We recently ran a piece by Stephen Radochia that explored BlackBerry’s software and how BlackBerry Limited was ahead of its time, with Android only just catching up to some of the defunct company’s better security features. And while Google still has plenty of work to do compared to what BlackBerry was doing over a decade ago, for me, what I miss the most about BlackBerry is its hardware.
That’s right, I’m talking physical keyboards, trackballs, and square screens. So, let’s reminisce while exploring what was great about BlackBerry’s hardware and why these features should make a comeback in Android form instead of constantly getting more of the same.
1 A physical keyboard makes all the difference
I’m sick of inaccurate touchscreen keyboards
No matter how good the predictive text on a software keyboard is (which often feels like it is getting worse as the years grow, and is why I often turn it off), you can’t really take your eyes off the screen if you want to ensure you’re writing is precise. Swiping and clicking blindly is a recipe for disaster, especially if what you’re trying to communicate is important.
There was a time when you could actually take your eyes off the device and still type accurately, but that had everything to do with using a physical keyboard, and BlackBerry just so happened to offer the very best in the business.
Not only were BlackBerry’s physical keyboards a pleasure to type on thanks to a fantastic tactile click on each key, but due to the shape of each key, you could feel where your fingers were and, with a bit of use, could indeed type accurately while looking away.
I miss those days; I miss BlackBerry’s keyboards. And sure, Android has seen a few devices over the years that offer physical keyboards, but even those have fallen out of fashion, and instead, most Android phones are a rectangle of glass that, for me, are difficult to type on quickly or accurately.
I would be ecstatic to see Android OEMs ditch the all-screen devices and offer more phones that come with physical keyboards. Heck, take a page out of BlackBerry’s book and brand them as business devices with all the security an executive would expect; it’s not like that market just disappeared with the demise of BlackBerry, as I doubt I’m the only one nostalgic for the days when physical keyboards reigned supreme.
2 Who needs the imprecision of a touchscreen when trackballs exist?
Imagine not fighting the screen to place a cursor
Do you ever try to highlight text to copy it on Android? It can often be a nightmare trying to get the cursor in the right spot. And sure, Android offers a feature that lets you move the cursor once placed, but I find it’s way too sensitive and overshoots pretty often.
As someone who cuts and pastes a lot for work and play, I can’t stand how inaccurate placing a cursor can be on Android. This makes me nostalgic for the days when we used to have trackballs built into our phones, and BlackBerry was indeed the company that brought this design into the mainstream.
Precise cursor positioning was indeed very easy to accomplish when using a trackball. Fine movement is where the ball shines, and so things like cutting and pasting were a cinch on BlackBerry devices. Sure, a touchscreen is faster when selecting things on the screen, but the tradeoff is better accuracy.
It’s not like we can’t have a ball and a touchscreen to get the best of both worlds, either. My very first Android phone, the HTC Hero, offered exactly this. How is it that a fifteen-year-old phone got this right, but modern phones forgo mechanical inputs to our detriment?
Android OEMs are allergic to adding moving parts to phones; just look at the folding market that recommends insurance because the folding mechanisms are expected to break. Why must we fight imprecise touchscreens just so manufacturers can keep their costs and repairs down? I say it’s time OEMs started exploring something different from all-screen devices, as I’m not only bored to death with the design, I’m sick of how limiting it is.
3 Square screens need to make a comeback
Every screen doesn’t have to be a rectangle
That’s right, I want phones with smaller and squarer screens to come back. All-screen rectangles feel played out, and if you go with something more square, guess what, this leaves room to add something below like, you know, a keyboard, or maybe even physical game controls (who wouldn’t want a Game Boy phone?).
The point is that our current form factor is boring and limiting, and OEMs should mix things up. First on my list is bringing back square screens that don’t take up the entire body, saving room for interesting hardware. Oh, how I miss the earlier days of smartphones when manufacturers were more willing to try new things.
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And sure, I suppose the argument could be made that square screens have been made, and they don’t sell all that well. But to that, I say the lack of options in the current market has created a new situation where little is exciting anymore, thus cutting down on how often I buy phones. With everything feeling pretty similar, my wallet is mostly closed.
Perhaps I’m an outlier, but honestly, what I am is a power user, and I no longer feel catered to. I really wish that would change.
Blackberry made exciting gear that I really miss
Perhaps I’m being nostalgic, and maybe my glasses are rose-tinted, but what I can say for certain is that modern phones bore me to death, and that needs to change with the first things on my list: adding keyboards, trackballs, and square screens back to the design of our smartphones.
