Harry McCracken at Technologizer wrote a nice piece about the virtues of hardware keyboards on smartphones.

I think one reason a keyboard argument even exists is because when competing in a given market, you have to tag a competitor’s hot product with a “missing feature,” and then provide that feature. (How many manufacturers claimed FM radio and replaceable batteries were glaring omissions from the iPod, only to find adding it to their devices made no difference?) I think the Palm Pre — mentioned in the article — has a hardware keyboard partially to trumpet having something the iPhone lacks (and partially because it’s easier to implement than a software one).

McCracken lists four benefits he believes a hardware keyboard provides:

1) Familiarity and lack of learning curve. The iPhone’s on-screen keys and autocorrection can be utterly befuddling when you first encounter them…

True enough, but this is the result of two things, only one of which is tied to the software keyboard. The flat, smooth keys are definitely unlike any keyboard most people have typed on, and take getting used to. However, autocorrection is a function that exists in hardware keyboards as well. Even keypad devices used T9 (or similar) to help “guess” your words. If Apple introduced a hardware keyboard tomorrow, an autocorrection learning curve would still exist.

2) Tactile feedback.

McCracken discusses this at length, and I do not dispute it. I’m very proficient on the iPhone’s keyboard, but even after two years I can’t say I’m totally used to not getting that feedback. I would love to see this solved, but I think the RIM Storm’s simplistic (clumsy?) attempt at adding it is a failure. I’m not sure how this can be properly solved on a software keyboard, but I would welcome it.

3) Two-handed typing.

Here McCracken is referring to thumb-typing. He can thumb-type on any hardware keyboard, but not on the iPhone. I use my index finger on smartphones, so to be honest I can’t say this “benefit” of a hardware keyboard had occurred to me. I know that requests for a landscape keyboard on the iPhone were primarily by those who want to thumbtype. They’ll get their wish in iPhone 3.0. Will that do it?

4) No resolution penalty.

This one struck me the most because I see an alternate view as a disadvantage to hardware keyboards.

What McCracken refers to is the fact that when a software keyboard is present, it takes up a large chunk of the screen. There’s no denying this, and no question it’s a drawback of a software keyboard. Though I think the statement “[T]yping e-mails that are more than a couple of sentences long presents a challenge” is overstating it. I’ve written many emails, notes, and even blog entries a lot longer than a couple of sentences. Still, his point is well taken.

Now I’d like to provide a list of what I think are software keyboard benefits:

1. No device size penalty

This is the alternate view of #4 above. With a software keyboard, the screen gets smaller, but with a hardware keyboard the entire device gets bigger. It’s fine to say a device feels great in the hand, but then you flop out the keyboard and it becomes a bit clumsy. The balance is off. It sits in your hand differently. I think people thumb-type with these because once it’s opened you almost have to handle it with two hands. It’s not at all uncommon for me to type on the iPhone with one hand. I like the fact that the device doesn’t change physical dimensions on me.

2. Portrait and landscape

A software keyboard can change to suit the user or application. A great example of this is orientation. A hardware keyboard sits one way, and that’s it. The Pre’s, for example, is portrait. That may be my preference, but if you’re a landscape junkie, too bad.

3. Appears automatically

I don’t have to grab the thing and flip it out, or up, or over when I need it. The device knows when I need it and presents it to me. Again, this makes one-handed typing for short things a lot easier. I also don’t have to put the thing away when I’m done.

4. Can be changed with software updates

Adding new layouts for other countries is a relatively simple matter. In addition, modifying the properties is possible (for example, the systemwide availability of landscape mode for OS 3.0 mentioned above).

5. Allows specialty keys

For example, in Safari there’s a special key that enters “.com”. But it doesn’t stop there; if you press and hold that key a menu pops with other common URL endings (e.g., .net, .edu). Nice. Also, when typing regular text, press and hold the vowels to see a popup of accented characters.

I could also list no keys popping off, or getting mushy, or any other of the mechanical things that can go wrong with a hardware keyboard. I believe the inherent advantages and flexible nature of a software keyboard will eventually win out over the rigid inflexibility of the hardware variety, though I don’t claim this will happen anytime soon. Well, unless they get that tactile feedback thing solved; then I think hardware keyboards are toast.

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There have been a lot of reviews lately regarding the new Blackberry Storm. I summarized a few myself, but things haven’t improved much. While there are some bright spots, the overall tone of the reviews is that the Storm is a disappointment.

Still, as a Blackberry on the Verizon network I suspect it’ll do fine regardless. Instead of dwelling on the reviews, I want to disagree with comments I’ve read that say RIM should be cut some slack because it’s a 1.0 product, which makes it the same as the iPhone’s initial release. 

No, not at all. RIM had it easy.

From the moment it was announced, while Apple faithful may have believed, most outlets spent time mocking the iPhone. Greasy screen! Fingerprints! Car crashes because you can’t drive and text at the same time! Won’t be able to dial in bright sunlight! And on and on. Most of them were kind of silly, and a few were downright asinine. 

People’s memories can be short, so let’s go back in time and look at what Apple had to overcome with the iPhone. 

• They had to drag people kicking and screaming into the modern age of using a GUI and pointing device (like on a computer) on a phone. 
• They had to convince people that lacking all those buttons would actually be a better way, because each app would have it’s own interface; you wouldn’t see crap you couldn’t use when you couldn’t use it. 
• They had to hammer the point home that in the modern age a phone app doesn’t have to be the equivalent of a text-based app from computers in the early 80s. Instead, they could be much more “desktop-like.”
• They had to show that you could in fact do excellent web browsing on a phone via not only a quality browser, but through the use of gestures and software enhancements. (Hard to believe that only 1.5 years ago people thought WAP browsing was acceptable!)
• And they had to prove that Apple could in fact build and sell a phone. (In doing so, they showed the reason current phones were crap was because carriers and phone makers had zero incentive or imagination to make them better.) 

Even with all that to overcome, upon release the iPhone’s first wave of reviews was much better than what we’re seeing for the Storm now. Yet look at what RIM did not have to overcome for the Storm: 

• All of the above. 

That’s right. RIM had none of those obstacles, nor legions of doubters. People now know you can use a phone with a full touch screen, and get better apps, and browse the web, and be easier to use, etc. And no one questioned RIM’s ability to make and sell a phone.

Therefore, the Storm launch is not anywhere near the same as the iPhone launch. Apple paved the way, so RIM should have had an easier time of it. There was no risk, and they even had a great device available upon which to model theirs. Looks like they may not have done a good job.

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A couple of things I’ve gathered so far that are worth emphasizing: 

• Everyone talks about it costing $200 in the U.S. with a two-year Verizon contract, but the real cost is $250. That’s what they’ll take from you, that’s what you’ll see coming out of your bank account, and that’s what’s gonna be on your receipt. Afterwards, if you tackle the paperwork and wait a month or two, they’ll send you a $50 debit card in the mail.
• Data/Voice plans appear on a par with AT&T and others (around $70/month), but keep in mind the visual voice mail Verizon offers is an additional $3 a month. 
• Turn by turn directions are available, but that’s another $10 a month. 
• For Mac users, there’s no updated MacMediaCenter app available yet to move media to the device. 
• No Wi-Fi. Verizon says it would just eat up battery life, but that’s wrong; Wi-Fi uses less juice than 3G. 

The first review I read (well, mostly watched, since it’s primarily two videos that run nearly 25 minutes) was from jkOnTheRun. The review is positive (actually, gushing would be a more apt word). Yet, at one point the author talks about how smoothly things scroll as he scrolls through the icons, but I can see very well they’re not scrolling very smoothly. The author stated a couple times that he hasn’t had a chance to use it much yet, so I’ll be interested in his opinion after his use of the device for a few days.

Another review is from Silicon Alley Insider. This review at least had the benefit of them actually trying to use the device, and some of their comments are enlightening: 

To type with its touchscreen, you have to press pretty hard, and “click” the keys. This offers a nice effect when you’re clicking the large buttons on RIM’s navigational menu. But for typing text, it’s a hassle that forces you to slow down your typing speed or risk missing keystrokes. We don’t like it yet, and we’re not sure if most people will.

The above is particularly important because the touch screen is part of the Storm’s claim to fame. If it’s not good for typing, this phone could be in trouble. Of course, different people react differently to various typing mechanisms, so I’m anxious to see if any kind of consnsus forms on this issue. 

We are gadget-savvy, yet we had a very hard time setting up our IMAP email on the Storm. In fact, we got so frustrated that we gave up, and just registered a new Verizon BlackBerry email address. (Seriously!)

Ouch! DId Blackberry forget usability on this thing? Setting up IMAP should not be tough. 

The UI graphics are lousy. Scrolling by flicking your finger is still much smoother and more natural feeling on an iPhone — the Storm’s response is slow and laggy. And some things are downright clunky on the Storm. For instance, you can’t even read the entire text of many of the buttons on the phone’s “home” screen, such as “SMS and M…” and “VZ Naviga…” and “Visual Voic…”

The above seems to confirm what I saw on the jkOnTheRun video. To be sure, some of this may not mean anything to some users, but for others it’s all a part of the experience of working on the device. Jerky scrolling and unfinished icon names can make for a weak user experience. 

Finally, here’s an article that summarizes various comments from Vodaphone users in Europe (who’ve already had the Storm available for a week): 

Blackberry is sold as a “business person’s phone”, but the new handset cannot handle the BES… This has resulted in businesses with an enterprise server not being able to use the e-mail feature. 

So this isn’t going to fly out the doors for business users who want an iPhone-like device. While it seemed to me the Storm was more consumer-oriented, I’m still quite surprised Blackberry doesn’t allow BES on the thing just yet.

Customers are reporting that fully charged batteries, having been charged more than once, running out after 20 minutes of calls and web browsing. 

Who knows how prevalent this is, but if it’s any indication of real battery life it’s a good thing you can swap the battery ’cause you’ll need to carry three of them with you. 

In short, what I’ve read so far leads me to believe that the Storm — after it gets a few bugs worked out — may be just what people need if they want to (or have to) stay with Verizon and also desire a “high-end” touchscreen smartphone. Perhaps a bigger question would be how long it will take to get any bugs worked out, but if you’re happy with your AT&T iPhone or Blackberry Bold I’m not sure there’s anything here to consider switching too. 

In any case, it’s much too early to tell how the Storm will actually perform, or even how Blackberry will react if there are any issues. I suspect in the next couple weeks there’ll be plenty more reviews rolling in, and we’ll see how close these first hit the mark.

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The Boy Genius Report brings word of relief in sight for Mac users with BlackBerry.  The official Research In Motion (RIM) application BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac will bring all the functionality of BlackBerry Desktop Manager to OS X users.

Third party solutions like PocketMac for BlackBerry have filled the void left by RIM’s lack of official support, but in practice these solutions were not always elegant or simple enough for novice users.  The new app seems to address both these issues, although the early version depicted in the screenshots apparently doesn’t yet seem to offer much sophistication when it comes to handling and distinguishing between different media types.

What it does promise, however, is the ability to sync your iTunes library, playlists or specific songs to either the internal memory of your handset or to microSD cards.  Expect RIM to add the ability to sync other media types as well in the final release.  Including, one would hope, movies and other videos from your iTunes library, to take advantage of the apparently very impressive screen on the company’s latest handset, the BlackBerry Bold.  The application is said to be compatible with the BlackBerry Pearl and presumably all later models as well.  For more information about what to expect from the upcoming release, it’s probably safe to assume that the featureset from the Windows version will be closely mirrored.

In other BlackBerry related news, Verizon went official today with its announcement of the upcoming RIM touchscreen handset, the BlackBerry Storm, available at an unspecified date prior to the holidays. As RIM’s first touchscreen device, the Storm seems to be the direct result of the iPhone’s effect on the smartphone market. 

While the iPhone still lags in terms of enterprise integration, BlackBerry has had a hard time matching the consumer appeal of Apple’s device. The Storm intends to close this gap by offering a much-improved web browser, support for the upcoming BlackBerry Apps Center, and a capacitive screen with tactile feedback for users uncomfortable with a touchscreen keyboard.  The tactile feedback, officially dubbed “ClickThrough”, uses a physical spring mounted behind the display to make pressing on the screen feel like pushing one big button.  Early reviews and impressions of the ClickThrough experience have been very favorable.

BlackBerry/Mac users: Are you satisfied with the third-party solution you’re currently using?  If you haven’t picked sides yet, do official support from RIM, a BlackBerry App Store, and a tactile touchscreen affect your choice of smartphone purchase?

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