BlackBerry Pearl 9105 to Have T9 Style Keyboard?

Though I understand trying to appeal to everyone, to me a T9 keyboard seems like a big step backwards. that said my finance who still loves her LG may be able to transfer to BB easier ff she doesn't have to learn to type on a QWERTY keyboard. she is super fast on T9... We shall see....

...what's the point of a T9? I guess it's for those that want to read, but not necessarily respond to their messages?

Suretype was "pushing it". A T9 style keyboard defeats the purpose of BlackBerry, entirely.

Isn't this defeating the purpose of a BlackBerry?

I dont really like the idea of that. Blackberry is about communicating. typing on the old T9 style keyboard is a pain. I just came from a phone with a keyboard like that and dont even want to think about typing like that again. I think the suretype was a good mix between a T9 and a full keyboard, they should stick to it.

That is kind of sad really, going away from the idea of a smartphone look and feel. Full QWERTY, IMHO, is one of the things that separate a smartphone from a dumbphone. How is T9 in any way smart? Even SureType works flawlessly in comparison to T9. Don't fix what ain't broken!

Maybe the only benefit I can see is it might attract more from the dumbphone market to come over. Perhaps they just love T9 too much to make the jump? Somehow I don't think so...

Is there anything about that image that doesn't scream "FAKE" at the top of its lungs? The entire thing is pixelated, even moreso around the Blackberry-esque features - the screened earpiece, the BB logo, the BB button, and the keyboard.

OK, so I had the 8100 for 2 years+. I could type like mad on that thing. It took me MAYBE 2 weeks to get used to it. After my 8100, I switched tot he 8900 and a full qwerty. It took me over a month to get used to it. Now I can type pretty well. But at the moment, while my BB is getting replaced, I'm on a loaner Moto with T9 keypad. Ugh! I hate messaging with this thing! My replacement is presently now in my hometown to be delivered today, thank God. Why RIM would do this I can't fathom. Perhaps they have found a way to change your keypad? You could choose SureTYpe/T9/QWERTY? 9100/9105/9110? That would take a lot of work tho.

nooo!! This is not a BlackBerry!!

T9 may appeal to everybody but it defeats the purpose of u owning a blacakberry rather than a simple T9 phone.....
Blackberry is all about communicating and if its not QWERTY its not blackberry.

QWERTY is not for everyone just like SureType isn't for everyone. I personally prefer the larger SureType keys on the 81XX series over the single-character QWERTY design any day. Less keys = less movement = faster typing.

Before I migrated to BlackBerry, I used a Samsung flip. While at first I was stubbord to learn T9, I was thankful I did. While some may see it as a leap backwards here, I see it as appealing to a broader audience and expanding your consumer market. It's not like RIM is putting a rotary dialer on the front of the damn thing.

Just like they how they ship out different models with varying features every year (Trackpad but no camera flash, Wi-Fi but no CDMA or EVDO) it would make sense to include different keypad designs to increase their targeted audience. Let's face it. Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone is as eager as the rest of us to bite the bullet and learn how to use SureType or QWERTY just to have the latest and greatest smartphone.

Being a tech support agent for an American phone company, one of the most common complaints I get from new members receiving their BlackBerry 83XX series is that they find it too hard to type with.

If RIM released a T9 version of every current BlackBerry model in cycle right now, it could drastically increase revenue for them as well as the carriers. Almost all carriers make a BlackBerry data plan mandatory with a BlackBerry smartphone. Imagine all those folks who want a PDA phone and who would be willing to fork out the $$ for the data plan if they could actually use the damn keyboard.

While to me learning how to use either SureType or QWERTY should not throw one's universe out of alignment, and the end result should be worth ten-fold the trouble was, they're certainly not for everyone. And although QWERTY has stood the test of time and has been around ever since the first RIM pagers were designed, I try to remain non-partisan and realize that not everyone is going to want to learn and/or enjoy it.

So if this is the next step for RIM to increase their number of potential customers, then kudos to them.

To me, its simply taking a product that has already been designed for ease-of-use, and to be loved by millions of users right out of the box, and enhancing it further to be loved by millions more. Sometimes enhancing something doesn't always mean sticking something "new" on it. If T9 is really what some consumers want, then give the people what they want.

Maybe I'm not as "die hard" as you guys but I can clearly see the point in this. Its an entry level smartphone. Sort of like the crossover vehicle in the automotive world. Its only a transition for people. Rather brilliant if you ask me.

Just no on so many levels. It just does not work for a smart phone to have just a basic T9 and any type of messaging would be a pain.

It's obviously not a Blackberry. Duh. They remove the push services, BBM, apps, security, etc. along with the QWERTY or SureType keyboard.

Perhaps this is just an April Fools joke that popped up a day earlier than it was supposed to.

Perhaps this is just an April Fools joke that popped up a day earlier than it was supposed to.

Believe it or not, there are people out there the absolutely love T9, though I'm not a fan of it.

Past Text Champions have been won by T9 users. From a business stand point, RIM is right to go after a consumer market that has a legitimate following. I would hate to use a web-browser with T9 keyboard, but I don't care from a touch screen either. It all boils down to preference, therefore I'll stick to my 9700.

Ick. Not for me, but someone will buy it :)

While I'm sure it won't happen let's think about this. The Pearl series has always been a joke when thinking about processing power, despite that, BB was able to grant it the ability to determine what you're trying to write while having 2 letters on each key.
The new Pearl series is going to have so much more processing power in comparison to the old series. With that new found power there is no reason why they wouldn't be able to incorporate SureType into a 12 key format with 3 letters per key if they're able to make it functional. New users would be able to pick it up and hit the ground running not having to relearn where all the letters are. Existing Pearl users wouldn't have too difficult a time because the layout would be identical, just consolidated to fewer buttons. Then they could give users the option of T9 or SureType. As we all know, the more options we're given on our end, the happier we'll be with the product. Any time you move from one phone to another you have to relearn the keyboard, unless the model you're switching to has the identical keys, spacing, and feel of your previous one. Anyone using a Curve, try picking up a tour and try typing as fast as you normally would and vice versa. There's always a learning curve and will always be something different. As I said, I highly doubt they'll pot this type of keyboard on the new Pearl, but if they do it'll be a brilliant move and they will bring in a lot of customers who otherwise wouldn't make the switch.

That's what I think anyway.

I just don't like the look of this, looks too much like a standard phone, like and old school Nokia or something like that... C-

Joke.

T9 is not for me but I do have a friend who doesn't see well and can text very quickly (without looking!) on an alphanumeric keypad. Switching over to a full qwerty would be really difficult for her. This would be a good choice for her.

Suretype is the bomb.. why get back to T9 that SUCKS..

IF this is just Suretype, with the exact same functionality but consolidated to fewer keys, I'd probably increase my typing speed on it even more! But T9 is garbage. Always has been, always will be. Not an option we need to ever see on a Blackberry. If T9 is just incorporated as a choice in the OS, as long as I can still choose Suretype, it wouldn't be too bad... as I'm sure there are still T9 lovers out there that might be more easily converted to Blackberry with this option available.

To folks who aren't used to smartphones and mobile devices, this could be a godsend. You or I are fans of a full keyboard, but not everyone is. Why trash a device that obviously not targeted at us? Don't you guys WANT RIM to be successful? I don't know about your friends, but I hear comments about what a ridiculous looking phone my Curve is all the time. Not everyone out there wants a full-sized smartphone. It's true that most of them are ignorant of what they're missing, but still, smartphones are still seen as a "geek device" by many.
I wanted my wife to get a BlackBerry, but she thought the QWERTY keyboard was too geeky. So I introduced her to the Pearl 8220 flip, which was the closes BlackBerry to a "normal" phone. About 6 months in, she had started to get really envious of my Curve 8310's keyboard. I ended up moving to the 8900 and giving her the 8310, but if it hadn't been for the Pearl's SureType, she never would have gotten on board in the first place.
Now I'm working on my best friend. She's actually more like a sister to me and I pay for her phone on my family plan. I've been wanting to get her on to a BlackBerry as well. She's not opposed to the concept of a BlackBerry, but she wants it to look like a normal phone. She's seen the Pearls and she doesn't hate them, but has told me more than once that she has no interest in learning a new keyboard. She's used to T9 and still thinks the Pearl's keyboard is too messy looking.
If this is T9 BlackBerry rumour is true, it would be perfect for her.

So just because YOU don't want a device, doesn't mean it's not perfect for someone else. Try and take a wider view here people.

One of the reasons I chose my first 'Berry was to get away from that horrible keyboard.

Why would they do this? Not only it it ugly it up a bit, but even for someone with large fingers like myself, I have absolutely no problem typing on a friends Pearl.

This would hurt BB's image. BB are powerful phones but this would make the BB pearl line look like cheap phones.

Having been a RIM customer for years, and in light of all the new transitions RIM has taken, I am starting to think that RIM has peaked. It is clear that we are no longer in the High Renaissance... :(

Why not have the pearl ship with all 3 keyboards? You could make the keyboard a removable module (like a detachable face stereo). If you are transitioning to blackberry, you can try them all out so you can't make the wrong choice.

Would never buy one with either T9 suretype or full keyboard, but yea seems like a step backwards and like typical RIM lately.

Sidenote: I wish I had a double tap option for the suretype keyboard on my storm!!!

This looks like my 9 year old's Nokia. This would be a deal breaker for anyone who's ever used a BB.

When I first saw the 9100 photos last year, I was on a tear trying to find out when it was gonna be on the market. That was 5 months ago. I went away from the T9 style phones for a reason. This new 9105 style is not for me. I'll stick with the sure-type. WHEN IS THE 9100 GONNA BE AVAILABLE???? ANYONE???

this phone is ugly but T9 ROCKS!!! i miss that the most...the qwerty keyboard is just annoying. the buttons are so tiny and u have to have two hands to text in any kind of a hurry.

The T9 keyboard is so very helpful for the visually impaired or those with fat fingers. I have macular degeneration and can NOT use a querty keyboard. I have success with keys or with touch screen, but the querty keyboard does not allow for me to hold my magnifier to see the screen and key the buttons. Not having the T9 keyboard available leaves a large demographic group at a loss