Choosing a smartphone keypad

Phones used to be about making calls, but not anymore. Email, text and instant messaging and even typing out documents have become essential functions of many devices we now call smartphones. The way you interact with the device to key in text is now of paramount importance. We put aside all software and feature considerations and concentrate on what you should look out for if you seek the best typing experience on a mobile device.

Touchscreen only

Some smartphones make use of capacitive touchscreens which do not respond to stylus taps and are therefore fully finger-operated. These screens are capable of multitouch, though the underlying operating system must first support this feature.

Pros

• Smaller form factor
• Fewer buttons resulting in simpler design
• Bigger screen because space is not used up by buttons
• Usually comes with handwriting recognition which is useful for Asian languages

Cons

• Typing usually lacks tactile feedback
• Many models require the use of both hands

What to look out for

One of the main issues with touchscreen-only smartphones is with text input. For example, the default Windows Mobile interface uses a very small onscreen keyboard for typing. This usually requires the user to pull out a stylus, which can be inconvenient at times. Check if the manufacturer has included alternative text input methods like what HTC has done with its range of products. The iPhone 3G onscreen keyboard's effectiveness is well-documented and most reviews are positive. Nonetheless, for phones which use a proprietary OS (meaning you can install third-party onscreen text input software), try out the text input before buying to avoid regretting the purchase.

Some recommended models: Apple iPhone 3G, HTC Touch HD, Samsung Omnia SGH-i900