[Fistmaster]

Remember when BlackBerry were so cool, that the competition brought some?

The first that comes to my mind was the Nokia E61i which a friend of mine used to have.


Key Features

Experience improved email with One Touch keys and QWERTY keyboard
Take your work with you. View and edit compatible attachments easily on your Nokia E61i
Get wide business email solution support and easy consumer email set up
Surf the Internet via high-speed 3G and explore the full potential of mobile browsing
Form meets function in a slimmer than ever design
Relax a little � listen to your favorite tunes on the MP3 player, and capture images and videos with the 2 megapixel camera
Connect on the go: From restaurant, cafes, or your home, for example. Use the WLAN Wizard to locate available WLAN networks

My favorite indeed was the Nokia e6!



That was before I completely switched to Blackberry, because I always felt the need to decide to go with the original! Though the Nokia e6 was a good device. The keyboard was fine. And it looked cool in 2011. Only the battery was crappy.

Does any of you guys remember these devices?

[qbnkelt]

Remember when BlackBerry were so cool, that the competition brought some?

The first that comes to my mind was the Nokia E61i which a friend of mine used to have.


Key Features

Experience improved email with One Touch keys and QWERTY keyboard
Take your work with you. View and edit compatible attachments easily on your Nokia E61i
Get wide business email solution support and easy consumer email set up
Surf the Internet via high-speed 3G and explore the full potential of mobile browsing
Form meets function in a slimmer than ever design
Relax a little – listen to your favorite tunes on the MP3 player, and capture images and videos with the 2 megapixel camera
Connect on the go: From restaurant, cafes, or your home, for example. Use the WLAN Wizard to locate available WLAN networks

My favorite indeed was the Nokia e6!



That was before I completely switched to Blackberry, because I always felt the need to decide to go with the original! Though the Nokia e6 was a good device. The keyboard was fine. And it looked cool in 2011. Only the battery was crappy.

Does any of you guys remember these devices?

I do but I was using Windows phones then went to the 8310 and stayed Blackberry until the iPhone and Android devices.

[Fistmaster]

My bestest ambassador with the nicest avatar and the unspeakable name.

Did Windows had a keyboard phone ???I can't remember.

[serbanescu]

My bestest ambassador with the nicest avatar and the unspeakable name.

Did Windows had a keyboard phone ???I can't remember.

There was at least one keyboard phone running Microsoft Windows Mobile: Palm Treo 750



It was rather good, apparently. I haven't used one, but I had a Treo 650 (running Palm OS) which had good hardware and a great browser for the time.



--------------------

Pic Tagger for BB10 and PlayBook

[tfp]

There were a few QWERTY phones for Windows Mobile. Aside from the Nokia there was a Samsung and a Motorola for sure.

One of my closest friends and my brother-in-law both had the Motorola Q running Windows Mobile back in 2007. Both of them had issues with their phones and hated the OS (too much like Windows Vista shrunk down to phone size). That's what convinced me to go with a BlackBerry, the Pearl 8110, as my first smartphone. I wasn't fully ready to make the jump to smartphones but I was tired of feature phones and the Pearl was a perfect combo of the two

They both upgraded to BlackBerry's with their next contracts. My brother-in-law loved my then Bold 9000 (loved my Pearl so much that I bought the 9000 full price when it was released) that he couldn't wait to get one and my friend, who was with Bell and stuck with CDMA phones at the time, upgraded to the Tour 9650. Neither has left BlackBerry since and both are happy with their BB10 phones (Q10 and Z10)

Posted via CB10

[Pilot Prop]

I never had a phone with a keyboard until my 8300. I've picked up a few devices over the years with keyboards but non feel right like the BlackBerry keyboard.

Posted via Q10

[Supa_Fly1]

Nokia first began long before that, with a form factor BlackBerry has actually been very scared to challenge ... the Communicator 9000! Aka the Brick! Pyre qwerty clamshell.

Nokia 9000 Communicator


When BlackBerry claims to have been the first smartphone their wrong! Epoc was debuted un the Ericsson R384/5 and 2nd with this Communicator - both where closed couldn't install apps - but so did the BlackBerry when first launched.

Then Epoc evolved into Symbian! Very powerful and grew exponentially as THE premier smartphone OS globally and just about everything Android can do on a smartphone was first done in Symbian.

Nokia Followed up the 9000 Communicator in 2000 with the 9210 - and featured Open Symbian, based on Symbian v6.0, Series 80 UI
Nokia 9210 Communicator


Nokia continued to Challenge and the brought it again - after the Curve 8320 & Bold 9000 (Announced 2008, May - September 2008 Rogers 1st Cingular/AT&T delayed launch and missed by 2mths) , Nokia came correct with a better qwerty - yes better - the Nokia E71! Equal in battery life, more responsive domed kb, and more versatile OS, and full device and MicroSD encryption the only other device on the market besides the Pearl, Curve and Bold to offer it at that time. I owned it and lived it! Email was much more fluid and active sync was supported as well as pop and was very frugal with data along with management over HTML5 email (which BlackBerry in line htnl email was s horrible back then when first implemented - check the threads here for evidence), and lastly attachment management. More powerful apps where available.

Nokia E71 - 2008, June. Released 2008, July


Yeah Nokia brought it, and I swear it taught BlackBerry a lesson as they began to hurt their business in Europe slightly with these models.

Then the E66, E55 with its sure type licensed device but never got traction but was beautiful.

Nokia E66 - not a qwerty but still very stylish and competed against the 8100 Pearl for Business


Nokia E55 - SureType assault


Then Nokia fully brought it again upgrading and modernising their original gamut the Nokia E90 Communicator wow!!
Nokia E90 Communicator - the primula (Premier and final Communicator)


EDIT: Did some background research and the Nokia 9000 used a GEOS OS ... the early version also was used in the Commodore 64 (original).

EDIT 2: Added pictures for all to reference and links in text to the best database of history of devices - gsmarena.

FOOTNOTE: The BlackBerry 6230 by comparison was launched in 2Q of 2003 - the blueberry and was arguably the first BB to feature applications users could install - this was the 2nd generation OS that BB used based on Java (J2ME & CLDC 1.1) the first generation those pagers used C++ code!


PS: I'm STILL Looking for a sleaker version of a BlackBerry done up like the Nokia N97


Weapon of choice Z10, Full Metal CB10!

[vanbaars]

I started with the E61, E61i, E71, E72 and then the BlackBerry's took over; Bold 9000, 9700, 9800, 9780, 9900 and currently the Z10 and Q10. For heavy texting/emailing the qwerty devices are unbeatable!

[afl777]

I remember them Isn't Symbian support ending soon? If not this year maybe next...

Posted via CB10

[waterfrontmgmt]

The evolution of the smartphone has been interesting. I remember when they were PDA's. Then they got email. Then they added a phone into the mix. So they were just PDA with cell service. Palm always had great PDA's and early smartphones.

Then Apple took the same idea, instead of adding a phone to a PDA, they added a a phone to an iPod.

Posted via CB10

[Arjun Sahota]

Always thought about getting an E71. Always bought off contract and those Nokia phones were always a fraction of the price.

But everyone always called rthem knock off BlackBerry 's so never bothered....

Posted via SQN100-3 10.2.429

[CarGuy1368]

I've typed on keyboards where instead of sculpted keys, the keys sort of bulge like a bubble. They're such a pain to type on for me! I can't slide my fingers across the keyboard, especially if they're made of rubber or a soft plastic.

The BlackBerry keyboard has always been the one for me.

Posted via the super amazing BlackBerry Q10

[deadcowboy]

How cool would it be to see a modern Nokia keyboard phone?

[loreburne]

I had one of these bad boys!

[Supa_Fly1]

I started with the E61, E61i, E71, E72 and then the BlackBerry's took over; Bold 9000, 9700, 9800, 9780, 9900 and currently the Z10 and Q10. For heavy texting/emailing the qwerty devices are unbeatable!

SO you went backwards from Nokia E71 to E72 then back to BlackBerry 9000? Hmm, must've been hard loosing so many features but still good decision.

[Supa_Fly1]

I had one of these bad boys!

I really don't think that model made it to market ... concept design or very LIMITED production, what was the specific model? Are you hinting at the taco version of the NGage?

EDIT: Guys I've updated my first post in this thread for all of you to see. Dates and links also added along with pictures.

[decoy7]

SO you went backwards from Nokia E71 to E72 then back to BlackBerry 9000? Hmm, must've been hard loosing so many features but still good decision.

Many Europeans who switched to BlackBerry around 2008 lost a lot of features from their previous handset. BBM and instant email was the only selling point, when the 9000 was released they finally had a handset that looked on par.

Posted via CB10

[vanbaars]

I must say, as much as I liked the E71, the E72 didn't work for me. The "improved" touchpad was really bad. When I compare the Bold's, the 9000 was one of the best devices. Good size and I absolutely loved the trackball. The 9700 was a very nice phone as well, but a bit small, especially the keyboard. For some reason, I didn't like the 9780 as much, when the OS version went to 7 I think, my battery life and stability were worse. When I finally got the 9900, it was the most unstable BlackBerry I ever had. I hear great things about it in these formus, but I couldn't get the battery to last a day, and I had to keep resetting it all the time to stop the crashing. For me the OS 10 devices are a huge improvement.

[KenFletch]

Nokia first began long before that, with a form factor BlackBerry has actually been very scared to challenge ... the Communicator 9000! Aka the Brick! Pyre qwerty clamshell.

Nokia 9000 Communicator


When BlackBerry claims to have been the first smartphone their wrong! Epoc was debuted un the Ericsson R384/5 and 2nd with this Communicator - both where closed couldn't install apps - but so did the BlackBerry when first launched.

Then Epoc evolved into Symbian! Very powerful and grew exponentially as THE premier smartphone OS globally and just about everything Android can do on a smartphone was first done in Symbian.

Nokia Followed up the 9000 Communicator in 2000 with the 9210 - and featured Open Symbian, based on Symbian v6.0, Series 80 UI
Nokia 9210 Communicator


Nokia continued to Challenge and the brought it again - after the Curve 8320 & Bold 9000 (Announced 2008, May - September 2008 Rogers 1st Cingular/AT&T delayed launch and missed by 2mths) , Nokia came correct with a better qwerty - yes better - the Nokia E71! Equal in battery life, more responsive domed kb, and more versatile OS, and full device and MicroSD encryption the only other device on the market besides the Pearl, Curve and Bold to offer it at that time. I owned it and lived it! Email was much more fluid and active sync was supported as well as pop and was very frugal with data along with management over HTML5 email (which BlackBerry in line htnl email was s horrible back then when first implemented - check the threads here for evidence), and lastly attachment management. More powerful apps where available.

Nokia E71 - 2008, June. Released 2008, July


Yeah Nokia brought it, and I swear it taught BlackBerry a lesson as they began to hurt their business in Europe slightly with these models.

Then the E66, E55 with its sure type licensed device but never got traction but was beautiful.

Nokia E66 - not a qwerty but still very stylish and competed against the 8100 Pearl for Business


Nokia E55 - SureType assault


Then Nokia fully brought it again upgrading and modernising their original gamut the Nokia E90 Communicator wow!!
Nokia E90 Communicator - the primula (Premier and final Communicator)


EDIT: Did some background research and the Nokia 9000 used a GEOS OS ... the early version also was used in the Commodore 64 (original).

EDIT 2: Added pictures for all to reference and links in text to the best database of history of devices - gsmarena.

FOOTNOTE: The BlackBerry 6230 by comparison was launched in 2Q of 2003 - the blueberry and was arguably the first BB to feature applications users could install - this was the 2nd generation OS that BB used based on Java (J2ME & CLDC 1.1) the first generation those pagers used C++ code!


PS: I'm STILL Looking for a sleaker version of a BlackBerry done up like the Nokia N97


Weapon of choice Z10, Full Metal CB10!

Loved my N97. Brought me to my Torch. Miss that FM transmitter.

Posted via CB10

[Supa_Fly1]

Nokia has some serious IP regarding their hardware.

I'd wager they have more IP regarding keyboard smartphones than BlackBerry has due to the sheer combination of versatility - they tried very damn possible way to make a qwerty device seriously!

They marketed the N97 fantastically well, typing seemed to be quite good regardless of the flat keys; which I find difficult to believe to be honest. They've had bugs, major ones in the software UI and at the time when Apple launched their SDK to developers and the 3GS was coming out in a few short months it really hurt them (I maybe wrong on timeliness here).

One thing I really loved about the N97 & N86 was that hardware Menu key! Very tiny laser etched holes would allow a pulsating LED to be a notification light. Imagine if an upgrade to/even the Q10 itself had its keyboard not simply backlit but a coloured LED say as a splat would pulse when a new notification occurred? Add to this that the led would be directly on the key you would use as a home screen keyboard shortcut Emails/text/PIN msg would light up the "M" key for example.?? Too much glamour maybe?

Patented for vertical and horizontal slider keyboards

Weapon of choice Z10, Full Metal CB10!

[Laura Knotek]

My bestest ambassador with the nicest avatar and the unspeakable name.

Did Windows had a keyboard phone ???I can't remember.

The Samsung Jack was Windows Mobile.


My mother's next-door-neighbour still uses a Samsung Jack.

[Laura Knotek]

I had a Nokia E62 and E71. If you check out my signature on WPCentral, you'll see my smartphone timeline showing which devices I've owned.

[goku_vegeta]

I had a Nokia E62 and E71. If you check out my signature on WPCentral, you'll see my smartphone timeline showing which devices I've owned.

I remember my HTC 5800, it was the second phone I ever owned and the first smartphone I owned. Windows Mobile 6 was actually quite snappy. It didn't have fancy transitions or anything that was flashy or cool, but it worked well. Few phones later, I ended up using the BlackBerry Curve 9300 in November 2010, haven't looked back ever since.

[Morty2264]

My Nokia C3... I loved that phone...

Posted via CB10

[vanbaars]

This thread brings back lots of memories! At some point I owned a N900, with Meego I think it was. I even had it run Ubuntu at some point. I really loved the keyboard on that phone. It would be nice to see some qwerty-sliders returning in the shops. Better have some choice than all those black rectangular sheets of glass you find nowadays!