That iPhone Is Missing a Keyboard | Hacker News Reader

That iPhone Is Missing a Keyboard

nytimes.com

15 pointsjcwentz8 comments

I think the lack of a physical keyboard will have minimal impact on the success or failure of the iPhone.

Consider that millions of users adapted to the clunky text message interfaces of their cell phones. They aren't going to balk at a virtual keyboard, especially when the tradeoff is that you get a much larger screen for viewing video. A consumer that wouldn't buy the phone for lack of a physical keyboard probably isn't in the target market anyway.

The ban on corporate sales of the iPhone may be partly to prevent the early verdicts from being passed by Blackberry fans and others who are accustomed to typing lots of email on a large physical phone keyboard.

I was going to say the same thing. The whole article is mispremised. If you think, "Who would switch to a virtual keyboard from a real keyboard?" you'll have questions about the iPhone. If you ask, "Who wouldn't switch to a virtual keyboard from a cellphone 0 - 9 layout?" you'll understand the market the iPhone is targeting.

It's a consumer product, not a business product. The idea for the iPhone is that in 5 years everyone age 14-24 will have one, just as has already happened to the iPod.

What if we wait until it comes out and someone has used it and then start reviewing its features?

If only they had put a USB slot on it and opened up the platform for development entirely. It would take off like nothing else. I mean, security? Okay.. Don't allow the developers to access the network. Past that, let them do everything to the damn device that they want to.

Doesn't Steve remember the Apple II? It was so successful because it was programmable and had expansion slots.

"...and had expansion slots.

I don't think he does remember or agrees. Jobs was always against that kind of expansion. He's a control freak. Why let other people ruin perfection? Wozniak says that's the only real heated argument they ever had.

Still. I wouldn't bet against Jobs knowing what's up. He was definitely right about the minimalist iPod. I want a fold out keyboard anyway.

True; the original Macintosh is well known for having no slots, and for that matter no cursor keys.

The iPhone has bluetooth right?!

In the worst case, pretty sure it is no brainer to hookup an Apple Wireless Keyboard or even a cheapo PC bluetooth keyboard with it.

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