[chinesecatt]

If RIM is going to release a touchscreen device, that is to cover the already saturated marketplace -- tapping those that wished for an iPhone but wanted to keep the BlackBerry 'Always On' feature of it.

I can never picture myself wanting to own a touchscreen mobile device and plan on keeping it. I might try and play with it to experience it firsthand, but never to the point of wanting one co'z I'm loving it. But then again, this is all based on my experience with the iPhone. Typing emails with that device is a pain!

[Skyys]

yea, libuff. For me, the biggest change I want to see is a bigger screen. I watch videos on my 8830 a lot but I miss my old axim x51v pda. I miss watching movies on a VGA 640 x 480 resolution display compared to a 320 x 240 display. A bigger screen would also make Opera more enjoyable. I know a 640x480 screen probably isnt feasible without making it completely touchscreen or some kind of sliding keyboard (I really dont want either) but I just want the screen to be bigger.

[cqueve1]

I can see the reasons why EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE wants to see a Blackberry touchscreen but I really do feel that it's not that necessary to address that situation... Just yet. When I switched from Nextel to T-Mobile, I asked myself if I made the right decision in choosing the Blackberry over the iPhone.

In my opinion, the TWO most appealing things to the iPhone are:
1) The large screen
2) The screen's resolution... THAT'S IT

A few reasons why I didn't like the iPhone is the:
1) Fingerprints
2) The massive headaches after trying to type
3) IT LOOKS LIKE A TOY...
**There are about 6 more reasons why I don't like it but that's for a different day**

I'm not going to make this a debate between the iPhone and the Blackberry but I guess the question is. "Should Blackberry address the iPhone 'phenomenon'?" My answer is no. I understand why people love the touchscreen but that concept loses the foundation of the Blackberry, which is really accessibility meets professionalism.

[HOLLYWOOD42]

i was a dedicated treo user for years, and have played with the Iphone quite a bit, the one thing about touch screens are you lose landscape, although the screen might be bigger items need to be bigger for the touch of the finger.....it convenient for quick access but also tends to give you to many options sometimes making your reaction time a little slower....at least with the treo in cases.....some one also said once ..as soon as you need to pull out a stylus you slow down.....

[anon(1109695)]

If the whole drive to do a touchscreen is to try and "one up" the iPhone, then RIM would be making a huge mistake. When you try to be everything to everybody, you end up being nothing to nobody.

BBs are primarily designed for business professionals...not teeny boppers trying to make fashion statements. Yeah, a bigger screen would be nice, but there is only so much real estate to go around on a device as small as the Pearl unless you want to put a screen on one side and hard keys on the other which would be insane. Personally, I bought the Pearl because it was the exact balance of size, hard keys, and screen real estate that I needed. I don't want sliding keyboards, a UI without tactile feedback, or a giant screen at the expense of a small, thin, unobtrusive device.

Understand your customers and stick with them...don't chase after Apple. Apple targets an entirely different demographic and user profile than BB. When you start trying to be an iPhone, you cease being a BB...simple as that.

The iPhone is sexy, no doubt, and Apple knows how to market them. But talk to business people that actually own one or have tried them, and unless their sole reason for purchasing one was to show them off at cocktail parties, they'll tell you that the device's cons vastly outweigh its pros.

[mattburns9999]

Touchscreen with the slide out keyboard is the way to go.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[anon(1109695)]

Touchscreen with the slide out keyboard is the way to go.

I had an HTC mogul with exactly that form factor (touch screen, slide out keyboard). Sounds brilliant in theory, but is really a pain in practice. Heavy, thick, always fumbling for the stylus or trying to enter a phone number without tactile feedback on icons that are too big yet too small.

The list of problems goes on and on. I had mine for one week and sold it on eBay. Bought a Pearl 8130 and am MUCH happier.

[kickinitlive247]

i, personally, like a phone i can just through into my pocket without worrying about it. (not that i would, but i could) a touchscreen is just a fancy pos. i had a few, they suck. thats why the bb is so great, its functional.

[Libuff]

i think the long / short of the matter is that there is quite an impressive market share at stake here, those smart phone users who desire to use a "touch screen interface". Apple is looking to migrate the iphone into a business phone, and I'm positive that windows mobile with their touch screen interface is designed primarily for the business person in nature.

the market share is out there, RIM needs to decide if they want to grab extra market share, after all, they should NOT be replacing current BB models to make a touch model. the 88xx 81xx and 83xx and whatever 9xxx models will still be here I'm sure, with keypads, but another model, that allows further migration of users who require the touch screen option.

didn't we just see news from RIM that in Q4 last year, they had the an increase of membership beyond their expectations? why not continue this success by increasing market share with new innovative BBeries?

[BKF224]

i agree i dont like the idea of a touch screen either. If they change anything it should be the browser.

[zinadork]

I personally don't like touchscreens. However, I think people with long fingernails like them.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Umm Yeah]

I think the real question is "why do you care if RIM offers a touch screen?". If you don't want it, don't buy it! It's not like RIM only offers one flavor of BlackBerry. I have a Pearl because I like the small size. Others prefer the Curve because it has a full keyboard with a camera. Others still prefer 8830's because they offer CDMA and GSM radios in one phone. Choose your flavor and enjoy your BlackBerry.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Don Of The Dead]

Because people LOVE greasy finger prints all over an expensive phone....Or, now hear me out first, Windex got together with these companies and was like, We will give you a gazillion dollars if you make it with no buttons, then they will be FORCED to clean the finger prints, cheek prints and in some cases below the belt prints.

Just a thought.

[boomerbsg]

i understand why BB is going to make a touch screen.. but keep in mind they likely wont replace all their lines of phones with a touchscreen version. it will likely be one of many options.. much like we have now.

a handful of people on a fan forum isn't a good projection of the entire market of phone users and potential customers.
they want to attract more people and theres a market big enough to warrant BB to produce a touch screen based solution.. who knows.. we love our bb's, we think they did a great job with them despite the shortcomings of our phones, who's to say RIM wont do a great job with a Touch screen version of the phone?

and the money they make off the teeny bopper crowd that wants to show off their touch screen device will put more money in rim's pocket that will allow them to mantain their network for our phones, as well as put more R&D into the other lines of phones as well.
much like the pc industry, its not the enthusiasts who buy expensive video cards, and fancy cases, and high end motherboards and cpu's that keep the market afloat, its joe blow average guy/gal off the street buying a pre built oem computer from dell, gateway, hp, that puts money in their pockets to provide the industry with the money needed to bring out the high end parts that are offered in the pro-sumer market.

i look forward to seeing RIM's touch screen in action.. will i buy one.. who knows i will reserve that judegement till i see it, but likely not. but i support their efforts to compete with other touch screen offerings to establish themselves further in this market where you have multiple competitors under one roof at a carriers store vying for sales.

cheers

[otacon]

The only problem for me using Touchscreen is scratches. I am a heavy user, constantly sending email and sms from my pda. I used to own an Atom Exec (which was a wonderful phone) that did not have a QWERTY keyboard. I used the touchscreen so much that screen protectors only lasts me less than a month before the area to write is full of DEEP scratches.

I personally prefer keyboards now.

[uncheels23]

I love my BB just the way it is !

[Flurrycat]

I came from the Palm/Treo world, and I can definitely say that I miss the touchscreen. A good combo touchscreen/keyboard can make a phone much faster and easier to use. Keep in mind that there is a lot more to touchscreens than what apple built. And itld not all thumbs. I miss my stylus.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[fonebrkr]

I played with a voyager for a bit and that was the deal killer. Especially when I started hearing about cracked screens. In the real world. At least in mine. I know I'd have one cracked and scratched up within a month... Guess that's why it was so easy for me to pick a screen name.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Denise23]

^^

People with long fingernails HATE THEM! [Atleast I do]

My BFF has an iphone, I have an 8130 but excessively long nails [~1cm of actual 'nail' not the part over the skin] and I went to type out a text for her and failed miserably. The screen was NOT sensitive enough to pick up the tapping from my fingernails, so I had to use the pads of my fingers which sucked as well since they're too big for the small keys [since I assume you use your finger tip, not pad]. ALL BAD

I'd go crazy w/ the fingerprint issue, and what happens if the screen breaks? Bye-bye phone! Dealing w/ her iphone was too annoying, I love my BB just how it is.

[boomerbsg]

heh.. imagine that, something you hold in your hand getting fingerprints on it.. its really no different than using our phones now. my BB gets finger prints and sweat smudges on the screen all the time, i wipe it off and keep using it. i let a girl at work use my bb the other day, and she got makeup on it, a quick wipe and it was good as new.

my ipod touch has a BSE on it, again.. i wipe it off and go. to me its like buying a car and being surprised you got dirt on the tires from touching the road

cheers

[enyahs_shayne09]

Fingerprints drive me nuts soo there is pretty much no way I could have a touch screen for that reason alone.

I attempted to type a text message on the iphone and it was impossible for me. I suppose you could get used to it but i prefer typing super fast and accurate over misspelled and fingerprinty.

LG came out with the Voyager for Verizon and it is pretty cool. It has the touchscreen and the full keyboard that you can use when you open the phone. Not a bad device but I still prefer my bberry clean and shiny.

yea what she said!

[sirusthevirus]

ok but you got think about the touch screen they have never had one where they borrowing the technoligy from it may take years to it it right

[bbforlife10]

Just like the Righteous Brothers, "I hungar for your touch".

[boomerbsg]

ok but you got think about the touch screen they have never had one where they borrowing the technoligy from it may take years to it it right

huh?

i think i understand.. they have not created a form of touch screen themselves and might license it from someone else? thats a non factor.. most things are created by and licensed to other companies.

look at the OP's posting here, its rumored to have a touch screen. it doesnt say its going to be like an iphone where its full on touch screen. RIM may offer a product similar to the treo. and on treo's you dont have to touch the screen.. you can navigate via buttons. the iphone reference is just an assumption (without reading other forums and only going by this OP).

and i still think that RIM wont go full on touch screen, i think they are just branching out to earn more cash. i doubt this will be a direct competition with the iphone, but more to compete with the treo. i see more people with BB's and Treo's than i do with iphones in my parts.

cheers

[lush242000]

No touchscreen for me if I have a choice. I have tom tom and it is such a pain to enter any data.