Great Slider Phones?

[Callace]

Yeah, I realize a physical qwerty keyboard is old hat, but I really hate typing on a touch screen, especially when the virtual keyboard is so small. I'm not looking for a small tablet here, just a decent phone that happens to include a slide-out keyboard. My current droid phone (an old optimus) is starting to wear out, and I need to find a cheap-ish replacement when I can afford it in a few weeks. Oh, also, I don't only type on it, but I use the physical keys as controls for emulated games- a,w,x,d, for directions, k,m for action, camera button as shoulder button, etc.

Anyone know any good slider phones that are relatively new and under a couple hundred bucks?

[Tradewind]

LG Enact and Droid 4 are all I can think of. But you sacrifice so much just for having a physical keyboard...smaller screens usually, weaker processor, less ram.

[Kujako]

Depends on your cellular carrier, but the LG Enact looks about right.

http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phones/lg-VS890-enact

[Callace]

LG Enact and Droid 4 are all I can think of. But you sacrifice so much just for having a physical keyboard...smaller screens usually, weaker processor, less ram.

Thanks for the recommendation. In my case however, I would sacrifice the entire device with no physical keyboard, because I wouldn't enjoy using it.

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Depends on your cellular carrier, but the LG Enact looks about right.

http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phones/lg-VS890-enact

1.2 gigahertz dual core is pretty good for my purposes. I might have found one that was slightly faster? But it was probably out of my price range.

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And fyi -I use a generic straighttalk plan that is compatible with most phones.

[Masark]

Thanks for the recommendation. In my case however, I would sacrifice the entire device with no physical keyboard, because I wouldn't enjoy using it.

Have you considered an add-on keyboard, like this unit?

[Callace]

Have you considered an add-on keyboard, like this unit?

I had not. That's pretty cool, I'll have to look for one with utility button(s) on the back. Because it's bluetooth, would it drain the batteries faster, eat more cpu throughput?

[Masark]

I had not. That's pretty cool, I'll have to look for one with utility button(s) on the back. Because it's bluetooth, would it drain the batteries faster, eat more cpu throughput?

Not significantly AFAIK. Bluetooth is fairly power efficient. Far more power would go into the cell transceiver set.

[Koraak]

I was like you once. I hated the small on screen keyboard of my droid 2. But when i tried swype, it changed my mind. only took a short time getting used to, and ultimately increased texting speed and accuracy. Dunno if you've tried swype yet, but it changed my opinion on the on-screen keyboard, and it opened me up to being able to use superior devices.

[Callace]

I was like you once. I hated the small on screen keyboard of my droid 2. But when i tried swype, it changed my mind. only took a short time getting used to, and ultimately increased texting speed and accuracy. Dunno if you've tried swype yet, but it changed my opinion on the on-screen keyboard, and it opened me up to being able to use superior devices.

I have swype now in addition to my slider board. I guess I need to further clarify: this isn't to compose short texts to people, it's to do fully-fledged typing and play psx-level games on the fly. For whatever reason, I can type at a regular keyboard speed on the physical qwertys.

[Lyese]

I have swype now in addition to my slider board. I guess I need to further clarify: this isn't to compose short texts to people, it's to do fully-fledged typing and play psx-level games on the fly. For whatever reason, I can type at a regular keyboard on the physical qwertys.

Trying to play PS1 games on a virtual keypad is a recipe for disaster. I think the bluetooth keyboard would be your best option.