[the_boon]

... but damn it's refreshing among a sea of slabs!

[conite]

Good luck with 50wpm on that.

[the_boon]

Good luck with 50wpm on that.

Never said it would be faster than on a KEY device, but hell of a more enjoyable and accurate than a slab.

Besides, with the landscape keyboard and even arrows, it would be pretty cool for gaming/emulating

[PRIVuser2018]

I would prefer a PRIV² but if BlackBerry/TCL/etc doesn't want my money, this phone may be the one.

[JECE]

I'm sold. My first smartphones were the Droid 2 and Droid 4. This is a dream come true. If BlackBerry doesn't release something similar next year, I'm switching to these guys.

I almost wish I had stuck it out with my Passport a few more months. I do love my KEY2, but its keyboard is too cramped for me to type as fast as I used to.

[Ment]

I don't know if the OG Droid is coming back again but that does bring back memories. Of course you're taking a risk on support on what is basically a Kickstarter-level company but they have seemed to get the keyboard feel right which is hugely important in an endeavor such as this.

[JECE]

Well I'm terrified of what could happen to our keyboard, so what's the difference?

There are plenty of bugs that keep me from properly editing sentences and wasting an inordinate amount of time fixing stuff that I typed out correctly the first time. If it wasn't for Ctrl+Z, I'd probably have given up by now.

I'll revive an old thread of mine to discuss the details when I have the time, but needless to say, if BlackBerry stops supporting our physical keyboards, we shouldn't expect them to work very long.

[conite]

I'm sold. My first smartphones were the Droid 2 and Droid 4. This is a dream come true. If BlackBerry doesn't release something similar next year, I'm switching to these guys.

I almost wish I had stuck it out with my Passport a few more months. I do love my KEY2, but its keyboard is too cramped for me to type as fast as I used to.

Do you have 8" thumbs?

These aren't the tiny screens of yesteryear.

[the_boon]

Pre-orders are open now apparently, but the phone will only start shipping by July.

So, if your Priv is already exploding and you can't wait till then but you NEED a PKB, then I guess that leaves you with the KEY devices, or Typo case for iPhone (ughh), or Samsung PKB cover for S8 (double ughhh)

[dualpassport]

Looks very good but ... for those of us that use our devices to work, I think a key feature will be the email and calender client that they are writing to be used in landscape mode. (This is something which those producing the Cosmo have still to finalise as well)

Posted via CB10

[Nine_Tailed_Fox]

It looks like a very, very small lab top. However, that is why we have tablets that keyboard cases if we want portable lap tops.

[hplovecraft]

Talking about a ninche of a niche.

Personally don't see how a landscape slider in 2019 really works well. Android is not optimized for that, and key distances are enlarged (phones are bigger than in 2005, ok).

Still, always happy to see new pkb coming on the market - choice is good!

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Talking about a ninche of a niche.

Personally don't see how a landscape slider in 2019 really works well. Android is not optimized for that, and key distances are enlarged (phones are bigger than in 2005, ok).

Still, always happy to see new pkb coming on the market - choice is good!

They say the software has been optimized....

Planet Computer has they Gemini PDA that has been out for a little while. Their new one the Cosmo Communicator will run Android Pie and supports multi-boot options for other Linux installations (if you could add Windows to that dual booting option...). What they have shown of the software, doesn't look bad.

If you want a landscape keyboard....

[hplovecraft]

They say the software has been optimized....

Planet Computer has they Gemini PDA that has been out for a little while. Their new one the Cosmo Communicator will run Android Pie and supports multi-boot options for other Linux installations (if you could add Windows to that dual booting option...). What they have shown of the software, doesn't look bad.

If you want a landscape keyboard....

Dual boot .... Linux .... Windows maybe.

It seems you are attracting a certain growd for those devices. I can see the appeal to wirte in some linux terminal on a phone - but the market must be very small.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Dual boot .... Linux .... Windows maybe.

It seems you are attracting a certain growd for those devices. I can see the appeal to wirte in some linux terminal on a phone - but the market must be very small.

Yes... very small. Last I looked the Cosmo had around 2,000 backers - but somehow that's enough for a flagship phone with a keyboard and custom software that can be sold for about $600.

[hplovecraft]

Yes... very small. Last I looked the Cosmo had around 2,000 backers - but somehow that's enough for a flagship phone with a keyboard and custom software that can be sold for about $600.

Flagship mhmm

I saw a review of the Cosmo (Mr. Mobile?) some time ago, and it was not very good.

I have the feeling that it is cheaper somehow to do a landscape slider - than an Key2 type pkb phone.

Probably you are able to get some standard slab manufacturer, and 'just' need to get the keyboard attached. The Key2 has a whole different casing - the framing and all are dedicated manufactured for that decide.

[dakusama]

I am so going to buy this phone. It looks awesome. Nice screen for typing out a quick status update, sidekick keyboard for longer passages. I just hope the camera won't be as useless as the one on my current Key2. I went to Scotland a few days ago, and I just had to ask a friend of mine if I could have their iPhone to take some pictures. The Key2 camera is okay, but only until you compare it with a real camera and see what you are missing out on.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Flagship mhmm

I saw a review of the Cosmo (Mr. Mobile?) some time ago, and it was not very good.

I have the feeling that it is cheaper somehow to do a landscape slider - than an Key2 type pkb phone.

Probably you are able to get some standard slab manufacturer, and 'just' need to get the keyboard attached. The Key2 has a whole different casing - the framing and all are dedicated manufactured for that decide.

Specs are clearly last year flagship specs... for a release this summer it might be a little behind.

Reviews.... they'd only be of pre-production units that will see both hardware and software refinements. But the biggest complaint I've seen was the weight... 11.2 oz.

Not sure what you are going on about dedicated manufactured.... you need to look at the device. It's VERY custom... but it won't be for everyone.

I do get that BBMo cost of business is higher, which is why they aren't competitive on "hardware". But if you are looking for Security/Privacy, regular updates, a PKB and a one handed phone...

[Tim-ANC]

I am so going to buy this phone. It looks awesome. Nice screen for typing out a quick status update, sidekick keyboard for longer passages. I just hope the camera won't be as useless as the one on my current Key2. I went to Scotland a few days ago, and I just had to ask a friend of mine if I could have their iPhone to take some pictures. The Key2 camera is okay, but only until you compare it with a real camera and see what you are missing out on.

I'm tempted to give it a try too. Never used a landscape slider. Would be nice to try it out first.

[conite]

I'm tempted to give it a try too. Never used a landscape slider. Would be nice to try it out first.

My goodness. Turn your KEY² sideways and imagine trying to type quickly.

This is simply unworkable.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

My goodness. Turn your KEY² sideways and imagine trying to type quickly.

This is simply unworkable.

Unworkable is a strong statement. Might not be what YOU want in a keyboard device, but I suspect the few that buy these will be happy enough with them. Is surprising that there are three different groups all working on landscape keyboards... But this is a niche, well below the threshold of viability for a "enterprise" like BlackBerry and BBMo are involved in.

I personally wouldn't use one, but then I gave up keyboards with the 9650.... PRIV was tempting, but it came to Verizon too late. And I feel I dodge a bullet on it.

[JECE]

Do you have 8" thumbs?

These aren't the tiny screens of yesteryear.

I said Droid 4, the last flagship Android device with a keyboard until BlackBerry entered the market.

Is this really so much bigger than a Droid 4? Do we know the dimensions? I doubt that anyone has measured the width of the QWERTYUIOP keys yet.

[arkenoi]

Droid4 was a disaster quality-wise.

[JECE]

Droid4 was a disaster quality-wise.

At launch? How so? I was happy with it until the OS update.

[arkenoi]

Screen was total abomination. I never seen such an ugly low-contrast screen since early 2000's. The build quality sucks, it gives a disgusting impression of a cheap chinese stuff. Also, I still do not know what exactly was the problem but it was noticeably slower than other phones with similar specs.