Core77

Missing the tactility: Touchscreens vs. flip-phones

By Rain Noe - September 19, 2008

in Object Culture

I'm a moderately enthusiastic iPhone user, but must admit that one thing I miss about the telephony experience is flipping a phone open or closed to take or break a call. So yes, it's with a bit of envy that I regard the form factor for Research in Motion's new BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220, the first flippable smartphone. The unmistakable tactility and the metaphor of opening or closing a little door for each call produces a subtle satisfaction that can't be matched by watching an icon disappear on a touchscreen.

Which do you prefer?

via forbes

o

Favorite This
Q
10

Comment

Comments

Eddie

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

What about the best ever flip smartphone? The Kyocera 7135 based on Palm 4 with touchscreen...I think we have gone backwards with most phones. Also, what ever happened to Imate's 9150 flip phone???
!Report as spam
MJN

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

http://snipr.com/3s6l3 I wouldn't necessarily say "first"...samsung had the i500 and i600 (both with smartphone in the name) starting in 2002 or 2003. I had both phones and was sad to see them go.
!Report as spam
Stokes

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Sliders over flip phones any day of the week, it just feels better to slide a phone!
!Report as spam
boots

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Robert, the poster apparently was only commenting on the tactility of flipping a flip phone, not the buttons.

I personally abhor flip phones, and I'm not so fond of sliders either. I've seen too many of my friends snap their flip phones and I've seen some sliders get damaged as well. I also don't like the idea of having to open a phone to take a call, I'd rather just aimlessly mash a button. I was kind of bummed to see the Pearl Flip, because I'm betting that means that RIM isn't going to release a thinner-but-still-candybar version of the Pearl, which would be a wonderful phone, in my opinion.
!Report as spam
rkm

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I have a Blackberry Pearl. It may be more tactile, but the interface isn't perfect. The only way to access speakerphone is to scroll through the on-screen in-call menu.

Generally, I turn on speakerphone so my hands can be free. Having to look at the screen and scroll through the menu to accomplish this is not great interface design.
!Report as spam
sdc

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

there is something to be said about hanging up... that subtle snap says "i'm done" and that reverse wrist flick just makes you feel cool. i feel more finality to my calls at work than i do on my crackberry (which gets buttons mashed accidentally all the time) or on a cordless handset at home...

... when it came out i thought it was kind of dumb... but i may have to get this flip pearl.
!Report as spam
piksel

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

"the first flippable smartphone" i don't think so... what about the motorola mpx 200 running windows mobile os?
!Report as spam
Zach

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I am also an iPhone user who misses the tactile feedback. It was something that I hadn't thought about before getting the phone, but now realize is a real drawback. Not that it is a good idea to be making calls while driving, but... lots of us do it. It is virtually impossible with the iPhone. With my old LG I could make a call without ever looking down at the phone. The iPhone requires you to use your eyes and for the best use it requires two hands. So now here we have people driving down the road with their eyes on the phone and both hands using it!!
!Report as spam
sw

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

agree with you, hipstomp. it's the same reason why i got an ipod classic instead of a touch.
!Report as spam
Robert S. Donovan

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I too am an iPhone user and I too miss the tactile feedback of actual buttons. I would prefer this design if it had a full qwerty keyboard like my old 8300 does. Then again, the Handspring Visor was a pretty ungainly beast ;-)
!Report as spam