[Wayne_Enterprises]

Dear BlackBerry there's still time to change the form of the Passport. You see a lot of people complain it looks too ugly. No one is going to buy if you keep the form as is. It's very simple the machine that shape the form of the Passport can be recalibrate to rectangular instead. All it needs a little heat and stretch about an inch and a half. Also if you can round up the edges a bit so it won't cut holes into our pockets.

So don't buy it. Let the users who want the phone buy it.

I think the iPhone is ugly, and I don't want to buy it, but you don't see me on Apple forums begging Johnny Ives to redo the form factor............

Posted via CB10 on 10.2.1.3139

[JCMM]

on-screen symbols are going to help you type faster, just imagine a button or a gesture to toggle On/Off the most important symbols right on top of your keys. That will allow you to answer your emails within seconds.. it will become the most proefecient keyboard on the mobile market.


The actual problem with the Passport is the misplaced spacebar, that's the one thing you should really pay attention to... We should all be against that... no exceptions... WE must stop this madness before they decide to sell it to the masses!

[Ed Gar]

Madness is complaining on a phone that none of us have not even used.

BBQ10

[CeCoQ]

So don't buy it. Let the users who want the phone buy it.

I think the iPhone is ugly, and I don't want to buy it, but you don't see me on Apple forums begging Johnny Ives to redo the form factor............

Posted via CB10 on 10.2.1.3139

Again, I am not talking about the design, I think the Passport is beautiful. I had a z10, q10 and now I have a z30. And trust me I will get the Passport. I just don't like the way the keyboard works.

[CeCoQ]

I will get the Passport, I bet I will have it before you do. :-). You will just remember this post, when you will see the virtual keyboard on the passport screen. It's not bad, because you can achieve typing all on the keyboard, but why why why not include one more key and print more symbols and numbers on the keys?

No.

The Passport is simply not for you.

[JCMM]

Madness is complaining on a phone that none of us have not even used.

BBQ10

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that you should never place random keys in the middle of a standard keyboard...

[JCMM]

Your life experience tells you that this is certainly a bad move from BlackBerry... If it doesn't then this must be your first time typing on a keyboard device!

[lift]

Walking through numerous corporate offices, I have yet to see a touchscreen keyboard connected to a laptop or office PC. Typing on glass can never replace the physical feel and travel of keys on an actual keyboard. Just because Apple started a trend to type on glass doesn't mean that its the best/fastest way to type - it simply rendered more screen real estate. The Passport negates this with a physical keyboard as well as screen real estate.

Z10 STL100-1, OS 10.2.1.3247

Umm, you don't hold a laptop or corporate PC in your hand to use it. A laptop is made to sit on a table or your lap and a desktop PC is made to sit on a .....desktop so physical keyboards are obviously the right tool for the job. Your analogy is totally wrong. A phone on the other hand is made to be more portable and held and used in your hand/hands. You have a right to your opinion, as do I. Touch is the way ALL other phone manufacturers are going. Touch is more convenient and more reliable (no physical keys to break, wear, fall off, double type, stick, etc). You obviously prefer physical keys, I see that, but don't over reach trying to make your point.

[lift]

So don't buy it. Let the users who want the phone buy it.

I think the iPhone is ugly, and I don't want to buy it, but you don't see me on Apple forums begging Johnny Ives to redo the form factor............

Posted via CB10 on 10.2.1.3139

He is just voicing his opinion, like you just did and like everyone else here likes to do. This is a discussion forum. People come here to agree and disagree. It's called conversation.

[Thunderbuck]

Yes. A gesture could make the shift key. But we would need to know where they symbols are. so we need to reprint those keys...

Posted via CB10

How do you know there isn't one already? We haven't seen any demos of the keyboard yet.

[Thunderbuck]

Walking through numerous corporate offices, I have yet to see a touchscreen keyboard connected to a laptop or office PC. Typing on glass can never replace the physical feel and travel of keys on an actual keyboard. Just because Apple started a trend to type on glass doesn't mean that its the best/fastest way to type - it simply rendered more screen real estate. The Passport negates this with a physical keyboard as well as screen real estate.

Z10 STL100-1, OS 10.2.1.3247

I have to say, the virtual keyboard in BB10 was a real leap forward; honestly a new text entry method. I moved from a Z10 to a Q10 when it was introduced, and while I loved the physical keyboard (and shortcuts and "Instant Actions"), I quickly found that I missed the gestures from the Z10's virtual keyboard.

The Passport promises to actually be the best of both worlds, with a clever method to support swipe-up word completion and the use of other gestures from the virtual keyboard, while maintaining stuff like Instant Actions and app shortcuts. In return for this powerful combination, I can live with a virtual top row and kb for number/symbol keys.

[calivol]

I have to say, the virtual keyboard in BB10 was a real leap forward; honestly a new text entry method. I moved from a Z10 to a Q10 when it was introduced, and while I loved the physical keyboard (and shortcuts and "Instant Actions"), I quickly found that I missed the gestures from the Z10's virtual keyboard.

The Passport promises to actually be the best of both worlds, with a clever method to support swipe-up word completion and the use of other gestures from the virtual keyboard, while maintaining stuff like Instant Actions and app shortcuts. In return for this powerful combination, I can live with a virtual top row and kb for number/symbol keys.

Completely agree!

Posted via CB10

[Thunderbuck]

The people don't really like it: from where this information?
And if people on this forum (BlackBerry crazy top fans) don't like it: I have not read a lot of negative comments here, and I read a lot.

But I have to admit, at some point in time, I thought that printing additional symbols/punctuation marks on the keys could be helpful. But then I thought that I didn't have the tiniest clue of how the phone performs in real life, and how choosing symbols, special characters or punctuation marks will be implemented. And then I felt that I actually couldn't make a qualified statement in any way, shape or form.

And then I wondered, how can other people make qualified statements?

Nailed it. The physical keys HAVE to be single-purpose. The gesture support could trigger inadvertent characters.

The virtual kb for symbols/numbers is no different from what is already implemented on the Q10. Since it's only there for a few seconds every now and then during text entry, it's not terrifically obtrusive.

[Thunderbuck]

I lol'd.

Anyway, while a physical keyboard isn't particularly attractive to me, I do like the way the Passport is going. It's certainly unique, especially when compared to the relatively nondescript current BB10 lineup. Will it succeed? Remains to be seen, as with all things. But it won't just ride off into the sunset the week after release (like the Z30).

And even if there are people who are vehemently against the keyboard (without having tried it), BlackBerry was smart in offering a phone that has absolutely nothing new in comparison so they won't have an apoplectic fit.

Posted via CB10

I'm going to repost this because I agree with it SOOOOO much.

If it weren't so long I'd make it my sig.

[Wayne_Enterprises]

He is just voicing his opinion, like you just did and like everyone else here likes to do. This is a discussion forum. People come here to agree and disagree. It's called conversation.

Ok

Posted via CB10 on 10.2.1.3139

[Nemzy]

He is just voicing his opinion, like you just did and like everyone else here likes to do. This is a discussion forum. People come here to agree and disagree. It's called conversation.

Funny that you talk about giving opinions but reading your past comments in this thread and others, you state things as if factual with comments like: "This phone will be an epic failure outside the BlackBerry/ CrackBerry realm". You don't like the device so that means the rest of the world wouldn't too? Ultimately as other have shared wisdom, we will have to wait and see how things work before we begin to make judgements. I don't understand why they have excluded symbols from the keypad but I will not start saying "It will be an epic failure" because of that. I like the device and I HOPE it will be successful.

See the difference? I haven't said "It will be phone of the year" but I certainly do HOPE it is. Its the same thing in every Passport thread, its really wearing me out lol

[acovey]

WHY all the complaining? Blackberry is the ONLY phone manufacture to offer it's customer more then the same slab design that you have to read the lable to know what it is.

[wincyUt]

Nothing is broken, so nothing needs to fixed on the Passport. Those who embrace audacious changes will happily buy this "beautiful beast".
Some people may not be cut out for the Passport and there is nothing wrong with that either.

[wincyUt]

Again, I am not talking about the design, I think the Passport is beautiful. I had a z10, q10 and now I have a z30. And trust me I will get the Passport. I just don't like the way the keyboard works.

You don't like the way the keyboard works? Really? Have you personally tried the Passport? If yes, kindly tell us how the keyboard works.

[m1kr0]

Umm, you don't hold a laptop or corporate PC in your hand to use it. A laptop is made to sit on a table or your lap and a desktop PC is made to sit on a .....desktop so physical keyboards are obviously the right tool for the job. Your analogy is totally wrong. A phone on the other hand is made to be more portable and held and used in your hand/hands. You have a right to your opinion, as do I. Touch is the way ALL other phone manufacturers are going. Touch is more convenient and more reliable (no physical keys to break, wear, fall off, double type, stick, etc). You obviously prefer physical keys, I see that, but don't over reach trying to make your point.

I don't see what portability has to do with anything. All I'm saying is that due to the unique form factor of the Passport, typing on physical keys can be combined with enough screen real estate to allow both to live happy together on one device. I also love the autocorrect and functionality of the full touch keyboard on BlackBerry 10 and believe it may be the best in the industry, but it can't replace a physical keyboard.

Z10 STL100-1, OS 10.2.1.3247

[jojon2se]

I will have to try the keyboard before I will say good/bad....but from the look of it....having to move my fingers up to the screen to find the numbers and symbols seems to be a step backward.

That, at least, you will not have to worry about; All signs point towards the physical keys being remapped to the same content that fills the virtual keyboard (EDIT: ...while it is up...) - think of it as a look-up table for your keys. You'll soon learn your most used positions by rote.

The "fourth row", meanwhile, will change dynamically, depending on context (i.e. what sort of text field you are typing in, and whatever you typed just before), which means you can never rely on it to look any one particular way (save, possibly, for shift and symbols), so you'll have to pay attention to it, rather than just selecting blindly; On the other hand, it will be little farther than a fourth row of real keys would be, and should most of the time serve up just the symbols you need right at the moment.

[m1kr0]

The Passport promises to actually be the best of both worlds, with a clever method to support swipe-up word completion and the use of other gestures from the virtual keyboard, while maintaining stuff like Instant Actions and app shortcuts. In return for this powerful combination, I can live with a virtual top row and kb for number/symbol keys.

I also love the virtual KB of the Z10 with autocorrect, swipes and gestures. Been on here for 18 months after coming from a 9900. The virtual KB on the Z is so good it prevented my from going to the Q (screen just too small for my liking) when it came out, but with the Passport its the best of both worlds combined in a single device.

Z10 STL100-1, OS 10.2.1.3247

[Hai Bo]

If I have to look into the screen for numbers and punctuation marks then look down to find the corresponding key on the KB, then I would like the practicality of having them printed there on the KB with the letters, like the KB on the previous models. That way, I will not have to look around too much and don't have to interpret which key is dot and which is comma. Instead of there they are on the screen, it's much simpler and more practical to have them there on the KB.
But again, let's see what the commercial version has to offer.

[II ARROWS]

I don't miss the ALT key on my Z10. Nor will any IPhone or Android user I'd bet. Only people missing it (or believe they will miss it) are a handful of BlackBerry faithful (which is why we are getting the Classic).

That is a virtual keyboard... it's not the same thing.
What if your car missed the clutch and you have to press a button on your steer wheel?
It's not a problem on automatic transmission, but it is on manual transmission.

[II ARROWS]

That, at least, you will not have to worry about; All signs point towards the physical keys being remapped to the same content that fills the virtual keyboard (EDIT: ...while it is up...) - think of it as a look-up table for your keys. You'll soon learn your most used positions by rote.

The "fourth row", meanwhile, will change dynamically, depending on context (i.e. what sort of text field you are typing in, and whatever you typed just before), which means you can never rely on it to look any one particular way (save, possibly, for shift and symbols), so you'll have to pay attention to it, rather than just selecting blindly; On the other hand, it will be little farther than a fourth row of real keys would be, and should most of the time serve up just the symbols you need right at the moment.

You don't understand one fact:
if the fourth row changes dynamically, then even the symbol map changes dynamically and you won't be able to rely on that.

According to this pictures posted by Bla1ze, there is no place for the comma in both virtual screens... the only way to type it is by the virtual row.
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe.../#post10521397

They lost 4 characters, maybe because they removed the dedicated 0 and $ keys from the keyboard... and they decided to put the $ and _ twice across the 2 symbol maps. Still no � symbol by the way.
We also lost “ and ”, as well as the most used ?!,.