Maybe there is somewhat of a PKB market but the device has to come from a well-supported OEM and TCL isn't it.

I'm looking at you Samsung/Nokia/OnePlus

Samsung : believe me, I tried..

[the_boon]

Samsung : believe me, I tried..

That was a half-*** try, like some kind of side pet project.

[chain13]

That was a half-*** try, like some kind of side pet project.

LOL
nokia and oneplus : we don't have much money to burn

[opswarfare]

used a key2 in 2019, but couldn't get used to the slowness

switched to a xiaomi mi9

ordered a fxtec pro1, still waiting for the damn phone

now thinking of getting a key 2 le just for messaging, but difficult to find them in singapore