[tomsobon]

No trackpad, no deal.

seriously man? when will people stop talking about trackpads

[tomsobon]

OP Awesome job, thanks a lot for your inspiration!!

I would buy this with my eyes closed!

[lawguyman]

BlackBerry is trying to solve a problem: keyboards take away screen real estate. So, it is is trying different approaches. With this design, only the most commonly used keys are present in the physical keyboard. Presumably, numbers and symbols will be present when needed in a virtual keyboard on the screen.

This sounds like a good idea! If some form of swiping ability is present on the physical keyboard, that could make a physical keyboard even better.

Where this device fails is the screen dimensions. I would rather have a much longer device than a squat device like this. BlackBerry should work on getting rid of bezel space. This allows for a bigger screen (and keyboard) in a smaller package.



Posted via CB10

[Calimero1987]

maybe they shouldn't change their keyboard until that typo-copyright-thing is done. otherwise they might claim the bb keyboard isn't that iconic after all, if bb shows inconsistencies within their product.

[potatoguy]

BB will never sell any!

[The Big Picture]

Speaking about new phones:

http://n4bb.com/blackberry-innovation-community-survey/

Lets help blackberry!

Q10SQN100-3/10.2.1.2141, Z30, Z10, iP5, SGS3

[toneytone]

I like what you have done OP. I also like that BlackBerry is not afraid to innovate.

Posted via CB10

I'm thinking the same thing. BlackBerry has to change things up cause the current product wasn't received well. Something different had to be done.

Posted via Z30

[Christophe Piquemal]

Ugly

BlackBerry Since 2006. Rogers Halifax, NS - Z10 Official 10.2.1

That...

[Ray III]

I'm not liking the half-assed keyboard. Why force people to adapt from something that's been refined over a decade?

However, if it DOES have an integrated trackpad, I might have to go play with it.

[Ray III]

seriously man? when will people stop talking about trackpads

Probably about the same time people stop buying computers with a mouse.

[Bbnivende]

seriously man? when will people stop talking about trackpads

When they make a 4 inch screened physical keyboard phone.


Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[Bbnivende]

BlackBerry is trying to solve a problem: keyboards take away screen real estate. So, it is is trying different approaches. With this design, only the most commonly used keys are present in the physical keyboard. Presumably, numbers and symbols will be present when needed in a virtual keyboard on the screen.

This sounds like a good idea! If some form of swiping ability is present on the physical keyboard, that could make a physical keyboard even better.

Where this device fails is the screen dimensions. I would rather have a much longer device than a squat device like this. BlackBerry should work on getting rid of bezel space. This allows for a bigger screen (and keyboard) in a smaller package.



Posted via CB10

If the bezel of a Q10 was .1 inch smaller the screen would be .15 inches bigger. I think that smaller bezels look better but are not a major contributor to the larger screen size.

If Blackberry persists with the square screen design their phones will always have too small of a screen. Reducing the size of the keyboard by taking away a row will not add any screen real estate. The Q10 does not have a larger screen because the trackpad was taken away.

Most people who would use a physical keyboard device are traditionalists and just like the keyboard as is. If they go with a square screen they should just provide a trackpad to make up for the small screen.

If they want to innovate they should go to a 3 :4 screen format and reduce the bezel size.



Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[lawguyman]

If the bezel of a Q10 was .1 inch smaller the screen would be .15 inches bigger. I think that smaller bezels look better but are not a major contributor to the larger screen size.

If Blackberry persists with the square screen design their phones will always have too small of a screen. Reducing the size of the keyboard by taking away a row will not add any screen real estate. The Q10 does not have a larger screen because the trackpad was taken away.

Most people who would use a physical keyboard device are traditionalists and just like the keyboard as is. If they go with a square screen they should just provide a trackpad to make up for the small screen.

If they want to innovate they should go to a 3 :4 screen format and reduce the bezel size.



Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

My Z30 has .2 inch bezel on the left and right sides, so .4 inch total side bezel. Would eliminating that mean the screen size could be .6 inches larger?

Look at the Nexus 5, which has a smaller package overall with less bezel. Less bezel makes room for more screen or reduces phone size. Bezel is a waste.

There is a limit to how big phones can be without people rejecting them. At the same size, people want ever larger screens. Bezels get in the way.

Personally, I don't want a keyboard anymore. I also don't want a phone much larger than the z30 but I would enjoy a larger screen.

I hope that Chen has something in mind for those of us who feel this way.

Posted via CB10

[Tim Heard]

While I think they are to be commended for trying new, creative things, the obvious answer to the "keyboards take away real estate" issue is to produce a slider phone with a physical keyboard that can be hidden when it isn't needed. With any other configuration, if you're trying to use a touch screen in landscape orientation, the keys are in the way.

BlackBerry is trying to solve a problem: keyboards take away screen real estate. So, it is is trying different approaches. With this design, only the most commonly used keys are present in the physical keyboard. Presumably, numbers and symbols will be present when needed in a virtual keyboard on the screen.
...

[FCSC]

Taking away the extra row of keys to then put something on the screen is pretty counter intuitive to me.

If they want to keep that keyboard configuration with only 3 rows, keep the symbols and numbers on the keys as they currently are, and have them activated by holding the space bar down as you type, just like alt key currently.

[Bbnivende]

My Z30 has .2 inch bezel on the left and right sides, so .4 inch total side bezel. Would eliminating that mean the screen size could be .6 inches larger?

Look at the Nexus 5, which has a smaller package overall with less bezel. Less bezel makes room for more screen or reduces phone size. Bezel is a waste.

There is a limit to how big phones can be without people rejecting them. At the same size, people want ever larger screens. Bezels get in the way.

Personally, I don't want a keyboard anymore. I also don't want a phone much larger than the z30 but I would enjoy a larger screen.

I hope that Chen has something in mind for those of us who feel this way.

Posted via CB10

Not really . Phones with smaller bezels just look better. Phones are built around the screen. Some phones have larger bodies than others even with the same screen size.

Smaller Bezels are more important for the square screen format because a phone can only be so wide.
The chassis design is probably more important than the bezel size.

Regardless, don't look to bezels or even the chassis design as contributing on a meaningful way to increase the screen size of a square screen format phone. A phone can only be so wide and be useful.

The Z30 is 2.83 inches wide and the Q10 is is 2.63 inches wide. Assume then that the Q10's screen was .2 inches wider and taller . The result means that the new phone only has a .28 inches screen increase. I think with better design BlackBerry might be able squeeze a .37 inch larger screen into a phone with the same width as a Z30. Bottom line is that I do not see a phone with a screen larger than 3.5 inches if they keep that square screen format . I guess their point is that the new screen would have one of the highest PPI's in the market.

[diegonei]

Let's hope the OP is right on this.

[lawguyman]

While I think they are to be commended for trying new, creative things, the obvious answer to the "keyboards take away real estate" issue is to produce a slider phone with a physical keyboard that can be hidden when it isn't needed. With any other configuration, if you're trying to use a touch screen in landscape orientation, the keys are in the way.

I had a Torch and I liked it. The conundrum there is that it is going to be unacceptably thick. There is a reason that everyone makes rectangular touch screen phones. Yes. The typing experience isn't great but that is the tradeoff everyone seems willing to accept in exchange for thin phones with Big Screens.

Everything else is niche. Of course, tastes change over time but are they moving in the direction of any keyboard? It is hard to argue for the keyboard as something that people want and are willing to sacrifice screen size/thinness to get it.


People now routinely just put a signature in their email saying "excuse the typos - typed with my iPhone." Believe it or not, that is acceptable in the business world! So, why does anyone need to type better?

Posted via CB10

[Tim Heard]

All the folks who are hanging on to old BlackBerries are doing it because they want a secure phone with a physical QWERTY.
I made the switch to a Dell Venue Pro after running my old BlackBerry through the was several years ago. It isn't so think that
it's bothersome. And with newer technology, I'm guessing a newer model would be thinner than what I carry.

Regardless of what anyone says, you can't be as productive on a slab phone if you type a lot of emails every day. I will hold onto this
DVP until it dies, and when it does, I won't be buying a slab phone.

I had a Torch and I liked it. The conundrum there is that it is going to be unacceptably thick. There is a reason that everyone makes rectangular touch screen phones. Yes. The typing experience isn't great but that is the tradeoff everyone seems willing to accept in exchange for thin phones with Big Screens.

Everything else is niche. Of course, tastes change over time but are they moving in the direction of any keyboard? It is hard to argue for the keyboard as something that people want and are willing to sacrifice screen size/thinness to get it.


People now routinely just put a signature in their email saying "excuse the typos - typed with my iPhone." Believe it or not, that is acceptable in the business world! So, why does anyone need to type better?

Posted via CB10

[NaijaBerry]

Had this nokia 3230 way way back.. looks like one..

Posted via CB10

Uuuuum......Not Quite!

[lawguyman]

Regardless of what anyone says, you can't be as productive on a slab phone if you type a lot of emails every day. I will hold onto this
DVP until it dies, and when it does, I won't be buying a slab phone.

Most people who say that have not really tried. I say this as someone who used to love keyboards.

Now, I can't type well on an iPhone but I am pretty agile with the Z30. The Z30's screen is big enough and I use the swipe up function to avoid having to type every character. It works well!



Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

Most people whose first smart phone was an iPhone or all touch phone are very quick typists. Kids are incredibly fast on their virtual keyboards. Ultimately physical keyboard phones are for those who need them.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[aelaan]

If that final render is going to production I know my wife wants that to replace her Torch. She refuses to let go of the keyboard - and I thought I was old fashioned (LOL)

[mploria]

Uuuuum......Not Quite!

@naija- meant the concept of the physical part.. location of the keyboard, bar phone, etc.. cheers!

Posted via CB10

[EauRouge]

Really nice breakdown. I hope the Q30 does come to market soon