Selling my Pro1

[Locane 6]

This phone had all the right ingredients to be a huge hit, but I absolutely hate it.  The whole point was the keyboard, and it's just awful.

 

If you're waiting for one, beware that the screen edges activate while you type on the number row, the keys are slippery and hard to type on, and the whole layout is shifted to the right causing thumb cramps.

 

Oh also - the stereo speakers fire out the sides. Not toward you.

 

Anyway, if you still want to buy it, I'll ship it to you asap:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FxTec-Pro-1-Android-keyboard-phone/114025919171

[enPfzr4v 239]

At least one other user has regretted selling the phone... 30 minutes probably isn't enough time to get the feel for something you'll use daily for years. Maybe give it another shot?

[Locane 6]

I have all the data I need, thank you.  If for some reason I do regret it (I won't), I can just buy another one and wait. 🤷‍♂️

[elvissteinjr 359]

To be fair, speaker and key positions were things you could see right away on the website.
I do agree the shifted layout isn't ideal, but that's why I'm going for a QWERTZ model myself.

Thanks for giving someone a chance to acquire it faster if they feel the need however.

[MickH 211]

I'm relatively happy with the device. I'll be even happier once I get a stable SilfishOS on it.
With regards to the screen, I agree with you there. But I'm hoping F(x)Tec take on board the suggestion of creating a setting for "Dead Zones" where you can create a dead strip around the edge of the phone.
Keyboard? 🤔 Not sure yet, need to use it more. Hoping we get a setting to adjust the brightness of the back-light. It's a bit bigger than the N900 and the Jolla TOHKB, but I think eventually most of us will probably tap out a message on the screen rather than go to the hassle of opening the slider.

I wouldn't sell it, unless you need the cash to get another phone. Just chuck it in a drawer and forget about it for a while. I bet you go back to it eventually. 😉

[ps555 22]

This is the first time, I realize, that there is a huge difference between QWERTZ and QWERTY (I immediately googled pictures and only QWERTY is shifted!)

 

@Locane: sorry to hear, that you are not happy with the Pro1. Would you be so kind to tell us, what QWERTY/QWERTZ phones you did use and were happy with (the keyboard)?

This could be really helpful to other people, considering to buy a pro1 (or waiting for it and considering alternatives).

[elvissteinjr 359]

21 minutes ago, ps555 said:

This is the first time, I realize, that there is a huge difference between QWERTZ and QWERTY (I immediately googled pictures and only QWERTY is shifted!)

Yeah, they pretty much sell a QWERTZ variant while not providing any visuals of the layout on the website. I don't doubt you can get used to the QWERTY one, but you can kind of tell how the QWERTZ layout was shaped by the community.

[netman 1,424]

For others who may wonder, my experience here is different, must depend on your hands or so... I find the keyboard pretty comfortable in general after about a week of use. It's nicer than n900 to me and i have 0 issues using the number row without touching the screen, i'd have to try to activate them simultaneously. The only time i accidently touch the screen often is while opening the device, it can be tricky, but it seems to get easier with time. It does need more thumb movement than the last keyboard phone i used, a nokia e72, but there are many more keys and the device is more functional. The shifted layout is something I thought wouldn't bother me at all but when I got the phone initially it did confuse me, and it took some time to get used to and learn what fingers to use for which letters and when. It now no longer bothers me but I am still learning to type faster on it. It's good enough that I feel really impaired already when the keyboard is closed, so I definitely wouldn't want to go back to software keyboards.

Written on a pro1, no way i'd have typed such a long message on a touchscreen...

[Locane 6]

Thanks for all the replies - the Pro 1 is sold.

 

I took a chance on the Cosmo Communicator, hopefully it's more in line with what I want.

[SchattengestaIt 559]

I think, "awful" is a very harsh word for some slight criticism.

The keyboard shifting was known and a few people complain(ed) about it. But you will sute get used to it after a short while. And non-sticky keys (i.e. shift), curved screen and similar things are a shame but there will be workarounds by either FxTec or the community.

If you are unhappy, just sell it. It will find a new owner in a short while. But there's not really a re<son to open a new thread for it.

 

By the way, Cosmo Communicator is a very different phone. I really hope you looked into it before ordering since you may be as unhappy as with the Pro 1.

[david 929]

18 hours ago, netman said:

For others who may wonder, my experience here is different, must depend on your hands or so... I find the keyboard pretty comfortable in general after about a week of use. It's nicer than n900 to me and i have 0 issues using the number row without touching the screen, i'd have to try to activate them simultaneously. The only time i accidently touch the screen often is while opening the device, it can be tricky, but it seems to get easier with time. It does need more thumb movement than the last keyboard phone i used, a nokia e72, but there are many more keys and the device is more functional. The shifted layout is something I thought wouldn't bother me at all but when I got the phone initially it did confuse me, and it took some time to get used to and learn what fingers to use for which letters and when. It now no longer bothers me but I am still learning to type faster on it. It's good enough that I feel really impaired already when the keyboard is closed, so I definitely wouldn't want to go back to software keyboards.

Written on a pro1, no way i'd have typed such a long message on a touchscreen...

Can you explain the shifted issue to me?  I've heard it mentioned many times and every time I go to look at the photos of the keyboard, I don't get it.  Every time, I end up seeing that the Q and P are the same distance from left and right sides as each other.  Is it that the QWERTZ keyboard has the Q one key closer to the left edge?  This would mean people have to maybe reach up with their left thumb more than up to the left to get to the Q.  Which, in theory, should be less thumb movement to get to the Q on the QWERTY than the QWERTZ.  The middle keys would not be affected by this at all, because they would have been in the middle regardless.  So there shouldn't be any extra reaching to get to them.  It is just a wide keyboard, thus you have to reach to get to the middle keys.

The QWERTZ keyboard has the Q key 2 full keys closer to the left side than the P is to the right side.  So, if anything, it seems to me that the QWERTZ keyboard (for english language users) is shifted to the left.

If the shifting means something different than how close the farthest left and right letters are to the edge, then I'd really like to understand what is meant by it.

Edited December 22, 2019 by david

[Craig 1,435]

The QWERTY Keyboard is shifted relative to a regular PC keyboard, or relative to the number row - all the letters are one key over to the right.  Thus they put a few non-letter keys to the left of the letters.   The theory was to make it more comfortable to type letters.    The reason some may not like it is cuz it' takes a little getting used to cuz keys arent exactly where you expect them to be.

[netman 1,424]

21 minutes ago, david said:

Can you explain the shifted issue to me?  I've heard it mentioned many times and every time I go to look at the photos of the keyboard, I don't get it.  Every time, I end up seeing that the Q and P are the same distance from left and right sides as each other.  Is it that the QWERTZ keyboard has the Q one key closer to the left edge?  This would mean people have to maybe reach up with their left thumb more than up to the left to get to the Q.  Which, in theory, should less thumb movement to get to the Q on the QWERTY than the QWERTZ.  The middle keys would not be affected by this at all, because they would have been in the middle regardless.  So there shouldn't be any extra reaching to get to them.  It is just a wide keyboard, thus you have to reach to get to the middle keys.

The QWERTZ keyboard has the Q key 2 full keys closer to the left side than the P is to the right side.  So, if anything, it seems to me that the QWERTZ keyboard (for english language users) is shifted to the left.

If the shifting means something different than how close the farthest left and right letters are to the edge, then I'd really like to understand what is meant by it.

It's exactly as @Craig states above. I don't have the feeling I am using one thumb more than another but it took some getting used to as i expect intuitively tab/caps/shift to be immediately adjacent to qaz.

[david 929]

18 minutes ago, Craig said:

The QWERTY Keyboard is shifted relative to a regular PC keyboard, or relative to the number row - all the letters are one key over to the right.  Thus they put a few non-letter keys to the left of the letters.   The theory was to make it more comfortable to type letters.    The reason some may not like it is cuz it' takes a little getting used to cuz keys arent exactly where you expect them to be.

Thanks for explaining it.  I appreciate that.  I guess I've never used a phone that matches a PC keyboard exactly, so I've always adjusted my muscle memory for thumb typing vs my muscle memory for touch typing on a full sized keyboard.  I do see the number shifted thing (and I think I remember that being mentioned in the past now), but I guess I don't type enough numbers in texting/instant messaging, emails, and online forums (my main uses for typing a lot of content, vs searching for things in google or minimal entry in other apps) where it seems like it would matter to me to glance at the keyboard.  Since it has a backlight, that won't be an issue, for me to not be touch typing (with thumbs) 100% of the time.  I think even on my Relay 4G, where the Q and P don't line up exactly like they would under 1 and 0 on a PC keyboard, but are close, I don't touch type numbers 100% of the time.

I guess I'll find out for sure how I feel about it once I get my phone. :-)

[david 929]

25 minutes ago, netman said:

It's exactly as @Craig states above. I don't have the feeling I am using one thumb more than another but it took some getting used to as i expect intuitively tab/caps/shift to be immediately adjacent to qaz.

Thanks for explaining about the tab/caps/shift situation.  I don't have a caps lock on my Relay 4G.  The shift doubles as that with a double tap.  I'll have to wait and see if the left shift is a problem for me.  The right shift is exactly where it is on my Relay 4G (to the right of the up arrow).  The left shift has more of a gap between the letters and the shift key, but it is also at the far left (same as on a PC keyboard or my Relay 4G), so if my brain is reaching far left, then it won't matter.  If my brain is reaching one key over, then it might take some getting used to.

Also, I have to use Alt to get to the symbols on the number row and the letters.  My understanding is that is how the Pro1 works too (not using shift to get to them), so maybe I've just been training myself for the Pro1 this whole while. 😉

Here are the phones for comparison (not my photos).

Here is my Relay 4G keyboard:

Here is the Pro1:

Edited December 21, 2019 by david

[9500 3]

3 hours ago, Locane said:

The whole point was the keyboard, and it's just awful.

 

It is a shame but this made me also sell it.

 

I bought a gemini PDA...awful keyboard.

bought the pro1...awful too.

going back to my BB, at least they have a great keyboard.

 

[Hook 3,020]

29 minutes ago, 9500 said:

It is a shame but this made me also sell it.

 

I bought a gemini PDA...awful keyboard.

bought the pro1...awful too.

going back to my BB, at least they have a great keyboard.

 

I guess it all depends on what you want out of a keyboard and your hands.  I find this a fabulous keyboard and I have hated every Blackberry I have ever had.  BB keyboards are way too small to type on with any comfort or accuracy. Thank heavens we still have a few choices.

[Erik 1,487]

As someone who never had a keyboard smartphone before the Pro1, I would say it very much matters what you are used to. The QWERTY layout on the Pro1 might be shifted a bit, but it’s nothing different to simply getting a new keyboard for your PC. There always will be a learning curve. I find the Pro1’s keyboard much more functional than the compared devices above, particularly for the spacing on the Pro1 keyboard.

Give it a week, and you’ll see how much faster and accurate you are, especially in the technical tasks such as using terminal. I will not accept disputes on this subject at all, having moved from an iPhone.

P.S I’ll allow myself to confirm there have been a few cases of instant regret after selling their Pro1. Not all were mentioned here. To some people it’s too much of a change going from basically every other phone to the Pro1, and that’s fine. We are doing something no one else risks doing, it’s always easier to follow the model of what sells.

[Polaris 423]

2 hours ago, Hook said:

I guess it all depends on what you want out of a keyboard and your hands.  I find this a fabulous keyboard and I have hated every Blackberry I have ever had.  BB keyboards are way too small to type on with any comfort or accuracy. Thank heavens we still have a few choices.

I couldn't agree more about having choices and not liking the BB keyboards!  I too find them way too small to comfortably type on and achieve any real accuracy and speed.  I don't think I'll have any trouble acclimating to the Pro1, but only time will tell.  I do know that speed and accuracy aren't a problem on my Droid 4 (which I'm using right now).

[damion 60]

6 hours ago, Locane said:

I took a chance on the Cosmo Communicator, hopefully it's more in line with what I want.

Oh wow, my Cosmo arrived weeks ago* and I've barely used it.  For me it's far more useful to be able to type quietly lying on my back on the couch, than at a table with a laptop style keyboard.  The Cosmo weighs a heck of a lot.

I tested the pro1 at an event at the f(x)tec office, and immediately noticed the shifted keyboard issue.  I figured I would just get used to it.

I had no idea the qwertz keyboard wasn't shifted, I wonder what the option would be for some Tipp-Ex and a software keyboard remapper to make this qwerty.

- Damion

*apparently there are threads on Cosmo forums with people whining just like the Pro1 forums here, about supply chain!  I paid over 1 year before receiving mine, it turns out someone I know works there and may have expedited mine.

Edited December 22, 2019 by damion
eBay post indicates Locane is in the USA

[Craig 1,435]

33 minutes ago, damion said:

wonder what the option would be for some Tipp-Ex and a software keyboard remapper to make this qwerty

FinQWERTY has done it.  Their proposed US qwerty map for pro1 qwertz is awesome.  Even has dedicated slash key on the right 😉   Eske posted it in some random thread...

The problem with using it that way, and the advantage of it, is that they remapped most everything besides letters.  The y/z print mismatch is trivial and wouldn't affect me, but when the symbols dont match the print and they're not what you use every day and they're in non-standard locations, I can see that being annoying.  If someone would make some really nice stickers that fit pro1 keys, then qwertz w/finqwerty would be ideal, based on what I've seen.

[Craig 1,435]

As far as getting used to the shifted layout, you will ver shortly.   At first my biggest problem honestly was hitting del instead of backspace, but now I dont do that anymore.    I'm quite happy with the keyboard.  And I'm long term PQ user which is described as best phone keyboard ever in many reviews.  PQ doesn't have most symbols or even an alt key, so Pro¹ has already gone closer to PC keyboard than PQ.    Are there things to nitpick about?  Sure, I really think they shoulda figured out how to have a dedicated slash key on the right, but i personally use key mapper to make my sym key into slash, and use us intl layout to get shift working normally, and I'm very pleased.

[Neil 1]

If you'd like to sell it I'll happily buy it, or if anyone else  is looking to sell theirs 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Neil

[okayphoneme 28]

9 hours ago, Erik said:

The QWERTY layout on the Pro1 might be shifted a bit, but it’s nothing different to simply getting a new keyboard for your PC.

It is different. Unless you're buying a keyboard with some weird layout -- which, I did once, by the way, and the experience was enough ensure I will never make the same mistake again (the change wasn't even as severe as the Pro1).

Besides, most of us aren't switching to the Pro1 layout - we have to use it simultaneously with machine(s) with the correct layout. Even if the new layout can be learned well, there has to be a loss of efficiency somewhere.

[Zamasu 258]

19 minutes ago, okayphoneme said:

It is different. Unless you're buying a keyboard with some weird layout -- which, I did once, by the way, and the experience was enough ensure I will never make the same mistake again (the change wasn't even as severe as the Pro1).

Besides, most of us aren't switching to the Pro1 layout - we have to use it simultaneously with machine(s) with the correct layout. Even if the new layout can be learned well, there has to be a loss of efficiency somewhere.

I don't know of any other device I'll use that'll have a keyboard that I use with my thumbs. It's a completely different muscle memory. I don't have the Pro1 yet so I'm speculating, but I don't think the muscle memory will collide with regular keyboards. I didn't have any significant issue with the Desire Z even though that merged and moved some things around because of the small keyboard.