vB Easy Archive - Touch Screen For A BlackBerry

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Touch Screen For A BlackBerry
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Posted by: hotweiss

Is RIM planning to make a Blackberry with a touch screen?

It would be nice to send doodled notes... plus you would be able to use it for writing recognition and you would be able to navigate through the menus a lot quicker.

Posted by: Mark Rejhon

Touchscreen is great for people who prefer them, but there are those of us who do not want one. For example, for BlackBerry from the "Why BlackBerry?" article:

Quote:

More Idiot Proof: Using a touchscreen is lots of fun! But, some people argue that a touchscreen is a disadvantage when it comes to a mission critical pocket device. It takes more steps to correct mistakes caused by accident caused by a stylus tap, than caused by an accidental button press. It's very easy to execute sequences of memorized button keypresses to do specific things, and it's easy to correct an accidental wrong-button press. So that's why some of us believe touchscreens are a big hassle for a mobile device -- because of accidental taps messing things up, especially when you put it inside your pocket with the screen turned on. PalmOS: Usually, more problems occurs more quickly on a Palm handheld with random stylus taps ... than with random button presses on a BlackBerry.

Also, you can instantly look up and enter calendar information and addresses using keypress shortcuts found in these articles:
BlackBerry Calendar Tricks
BlackBerry Tips, Tricks & Keyboard Shortcuts
The BlackBerry FAQ

One particular example is you can just press 5 keypresses or so in a row to lookup a specific address and compose an email to that person. For example, typing the five keypresses "Crej<enter>" from the main screen, will Compose an email message to the first person matching the first person with a name matching "rej". Such as my name "Mark Rejhon". Upon hitting Enter, you're already in the email editor composing to that person in your BlackBerry addressbook. As a result, the BlackBerry becomes a keyboard shortcut user's dream. No scrollwheel needed!

As you can see, using a touchscreen is much slower than typing these five keypresses. So all is relative!

However, some TREO advocates, argue that they should have the choice of using a keyboard or the touchscreen. Some of us prefer touchscreen, some of us prefer dpads, some of us prefers scrollwheels, some of us prefer keyboard shortcuts. Therefore, it is possible RIM may make such a device someday. But RIM needs to make sure that it is still usable even without using the touchscreen at all.

Posted by: hotweiss

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Rejhon
Touchscreen is great for people who prefer them, but there are those of us who do not want one. For example, for BlackBerry from the "Why BlackBerry?" article:

Also, you can instantly look up and enter calendar information and addresses using keypress shortcuts found in these articles:
BlackBerry Calendar Tricks
BlackBerry Tips, Tricks & Keyboard Shortcuts
The BlackBerry FAQ

One particular example is you can just press 5 keypresses or so in a row to lookup a specific address and compose an email to that person. For example, typing the five keypresses "Crej<enter>" from the main screen, will Compose an email message to the first person matching the first person with a name matching "rej". Such as my name "Mark Rejhon". Upon hitting Enter, you're already in the email editor composing to that person in your BlackBerry addressbook. As a result, the BlackBerry becomes a keyboard shortcut user's dream. No scrollwheel needed!

As you can see, using a touchscreen is much slower than typing these five keypresses. So all is relative!

However, some TREO advocates, argue that they should have the choice of using a keyboard or the touchscreen. Some of us prefer touchscreen, some of us prefer dpads, some of us prefers scrollwheels, some of us prefer keyboard shortcuts. Therefore, it is possible RIM may make such a device someday. But RIM needs to make sure that it is still usable even without using the touchscreen at all.

I didn't say that you should get rid of the current functionality, but the addition of a touch screen would be welcome. Especially for browsing the internet, 3rd party apps...

Posted by: Mark Rejhon

Browsing is one good example of something that would benefit from a touch screen.

The important thing is that if a touchscreen is eventually designed on a RIM device, it must (1) Be usable without it, (2) Possible to turn off touchscreen to avoid accidental taps by users like me who don't want to use a touchscreen, and (3) not obscure the visibility and readability of the screen especially in daylight (touchscreens tend to be thicker and less reflective when backlight is turned off).

Posted by: hotweiss

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Rejhon
Browsing is one good example of something that would benefit from a touch screen.

The important thing is that if a touchscreen is eventually designed on a RIM device, it must (1) Be usable without it, (2) Possible to turn off touchscreen to avoid accidental taps by users like me who don't want to use a touchscreen, and (3) not obscure the visibility and readability of the screen especially in daylight.

I think other PDA/phone's have shown that these are not issues.

Posted by: GregGebhardt

Quote:

Originally posted by hotweiss
I think other PDA/phone's have shown that these are not issues.

Not quite so. The Blackberry has exceptional readability in direct sun where other PDA do not.

Todays PDA either make it best to use a touch screen or not. I prefer not as the stylus thing was a pain in the butt for me. Once the BB wheel and keyboard are mastered its hard to beat the speed that you can get things done.

Posted by: hotweiss

Quote:

Originally posted by GregGebhardt
Not quite so. The Blackberry has exceptional readability in direct sun where other PDA do not.

Todays PDA either make it best to use a touch screen or not. I prefer not as the stylus thing was a pain in the butt for me. Once the BB wheel and keyboard are mastered its hard to beat the speed that you can get things done.

Readability in the sun is dependent on whether the screen is transflective or not. It has nothing to do with it being touch or not. Yes, I agree that a keyboard is better for data input, but a touch screen would be very useful for the above previously mentioned reasons.

Posted by: jase88

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7250/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

IMO a touchscreen would add too much cost to the blackberry. Keep it simple, keep it affordable.

Posted by: Soapm

Quote:

Originally posted by jase88
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7250/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

IMO a touchscreen would add too much cost to the blackberry. Keep it simple, keep it affordable.

Agreed, more memory and a voice recorder is all I need. If it recorded voice I could leave that at home also...

Posted by: hotweiss

Quote:

Come on, high end Blackberry's cost $500. A touch screen would not increase the price significantly. A higher end model with a touch screen would be beneficial for Blackberry as it would further differentiate their product line-up.

Posted by: GregGebhardt

I vote yes on the voice recorder

I guess the touch screen would be nice for some but like my BB input method the way it is.

Blackberry is not done and I am sure we will see more improvements coming.

Posted by: hotweiss

Quote:

Originally posted by GregGebhardt
I vote yes on the voice recorder

I guess the touch screen would be nice for some but like my BB input method the way it is.

Blackberry is not done and I am sure we will see more improvements coming.

Hey, BB is the number one PDA manufacturer in the world right now, so they are definately not finished.

As far as the input is concerned, I'd like them to leave the input as it is now, but I would like to see the addition of a touch screen and the related functionality.

ps-Greg, is it safe to assume you have never tried/owned a Treo? As a previous Treo owner who has tried a BB, the lack of a touch screen is a handicap.

Posted by: Mobile PhD

"Touch-screen" is another on of those "swear words" at RIM, along with "camera", "full bluetooth stack", and "external memory". I don't forsee these changing anytime soon. Even though having specific "consumer oriented" devices with these features wouldn't undermine their current product offering and market share with corporations and the US government.

Posted by: Jay101

Quote:

Originally posted by Mobile PhD
"Touch-screen" is another on of those "swear words" at RIM, along with "camera", "full bluetooth stack", and "external memory". I don't forsee these changing anytime soon. Even though having specific "consumer oriented" devices with these features wouldn't undermine their current product offering and market share with corporations and the US government.

Simple answer to the simple question asked in this topic: no.

Posted by: Soapm

Quote:

Originally posted by Mobile PhD
"external memory". I don't forsee these changing anytime soon. Even though having specific "consumer oriented" devices with these features wouldn't undermine their current product offering and market share with corporations and the US government.

Now you talking, voice recorder with external memory cards and OCR. CD quality recoding would be waaaaay too much to imagine. Then I can dump the minidisc for church.

Posted by: briareus

Touch screen is a "meh" feature IMO. They always fail at some point in my experience.

The BB OS is designed to be navigated with the wheel, so I don't see how not having a touch screen is a minus really. In fact, not requiring touch screen input is a huge plus as it allows for one-handed operation.

I don't feel strongly enough that I'd avoid buying a future Blackberry model that had one, but I wouldn't push for it either. I don't really see RIM adding such a feature to future Blackberry models though. For me, an important feature in the Blackberry's favor over the Treo is reliability/durability and a touchscreen doesn't really add to it in that regard...