QWERTY-bar Android phones

David Filskov - December 2012 (updated January 2017)


My list of phones with real keyboards - available or roumored

Also check out GSM-ARENA's full list

No phone today fulfills my requirements.

The best match is BlackBerry Mercury (above pic) but it lacks arrow keys.


The perfect phone for me:

  • Newest Android version

  • Updated by Google (Pixel/Nexus

  • Portrait display (at least square)

  • QWERTY keyboard

  • Physical or haptic buttons

  • Arrow keys (at least right/left)

If you know any QWERTY bar Android phones not listed here please let me :)

WINNERS


BlackBerry Mercury


Available February 2017

Android 7.0



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.



BAD :(

• No arrow keys.

• Home, Menu or Back buttons are small and not physical.

NEC Terrain

http://necterrain.com/tech-specs


Available now!

Android 4.0



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.

• LCD reso 640x480 (H x W)



BAD :(

• No arrow keys.

• Keys are too unprecise - hard to feel which to tap.

• Home, Menu or Back buttons are small and not physical.

• Probably won't accept home-made ROMs.

Motorola Pro+ / Fire

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/XW-EN/Consumer-Products-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/MOTOROLA-FIRE-XW-EN



Available now!

Android 2.3.4



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.

• LCD reso 640x480 (H x W)

• Can be rooted.


BAD :(

• Keyboard bad for one-hand use - shaped for two-thumbs

• No arrow keys.

• Home, Menu or Back buttons aren't physical.

• Won't accept home-made ROMs.

• Old Android OS.


Motorola Pro / Droid Pro

http://www.motorola.com/consumers/XW-EN/Motorola-PRO-XW-EN.do?vgnextoid=e9dcfdcc1dd9d210VgnVCM10000081bbb00aRCRD


Available now!

Android 2.2


GOOD :)

• Portrait display.

• LCD reso 480x320 (H x W)


BAD :(

• No arrow keys.

• Home, Menu or Back buttons aren't physical.

• (guessing) Keyboard bad for one-hand use like Pro+.



Custom ROM:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1365444

Samsung Galaxy M Pro

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_m_pro_b7800-4115.php


Available now!

1000 Mhz CPU

Optical trackpad


GOOD :)

• LCD reso 320x480 (H x W)

• Android 2.3

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search buttons.


BAD :(

• No arrow keys (optical track pad).

• Landscape display.

HTC Status / ChaCha

http://www.htc.com/www/product/chacha/overview.html



Available now!

800 Mhz CPU

Physical Facebook button

Also in black



GOOD :)

• LCD reso 320x480 (H x W)

• Android 2.3.3

• Arrow keys.

• Physical pick up/hang up buttons.

• Cool bended shape.


BAD :(

• Keys are are bit too soft.

• Landscape display.

• Low internal storage (almost none).

• Home, Menu, Back, Search buttons aren't physical.

• QWERTY keys are flimsy.

• Right arrow key less clicky (tested on three new units)

• Easily slips / dropped.



Read my review here:


http://www.gadgetwit.com/2012/12/cha-cha-aka-status.html

Motorola Defy Pro (XT560)

http://www.motorola.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Motorola_CA-EN-Site/default/Product-Show?pid=m-Motorola-Defy-Pro


Available now!

1 Ghz CPU.

Android v2.3


GOOD:

• LCD reso 320x480 (H x W)

• Arrow keys/pad.

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search.

• Physical pick up/hang up buttons.


BAD :(

• Landscape display.

• Old Android OS.

• (guessing) Keyboard bad for one-hand use like Pro+.

Samsung Replenish

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SPH-M580ZKASPR-features



Available now!

Android v2.2


GOOD:

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search.

• Arrow keys.

• Portrait display.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 320x240 (H x W)

• Old Android OS.

Motorola Pax / Admiral

http://gpad.tv/phone/motorola-admiral



Available 2011

CDMA

Android v2.3

1000 or 1200 GHz CPU


GOOD:

• LCD reso 640x480 (H x W)

• Portrait display.


BAD :(

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search.

• No arrow keys/pad.

Huawei Boulder / Barcelona

http://www.huaweidevice.com/worldwide/productFeatures.do?pinfoId=3108&directoryId=6001&treeId=3745&tab=0


Available 2011

Android v2.2



GOOD :)

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search.

• Arrow keys/pad.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• Landscape display.

ZTE Tureis

http://mobiledaily.info/zte-tureis-android-qwerty-bar



Available 2011

Android 2.2

800 Mhz



GOOD :)

• Physical Home, Back, Menu, Search, Phone buttons.

• Arrow key pad! :)


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• Landscape display.


Alcatel One Touch 915

http://www.alcatelonetouch.com/global-en/products/smartphones/ot-915.html



Available now!

Android v2.3.5


GOOD:

• Physical Home, Menu, Back, Search.

• Arrow keys.

• Portrait display.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 320x240 (H x W)




LOSERS


Low display reso etc.


Motorola Titanium

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/MOTOROLA-TITANIUM-US-EN



Available now!

NOTE: iDEN 800/900 MHz (Nextel Direct)



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.

• LCD reso 480x320 (H x W)

• Physical buttons for Home, Back, menu etc.


BAD :(

• No arrow keys.

• Old Android version v2.1

• No GSM (only iDEN 800/900 MHz)

Samsung Galaxy Y Pro

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_y_pro_b5510-4116.php


Available (fall?) 2011

Android 2.3

883 Mhz CPU



GOOD :)

• Physical Home, Back, Menu, Search.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• Landscape display.

• No arrow keys.

Samsung Galaxy Chat

http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=16117


Available now (or aug/sep 2012).

Android 4.0



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.


BAD :(

• Only LCD reso 320x240 (H x W)

• No arrow keys.

• Home, Menu or Back buttons aren't physical.

Samsung Galaxy Pro

http://www.samsung.com/ae/consumer/mobile-phones/mobile-phones/smart-phone/GT-B7510CWAXSG/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&subsubtype=android


Available now

Android 2.2

800 Mhz CPU



GOOD :)

• Physical Home, Back, Menu, Search.

• Arrow keys.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• Landscape display.

(keyboard has a "loose" feel hanging down if phone is upside down!)

LG Optimus Pro C660

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2hnOzSLrw


Available ?

800 MHz



GOOD :)

• Portrait display.

• Android 2.3

• Physical Home, Back, Menu, Search.

• Three shortcut keys: Browser, calendar, mail.


BAD :(

• LCD reso only 320 x 240 (H x W)

• No arrow keys.

Motorola Charm

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/MOTOROLA-CHARM-with-MOTOBLUR-US-EN


Available now!

600 MHz CPU



GOOD :)

• Arrow keys.

• Keyboard feels sturdy.

• Mail and Cam shortcut buttons.


BAD :(

• Touchscreen faulty when not held and on some chargers.

• Low resolution screen.

• Landscape LCD 240x320 (H x W)

• Android 2.1

• Won't accept home-made ROMs :(

• Home, Menu and Back buttons aren't physical.

Acer beTouch e210

http://mobile.acer.com/en-us/phones/betouch-e210



Available now

Android 2.2



GOOD :)

Hmm any ideas?


BAD :(

• Landscape display.

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• No arrow keys.

• Resistive touc screen.

• Low resolution.

INQ Cloud Q

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/14/inq-cloud-q-busts-from-cover-at-mwc-2011-and-we-get-glass-on/



Available 2011

...in black and white.

Android 2.2



GOOD :)

• Info and play buttons.


BAD :(

• Landscape display.

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• No arrow keys or physical Home, Menu, Back :(

• Available in black.

Acer beTouch e130

http://mobile.acer.com/en-us/phones/betouch-e130


Available mid 2011



GOOD :)

Hmm anything?


BAD :(

• Landscape display.

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• No arrow keys or physical Home, Menu or Back :(

• Resistive touch screen :(

• Old Android v1.6 :(

Huawei U8300

http://www.huaweidevice.com/worldwide/productFeatures.do?pinfoId=2692&directoryId=2037&treeId=37



Available now

...in white, black, purple, green, yellow.



GOOD :)

• Physical Home, Back, Menu etc. :)


BAD :(

• Landscape display.

• LCD reso only 240x320 (H x W)

• No arrow keys :(

• Resitive touch-screen :(

• Old Android v2.1