Looks like Android is the future!
I want an android phone with a full keyboard, I don’t like touchscreens much. Also I want it to have GPS, wifi, 3g, the whole deal.
Any suggestions?
I got the HTC Desire a few months ago and I love. Highly recommended. It has all the bells and whistles you list.
It does involve a touch screen keyboard. I think most Android phones do. Maybe you could get over whatever aversion you have to this kind of keyboard solution and learn to love it.
It’s VERY convenient - the keyboard is always there as soon as you want it, and otherwise never gets in the way. The absence of a physical keyboard means there are no sliding or moving parts to wear out, jam or get damaged, and the keyboard never gets dirty or gets small things dropped in it. You can buy protective films and covers for the screen that protect it and keep it pristine, yet all the touch-screen functionality is preserved. My phone lives inside an inexpensive leather holder I got off the internet for a few pounds (yes, I’m British) which seems to protect it perfectly. I wipe the screen clean once a week, and it looks as good as new.
The only downside is the battery life, which won’t impress anyone. But all that means is that you get into the habit of re-charging it once a day.
As it happens, I am currently debating whether I should get the HTC Droid Incredible or the Motorola Droid X for my upcoming Verizon phone upgrade. Both are Android 2.1 phones (and supposedly both will be upgraded to Android 2.2 for free sometime later this year). Both, however, have touchscreen (AKA virtual) keyboards. The Motorola Droid X won’t officially be available for sale by Verizon until July 15th.
If you don’t like using touchscreen keyboards, note that the HTC Droid Incredible (and, I’m told, all other Android 2.1 phones) have voice recognition. A Verizon salescritter once demonstrated this feature for me while composing email, and it was really neat.
If you want a physical keyboard the Motorola Milestone/Droid is probably your best bet. Note that the keyboard itself has received mixed reviews so make sure to try it yourself before buying.
I have the Motorola Droid 2.1 and loooove it.
The full keyboard is nice, the only thing is if you expect to use a hard case it can be a PITA to get at the top row of buttons. The hard case is really rather ill-conceived for practical usage of the Droid; I just leave mine off because otherwise it won’t fit in the GPS docking device in my car. So far I have had zero problems using it without a case.
I’m not sure if successive models have fixed that or not. I pretty much ran out and got mine when they first came out.
Thank you for the replies. I will think about getting a touchscreen phone.
Go to the store and play with the touchscreens. Touchescreens are fine, but it just takes a little getting used to. Not only that, but you could look into a phone that has Swypewhen you get it. That should make typing easier yet.
I have an HTC Hero on Sprint’s network, and I really wish I’d waited and gotten one with a full keyboard. I have thin fingers but I struggle with the touchscreen a lot, I don’t know why. (I’m not the type that can’t use a touchpad or anything.) I’ve recalibrated it and I’ve tried to be wicked careful, but I suck at touchscreening I guess. With my old Palm Centro I would use my thumb to text, and I can’t do that really with a touchscreen.
If the Moment (I think?) wasn’t so expensive without a new contract I’d get that in a second, it has the slide out keyboard. Other than that I love my Hero. I’ve rooted it and gotten rid of all the crap Sprint installs and it’s awesome.
Definitely play with touchscreens and see if you’re comfy with them. I just am not. 
I suck at touchscreens too. It’s the reason I got a full keyboard.
I have a Motorola Cliq on T-Mobile. It isn’t as fast or powerful as the Droid (Which I had for a few days and loved it, but I didn’t like Verizon) and it has been great for me. It’s not like I’m gaming on it or anything. It is supposed to be updating to Android 2.1 soon, as in this month. It is currently on Android 1.5.
I have an iPod Touch and have used a touch keyboard for the 2.5 years I’ve had it, so I knew I really wanted a full keyboard on my phone.
I have the Motorola Driod and it has all the features you want. I got it specifically because I wanted the full keyboard. I’ve used three or four times. I absolutely love the phone and would get another in a heartbeat, but honestly I no longer care about the full keyboard. I usually use the touchscreen or voice texting and it is amazing. Only once was it a bit off… I wanted to let my wife know that our daughter got a ride home from somewhere we were rushing to get to and I spoke “kidname got a ride” and it came out as “kidname God of right”. In all fairness I was driving a convertible with the top down at the time… I sent it as is.
Note, also, that even if you don’t care for the on screen keyboard which comes with the phone, there are several replacements in the Android app store.
Bob
I hope the OP doesn’t mind if a piggyback a general question to this thread.
When it comes to smartphones, what are you all paying on a monthly basis for your data plans? With or without a messaging pack and whatever else is relevant to your monthly bill.
EDIT: I ask because I am in the market for a new phone and am interested in upgrading to something that does a few more things if the monthly charge doesn’t skyrocket. Data plans are pretty affordable as far as I can tell, but they usually do not come with any kind of messaging plan/package and I do a lot of text messaging. Combining data plans with messaging plans usually sends the monthly bill to ranges that I just can’t imagine being practical, for me. Is there any kind of good balance between the two on whatever network you have experience with?
Which brings to mind one of the most annoying things, to me, about the Droid. I still don’t fully understand how to use it. Voice texting? My phone does voice texting? Where did you learn about all this?
Covered in Bees, to answer your question I think I pay $80 monthly. $30 for the basic phone package and then $50 for unlimited internet, e-mail and texting.
I saw a button and I pressed it.
Every time I learn something new about my phone, I realize it’s even cooler than I thought.
I always find vocal texting to be the most hilarious thing ever. It almost seems like a step backwards.
And Visual voice mail makes a lot more sense
Currrent Moto Droid owner…
My vote: Droid X
If you REALLY want a keyboard, I recommend waiting for the Droid 2. It doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’ll probably come out around the same time as the Droid X. Really, every carrier except AT&T has a great Android phone. Sprint has the Evo, Verizon has the Incredible, and T-Mobile has the Nexus One.
I thought I would have trouble with a soft keyboard too coming from a Blackberry, but I caught on very quickly. IT helps that Android has a really good auto-correct. And if you set it to vibrate on keypress, it really feels like you’re pressing a real keyboard.
FWIW, I currently have the T-Mobile G1 (the original Android phone). I’ve been fairly happy with it, but it’s rather slow for web browsing. I think the limitation is the processor and not the wireless connection, because web browsing is much faster when I tether my laptop to this phone.
I was hoping to upgrade to the Dell Streak (5-inch Android phone/tablet) but it hasn’t even been confirmed, and I’m tired of waiting for it. I think I will upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S (aka T-Mobile Vibrant) when it becomes available on July 21.
I currently pay $60/month for… um, I forget the details but something like 300 minutes of talk, and I believe unlimited text and unlimited data.
Stay away from AT&T, by the way, I understand their Android phones are locked to the Android Market and cannot install software from other sources.