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sevla is offline sevla
2010-05-05 , 15:57
Posts: 244 | Thanked: 155 times | Joined on Aug 2009 @ DC
#1
What do you guys think of having capacitive keyboard buttons instead of the traditional push button. I think that's a unique feature Nokia can add to their phones that other manufacturers haven't used yet. Think the power button on the PS3. In the past Nokia has always been ahead of the curve hardware wise, but as of late they have been playing catch up for the most part.

Here are some of the benefits
  • Visually Appealing
  • less effort to 'press'; A light touch activates the button
  • add border around each key to give it a physical feel
  • uses less vertical space then traditional keys and results in an overall thinner device

What do you guys think?
 
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ToJa92 is offline ToJa92
2010-05-05 , 15:59
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#2
IMO it would make typing even slower, so I'd pass on that one.
 

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wmarone is offline wmarone
2010-05-05 , 16:02
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#3
Originally Posted by sevla View Post
What do you guys think of having capacitive keyboard buttons instead of the traditional push button.
It solves one, but not all, of the drawbacks of onscreen keyboards used with capacitive devices.

Visually Appealing
I suppose, in that Star Trek TNG way.

less effort to 'press'; A light touch activates the button
The effort required with the current keyboard is already extremely low, the removal of tactile feedback is one of the other drawbacks.

add border around each key to give it a physical feel
Which would help with alignment, I suppose.

In this case I'd just as soon have the keyboard replaced by an OLED, so it too would be a reconfigurable display.
 
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pelago is offline pelago
2010-05-05 , 16:02
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#4
I'd prefer real physical keys.
 
sevla is offline sevla
2010-05-05 , 16:09
Posts: 244 | Thanked: 155 times | Joined on Aug 2009 @ DC
#5
I think my experience with physical keys has been warped a bit. The last phone I used that had physical keys was the N97 and it felt like i had to mash the keys to get them to press. I've heard the n900 is much better with this but I don't have any first hand experience with it.

I personally type way faster with the iPhone keyboard then any other phone I've used so maybe I'm slightly partial to the light touch typing capacitive offers.
 
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volt is offline volt
2010-05-05 , 16:23
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#6
I don't like the thought. Though with tactile feedback and a border, it would be liveable, but.. It doesn't appeal to me.

The worst kind of remotes I know are these:

They have both tactile feedback and physical borders but they're in no way a match for real buttons of any kind.
 
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kevloral is offline kevloral
2010-05-05 , 16:33
Posts: 134 | Thanked: 247 times | Joined on Sep 2009 @ Spain, EU
#7
And losing the proper haptic feedback? Sorry, but no thanks.
 
Memph1s is offline Memph1s
2010-05-05 , 20:01
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#8
no way! my initial requirement for a smartphone before i discovered the N900 was a slide out hardware keyboard!
 
Rauha is offline Rauha
2010-05-05 , 20:30
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#9
Originally Posted by sevla View Post
What do you guys think of having capacitive keyboard buttons instead of the traditional push button.
You should check this Nokia patent released two months ago. Link (Pdf)

It's describes keypad consisting of:
1.Top layer
2. Light layer - for displaying diffrent key layouts.
3. Capacitive layer - for sensing touch
4. Piezo layer - for pressure sensitivity and haptic feedback

"One advantage of the invention is that it allows for the construction of a very thin keypad. Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for an adaptive keypad that can have different layouts. Yet another advantage of the invention is that it provides for a keypad that provides haptic feedback."
 

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sevla is offline sevla
2010-05-05 , 21:28
Posts: 244 | Thanked: 155 times | Joined on Aug 2009 @ DC
#10
Originally Posted by Rauha View Post
You should check this Nokia patent released two months ago. Link (Pdf)

It's describes keypad consisting of:
1.Top layer
2. Light layer - for displaying diffrent key layouts.
3. Capacitive layer - for sensing touch
4. Piezo layer - for pressure sensitivity and haptic feedback

"One advantage of the invention is that it allows for the construction of a very thin keypad. Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for an adaptive keypad that can have different layouts. Yet another advantage of the invention is that it provides for a keypad that provides haptic feedback."
Looks like they are ahead of me. That's perfect, tactile feedback with capacitive touch. I hope we see this implemented soon!
 
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