What is the best "smart phone", other than the Iphone?

[MONICA]

I'm thinking of finally getting a "smartphone". I really do not like touch screens. I plan on using the phone a lot for instant messaging, emails, text messages, etc. Since I have long fingernails, it is very hard for me to type on touchscreens. I also like to travel light, meaning this is probably one time in life when smaller is actually better. I've been looking at the Blackberry 9700, and the Nokia E73 Mode so far. Which of the two is better? Any suggestions about others?

[BlueLghtning]

Even if you don't like touch screens for typing, you can find some phones with a full manual keyboard. How important is rendering full HTML pages on the web? The full screens that do that are usually much better at HTML pages. Like I said, just find one with a full keyboard behind it.

[Mongo]

With you specifically mentioning long nails I'd say go to different stores and try them out. Each style of keyboard is going to be slightly different and may or may not work for you.

[BlueLghtning]

This site shows all the popular phones and reviews on them. - http://www.mobiletechreview.com/

BTW, what network are you on, or are you open to switching since that limits things too.

You can also try this site! - http://www.phonedog.com/

[BlueLghtning]

With you specifically mentioning long nails I'd say go to different stores and try them out. Each style of keyboard is going to be slightly different and may or may not work for you.

Good point as each keyboard can be unique and how it feels.

[MONICA]

Thanks for the info and the links. I'm on T-mobile, but would be willing to switch if there was a good deal. Any keyboard is fine, just not touch screens.

[elwood]

Just got a Droid from Motorola with Verizon and love it, changed from a Palm Treo 755 with Sprint. These Droids are amazing...

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

If you don't need an actual smart phone, the LG enVtouch from Verizon is a good phone. There's an email app (as well as a corporate email app), which is pay per month (verizon's bad about that), but webmail works fine for me. It's got a touchscreen, but it flips open to a full qwerty keyboard that is well spaced and easy to use. It does IM, email, text, and web browsing (with flash lite, so sites like youtube mobile work), and is cheaper to purchase and insure than an iphone. It has a user replaceable battery, and a 3.2MP camera. It's nothing super fancy, but it does everything I need without a smartphone price or smartphone data price. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

[TroyBoy30]

your not going to find a decent phone on tmobile and all the best smart phones on the market are all touch screen

iphone
evo
droid x

the only one with a keyboard is the droid 2 which will be out soon

[impalanar]

Next time you see Jector, try out his droid.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Honestly, after a few hours of playing with it, I've found the touchscreen keyboard on the droid to be superior to the physical keyboard. And believe you me, that's a revelation coming from me. I've refused to buy a phone without a large, usable physical keyboard from the get go, and the Droid made me fall in love with its touchscreen to where I don't use the keyboard. (Not my phone, but I play with my friend's quite often)

[chris]

Atte you sure you cannot type on a screen. You might be surprised after you get used to one how easy it is. This is my first smartphone and it took me a few weeks before I really got used to it. I insisted on a physical keyboard prior to this. Check out the many android phones out there. Almost all carriers have at least one model to choose from.

Sent from my Incredible

[Solace]

Also check out http://www.phonescoop.com for reviews and demo videos of many phones.

[TroyBoy30]

Atte you sure you cannot type on a screen.

she won't be able to type on most modern day touchscreens with nails!

[Lazarus]

My first smartphone was a AT&T 8525 (HTC Hermes). Touchscreen with physical keyboard. I love(d) that phone. I texted so much on it that I wore the finish off half the keys. That said I vowed my next phone would have a physical keyboard. I was switching over to Verizon and really wanted the Droid due to the full keyboard but the keyboard it has lack definition on the keys. Its more flat. Would it be better for you than the touchscreen? Maybe, maybe not. My suggestion would be to try out whatever you are interested in. At Verizon they gave me actual working models to test drive as the fake ones can have different feel.

Btw, I ended up with an Eris. No physical keyboard but I can type pretty fast on it. My boy has a iphone without a physical keyboard and he types fast as hell too. We dont have nails though. :D

[MONICA]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I've tried out a few phones at a store, but maybe I'll go back and take another look at some more. Maybe if I keep my thumb nails short, texting might not be so bad on a touch screen, and I guess I could use my thumbs to select options on the screen too. The other thing is, I'm just not a fan of having a huge phone. An Iphone would barely fit in my purse, or a pants pocket. I don't like to carry a large purse, unless I'm sneaking food into the movie theater or something. I'll go check out some more phones. I may just wait until they start making these things smaller.

[impalanar]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I've tried out a few phones at a store, but maybe I'll go back and take another look at some more. Maybe if I keep my thumb nails short, texting might not be so bad on a touch screen, and I guess I could use my thumbs to select options on the screen too. The other thing is, I'm just not a fan of having a huge phone. An Iphone would barely fit in my purse, or a pants pocket. I don't like to carry a large purse, unless I'm sneaking food into the movie theater or something. I'll go check out some more phones. I may just wait until they start making these things smaller.

That thing you carry is not a purse, it's a wallet. ;)

[ROCKER]

My aria rocks and I can still use it with my fat fingers

[Barton72]

your not going to find a decent phone on tmobile and all the best smart phones on the market are all touch screen

iphone
evo
droid x

the only one with a keyboard is the droid 2 which will be out soon

Droid X isn't out until mid July, and if you aren't interested in HD capability on a tiny little screen I don't see the benefits over the Incredible. It's pretty damn big for a cell phone also.

The Motorola Droid that's been out for a while has a keyboard. It looks exactly like the Motorola Droid 2 will look.

And AT&T sux.

[TroyBoy30]

if the iphone is too large for you then forget the evo, droid x or most of the top tier smart phones out right now

just a couple of corrections. the droid x does not have an hd screen. only hd video recording

and att's quality is highly subjective

[Jector]

If you haven't already, definitely pick up a Moto Droid at some point and see how it feels. Mine has been very useful with a good physical and on screen keyboard. You'll get 2 days out of the battery so long as you're not talking 4 hours out of the day while navigating with it and surfing via wifi. Nice size screen but not a gigantic phone.

[TroyBoy30]

like i sadi, if you are interested in the droid, wait 2 weeks and get the droid 2. why would you buy an older version?

[Lazarus]

Troy, you keep saying Droid 2, do you mean the Droid X?

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Troy, you keep saying Droid 2, do you mean the Droid X?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=droid+2

[Lazarus]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=droid+2

Chits confusing. You got Droid Eris, Droid, Droid Incredible, Droid 2, Droid X. wtf.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Chits confusing. You got Droid Eris, Droid, Droid Incredible, Droid 2, Droid X. wtf.


That's like saying you're confused because there's a Ford Focus, a Ford Festiva, a Ford Mustang, and a Ford Aerostar.

[Lazarus]

That's like saying you're confused because there's a Ford Focus, a Ford Festiva, a Ford Mustang, and a Ford Aerostar.

Not exactly because Ford is the only manufacturer. Now you have HTC and Motorola using the same wording and Motorola releasing 2 phones similiar named around the same time. The Droid 2 isn't even on their site.

[TroyBoy30]

droid is extremely fragmented! 2 many os versions and too many devices!

http://www.google.com/search?q=droid+2&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/android-fragmentation/

[GAtegs]

Just out of curiosity, what do you have against the iphone? Just because it is touch?

[TroyBoy30]

a lot of ladies don't like touch screen phones because the touch screen won't work with nails!

[TroyBoy30]

droid x review. looks like a wait on the next one type of phone



http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/motorola-droid-x-review/


It's good, and it's a pretty enjoyable execution of Android 2.1, but it's not a must-have phone -- especially in light of the Droid Incredible and the upcoming Droid 2

Droid X (http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/motorola-droid-x-review/)
Motorola
<!--Android
//--> $199.99
7/10
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/scorecard-good.png Great picture and video quality
Front- and rear-facing mics for video capture
Fast
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/scorecard-bad.png Motorola's Android skin still needs work
No Android 2.2 at launch
Camera UI annoying, slow

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/07/droid-x-review-sm-20_279x140.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/motorola-droid-x-review/)

iPhone 4 (http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/22/iphone-4-review/)
Apple
<!--
//--> $199 / $299
9/10
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/scorecard-good.png Amazing new industrial design
Retina Display is stunning
iOS 4 makes major improvements
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/scorecard-bad.png Annoying pop-up notifications
Reception is improved, but still has issues
Desperately needs widgets

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/06/ip4main_279x140.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/22/iphone-4-review/)

[MONICA]

Just out of curiosity, what do you have against the iphone? Just because it is touch?

Mainly because of the size and the touch screen, but other reasons too. I'm just not a fan.

[Jector]

Hey, if you want to think outside the box and be original, get an iPhone like 4 billion other individuals. They'll put you inside a comfortable... cube. And God help you if you ever try to leave it!

Apple makes some really nice product, it's their support and rules that I don't care for.

[impalanar]

Hey, if you want to think outside the box and be original, get an iPhone like 4 billion other individuals. They'll put you inside a comfortable... cube. And God help you if you ever try to leave it!

Apple makes some really nice product, it's their support and rules that I don't care for.

You don't like Apple and you don't like Microsoft, you are truly f**ked.

[jkhonea]

Hey, if you want to think outside the box and be original, get an iPhone like 4 billion other individuals. They'll put you inside a comfortable... cube. And God help you if you ever try to leave it!

Apple makes some really nice product, it's their support and rules that I don't care for.

What's the problem with their support? I just used it for my iPod Touch last week when the 4.0 upgrade went sideways. Within less than ten minutes they had me completely back on track and the iPod working perfectly. Apple is honestly the only company that I will buy an extended warranty on in the form of the Apple Care agreement because they honor exactly everything they say they are going to honor. Never had an issue with them.

And what rules are you talking about?

[TroyBoy30]

they do have some of the best support in the business. no questions asked returns!

[donati05r6]

htc hero, sprint,
i thought i wouldnt like the typing on screen but i really like the "droid" keyboard it like smart types for you if you misspell it corrects it and or replaces the word with the one you were trying to say in the firstplace. pretty baller imo, and lots of free apps. no complaints so far.

[Jector]

Sorry, I didn't mean support. Typing faster than I was thinking. I mean improvement in design and functionality as opposed to product support.

They're user agreement is over 10,000 words long. They maintain their stranglehold on apps (yes, I know it's "so they will have higher quality" and I'm sure that all 100,000 plus of those apps are just top notch, must have, design maspterpieces). To do anything else with your phone you have to "jailbreak" it, which voids your warranty of course. They use the same tactic with iPods, you can only use iTunes with it. Any song on your iPod is in the iTunes format so you can't transfer it to a computer unless it also has iTunes.

Apple has been very good at selling itself and maintaining that exclusive-freedom loving-underdog image even though they have turned in to a huge, rule-heavy, corporation much like that which they implied they were against in that famous commercial all those years ago. It's not that they make crappy products; they're pretty decent. They just are not equal to the hype (but what is, really?) and move a lot more iThings on good sales strategy and being trendy than actually making as awesome a product as they claim.

[Mongo]

I'm still missing where they claimed more than they've delivered. I've gone into buying the products knowing what they'd do and being pleasantly surprised because they've always done more. Otherwise I wouldn't buy more...

[MrBlah]

I would stick with an android phone if you dont want an iphone, the other os's just do not operate as well

[SlimDizzleATL]

I dont know why everyone is sleeping on Blackberry. I'd go with one if I wanted a physical keyboard. Had one before I switched to my Nexus One.

Yes Troy, Android may be fragmented...but 1.5 is being phased out. That leaves two major versions...2.0 and 2.1 because major carriers wont get 2.2 yet. Its like iPhone having version 3 and 4. I like having more options on the phones...Something Ios should consider. And I think Android 2.2 eats iOS4's lunch. IMHO of course. :)