In most of the reviews I've read people complain about the keyboard layout. It looks similar to the vx6800/Mogul, which is what I'm currently using. Does anyone have both that can offer a comparison?

Thanks in advance.


To avoid being flamed, I know it's not released yet, I'm hoping someone has a preview device.

Boy Genius Report has some pics and reviews....

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Jeremiah 29:11

Most of the reviews I have read say the hardware keyboard probably isn't the "best" that it could be... But, I don't put a lot of stock into those reviews since they are extremely subjective...

If you want to be 100% certain if the keyboard is for you, you'll have to wait until the demo units are readily available...

I have noticed that may reviews say that they have opted for the on-screen keyboard. I don't know if it was convenience or otherwise...

I played around w/ a demo device from BestBuy last Friday and was VERY unimpressed with the keyboard.

Hard to push buttons and virtually no feedback. That may have been because it was a demo unit -- I certainly hope so.

was it a working demo? Best buy near me always has plastic knockoffs that tell me nothing- I HATE that.

Its hard to say it was a plastic knock-off since I have not seen/felt the actual Droid yet.

It was definitely non-functioning.

I have a real unit. Keys are a little flat, so sometimes hard to tell if you are on the right ones without looking, but they do give a good solid click. I have no issues with it.

Alan

I'm coming over to your house to play!

Anything else you'd like to share?

I thought about writing this exact same post a few days ago because I have the same phone and was wondering the same thing. I think for us Mogul users, the keyboard is at no worse a sidegrade with every other aspect of the droid being a major upgrade. If you listen to last week's engadget podcast they talk alot about typing on the droid. That's decent stuff until we can actually touch one.

I got to play with a real Droid yesterday.

The keyboard doesnt have tons of tactile feedback, but it is far from awful. Coming from 2 years with an i760, it was a little awkward, but nothing that a few days usage wont fix.

I loved the heavy feel of the phone. Looking forward to it.

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Maximum Theater
Mt Vernon, OH

I will try and post a fairly comprehensive review by this evening.

Alan

I played with the keyboard for a few minutes yesterday. It's fairly similar to the 6800/Mogul keyboard with the exception of the number and symbols keys. I went ahead and bought one figuring I'll get used to it soon enough.

I used a 6800 about a year or so ago for 6ish months- keyboard on the droid in my hand now seems pretty similar. personally I prefer the always expsoed type of keyboards but both of these sliders are usable.

The BIG difference to me is the Droid has a usably on screen keyboard so smaller things like replying to a text are way more easy to just do with the on screen than with winmo POS OS

Been using the Samsung i760 since it released, loved the keyboard, loved how each key was individually spaced. Tried out a working Droid at the Verizon store, I was dissapointed in it. The keys were tightly packed together and I almost felt like I would be pressing down two keys at once, even though it didn't happen at the time, I think it would though in the future.

I don't know if I could ever get use to the keyboard, or maybe I could. I tried out the keyboard on the HTC Eris which I felt was actually not too bad. Now I NEVER thought I'd get a phone with a touch screen keyboard, but the Eris is making me rethink it.

Originally I was going for the Droid because it had the keyboard, and the keyboard is making me rethink it.

After a couple of days with the phone, I am finding out that I do not even use the keyboard. The error correction works well and I am even using the word suggestions. I guess you can teach a middle aged dog new tricks!

IMO, I think the physical keyboard would be more useable if the D-Pad was gone allowing them to center the keys. I just find it awkward having to reach over it...

I agree the d-pad needs to go. If it was gone, it would be a killer keyboard.

The onscreen keyboard is awesome, however.

funny my friend- but this middle aged dog has also somehow learned to type ont he screen.

i wish the dpad was an optical mouse myself...

You, me and every other former Samsung Saga user who was spoiled by that feature...

I, like many people here, find myself typing on the screen -- in portrait mode more often than landscape even -- more than pulling out the keyboard. The centering issue because of the D-pad is my downfall... without having the keyboard centered it throws all keyboarding skills I've ever known out the window. I suppose I could probably get used to it, but I'd have to force myself to use it more...

I kind of feel like a hypocrite, as before the Droid I would tell everyone how "absolutely imperative" it was my phone had a hardware keyboard... woops.

Laughing 'cause I could have written that myself. "MUST have keyboard "