Slider QWERTY vs. Fixed QWERTY; Why I Love the HTC Vox

[Kris Kumar]

The Windows Mobile Smartphone devices have evolved over the years; from the early chunky candy bar to the pocket-able QWERTY devices, we have come a long way. There is still room for improvement and perfection, HTC is proving it by introducing the Vox (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13446) with its slider keyboard. I love this design primarily because it brings back the "phone first" approach that was so appealing about the Smartphone devices. The recent wave of QWERTY devices have degraded the phone functionality a bit, and the other thing I don't like about the current QWERTY devices is that they still look like calculators (and BlackBerries). Yes, they are extremely slim and small compared to BlackBerries but the resemblance is there. The new Vox will be a true phone first device, and will look like a regular mobile phone thanks to the slide out QWERTY. The second reason why I love the HTC Vox design is because of its size.

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-2007jan-Voxcompare.jpg

It is small. Thanks to the sizeeasy (http://SizeEasy.com) Web site, check out the size comparison with some of the other popular devices. Don't you love this form-factor because of its form and function? Which one do you think is a better design? The slider QWERTY, the fixed QWERTY or the touch panel QWERTY? Another size comparison image after the break. <!>

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-2007jan-Voxcompare2Small.jpg (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-2007jan-Voxcompare2.jpg)
Figure showing the size comparison from various angles. Click on the image for the hi-resolution version of the image.

For more information about the Vox click here (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13446) for the photographs and click here (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13101) for the preliminary specifications.

[SteveHoward999]

I've not used a slider-keyboard other than to play with demonstration models. I currently own a Nokia E62, and Toshiba E830. I LOVE having an actuall keyboard on the phone. I never did get on with on-screen keyboard on the PDA for anything but brief notes, and while hand-written notes are great on a touchscreen, my handwriting is hideously bad and rarely recognised by the device.

Anyway - keyboards are in for me. My heart says a slider keyboard is better, but that's because it leaves more room for a larger screen, instead of dominating the entire phone with keyboard :-)

I laugh when I look at devices like the Q, my E62 etc. Apparently part of the reason for the drop in popularity of VGA PDAs is that no-one wants to carry about such a 'large' device ... yet you could easily double the size of the screen on any of the fixed keyboard machines if you toss away the keyboard ... so the physical size of the machine is not actually the barrier at all!

I'm looking forward to a decent slider device with a large, clear VGA screen :-)

[Tim Williamson]

Yeah I'm really eager to see the Vox in person, it looks like a great form factor, but I'm still extremely happy with my Dash, so I won't be upgrading any time soon.

[Mike Temporale]

I'm not sure about having a sliding keyboard. Sure it gives back some space, but it's also a fair amount thicker than the Q or the BlackJack. My wife uses the Wizard - it's a good device, but I don't know that I want to slide out the keyboard everytime I go to type something. In the end, it will really come down to the feel of the keyboard. I don't think you'll see much in the way of raised keys - which can be harder for people to type on.

[Mark Larson]

I'm waiting for Samsung to bring over some of its world-firsting over to PPC or Smartphone devices - with the thinnest phones in the world, Samsung is the one who can manage to bring us a Pocket PC or Smartphone with a sliding keyboard at or under the 15mm thickness mark.

Personally, I don't think the iPhone is that innovative - touchscreen keyboards are old hat, literally the oldest trick in the book.

[scottb]

I had a Samsung i730 (PPC) and never could get used to the slide out keyboard. It always gave the device a "loose" feeling. I am willing to sacrifice the larger screen for the keyboard. For me it just has a more solid feel.

[Kris Kumar]

... but I don't know that I want to slide out the keyboard everytime I go to type something. In the end, it will really come down to the feel of the keyboard. I don't think you'll see much in the way of raised keys - which can be harder for people to type on.

It may not be the best device for typaholics. I believe that most people use their Smartphones like me, mostly to stay on top of emails, calendar, checking contacts and surfing using the favorites for news sites etc. Keyboard is used only for the few email replys or calendar entries.

I think the keyboard makes the device bigger, the current devices like Q and BlackJack may be slim but they are wider and taller. Not to forget the calculator looks.

Sliders will lead to wider keyboards. Keys will be spread out. Bigger keys. they don't have to be raised much if they are spread apart and are bigger.

I am concerned about how quickly and how well the software will switch from portrait to landscape mode.

[Kris Kumar]

As for the thickness, I have lived with the SP3i and 2125. The Vox is only as thick as those.

[Kris Kumar]

Personally, I don't think the iPhone is that innovative - touchscreen keyboards are old hat, literally the oldest trick in the book.

I don't think it is revolutionary, but it has in the typical Apple way managed to get all the things the common man looks for in a single package, along with the right buzz words. ;-) Whether the common man can afford it, is another question.

Steve Jobs was very critical about the omnipresent keyboards on the modern mobile devices, I think the slider overcomes that problem.

[Kris Kumar]

... It always gave the device a "loose" feeling. I am willing to sacrifice the larger screen for the keyboard. For me it just has a more solid feel.

I agree the design must be good. I believe HTC has a lot of experience with the sliders.

[Mike Temporale]

I think the keyboard makes the device bigger, the current devices like Q and BlackJack may be slim but they are wider and taller. Not to forget the calculator looks.

Well, I think that the Q, BJ, and Dash are just about the right thickness. I don't want to go back to the big thick devices I've owned in the past. These fit nicely in my pocket. If they could add a slider and keep the same thickness, then I'm all for it.

[Kris Kumar]

I am sure we will get there.

[hondaguy]

i have owned an excalibur for a few months, then switched to a blackjack last month and i love the size of these devices. i cant see myself using a bigger or heavier device again. i recently bought the extended battery for the blackjack and after using it for the last 10 days i find that i really dont like the feel of the device with the extra weight and size.

i have always wanted a device that was phone first (number keys on the front) plus a keypad for emails and pim input. this looks like a great device for me as long as it is not too thick or too heavy. you can never tell until you try it out for yourself........cant wait!

[Jerry Raia]

I have the Cingular 8525 with the slider keyboard and I love it. Yes it is thick, but I don't mind that at all. I am looking forward to this new device. :)

[abf]

As a smartphone user considering going PPC, I'm very interested in the Vox. I don't think I'd mind the thickness since the 'face on' size is not too great.

I played with an O2 Stealth in a shop this week, and didn't mind the thickness. The question I had with it was why have a slider just for a number pad. Qwerty makes a lot more sense.