Several years ago, there were already phones with sliding qwerty keyboards from companies such as Motorola, HTC, Nokia. However, touch screens became much more popular for input and these models were not in demand. Despite the fact that they are a thing of the past, many users are nostalgic for the physical keyboards that are so lacking in smartphones.

Many companies such as Samsung, Huawei, LG, Xiaomi are seriously developing new projects. The British company F(x)tec, which previously existed under the name Livermorium, was no exception. At the beginning of 2019, she announced her intention to return user-favorite functions from old phones. F(x)tec Pro 1 is the first device equipped with a qwerty keyboard, which will be released in July.

general characteristics

Characteristic	Peculiarities
Appearance	Screen: minimal magnesium frame; Back: Aluminum alloy; Colors: black; Dimensions: 73.6 mm by 13.98 mm;
Software	Android 9 Pie
Display	6" curved
Microchip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with Adreno 540 GPU
Memory	6 GB random access memory+ 128 GB built-in; Expandable via micro-SD
Battery	3200 mAh
Camera	Main: 12 MP; Second: 5 MP; Front: 8 MP; Two-color dual LED flash.
Biometrics	Front-mounted fingerprint sensor
Connection	2 SIM cards

Slider smartphones may seem heavy and large. However, this is offset by the presence of a physical keyboard. On one side of the phone there is a volume rocker, an on/off button, and a camera shutter button. On the other hand, there is a slide-out keyboard with soft buttons. At the bottom there are stereo speakers and a USB port. The developers chose to place the headphone jack at the top.

Keyboard comfort

Even though the keyboard looks small, it does a lot of things. Among them:

• convenient typing;
• device navigation using arrows;
• there is no need to search for the required symbols;
• realistic resemblance to a computer keyboard.

In addition, the folding system allows you to take up less space while still using a full qwerty keyboard.

Microchip

F(x)tec used the Snapdragon 835 microchip in their development. The reason for embedding is the incredible battery saving effect. It is not just powerful and fast, but also uses energy correctly. At the same time, the manufacturer made a compromise by using an average quality chip to reduce the price of the device. Upon pre-order, this device will cost 43 thousand rubles. In the future, its price will decrease.

Who needs a slider smartphone with a keyboard?

Smartphones with slide-out keyboards have existed before. They were business-class phones, their price was high, but their performance was no different, and sometimes lagged behind others. 2019 was a year of rebirth for them. The new sliders have high performance, have high-quality assembly, are comfortable and affordable.

These phones are suitable for people:

• which are often rewritten in in social networks and by mail;
• those who value originality and individuality;
• those who prefer convenience and comfort when typing.

Interesting fact! The company announcing the release of this smartphone was inspired by previously created Nokia phones: E70 and N900.

Advantages and disadvantages

Modern slider smartphones with a qwerty keyboard are a special category of devices. They have well-adapted operating systems with powerful chips that allow for full use. Their heavy weight is compensated by the presence of a real keyboard with soft buttons.

Revival of a legend. Side sliders with QWERTY keyboard are released again (1 video)

Illustrations for this article (4 photos)

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The QWERTY keyboard is perceived as a relic of the past, something that has ceased to exist, or is simply not relevant. But as it turns out, many manufacturers have tried themselves in this path, and almost everyone has an experimental model.
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he made a very valid point: the physical keyboard on the front of the phone takes up a lot of space that could be used for the display. It was Apple that defined the image of the smartphone in its modern form.
But this argument can be distorted. Is there a lot of space left when we type, because the keyboard takes up half the screen?
The pioneer in the field of full hardware keyboards on mobile phones was ( and is still represented most widely in this segment ) BlackBerry company. It placed a lot on these models, and after the triumph of touch screens and the corresponding failure of keyboards, it lost most of the market, which led to financial difficulties.
Until recently, it was impossible buy a smartphone with top specifications and with a QWERTY keyboard. Now BlackBerry has released its new model PRIV, which can be said to be on par with the market leaders. For example, or Galaxy S6 Edge. But more on that later.
Let's see what models exist on this moment, which you can pay attention to.

BlackBerry Q10

Back in 2013, BlackBerry introduced its OS 10, which was focused on touch control, and released two models Z10 and Q10. The Z10 has full touch controls, but in the Q10 they never abandoned the familiar keys.

And the smartphone turned out to be good:

• Elegant design, excellent build
• Super Amoled 3.1 inches, with a resolution of 720x720
• 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal, dual-core processor
• LTE, you will not be deprived of communications
• 8 megapixel camera

Flaws:

• There are a small number of applications for BlackBerry OS, of course you will find the main ones (Twitter, VK, Instagram, players, etc.), but there is a significant lack of variety
• For its price you can buy it without a keyboard with better parameters

The phone was notable at the time for its design. Suitable for sophisticated buyers.

BlackBerry Passport

The model is very wide, 90 mm, with the average width of a smartphone being 60 mm, i.e. by a third.
Advantages:

• Protective glass Gorilla Glass 3
• Very good hardware (3 GB RAM, 4 cores)
• 32 GB of internal memory up to 128 GB of memory cards
• Long battery life
• High performance and system optimization
• Premium display with superior visualization capabilities

Flaws

• The special design has a drawback, it is still very wide
• Operating system not Android

The smartphone turned out to be specific, but certainly stylish, with powerful equipment and a high price comparable to Samsung flagships, HTC, Apple. But if you want something special, buy it.

BlackBerry PRIV

BlackBerry PRIV is probably the most interesting model released in 2105. It's the well-forgotten slider again! And what’s important is that it runs on Android 5.1.
Peculiarities:

• Powerful equipment – ​​13 MP | 6 core processor| 3 GB RAM| 32 GB|A moled 5.1’’
• Beautiful design, curved display like the Galaxy S6 Egde
• The keyboard is not bulky, you can use both the keyboard and touch controls
• Good camera with optical stabilization

Flaws

• High price
• Errors in the software environment and bugs, but this can be understood by experience using Android BlackBerry doesn't have enough on its devices
• I would like more battery capacity

Mobile phones with touch controls are becoming a worthy replacement for push-button models. This has been happening since 2013. Currently, it is almost impossible to find a smartphone with a push-button keyboard on the shelves of modern stores. Despite this, some smartphones still have a slide-out keyboard, and this fact indicates that not every company is interested only in touch displays.

LG Enact

LG primarily focuses on touch smartphones. Despite this, the push-button model can still be successfully found. Moreover, the device successfully operates on the Android operating system. Maybe this particular device will please people who do not strive to actively and successfully understand modern trends.

LG Enact pleases with ease of control, but at the same time the functionality matches its sophisticated brothers. Additional advantages include a very powerful and decent battery.

Of course, there will be disadvantages. For example, a smartphone has a small display (the diagonal is only 4 inches), but even such dimensions do not lead to refusal of the purchase.

Technical data:

• 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 processor;
• built-in memory – 8 gigabytes;
• capacity battery– 2460 mAh;
• operating system - Android versions 4.1;
• Camera – 5 megapixels with LED backlight.

In fact specifications are at an average level and suggest a practical approach to a mobile phone. The cost is $350.

Nokia C6

Nokia C6 has gained real interest. The smartphone is ideal for fans of an active lifestyle who still gravitate towards a qwerty keyboard. Mobile phone running version 5 operating system Symbian S60, which, fortunately, is characterized by maximum convenience.

The smartphone has 4 rows of keys that represent almost all letters of the Cyrillic alphabet. The exceptions were two letters - X, B. On the right side of the keyboard there is a navigation system that successfully replaces the arrows. Among the advantages of buttons are their large size and convex shape. The white backlight allows you to type text successfully and without any problems even in the dark.

• bluetooth;
• wi-fi;
• branded navigator;
• possibility of using memory cards;
• radio;
• 5 megapixel camera.

The screen has a resolution of 640 by 360 pixels, and this is already enough to watch videos.

An interesting feature is the minimum weight (50 grams). The smartphone is available in black and white.

BlackBerry Venice

BlackBerry offers a unique smartphone with a slide-out keyboard called Venice. This model features a 5.1-inch curved screen. Technical data and functionality please:

• screen – 5.1 inches. The most convenient and enjoyable work experience is expected thanks to the smartphone display;
• An 8-core processor that successfully performs almost any task;
• 16-megapixel camera that allows you to create high-quality images;
• Battery capacity – 3650 mAh for long-term operation on a single charge.

However, the smartphone initially attracts with its unique design: the front glass is actually curved at the edges. We can safely assume that this form will provide maximum ergonomics.

BlackBerry Passport

This smartphone is popular among businessmen and executives. It should be noted that it turned out to be one of the fastest, best and most functional among models with a sliding keyboard.

The smartphone initially looks expensive and prestigious, which evokes only the best impressions. Moreover, many people will be glad to be able to control in two ways at once: touch screen and a slide-out keyboard. However, the smartphone is offered without the Cyrillic alphabet, which turns out to be an atypical drawback. To communicate successfully, you have to regularly use a transliterated to Russian translator or double buttons, which actually complicates the process of typing any text. If you use the keyboard for navigation, you can control your smartphone with ease, because the buttons are even adapted for copying, pasting, and highlighting different texts.

Despite the high cost (about 43,000 rubles), BlackBerry Passport is ready to please with its versatility. All functions are brought to near perfection, which, without a doubt, leaves the best impression.

Despite the fact that smartphones with push-button keyboards are becoming a thing of the past, similar models can still be found on the market. The most important thing is to carefully study all the offers and understand which option is best to choose. right choice, since only in this case can you be completely satisfied with the purchase.

Video: the best smartphone with a sliding keyboard 2017

Samsung Galaxy Y Pro

But once upon a time Samsung also produced smartphones with a QWERTY keyboard. What is the cost of the Samsung Galaxy Y Pro, which ran on Android 2.3.

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This device It had simple hardware and a 2.6-inch screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.

The Samsung Galaxy Y Pro was even sold in Russia, so if you're lucky, you can find a used or refurbished device with a Russified QWERTY keyboard.

The Samsung Galaxy Y Pro used cameras with a resolution of 3.15 and 0.3 megapixels. The battery capacity was 1,350 mAh. Of course, today this is no longer surprising.

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Qumo

Qumo Push 220

If you need a phone with a QWERTY keyboard “here and now”, and even with a Russian layout, you can pay attention to the Qumo Push 220. It is sold in one of the federal retail chains, and for some ridiculous price.

However, you must immediately understand that Qumo Push 220 is a simple dialer, so the use of a QWERTY keyboard will be standard. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The phone only works in 2G networks, and, judging by the reviews of the owners, standard browser has amazing weakness. So you can simply forget about working with mail or surfing the Internet.

What is this extremely cheap device good for? It is unlikely that an adequate answer to this question can be found. Unless you constantly write SMS, as in the distant 90s and 00s, when there were no instant messengers and social networks.

Alternative

Alternative options

How easy it is to make sure, buy convenient smartphone With a QWERTY keyboard today, even if it is possible, it is very difficult. There are actually no alternatives to several BlackBerry models, and they are not officially supplied to us, so you will have to think something about Russification (the most common option is engraving). What about additional accessories for regular smartphones?

Manufacturers themselves do not pamper consumers with a special wealth of choice. Among the official keyboards for popular models We can highlight the Samsung Galaxy S7 Keyboard Cover. Surprisingly, this gadget is even sold in Russia, although the layout on it is not localized.

The Galaxy S7 Keyboard Cover works simply: you just need to put the phone in a case and attach a small keyboard. The smartphone automatically recognizes the connected accessory and adapts the screen to it (approximately 70% of the usable area remains). If the keyboard is not needed at a given time, it can be installed on the back side, or even unfastened.

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Similar official devices exist for Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy Note 5, that is, most of the latest flagships of the Korean company.

Also on online platforms you can find various options for third-party keyboards for Apple iPhone 6/6S, 5/5S or 4/4S (“seven” is for some reason left out, although devices from the iPhone 6/6S may be suitable for it). These can be either slider cases or book-type cases. Of course, there is no need to talk about the presence of a Russian layout.

Conclusion

In the recent past, there were many QWERTY smartphones. Can you remember HTC Desire Z and Motorola Droid 4, as well as their direct predecessors. And what did Nokia models of the E and N families with full keyboards cost?

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Unfortunately, leading manufacturers have not produced devices with physical buttons for a long time. There are simply no alternative solutions today, so if you really need a device with a QWERTY keyboard, you need to look only in their direction. In addition, you can try looking for an original snap-on keyboard for the Samsung Galaxy. There are also sliders and books for sale. Third party iPhone manufacturers. Finding them in retail is almost impossible, but you can order them.

However, let's not forget that phones with QWERTY keyboards appeared at a time when people needed to type a lot on mobile device, and the standard 10-button input was not suitable for this. Today, every smartphone has one, which can be used in both horizontal and vertical positions, and can be changed appearance, choose keyboards from different developers.

Moreover, you can use swipes and auto-suggestions, which, after some adaptation (both from the user and the smartphone), allow you to increase your typing speed. Of course, a touch screen will not replace a physical keyboard, however, the urgent need for the latter has disappeared, even if you type quite a lot.

But all this does not change the fact that manufacturers (with the exception of BlackBerry) have left the QWERTY smartphone market.

Good day to all!

I started getting acquainted with DEXP MQ 3.5 on December 30, 2014, so we have been friends since last year and have learned enough about each other, including all the advantages and disadvantages. Besides, we've been through it together New Year, and that already means something.

Main distinctive feature This smartphone has a physical QWERTY keyboard. Many may question the existence of such a solution, but let’s not draw conclusions ahead of time, but try to figure out whether this is so. In addition, the smartphone has a 3.5" display and is based on Android OS. Well, another important indicator is the price, which currently amounts to some 3,290 rubles.

Specifications

Common parameters

Black color

Device type: smartphone/communicator

Case material: plastic

Operating system: Android 4.2.2

Standard: GSM 900/1800, WCDMA 900/2100

SIM card type: mini-SIM (regular) + micro-SIM

Support two SIM cards: There is

Operating mode of two SIM cards: alternating

Connector: micro USB

Dimensions(WxHxD): 61x124x10 mm.

Screen

Multitouch support: yes

Screen diagonal: 3.5"

Screen resolution: 320x480

Technology: TFT

Number of screen colors: 262 thousand.

Memory and processor

Processor model: MediaTek MT 6572M

Number of cores: 2

Processor frequency: 1000 MHz

RAM capacity: 512 MB

Built-in memory: 4 GB

Memory card slot: yes

Types of supported memory cards: microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC

Maximum memory card capacity: 32 GB

Communications

Bluetooth: yes, version 3.0

Wi-Fi: yes, standard 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n

Interface: micro USB

GPS receiver: yes

Multimedia

Camera: yes

Number of camera megapixels: 2 MP

Built-in flash: yes

Front camera: yes

Number of megapixels of the front camera: 0.3 MP

Video recording: yes

FM radio: yes

Headphone jack: yes

Headphone Jack Type: 3.5mm

Nutrition

Battery type: Li-Ion

Battery capacity: 1400 mAh

Additionally

Sensors: accelerometer, light, proximity

Features: qwerty keyboard

Package

Everything is strict and harmonious. A black small flat box, which is typical for most devices from DEXP.

Equipment

The package does not boast any special features. Standard USB cable, Charger, warranty card and user manual.

Appearance

Personally, I really liked the device. Lightweight, moderately compact, quite strict. And even the QWERTY keyboard fits harmoniously on the body of the device.

The material from which the smartphone is made is, of course, plastic, which is a standard solution for budget models. No gaps or complaints regarding the assembly were found.

It fits perfectly in the hand. Although it may seem a little small for large hands.

In general, at this price, DEXP MQ 3.5 can be an excellent gift, both for yourself and for family or friends.

Connectors and controls

1. The manufacturer left the right end absolutely smooth, without any buttons or connectors.

2. On the left side we have the power and volume buttons.

3. At the bottom there is a micro USB connector, 2 speakers and a microphone.

4. On top there is only a 3.5 mm audio output.

5. On the back panel we see the camera and flash.

6. The front side is the most interesting where we have front-camera, speaker and, of course, QWERTY keyboard.

Let's look at the keyboard in a little more detail. Here, in addition to a set of letters, we can enter additional characters programmed on the buttons by clicking on the arrow with a square. In addition, there is a button similar to Shift, which allows you to enter capital letters. To change the language, you will have to hold down our Shift + Spacebar. While on the home screen or in the application menu, if you start pressing the hardware buttons, text is immediately entered to search in the browser. Or, if these buttons are digits, the dialing screen appears.

Surprisingly, even my Dyusha became interested in this smartphone and its QWERTY keyboard. So you can get used to typing on it with almost any hand (or paw) size)))).

Screen

This is a budget model, hence the screen characteristics are very simple. This is a 3.5 inch TFT display with a resolution of 320x480 and 262 thousand colors. Of course, the resolution is not enough, and I would like more colors, but for of this class devices, quite tolerable. For normal use and even for some games it is quite enough.

Viewing angles when tilted left and right are quite good.

But when tilting up and down it is much worse.

I would also like to note that when typing text on this smartphone, the entire screen is at our disposal, because The keyboard is already located in the hardware part, so 3.5 inches is enough for him.

As for the response to touches and Multitouch, the response is quite fast and responsive, but the test on Multitouch showed the possibility of only 2 simultaneous touches.

Camera

The camera in this device seems to be just there to be. With its 2MP, you can, for example, take a photo for a call image. Although, if you use your imagination, you can probably find some other worthy use for it. But let's first look at the result.

As usual, we have some tweaks to make. However, little depends on them.

This is how the photos turn out.

And this is what comes out in poor lighting.

And this is what happens when shooting a panorama.

In general, the quality depends very much on the lighting. But even under ideal conditions there remains a fair amount of “noise”.

The video can only be shot stationary and in good lighting, otherwise it will turn out like mine. And it would be nice to remember to unfold the phone.

The front camera has only 0.3 megapixels, but somehow copes with its functions.

Software

The smartphone works under Android control 4.2.2, which adds a nice plus to it. The system performance was up to par, no glitches or freezes were noticed. Before us is an almost clean system with a small list of pre-installed applications, these are Navitel, 2Gis, Dr.Web. Otherwise, almost everything is standard.

This is how everyone’s already favorite “curtain” is implemented, divided into notifications and quick switches for the main settings.

When typing a message or any other text field, by default, there is no software keyboard in order to enjoy all the delights of the hardware keyboard. However, you can change this in the settings and also call up the software keyboard at any time. But when dialing a number, large numbers appear so as not to have to worry about typing their smaller counterparts on the keyboard.

Productivity

This smartphone has dual core MediaTek processor MT6572M with clock frequency 1 GHz. The amount of RAM is 512 MB. For everyday tasks such as making calls, writing SMS, and even browsing the web or some applications, this is quite enough. The phone copes with most of these tasks without any brakes, even when they are started at the same time. In terms of testing, AnTuTu rated our DEXP at 10,472 points.

Compared to other models, this test looks something like this.

Well, the rest of the AnTuTu testing indicators.

Numbers and indicators are, of course, good, but what about games? For testing, 3 popular, but not the most powerful toys were installed. And DEXP MQ 3.5 coped with them without problems.

In general, the productivity of the device is quite at the level. He copes with his tasks.

Communications and sound

Wi-fi and bluetooth in this smartphone do their job perfectly, without any complaints. We also have GPS with A-GPS support. There are no complaints about him either. My location was found almost instantly.

But as for the sound, I would like it a little more. Even at maximum volume, with incoming call, the volume seems to be not enough. But during a conversation, audibility is excellent, both in one direction and in the other.

Working with two SIM cards

The smartphone has 2 slots for SIM cards. One of them standard size, the other is for microSIM. The operating mode is alternating, i.e. at the moment of conversation on one SIM card, the second one becomes inaccessible. Both SIM cards are available in standby mode.

Also, you can set the default SIM card for calls, SMS, video calls and the Internet, or each time choose which SIM card you want to perform an action on.

Battery

Installed in the device Li-ion battery at 1400mAh. And my first thought was: “What was the manufacturer thinking when he made such a decision? After all, with such a battery, a smartphone cannot survive a day!” However, what was my surprise when, with fairly gentle use, the device lasted me almost four days. Of course, in fact, it just sat with me for about a day, and for the remaining 2 days it was used extremely inactively, but still.

When testing medium-power games, such as those considered for productivity, the phone loses an average of 5% per 10 minutes, which means it should be enough for almost 3.5 hours of continuous gaming. While viewing Play Store the battery was consumed at a rate of 3% in 10 minutes, that is, 5.5 hours of continuous operation. In general, it turns out that everything is not so bad. It's quite possible to live.

conclusions

Well what can I say? During our acquaintance, I became very attached to this smartphone, and it really proved itself with the best side. And you can close your eyes to all its modest shortcomings, knowing how much it costs. The other question, of course, is whether it's right for YOU. My Dyusha, for example, completely refused to return it.

But let's be more constructive.

Pros:

1. Availability of a hardware keyboard.

2. Supports two SIM cards of different sizes.

3. Compact and lightweight.

4. Fairly good performance.

5. Availability of everything you need (3G, GPS, 2 cameras, flash).

Minuses:

1. Camera (leaves much to be desired).

2. Ring volume.

3. I would still like a larger battery.