At what point does one say "I need a real keyboard?"

[pufftissue]

Hi guys,

It's been a week with the HTC Touch and I think that I need a keyboard.

Here is what I've done so far:
1. Tried the standard HTC keyboard, Touchpal, and the HTC Diamond keyboard. While all have their merits and demerits, I just can't seem to get good at it. Predictive input, straight up no prediction, 2 letters to a button layout, full layout, nothing.
2. Read the Touchpal manual. I'm pretty sure that I'm using it correctly.
3. Tried to tell myself "Hey, it's never going to be as fast as a real keyboard, but I'm carrying around a tiny phone that is otherwise great in every respect that I need it to be (save wifi)."


My question:

1. Given my background (Treos for the last 4 years) + the fact that I will audaciously say that I am a darn fast thumb typer, am I just going to need to get a real keyboard or should I give ti more time with the software keyboards?
2. You should also know that my friend has a Mogul and turning it to the side everytime you want to fire off a message isn't a huge deal, but it is awkward to me b/c I feel like it's a full contact sport. I've got to use the d-pad to navigate with my left hand and then there are other buttons to learn; it almost seems excessive b/c I don't know if I should just touch the screen or use one of the 63 buttons to accomplish my task.
3. I also had access to an iPhone (I'll never buy one b/c I can't stand Apple's reality distortion field) and I absolutely could not get used to the keyboard. I had a friend who had an iphone, two of them actually, and we each typed a text message of like 130 characters--me on my treo 700wx and them two on their iphones. I finished in half the time it took both of them. They were not newbies either.

[blue4shizzle]

buddy, chillax lol. touchpal is by far the best keyboard out.. im coming from a motorola q, similiar style to a treo, and let me tell ya.. i text 3 times faster than i ever did..and dont give me none of that "you mus not text much" jazz because i average around 7 thousand texts a month and i have the bills to prove it.. touchpal is serious, especially the v2 build when you make it larger.. i think if you spend a little more time with the keyboards you will be fine.. trust me

[SBR_L3GION]

i have had both the mogul and the touch and a good bit of access to an iphone. i had my mogul for 8 months and ill say for those several page texts i loved my mogul i once typed a 15 page text in about ten minutes and that is with time thinking and anyone that knows i dont do that too much. right now most of my texting happens during class or there only a few pages long and i have my ditionary on touchpal pretty well setup to what i say and have grown quite acustom to it. touch pal will take a lil while to get acustom to but it is very quicki love my touch because it is so much faster than my mogul. i know this because i play with both frequently. i agrre with the previous poster touchpal with a good bit of practice will definitely pay off. i average maybe a thousand less than blue4shizzle but that is not a small number by any means. all i can say is know the keyboard like the back of your hand it will eventually become second nature.

[ajones7279]

I have the touch too and I type just as fast if not faster than I did on my Mogul. I use Resco keyboard pro and its mad easy. I use the Touch Diamond keyboard T9 when i'm driving (easier for one hand)

[ryanbg]

I decided to go trade my Touch for a Mogul and I couldn't be happier but that is just me. I really don't use the hard keyboard as much as I thought I would, but it's still nice to have it.

[blue4shizzle]

Originally Posted by ryanbg

I decided to go trade my Touch for a Mogul and I couldn't be happier but that is just me. I really don't use the hard keyboard as much as I thought I would, but it's still nice to have it.

question.. if you dont really use the effin keyboard then what part of owning a mogul makes you happier? because that is the only difference besides wifi... the touch has way more ram and isnt a large brick thats in your pocket

[ajones7279]

Originally Posted by blue4shizzle

question.. if you dont really use the effin keyboard then what part of owning a mogul makes you happier? because that is the only difference besides wifi... the touch has way more ram and isnt a large brick thats in your pocket

My thoughts exactly.

[aecker22]

I use spb Full Screen Keyboard and love it. I map it to the camera button, so when i need to type a quick text or url its kinda like sliding out the mogul's keyboard, but onscreen. I can type faster with it than even touchpal

[Scooter_in_WI]

Originally Posted by aecker22

I use spb Full Screen Keyboard and love it. I map it to the camera button, so when i need to type a quick text or url its kinda like sliding out the mogul's keyboard, but onscreen. I can type faster with it than even touchpal

Gotta' say... If you are a past Q, Mogul, etc. user and miss the keyboard, SPB's option is the best. I tried a lot of the other options but I get an email of text out a LOT quicker with this.

[ryanbg]

Originally Posted by blue4shizzle

question.. if you dont really use the effin keyboard then what part of owning a mogul makes you happier? because that is the only difference besides wifi... the touch has way more ram and isnt a large brick thats in your pocket

Wifi and GPS were the deal sealer. I do use my hard keyboard a lot though. I like the form factor and screen better too, but we'd better not start a "which phone is better?!" thread

Originally Posted by bkhoste

Why do people get so worked up over their phones. It cracks me up, "My phone is better then your phone". People that like a real keyboard like the Mogul, those that like fingerprints all over their screen will like the Touch. No big deal.

Could not agree with you more. It's not like I care that I can type a paper for school without having to constantly wipe my screen clean of fingerprints and what not. KIDDING!