Another day, another new Nokia, but I think the N93 might be the shape of things to come. The clamshell swivel has several positions, but this one I think offers a way forward for all smartphones:
More pix here. Perhaps other manufacturers have already adopted the manoeuver conveyed above; apologies if I missed it. But if the keyboard can be modified so that it faces the screen in a more traditional way, this would open up opportunities for a lot of smartphone manufacturers looking to put screen and keyboard in an alignment that favors typing.
I just got me a new Nokia E70 for exactly the reason you gave, a proper keyboard (plus the bigger screen).
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_e70-review-96.php
It was pretty cheap too, compared to the other phones I was looking at (e.g. Atom O2).
I want to be able to do Awasu emails, etc. and so a normal 0-9 keyboard just wouldn’t cut it. The only problem is that it’s a brand new model and the firmware seems a little beta š Can’t wait for the first update… š
Taka, good to hear from you. I was going to mention the E70’s keyboard; it’s interesting how what was considered a gamer’s form factor is being repackaged for the business crowd….
There’s a Doopod phone that has a keyboard that’s the full size of the phone that slides out as a kind of a tray but I wasn’t too keen on buying that brand.
I also consdered getting a Bluetooth keyboard but it’s just another thing to carry around and I’d never have it when I would need it š The E70 keyboard is really nice and I suspect having it split actually makes it easier to use than a single unit. Since it’s so small, you’re never going to be able to touch-type and so it’s either a two-finger peck or use your thumbs. The E70 requires you to use the latter and it’s actually quite quick.
My first thought was “that is a nice looking phone” – but surely the keypad is the wrong was round? If you have to open the phone in order to use the keys, surely the screen will get in the way?