With nearly all the major smartphone manufacturers switching to touchscreen devices, we were happy to see some feedback the other day pointing out just how useful smartphones with physical buttons – such as the Nokia E72 – actually are. Join us after the break to find out more…
The vast majority of Nokia’s handsets still feature physical buttons, and although it seems fashionable for the latest handsets to feature large touchscreen displays, some of us still prefer the more traditional method of entering text and data.
It seems that some of the guys at Nokia Conversations agree, with the site pointing out that while touchscreen devices look shiny and minimalist, and pictures look much better on the larger displays, there definitely are some downsides.
Nokia C6: The perfect compromise?
The biggest issues with touchscreen handsets are the fact that it’s a lot more difficult typing with one hand, or even typing at a similar speed to QWERTY smartphones such as the Nokia E72 or Nokia N97 Mini.
It’s a topic that splits opinion, however, with the readers of Nokia Conversations taking both sides. A particularly interesting statement from reader Nitish Kumar points out that “technically our fingers can’t judge that they are on right places or not with a touch screen like flat surface without looking at the screen”.
As always, there’s a counter argument, with reader Ddd pointing out: “I hate keyboards that make phones bulky”. For some of us, devices like the Nokia N97 Mini or Nokia C6 strike the perfect balance – offering both a large touchscreen and a proper hardware keypad, but the extra bulk won’t suit all users.
We’d like to know what you think, however. Do you prefer touchscreen handsets, smartphones with proper buttons, or a device with both big screens and sliding keypads? Leave a comment below and let us know.