Full QWERTY cellphones offer the comfort of quick and easy typing to those looking for a handset that is ideal for using messenger services or writing emails. These new breed of phones not only come with dedicated buttons, but also offer spacious keyboard for drafting long messages and emails.
Below is a list of top 5 full QWERTY handsets from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Acer, BlackBerry and Palm.
The X10 Mini Pro is the smallest of all and could be the dinkiest smartphone you might have ever handled. A flick of a thumb is enough to slide the screen up with a satisfying snap to reveal the surprisingly roomy QWERTY.
It has so far proved to be a fine platform for speedtyping, but those who want to work with larger digits, may find it more challenging. Beneath the responsive capacitive touchscreen is an Android-based interface, which has been tweaked to accommodate the small screen size. If you have previously been put off QWERTY handsets for their size, the Mini Pro could change that for sure.
Verdict: A lesson in smartphone miniaturisation that is incredibly user-friendly.
Specifications:
OS: Android 1.6;
Display: 2.6-in, 320x240 capacitive touchscreen;
Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 30fps;
Storage: 128MB + microSD;
Battery: 3.5hrs talk, 360hrs standby
This entry-level Pixi Plus is a multitasking demon, thanks to Palm’s flexible webOS. No rival QWERTY handset can switch between applications and features so smoothly and fluidly.
It is quite slim, light and well built, and while the keyboard looks cramped it is great to use. The soft rubbery domes are very tactile, you get dedicated full stop and comma keys, and the phone’s slender profile means you can easily tap out messages one-handed. This frees your other hand to use the responsive capacitive touchscreen or the gesture pad.
Verdict: This multitasking smartphone has more appeal than its entry-level status suggests.
Specifications:
OS: webOS 1.4.1;
Display: 2.63in, 320x400;
Camera/video: 2MP/VGA@ 30fps;
Storage: 8GB;
Battery: 5.2hrs talk, 350hrs standby
3) Acer's Neotouch P300
The Acer’s 3.2-inch widescreen display is an absolute beauty. Unfortunately, this Windows Mobile-powered phone doesn’t follow through with performance to match. The sliding keyboard is spacious and geared for drafting long messages and emails.
Flush to the surface with an almost pressurepad action, each key is distinguishable by a smooth rubberised finish. The same can not be said of the resistive touchscreen. It copes fine with aggressive taps on the main menu icons, but swipe and scroll and it becomes temperamental.
Go off-road from the main menu and you will be grabbing the stylus to negotiate the fiddly sub-menus. Also, the processor seems to have trouble if you throw it a quick volley of taps or swipes, needing time to catch up. Ultimately this lack of response overshadows the fairly impressive set of features.
Verdict: A great QWERTY is let down by a moody touchscreen and sluggish processor
Specifications:
OS: Windows Mobile 6.5;
Display: 3.2in, 240x400;
Camera/video: 3.2MP/320x240@30fps;
Storage256MB+microSD;
Battery: 4.4hrs talk, 400hrs standby
In terms of design and ergonomics, the BlackBerry’s keyboard is the finest on test. Inspired by the frets on a guitar, it has reasonable-sized keys that are ridged to help your thumbs keep their bearings.
It’s a pleasure to use and great for instinctive typing, even in the absence of standalone punctuation keys. Like the Nokia E72, the Bold is a traditional messenger, so there’s no touchscreen but there is a touchsensitive optical trackpad. Teamed with its splendid keyboard, for pure messaging the BlackBerry is hard to beat.
Verdict: Its thumb-friendly keyboard makes this BlackBerry a top-class messenger
Specifications:
OS: BlackBerry 5.0;
Display: 2.4in, 480x360;
Camera/video: 3.2MP/480x352@30fps;
Storage: 256MB + microSD;
Battery: 6hrs talk, 408hrs standby
5) Nokia E72
The E72’s multimedia skills beat all the others here. It’s very stylishly built, flaunting an elongated profile and a robust metallic rear battery bonnet. The keyboard’s domed buttons (which include dedicated punctuation keys) are easy on the thumbs, feeling almost ceramic to the touch, although not as distinct as the BlackBerry’s.
The Symbian S60 interface is a bit dated but highly customizable. The push email set-up rivals the BlackBerry for ease of use, and while Nokia’s Ovi Store isn’t overflowing, it offers a decent choice of apps and games to download.
Verdict: With outstanding media and SMS talents, the E72 is the best all-round QWERTY phone
Specifications:
OS: Symbian Series 60;
Display: 2.4in, 320x240;
Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 15fps:
Storage: 250MB + microSD;
Battery 6hrs talk, 576hrs standby
0 comments:
Post a Comment