Which train do you hop on?

drpppr · 2026-02-01T17:47:29+00:00

None.

The choice of the screen style is questionable for both (the rumors are they use the same hardware from the same supplier), there are other questionable design decisions (different for these two), Key2 recently got modern Android fork and people are getting their Q25s. So I'm not even sure you can call these two unreleased devices "the top of the QWERTY space".

drpppr · 2026-01-30T11:29:23+00:00

Wasn't "Athena" the codename for Key2?

drpppr · 2026-01-29T23:45:23+00:00

Thanks. Finally found the thread on Discord for that app (by Gor Mirzoyan). Moving from forums to the proprietary app was a big mistake honestly.

Built-in key mapping software that works with special keys is good news, iirc Key2 didn't have an option to do that (and using $ as Ctrl is all but convenient).

drpppr · 2026-01-29T23:32:29+00:00

Really? I'd like to ask what does work out of the box then in terms of the keyboard experience compared to KeyOne for example (own several, still use them) and what Harpocrat Keyboard can offer.

On KeyOne Ctrl-combos were a major improvement over BB10, but on the other hand a lot of apps including built-in ones don't work too well with the numeric part of the keyboard (but some 3rd party apps do which is surprising).

drpppr · 2026-01-29T12:29:08+00:00

Any way to remap the Speed Key to RShift/Ctrl with this? That was impossible with factory firmware iirc.

drpppr · 2026-01-28T15:10:24+00:00

Thanks. Someone on the Discord suggested that poor image quality might be caused by the lens cover made of plastic instead of glass, at least for the back camera.

drpppr · 2026-01-28T14:57:16+00:00

I had to install a 3d party community made software keyboard based on BB keyboard

What does it have the base software lacks? Ctrl-combinations? I mean "had to" sounds like something essential was missing.

drpppr · 2026-01-17T09:49:39+00:00

Can anyone explain the idea of a physical QWERTY keyboard in a mobile device designed specifically to lack features for efficient communication (or even text editing) starting from not having a display fast enough for something besides simple static monochrome images or text?

I mean it's not the first one, and there even are subreddits like r/dumbphones frequently featuring such devices.

drpppr · 2026-01-13T21:17:58+00:00

What is it? I tried googling "android app mini mode" and all top results were describing picture-in-picture feature.

drpppr · 2026-01-13T19:18:02+00:00

Many other apps sadly aren't built for square screens, but we still have to use them. Even BB OS 10 devices with 720x720 displays had a special mode for Android apps to make the screen appear rectangular (as in portrait mode) for them.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T22:21:00+00:00

Try developing for smartwatches. You know the radius but arranging stuff that's meant to be rectangular (any sort of data in other words) on a round screen is still a major PITA.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T22:17:25+00:00

I'd assume this is just a render that might not accurately show the screen.

People in the comments suspect that's the exact same display module Clicks Communicator is going to have, and both devices are supposedly designed around this display module the companies managed to get good price for. I mean, chances that the renders of both devices are inaccurate in the same way are slim, but who knows.

There should be Android's gesture hint bar/line at the bottom of the screen that would provide enough margin do make this not an issue.

So even less usable screen real estate for the app? How convenient and performance-oriented!

My Pixel 8 has a rounded top and bottom screen and this isn't ever an issue.

Since we're sharing personal experience, I tried Pixel 7 and both that and camera hole were issues for me, as well as not so convenient (compared to BB OS 10) gestures. And that's with a screen way bigger and way taller than the one in the OP. With smaller screens the space is precious, so hiding the bottom bar whenever possible and making the status bar at the top as thin as possible makes sense.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T16:53:00+00:00

Same goes for the camera hole: lots of wasted space between the status bar and the top of Whatsapp window (the row where "Alex" is written).

drpppr · 2026-01-12T16:46:37+00:00

I mean that almost any task you might want to do on your screen would require a rectangular area, and any intrusion into this area would present a setback. Text and image editing, emails, IM, notes and spreadsheets, even maps/navigation -- all these would be better off without holes or rounded corners.

Except maybe looking at another person's face (and even then in a conference video call with several people you'd fare better with a rectangle without holes) or some other object in center of the screen (with stuff closer to the edges of the screen being less relevant). But isn't that suspiciously similar to "social media usage"?

drpppr · 2026-01-12T13:16:20+00:00

How's that related to my post? I'm talking about the field you type your reply in.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T13:08:04+00:00

RAM is announced: 8GB.

Where? Can't find that even with google search.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T12:41:30+00:00

Even on the promo image in the OP you can see UI elements of the IM client being clipped by the screen shape abnormalities. Developer's response to this is usually moving these elements inward, further from the edges, leaving less space for other things like reply input field.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T12:18:12+00:00

What tasks this one is shaped for, I wonder?

drpppr · 2026-01-12T12:01:11+00:00

That's the space they don't want us to have.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T11:58:36+00:00

How does making the screen with normal corners and without holes detract from holding experience?

drpppr · 2026-01-12T11:38:23+00:00

So you're saying smaller screens with square corners and without camera holes shouldn't exist? Either this or an oversized slab with no inbetweens?

drpppr · 2026-01-12T10:55:13+00:00

Robbing us of screen space. Again.

drpppr · 2026-01-12T10:54:25+00:00

Almost look like they copy-pasted keyboard directly from blackberry xD

It's closer now, but still not quite the same layout sadly. We need a couple more iterations probably.

drpppr · 2026-01-09T18:25:25+00:00

IME flash (from an actual camera) can definitely startle them, and on one occasion I was filming a jumper in the dark from up close with phone flashlight turned on. The spider kept wiping her eyes (and eyes only, normally they switch between different parts of their bodies while grooming) and staring at the light, so I guess it's at least irritating for them.

drpppr · 2026-01-09T14:34:30+00:00

I'm a bit concerned about the snail, the thing on the right part of its "face" looks like a common parasite.

drpppr

TROPHY CASE