On new cell phones, QWERTY eases out 1-2-3

Unbelieveable that the Japanese manufacturers have seemingly given up on the NA market. Just came back from Canada and saw that the cell phone industry was dominated by Samsung, LG and Motorola. For the life of me I can't understand why they don't make more of an effort to seel their phones there. And I hope to god that they soon get with the program and add more QWERTY type phones on the market here.

"For the life of me I can't understand why they don't make more of an effort to seel their phones there"

I know why - it's called competition and innovation. J makers missed the Smartphone and other developments, while the foreign makers are technologically farther ahead. My Samsung, for instance, is the world's thinnest 3G handset ever made.

Japanese companies don't do well with competition. They have low wages and running costs witihin their companies, but they lack the ability to evolve and change with the rest of the world.

My Samsung, for instance, is the world's thinnest 3G handset ever made.

Don't believe what Samsung spew out, Docomo has the thinest, Samsung's phone isn't a clam shell (fold phone) so they say their's in thiner when comparing to docomo's folded phone. Unfold the phone and the docomo is about 50% thiner.

Touch screens and QWERTY keyboards will take over from here, thank you.

Nooo! I hope not. Leave touch screens to the Apple fanboys. Everyone's image of them is of effeminate west coast/UK boys using them as they put gel in their hair.

Numeric keypads are much better and faster. And keep things simple. I want a phone I can put through someone's teeth and then resume my conversation once the fight is finished.

Yesss !

Touch screens will take over from here !

Goodbye, numeric cell phone keypads.

I agree with TokyoHustla. I have an old razr, silver from verizon (USA). I have been putting off upgrading because I find flip phones protect the 2 important things of a phone, the screen and the keypad, I drop it all the time or knock it off my desk. But the problem is I do a lot of texting and I am always on the go so email and a qwerty pad sounds enticing. Things like the Blackberry Storm and the HTC Touch Pro (both with verizon still) look cool and fit what I am looking for. But I am not sure it can meet up to my physical demands of the device.

However, I agree. I wish the Japanese companies would try more to break into the US market. I like some of the ideas that they have implemented like seg-one and better stock cameras in the phones.

Can't see touch screens becoming that mainstream on mobile phones. They are just too fiddly to use unless the phones are going to incorporate a stylus with it. Stick with the keys and put the touchscreen money straight into mind control development.

I agree with TokyoHustla too. That is the spirit.

I hate touch screens especially when I am eating with my fingers.

QWERTY sucks and it such a nuisance to find a Dvorak keyboard hack to make the keyboard work.