Are you satisfied with the keyboard?

[MrBogard]

I've been eying a new phone for a while, and I thought I had settled on the Samsung Epic. Yesterday I went into Best Buy to further explore my options, and I was disappointed to see just how many fake handsets they have on display. Despite this, I handled both the Evo and Epic extensively.

I have to say, I wasn't very happy with the keyboard on the Epic. It's one of those things that I've always felt like I needed, but I probably don't. The keys seem stiff and the layout and feel are just all around funky. How do you guys feel about your keyboard? The Epic is a pretty large device, and the keyboard is really important to me.

I'm a bit at a loss here. As a former Treo, Mogul, and current Touch Pro user, I don't really want to give up my physical keyboard, but the Epic is the only real option on Sprint. It has me half wanting to wait until early next year and opt for the HD7 Pro, but I'm equally concerned with compromising by shifting to Windows Phone 7.

Thoughts? I could use some informed advice

[gTen]

They keyboard is not that bad..its more a matter of getting used to it...since your usually used to another layout you can prob type on it without looking..when a new layout is introduced it takes tome to get used to it...Realistically speaking onscreen keyboards are whats used..but there are times when a physical kb makes it better/convenient or at times even necessary..

As for other phones, there is also an HTC Knight coming in jan which is android..

[WanderingMinstrel]

I moved up from a TP without getting the TP2, which was reported to have a great keyboard. The Epic keyboard is considerably better than my TP's. It's larger and much easier and more friendly to use. It took about a day to get used to it, much less time than it took to get used to the different touch and feel of the screen. I do a lot of keyboarding so it was an important issue for me.

[dumpringz]

Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epic : Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-us; SPH-D700 Build/ECLAIR) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

it sucks ... I'm anticipating the next release of a sprint device with a keyboard. that other sprint phone that sorta looks like the epic has a better responding keyboard then the epic .. I was playing with one at thee sprint store thee other night. now screen and such are def different

[Mikeschevelle]

Its the best keyboard ever, but I have yet to use it. I got the Epic, for many reasons, one being the reviews on its keyboard, but then I tried the genius that is Swype........hard keyboard what?

[dumpringz]

Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epic : Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-us; SPH-D700 Build/ECLAIR) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

for some reason I can't edit my post but swype is the only reason I still have this phone. its pretty good I admit but I've been using it since my tp2 days and still prefer keyboard due to accuracy . . which swype fails to offer just like epic hardware keyboard

[revaaron]

it sucks, but what really sucks is not having a keyboard and using the terrible swype.
what sucks about it is that there are a crap load of keyboard strips that doesn't get sent.

[Mikeschevelle]

Originally Posted by revaaron

it sucks, but what really sucks is not having a keyboard and using the terrible swype.
what sucks about it is that there are a crap load of keyboard strips that doesn't get sent.

What REALLY suck is reading your post, it doesnt even make sense??????

[dumpringz]

Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epic : Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-us; SPH-D700 Build/ECLAIR) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

Originally Posted by Mikeschevelle

Its the best keyboard ever, but I have yet to use it. I got the Epic, for many reasons, one being the reviews on its keyboard, but then I tried the genius that is Swype........hard keyboard what?

hows it the best if u never used it ? this phone isn't as good as the hype makes it out to be and it def isn't just the handsets I've used that have keyboard issues. for a phone hyped up because of its keyboard this phone is a disappointment.

[revaaron]

huh, I don't remember typing in this thread... the keyboard sucks cause there are a bunch of keys that don't go through while I'm typing normally. On my tp2, I could type without reviewing... With the epic, I have to re-read what I typed to replace all the missing keys. annoying.