WM6.5 Candybar Style Phone With Keyboard?

[jeremyr]

Does anyone know whether Verizon will be getting the equivalent of a "Blackberry" style WM6.5 phone with a nice-sized keyboard that is candybar style? I don't include the Ozone in what I'm searching for because the keyboard is far too small...

Looks like Sprint is getting exactly what I'm looking for on Oct 11 - it's a Samsung:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrFlQT1il58

I don't care whether it's touchscreen or non-touchscreen. I just want to replace my Q9c with a WM6.5 phone that has a good keyboard in a candybar design. It's shocking that VZW hasn't offered anything since the Q9c and I haven't seen any info about something similar as part of the WM6.5 hardware lineup.

Does anyone have any suggestions/thoughts? I'm trying to avoid getting a Blackberry due to the additional licensing fees (I would have to pay another $10 per month for my MS Exchange service) but I'm going to eventually cave if nothing else is offered by VZW. I still can't understand how it's possible that VZW has nothing business-oriented that is not a Blackberry in the pipeline with the launch of WM6.5. Very, very strange... Then again, VZW has spent the past 10+ years clearly offering the most outdated phones...

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

[fwaits]

Have you seen this phone side by side with the Ozone? They seem to be extremely similar. I haven't seen the Ozone firsthand, but I can't seem much difference in the keyboard size. Otherwise I don't know if any others are coming soon for VZW with 6.5, can't say I recall seeing any news on one.

[jeremyr]

Have you seen this phone side by side with the Ozone? They seem to be extremely similar. I haven't seen the Ozone firsthand, but I can't seem much difference in the keyboard size. Otherwise I don't know if any others are coming soon for VZW with 6.5, can't say I recall seeing any news on one.

I haven't seen the Sprint phone, as it was released yesterday, but I can tell you that the Ozone form factor is similar to a Palm Centro which essentially means it's quite narrow. Putting it side-by-side with a Q9c makes it obvious. The narrow width results in a very small and cramped keyboard, which is not a good thing for anything doing business who uses the keyboard all day.

Does anyone have any other thoughts/ideas? It's still hard for me to believe that VZW might have nothing in the pipeline with WM6.5?

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

[coolshock1]

I wonder if that is going to be the Saga2 for VZW.

[fwaits]

The only other one I've heard about is a Q9 variant World Phone called Napoleon that has been rumored for a long time. Someone recently posted that they have been testing it for 10 months or something. It might come wit 6.5 since it's this late in the game. I know that one is a bit larger similar to the Q9h over at AT&T. You can see it at phonearena.com in the Upcoming section of Verizon Wireless.

[iamrobk]

The only other one I've heard about is a Q9 variant World Phone called Napoleon that has been rumored for a long time. Someone recently posted that they have been testing it for 10 months or something. It might come wit 6.5 since it's this late in the game. I know that one is a bit larger similar to the Q9h over at AT&T. You can see it at phonearena.com in the Upcoming section of Verizon Wireless.

AFAIK the Q9 Napoleon was cancelled a long time ago.

[jeremyr]

I wonder if that is going to be the Saga2 for VZW.

Thanks for the tip. I have never heard of this phone before but I just read your reply and saw this link and it was included in a long list of phones that will be released:

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=8728

Looks like they might have something after all. I just hope that the Saga 2 has a MUCH better than keyboard than the current Saga...

[coolshock1]

I actually switched to the tp2 from the original Saga. I was actually quite please with the Saga. Very easy 1 handed use. Have you tried the Saga?

[jeremyr]

I actually switched to the tp2 from the original Saga. I was actually quite please with the Saga. Very easy 1 handed use. Have you tried the Saga?

Thanks for the suggestion - I appreciate it. I was hoping for a WM6.5 phone for easier use. The Saga's keyboard also isn't the greatest. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for something better..

[Frank S]

Thanks for the suggestion - I appreciate it. I was hoping for a WM6.5 phone for easier use. The Saga's keyboard also isn't the greatest. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for something better..

The word "on the street" is that 6.5 will be released for the CDMA TP2 on Oct 23rd. In any case, the upgrade seems for sure.

Also, I looked at the HTC Ozone. I liked it a lot. Designed as you like with a keyboard on the front. The keyboard on the Ozone is fantastic. I tried it next to others. Like the Blackberry, the Palm Pro (not avail on VZW), and the Moto Q9. This Ozone keyboard is the best by far. You have to try it to believe it. The only "downside" to the Ozone is, AFAIK, it is WinMo 6.1 (home), not Pro, if that matters to you. But it does have the newer features like unlocked GPS and Wifi. I almost bought it to replace my Palm Treo 700wx (WinMo 6.0) but I decided to wait for the HTC Touch Pro 2.

As far as the TP2 goes, I'm lovin' every minute of it. Great piece of hardware with that (now) famous HTC keyboard. Fine phone.

-Frank

[TK093]

I loved the Saga keyboard and the Ozone keyboard is pretty good too. (The Ozone will be upgraded to 6.5 btw, the Saga will not.)

You may think the keyboards are small, but you mention maybe having to a blackberry but the newest BB, the Tour, has a smaller keybaord then Ozone.. Or at least I think it is harder to type on.

[jeremyr]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their feedback and thoughts regarding some other handsets. To better explain why I'm not a fan of the Ozone and Tour keyboards, if you line up a Q9c with an Ozone or a Tour you will see that these phones are significantly narrower than both, which explains why I find their keyboards cramped and not as easy to use. I suppose it's a question of preference but, in the end of the day, I much prefer a wider keyboard vs. narrower to minimize mistakes. I tend to make a lot of mistakes using the Ozone and Tour keyboards for this reason. My goal is to buy a relatively wide candybar style WM6.5 phone, although I don't like the slider phones because I find the keyboards far too wide and I therefore can't type as quickly on them.

I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed for the Saga 2 to be released sometime soon. I still think it's ridiculuous that VZW hasn't released a WM phone since the Q9c that has a relatively wide keyboard considering most other carriers have one, the Q9c is almost 2 years old, and they are the largest carrier! Then again, their track record of releasing decent hansets is pretty pitifull...