[3Dee]

Was going to add a post to another thread on this topic, but see that it was closed due to bickering about vkb vs pkb.

So anyway, a suggested option in that other thread was the Samsung Galaxy S7 with an official, detachable keyboard case (and the use of Knox). I went ahead and picked one up earlier this week, and would be happy to share my experience with it so far if anyone has any questions. For a bit of background, I've been a long time BlackBerry pkb user (since the 8900), but have experience with Android too (although haven't used the Priv)



Posted via CB10

[3Dee]

Another image to make clear that the keyboard isn't quite as dominant as it appeared in the first picture


Posted via CB10

[RoseBud68]

How is this Blackberry related? Would this be more suited in Android Central?

[3Dee]

How is this Blackberry related? Would this be more suited in Android Central?

Just trying to help people who were posing this question in the previous thread whilst considering alternatives to the Priv...

Posted via CB10

[Sairos]

This is an utter failure by Samsung, I'm actually embarrased for them.. I think they thought, Oh well these guys are releasing the Priv and it has a PKB.. Maybe we should respond to that.. and the response was funny as hell.

The thing is, they shouldn't have worried about the Priv at all.. PKBs are history.. and the Priv didn't mount any sort of challenge to their S7.. But I guess Samsung is on the edge, fearing for their top position too much that they're becoming paranoid xD.

[Sairos]

How is this Blackberry related? Would this be more suited in Android Central?

Yeah we ought to ship half the articles here to Android Central..

[early2bed]

I guess it's great if you never use landscape and you consider the bottom third of your screen to be optional. Seeing as 99% of apps use the whole screen in portrait then you're going to be covering up a lot of controls in an intolerable way. I guess if you're going to sit down and do a bunch of emails without a tablet or a notebook then it would be useful.

[Mecca EL]

I'm not one to like Samsung phones, but this is a decent attempt for them. Priv pkb is WAAAAAY better though, in every way. It being touch sensitive alone, makes it mouse like. Slip on's can't compare. BB should market a separate pkb hardware attachment. They'd turn a profit there for sure...but they won't make one.

[3Dee]

Am guessing the negative comments here are from people who haven't actually used one of these - it's actually surprisingly great, offers really good tactile feeback, and is easy to take off and put on so can easily switch from full screen to pkb.

Re the comment about Sammy responding to the Priv with this - they had a version of this keyboard for the GS6 too, so well before the Priv.

Posted via CB10

[3Dee]

I'm not one to like Samsung phones, but this is a decent attempt for them. Priv pkb is WAAAAAY better though, in every way. It being touch sensitive alone, makes it mouse like. Slip on's can't compare. BB should market a separate pkb hardware attachment. They'd turn a profit there for sure...but they won't make one.

BlackBerry should really do this, totally agree

Posted via CB10

[Sairos]

Am guessing the negative comments here are from people who haven't actually used one of these - it's actually surprisingly great, offers really good tactile feeback, and is easy to take off and put on so can easily switch from full screen to pkb.

Re the comment about Sammy responding to the Priv with this - they had a version of this keyboard for the GS6 too, so well before the Priv.

Posted via CB10

Really? My bad then.. Thought it came out after the Priv.. Notice though, it came out in August for the S6 edge, Priv came out in Nov/15.. So Plans about an Android BlackBerry with a PKB was well know by then..

I Still think it looks horrible.. Also a lot of the reviews about it had the same impression.. Highly unpractical too.. Why would I walk around with a PKB.. Just use the VKB, its not worth the trouble at all.. and the phone looks ugly as hell this way..

[3Dee]

Really? My bad then.. Thought it came out after the Priv.. Notice though, it came out in August for the S6 edge, Priv came out in Nov/15.. So Plans about an Android BlackBerry with a PKB was well know by then..

I Still think it looks horrible.. Also a lot of the reviews about it had the same impression.. Highly unpractical too.. Why would I walk around with a PKB.. Just use the VKB, its not worth the trouble at all.. and the phone looks ugly as hell this way..

Ha ha, yes, it's definitely totally niche, and it's totally anachronistic, but as a BlackBerry pkb diehard I just can't get the same speed or accuracy with a vkb. Am expecting to use it less over time and the vkb more, but am enjoying having a surprisingly good pkb to ease that transition!

Posted via CB10

[Sairos]

Ha ha, yes, it's definitely totally niche, and it's totally anachronistic, but as a BlackBerry pkb diehard I just can't get the same speed or accuracy with a vkb. Am expecting to use it less over time and the vkb more, but am enjoying having a surprisingly good pkb to ease that transition!

Posted via CB10

Well, if it works for you then great.. You're a BB PKB diehard, so I reckon you used the Priv and didn't find it up to speed with other phones, right?

[Mecca EL]

Well, if it works for you then great.. You're a BB PKB diehard, so I reckon you used the Priv and didn't find it up to speed with other phones, right?

I mean, for what it does, it serves a purpose. Is it ugly? Yes. Is it cool? No. Would I use it? Nope! Would I recommend it? Probably, now that I know it exists. I think about people who would need something like this, like my mother and grandma, who would have the hardest time messing around with a full touch phone. I could get them both a phone with a larger screen, and a pkb attachment.

[ohaiguise]

BlackBerry have made the most perfect PKB devices thus far. I don't see anyone producing anything remotely as good as theirs, the one pictured is I'm afraid (and no offence but) ugly

[Sairos]

Would I recommend it? Probably, now that I know it exists. think about people who would need something like this, like my mother and grandma, who would have the hardest time messing around with a full touch phone. I could get them both a phone with a larger screen, and a pkb attachment.

You should recommend things based on experience and trial, rather than knowing they exist.. I read a lot of reviews that Blasted it and said its no good.. Anyway, I said if it works for him then great, I just don't see it useful at all.. You can get the Priv for your relatives for $300.. I don't think they would care about having Marshmallow or top Specs.. Its a much better choice that checks all the boxes.. Not ugly, Cool and you would use it too xD.

[donnation]

BlackBerry have made the most perfect PKB devices thus far. I don't see anyone producing anything remotely as good as theirs, the one pictured is I'm afraid (and no offence but) ugly

Excluding the Priv, whose keyboard is far from their best effort.

[3Dee]

So my analysis of this or Priv went as follows:

GS7:
- Consensus best Android smartphone
- Best/one of the best camera
- Best screen currently on a smartphone
- 2016 specs
- Security as good as BlackBerry with Knox (possibly better than a BlackBerry not on a BES)
- Fingerprint unlock (I'm seriously fed up of typing in pin numbers)
- Keyboard attachment
- Premium materials/look and feel

Priv:
- Supporting BlackBerry
- Built in keyboard (although cramped)

Honestly, the Priv was never really in it. I did wonder whether Sammy's software would be too much, but the 'new' touchwiz is actually very paired back and not obtrusive. My main concern was whether the S7 keyboard would be any good, and as I've said above, it's surprisingly good.

The alternative would have been wait for the 2016 Nexus and get used to using a vkb full time. I find the keyboard on the Nexus 6p really easy to use, but the phone is just a little too big for me.

Posted via CB10

[Mecca EL]

I have a Priv, mom wasn't interested

[Mecca EL]

So my analysis of this or Priv went as follows:

GS7:
- Consensus best Android smartphone
- Best/one of the best camera
- Best screen currently on a smartphone
- 2016 specs
- Security as good as BlackBerry with Knox (possibly better than a BlackBerry not on a BES)
- Fingerprint unlock (I'm seriously fed up of typing in pin numbers)
- Keyboard attachment
- Premium materials/look and feel

Priv:
- Supporting BlackBerry
- Built in keyboard (although cramped)

Honestly, the Priv was never really in it. I did wonder whether Sammy's software would be too much, but the 'new' touchwiz is actually very paired back and not obtrusive. My main concern was whether the S7 keyboard would be any good, and as I've said above, it's surprisingly good.

The alternative would have been wait for the 2016 Nexus and get used to using a vkb full time. I find the keyboard on the Nexus 6p really easy to use, but the phone is just a little too big for me.

Posted via CB10

Best Android smartphone is currently the OnePlus One or the OnePlus 3.

[TgeekB]

BlackBerry have made the most perfect PKB devices thus far. I don't see anyone producing anything remotely as good as theirs, the one pictured is I'm afraid (and no offence but) ugly

Not many keyboards are beautiful.

[BB_PP]

Was going to add a post to another thread on this topic, but see that it was closed due to bickering about vkb vs pkb.

So anyway, a suggested option in that other thread was the Samsung Galaxy S7 with an official, detachable keyboard case (and the use of Knox). I went ahead and picked one up earlier this week, and would be happy to share my experience with it so far if anyone has any questions. For a bit of background, I've been a long time BlackBerry pkb user (since the 8900), but have experience with Android too (although haven't used the Priv)



Posted via CB10

Building slabs is easy but building keyboard need some real guts

Posted via Priv

[Plazmic Flame]

Sairos, how do you find typing on the GS7 PKB attachment versus typing on the PRIV keyboard?

How do you compare it to other BB10 PKB devices like the Classic/Q10? (if you owned them)

[Sairos]

Sairos, how do you find typing on the GS7 PKB attachment versus typing on the PRIV keyboard?

How do you compare it to other BB10 PKB devices like the Classic/Q10? (if you owned them)

I didn't use the GS7 PKB, I only read a lot of reviews about it.. So I can't compare it with the Priv's PKB, but I think that a built PKB would be always better than an accessory.. Specially in Phones.. In tablets it can work..

Unfortunately, I've not owned a BB10 device so I can't give a comparison too.. Hopefully I'll change that soon, but there are many devices coming out.. Things are baffling really.. But if I go for a BB10, It will be a Classic.. I'm very much into the Bold Lineup and I think the Classic defines that lineup xD.

[Sairos]

So my analysis of this or Priv went as follows:

GS7:
- Consensus best Android smartphone
- Best/one of the best camera
- Best screen currently on a smartphone
- 2016 specs
- Security as good as BlackBerry with Knox (possibly better than a BlackBerry not on a BES)
- Fingerprint unlock (I'm seriously fed up of typing in pin numbers)
- Keyboard attachment
- Premium materials/look and feel

Priv:
- Supporting BlackBerry
- Built in keyboard (although cramped)

Honestly, the Priv was never really in it. I did wonder whether Sammy's software would be too much, but the 'new' touchwiz is actually very paired back and not obtrusive. My main concern was whether the S7 keyboard would be any good, and as I've said above, it's surprisingly good.

The alternative would have been wait for the 2016 Nexus and get used to using a vkb full time. I find the keyboard on the Nexus 6p really easy to use, but the phone is just a little too big for me.

Posted via CB10

The next Nexus devices will be made by HTC, keep an eye for them.. HTC does a great job in building premium phones.. VKB is not so bad, it gets the job done.. It will never be as accurate as a PKB though.. and the accuracy is much less when you're not looking at it.. Something I keep insist on doing xD.. I can't shake the fact that I used to type without looking, I do that on a VKP and the results are disastrous.. Its a BlackBerry habit that doesn't go away xD

Oh by the way, regarding the fingerprint.. For knowledge's sake, security-wise a pin is better than a fingerprint.. They just do fingerprint as a gimmick.. A nice feature to have.. But its not really better in terms of security..