Dear BlackBerry! There's still time to fix the Passport keyboard.
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I will apply for a job at BB, and next year, when we release the Passport v2. You will see. :-)06-30-14 11:27 AMLike 0 - ThunderbuckRetired ModeratorI'm sorry that his opinion conflicts with your hopes for this device.
You can keep saying it's the same as the Q10/Q5, but that's not really true, is it? The Qs have physical ALT, SHIFT and SYM buttons, which allow you to quickly (and naturally) enter alternative characters WITHOUT having to look at the touch screen. Only extended uncommon symbols are selected via the touchscreen.
Over time you will of course learn where the symbols are and will get used to using the physical keyboard which maps to the onscreen symbol. But this is not initially intuitive. And that's a big problem.
Posted via CB1006-30-14 11:32 AMLike 0 - Well op I'll just trust them as they been in the qwerty business longer than many of us have been commenting on it.
With the amount of time to they have spent well over a decade on qwerty phones I think they know what they are doing.
I don't care if other people want a bb10 device I wanted one and that's all that matters.06-30-14 11:33 AMLike 0 - True. I don't really get why people are getting all worked up here though. BB has devices already with their old style keyboards. People can buy one of those if they like. I say let BB try something new, and see if they can't break some new ground. Maybe it's what they really should be doing. Being boring isn't getting them anywhere.06-30-14 11:53 AMLike 0
- It's not that I am a mobile phone expert, but it doesn't take a genius to see that something is being done wrong. Also, Engineers at Blackberry have the same school degree as me, or maybe less school. I am sure their GPA was not better than mine at the completion of Graduate Studies. (Hahah, I had a 4.0/4.0)
I will apply for a job at BB, and next year, when we release the Passport v2. You will see. :-)06-30-14 12:00 PMLike 0 - ThunderbuckRetired ModeratorSo you will have to constantly keep looking up to the screen, down to the keys, up to the screen, rinse and repeat. Again this is going to be a learning curve to everybody. Why make it harder? All touch means everything is right there on the screen. A physical keyboard has all the numbers and symbols on the keys, right there. Why try to change all that? does BlackBerry think this is going to be so great that all the Millions and millions of people that have learned and adjusted to all touch or all physical keys are going to just flood the stores looking for this confusing device?
One think I WILL grant is that on the Qs the vkb for num/sym actually does take up half the screen, and when you're trying to enter numbers in different cells of a spreadsheet it can be awkward. On the Passport, there's considerably more screen real estate and this shouldn't present the same kind of issue.
Arguably, this system is actually better, since you can see the vkb as an onscreen guide and you don't have to pull your fingers off the physical kb to see which symbol is mapped to which key.06-30-14 12:23 PMLike 0 - This is almost exactly the same implementation as on the Q5/Q10; when you hit ALT on the Qs you get the same virtual kb on the screen. If you have a Q, or know somebody with one, I encourage you to try it; it's honestly not a problem in terms of operation.
One think I WILL grant is that on the Qs the vkb for num/sym actually does take up half the screen, and when you're trying to enter numbers in different cells of a spreadsheet it can be awkward. On the Passport, there's considerably more screen real estate and this shouldn't present the same kind of issue.
Arguably, this system is actually better, since you can see the vkb as an onscreen guide and you don't have to pull your fingers off the physical kb to see which symbol is mapped to which key.
Posted via CB1006-30-14 12:35 PMLike 0 - The problem with including physical Shift/Alt/Sym keys is gesture support. Because you'll be swiping/tapping/holding keys for navigation functions, including keys that modify the other keys introduces a risk that the user will accidentally activate them in the course of a gesture.
Physical keys doesn't interfere with gestures. If they did, every key would interfere too, making it literally impossible to type on.
On Qs and every older devices, when you hit ALT the only thing that changes on screen is a little square in the upper right corner that tells you the keyboard is in "symbol mode". You then press the corresponding key (according to the symbol printed on the key).
And with this, you can insert commas, question marks and other most used punctuation blindly on the move.
Something impossible on a screen.06-30-14 12:46 PMLike 0 - 06-30-14 01:12 PMLike 0
- I just really wish the OP, that's you CeCoQ, would speak for himself and not everyone else.
The Passport keyboard is very intriguing and something tells me it will in fact be better then any other physical mobile keyboard we have seen to date. In my opinion, the emphasis is on speed and accuracy, and I believe it is going to deliver just that. I think BlackBerry has truly looked outside of the box and broke through the norms that we have come to expect to deliver us something truly unique and quite possibly the next revolution of mobile computing. I believe they have listened to what we have been asking for and have delivered just that, although it doesn't fit the typical mould of what we think a keyboard should be. But, does it have to, I certainly don't think so. Although, personally, I think I'd still prefer a Z30 for myself this Passport is very intriguing and I think it will suit many people well. Never the less, it is winning me over.
You see how I did that OP, how I expressed my opinion on the matter and not what I believe everyone else's opinion should be?06-30-14 01:34 PMLike 5 -
However, it seems unlikely that BB would put too much stock in comments here - from people who have never even held or used the device. That's not to say that opinions here are worthless. Comments based on the pictures, video's, and some understanding of how it is intended to work must have -some- value. But surely they have focus groups and testers with hands-on feedback to deliver that will carry far more weight.06-30-14 01:36 PMLike 0 -
- However, it seems unlikely that BB would put too much stock in comments here - from people who have never even held or used the device. That's not to say that opinions here are worthless. Comments based on the pictures, video's, and some understanding of how it is intended to work must have -some- value. But surely they have focus groups and testers with hands-on feedback to deliver that will carry far more weight.Thunderbuck likes this.06-30-14 01:45 PMLike 1
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Unfortunately, I believe more people will 'hate' the device than 'love' it when it's all said and done. Think: Storm series with the whole "clicking screen" or the BB Style with its flip phone approach during the full touch screen influx. It's just another instance of BB trying to stand out and be different just to be different.
Now, I understand what site I'm on, and undoubtedly my comment will be met with much more negativity than re-enforcement. Doesn't mean it won't end up to be true. Only time will tell.Icarus3000 and lift like this.06-30-14 02:05 PMLike 2 -
- I just really wish the OP, that's you CeCoQ, would speak for himself and not everyone else.
Who are these "people" you speak for? Because your opinion certainly does not speak for me.
The Passport keyboard is very intriguing and something tells me it will in fact be better then any other physical mobile keyboard we have seen to date. In my opinion, the emphasis is on speed and accuracy, and I believe it is going to deliver just that. I think BlackBerry has truly looked outside of the box and broke through the norms that we have come to expect to deliver us something truly unique and quite possibly the next revolution of mobile computing. I believe they have listened to what we have been asking for and have delivered just that, although it doesn't fit the typical mould of what we think a keyboard should be. But, does it have to, I certainly don't think so. Although, personally, I think I'd still prefer a Z30 for myself this Passport is very intriguing and I think it will suit many people well. Never the less, it is winning me over.
You see how I did that OP, how I expressed my opinion on the matter and not what I believe everyone else's opinion should be?
Trust me I will get the Passport on the day of the release. And I love the design. It's different and I like to be different. But I don't see the point of occupying screen space.
Posted via CB1006-30-14 02:13 PMLike 0 - The reason i had o BB bold 9900, a BB torch, now a BB Q10 and I will want a BB Passport is what?
Take a wild guess BBerry!
Because I HATE DIGITAL KEYBOARDS!!!
Get a clue!
Your Passport clients WANT TO USE A KEYBOARD LIKE ON THEIR COMPUTER!
Otherwise, we'd buy a different phone.
I mean, really, get a clue!06-30-14 02:54 PMLike 0 - The reason i had o BB bold 9900, a BB torch, now a BB Q10 and I will want a BB Passport is what?
Take a wild guess BBerry!
Because I HATE DIGITAL KEYBOARDS!!!
Get a clue!
Your Passport clients WANT TO USE A KEYBOARD LIKE ON THEIR COMPUTER!
Otherwise, we'd buy a different phone.
I mean, really, get a clue!
It seems like the Classic is more for you.
Posted via CB1006-30-14 04:00 PMLike 0 -
- I agree with op. This would have required a single alt key to double the usefulness of the keyboard. so so silly.
Posted via CB10Icarus3000 likes this.06-30-14 04:10 PMLike 1 -
- ThunderbuckRetired Moderator
All you have to do is swipe down.06-30-14 04:17 PMLike 0
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- BlackBerry 10 Phones & OS
- BlackBerry Passport
Dear BlackBerry! There's still time to fix the Passport keyboard.
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