Best Keyboard for Typing? (Verizon)

[Craneum]

Hey guys,

I am new here and am currently looking to buy my first smartphone on Verizon Wireless. Currently, I have a Samsung rogue.

My question is which of the current Verizon Wireless smartphones has the most comfortable experience for doing a lot of typing? I want to be able to edit documents and such on the go.

Thanks for the help.

 

[drizoid]

i would have to say the droid 2, it has a great keyboard. the droid pro just came out, that might be good too

 

[Bramsy]

pick your poison... i like touchscreen and made my own at www.gIMpSTa.com

 

[EarlyMon]

Welcome to the forums, you two!

This is so much personal preference. My wife insisted on staying with a physical keyboard, now only uses the touchscreen. Others will never give up that physical one - there's just no wrong way, it's up to what you become most comfy with.

That said - I'd strongly advise seeing the physical ones / trying them in person.

I've trusted reviews and comments, only to get the device and be severely disappointed.

If you go with one of the larger screen phones - like the Droid X - you'll have plenty of room to move on the screen and lots of customization choices for the keyboard, so it's hard to imagine you going wrong with the Android choices for this sort of thing today.

Best luck!

 

[JunBringer]

I have an Evo and use the Droid X keyboard, oddly enough. It feels great and keeps up with my speedy thumbs.

 

[marefin]

I'm sure a lot people will disagree with me but, Swype is by far the best method for typing on a smartphone. I literally have an EXTREMELY hard time typing on non-Swype keyboards now. My friend recently got a Droid X and I was trying to show him some stuff, and I couldn't type worth s**t on his keyboard. Swype has a somewhat large learning curve, but once I got over that curve, I loved it. I can't imagine using a phone with it.

 

[JunBringer]

I don't think Swype is that hard to learn really, I just prefer thumbing it out.

 

[mauiblue]

Unless Swype is offered sooner than later to the public and on the Market, I would just forget obtaining Swype and sticking with what I have already. The longer Swype plays these beta games, the more I don't want it.

 

[takeshi]

My question is which of the current Verizon Wireless smartphones has the most comfortable experience for doing a lot of typing? I want to be able to edit documents and such on the go.

It's a highly subjective matter and you need to try out the devices for yourself to determine your preference. IMO, none of the Android devices out there have a decent keyboard. YMMV. I'm currently using Swype and trying out 8pen.

The longer Swype plays these beta games, the more I don't want it.

What beta games? It's released on devices it's licensed to and in beta for device that it is not. Not agreeing with their licensing terms != "beta games".

 

[EarlyMon]

I think the shared frustration is that they went open beta, with lots of tech news sites suggesting widespread support for users Android-wide, then closing the beta and announcing that doesn't fit their business model.

 

[lordofthereef]

I'm sure a lot people will disagree with me but, Swype is by far the best method for typing on a smartphone. I literally have an EXTREMELY hard time typing on non-Swype keyboards now. My friend recently got a Droid X and I was trying to show him some stuff, and I couldn't type worth s**t on his keyboard. Swype has a somewhat large learning curve, but once I got over that curve, I loved it. I can't imagine using a phone with it.

When I am typing with one hand, I love it. I will say that this would probably get super annoying if being used for editing a document. I would like more options available to me on screen for something like that. For texting and a quick email swype cannot be beat!

 

[lordofthereef]

What beta games? It's released on devices it's licensed to and in beta for device that it is not. Not agreeing with their licensing terms != "beta games".

People felt played because they felt they were testers for something and then it was taken from them. I completely agree with the company. People went to the beta by choice, not because anyone was making them. The fact that their phone isn't currently supported (by the company) is unfortunate, but I don't think it's a game. The reason they gave, in my opinion, was a valid one (their small company doesn't yet have the ability to keep up with the tech support it would need to in order to meet their QC standards). I suspect if more and more people keep requesting this, and as the company gets larger, we will see it on more and more devices and possibly even in the market.

 

[Craneum]

Are there other good, but free, keyboard options available in the Marketplace?

 

[lordofthereef]

Are there other good, but free, keyboard options available in the Marketplace?

Outside of Swype I personally haven't found anything that would replace even the stock keyboard for me.

 

[GeorgeinLA]

I do a lot of emails and document editing on my Droid 2 and I'm pretty happy with it. The keys aren't super-fast, but they have enough contour that you can't feel your way around pretty well. There are enough special keys to help things out too.