3 ms·

>I can't think of any device, appliance, etc. I own whose UX is _better_ for not having physical, dedicated buttons or switches and instead having a touch inter

>I can't think of any device, appliance, etc. I own whose UX is _better_ for not having physical, dedicated buttons or switches and instead having a touch interface or buttons which require a complex series of presses or chords. Phone.

marssaxman 9mo ago
It may be better in an overall-compromise sort of way, but a touchscreen is not better for typing. I still miss the BlackBerry, and basically just stopped bothering to do any real text entry on a phone after keyboards went away.
- MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
  People who buy things disagree, in aggregate.
  - anonymars 9mo ago
    You could make the same fallacious argument about cars when they all took buttons away and there was scant choice
    - MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
      Although cars have way more touch screens than before, they are not yet ubiquitous. With phones they have pretty much all converged on a single form factor with the only variant being size.
  - marssaxman 9mo ago
    They have no meaningful choice. To the degree that this does represent consumer preference, however, what it tells us is simply that touchscreen phones are preferred overall: it does not follow that touchscreen keyboards, specifically, are preferred for text-entry tasks.
    - MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
      I feel like, over time, they have though. Blackberry was more than willing to keep the lights on well past the point of viability. Other competitors too. They kept trying to resurrect the physical keyboard popularity and it never happened. You can still buy niche phones with a physical keyboard right now.
      - marssaxman 9mo ago
        Doesn't look like the Clicks Communicator is actually available yet - the website says it's coming in February - but it's good to learn that there will soon be a physical keyboard option once again. (Or was there some other device you had in mind?)
ethagnawl 9mo ago
I'd be first in line to buy a smartphone with a physical keyboard if a company was selling one which wasn't a Kickstarter or hobby project.
- apexalpha 9mo ago
  Sure, just like that famous small screen phone everyone wants but then no one actually buys.
  - mrguyorama 9mo ago
    I used flagship keyboard smartphones as long as they were offered. I literally voted with my wallet. The idea that, because we aren't willing to pay $700 for a garbage tier "smartphone" with spotty support and basement level specs is somehow evidence that we don't actually want keyboards on our phones is bad faith. Before smartphones I was buying feature phones with full keyboards too, including things like the Samsung Alias 2. Meanwhile, folding phones, despite being a niche, are getting real attention by manufacturers, because it's a "new" gimmick and can drive sales.

marssaxman 9mo ago

It may be better in an overall-compromise sort of way, but a touchscreen is not better for typing. I still miss the BlackBerry, and basically just stopped bothering to do any real text entry on a phone after keyboards went away.

MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
People who buy things disagree, in aggregate.
- anonymars 9mo ago
  You could make the same fallacious argument about cars when they all took buttons away and there was scant choice
  - MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
    Although cars have way more touch screens than before, they are not yet ubiquitous. With phones they have pretty much all converged on a single form factor with the only variant being size.
- marssaxman 9mo ago
  They have no meaningful choice. To the degree that this does represent consumer preference, however, what it tells us is simply that touchscreen phones are preferred overall: it does not follow that touchscreen keyboards, specifically, are preferred for text-entry tasks.
  - MetaWhirledPeas 9mo ago
    I feel like, over time, they have though. Blackberry was more than willing to keep the lights on well past the point of viability. Other competitors too. They kept trying to resurrect the physical keyboard popularity and it never happened. You can still buy niche phones with a physical keyboard right now.
    - marssaxman 9mo ago
      Doesn't look like the Clicks Communicator is actually available yet - the website says it's coming in February - but it's good to learn that there will soon be a physical keyboard option once again. (Or was there some other device you had in mind?)

ethagnawl 9mo ago

I'd be first in line to buy a smartphone with a physical keyboard if a company was selling one which wasn't a Kickstarter or hobby project.

apexalpha 9mo ago
Sure, just like that famous small screen phone everyone wants but then no one actually buys.
- mrguyorama 9mo ago
  I used flagship keyboard smartphones as long as they were offered. I literally voted with my wallet. The idea that, because we aren't willing to pay $700 for a garbage tier "smartphone" with spotty support and basement level specs is somehow evidence that we don't actually want keyboards on our phones is bad faith. Before smartphones I was buying feature phones with full keyboards too, including things like the Samsung Alias 2. Meanwhile, folding phones, despite being a niche, are getting real attention by manufacturers, because it's a "new" gimmick and can drive sales.