Concern for usability and ergonomics

[Joe Pfeiffer]

Sean Moss-Pultz writes:
>
>On Jun 11, 2007, at 6:36 AM, Miguel A. Torres wrote:
>>
>> * Integrated keyboard and directional pads are not mere luxuries,  
>> but necessities. They allow for safe one hand operation while  
>> reducing touchscreen stress. Touchscreens are fragile (get  
>> scratched easily, develop calibration issues over time, etc) and  
>> direct finger use requires constant cleaning.

While some people regard an integrated keyboard as a necessity, there
are also those of us who prefer no keyboard.  One of the main reasons
I never replaced my Samsung I-300 with a Treo is that you can't get a
Treo without a keyboard.

It's certainly good to consider those users who regard a keyboard as a
necessity.  Please don't forget the people who don't agree, though!

<snip>

>> Treo is an excellent design in terms of usability. It's been  
>> designed with real people in mind. For example, it provides  
>> hardware volume buttons and a switch to turn the phone mute.

More buttons, on the other hand, I agree with -- particularly buttons
that can be used as hardware volume control (notice that's not quite
the same thing as hardware volume control buttons!  On my Samsung,
those same buttons work very nicely as scroll buttons when reading
documents).