Do All Smart Phones Have Virtual Keyboards?

[bainbrig]

This is a follow-on from my question about old people's phones...

It seems that one Way Forward is for us to buy 2nd-hand 'smart' phones on eBay, where they go for £40-£50. Obviously not the latest model, but Are We Bothered?

All we want is: to be able to phone, and see the 'numbers'.
To be able to learn to text, using a virtual keyboard which shows up SIDEWAYS (landscape) on the phone, even if we have to use a stylus to pick out the letters.

And that's all, honestly! No music, no games, no GPS, no Googling. Just a handy communications device.

Extremely hard to discover the answer to my questions through the usual Googling route (where it seems to be the equivalent of asking 'does this car have a steering wheel'), so I come here to my virtual friends instead:

Do all 'smart' phones incorporate a 'virtual' keyboard that, when you rotate the phone sideways, shows up on the screen in its largest possible form, making it relatively easy for old eyes and fingers to tap out messages?

Thanks.

BB

[sapelesam]

I am biased, and have used Huawei phones for a few years now. Huawei are a massive Chinese company gaining a lot more mainstream customers. The keyboard fills nearly half the screen on landscape, and I use a £1 stylus. I would look for an unlocked P8 Lite. I've just sold one on eBay for £60. My eyesite isn't brilliant and I text and email with it.

[sapelesam]

Huawei P8 Lite on ebay, currently bidding at £29, one year old. You would need to buy a charging lead, dirt cheap.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Huawei-Ascend-P8-Lite-16GB-White-Unlocked-Smartphone/182967456630?epid=219712753&hash=item2a99b5d376:g:h0IAAOSwzRpaNRKr

[albaqwerty]

oooh, thanks for the info.
Both from the OP and Sam.
Mr Alba's been wondering about a smart phone for work reasons - he can keep his Doro for the phone calls but can't scan a time sheet and email it.
(I do like Answerbank!)

compliments of the season to both

[sapelesam]

Cheers Alba, LOL your user name explanation.

[Guilbert53]

Be careful of buying phones on ebay.

Some phones are sold then reported lost or stolen by the person who sold it so they are then "locked" (so you then cant use it !).

Or it may be a stolen phone and the person who lost it (as opposed to the person who sold it on ebay) reports it stolen and it is locked.

This problem of phones being locked after being bought second hand is a big one so don't risk it.

If you want to buy a second hand phone find a local shop who sell second hand phones and buy it from them, you can the take it back if you have problems.

Read warning here on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/How-to-avoid-Mobile-Phone-Scams-when-buying-off-Ebay-/10000000005136935/g.html

[Buenchico]

I've seen it estimated that around a third of all mobile phones sold on eBay have been stolen.

A phone needs to have a gyroscope inside it if it's to be able to know which way up it is (and to then orientate the display appropriately). The cheapest smartphones don't have gyroscopes but most others now do. (You need to google for the detailed specs of a particular model to see if it's got a gyroscope).

[sapelesam]

As Guilbert53 says, beware of eBay scams. But this relates to any online purchase from a person you don't know personally or have not dealt with before. If you are not an experienced buyer, get someone who is to follow the advice in the link. Fact, I have bought approx 10 used, unlocked Huawei phones on eBay. I follow advice in the link. I add one question, is the phone a UK market phone and what language will appear on start up. After asking this, I bought one phone that started up in Mandarin. I had proof I had asked the question and got a refund in less than three weeks. Happy hunting.

[bainbrig]

Huawei Ascend G620s, £50, from an ebay dealer with nearly 600000 previous sales seems right, unless he’s a REALLY big crook.

Or am I missing something?

[Buenchico]

There's no gyroscope in that model. The P6 is similar but does have a gyroscope:
https://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Huawei-Ascend-G620S,Huawei-Ascend-P6/phones/8922%2C7892

[bainbrig]

Thanks Buenchico, useful link, but gord, what a minefield...

BB

[Gromit]

Typing messages is quaint when you can to command the phone to text bainbrig, and speak your message, and tell it to send. Tippy tappying on a tiny keyboard is not easy at the best of times, so use the technology to your advantage.

All modern mobile phones are ‘smart’ as in they are really computers with an operating system (OS) and software to make them work.

[sapelesam]

I wish there was private messaging on AB, I could give you a suitable phone.

[RATTER15]

sapelesam, just create a throw away email addy for the purpose, it can then be disregarded.

[Bazile]

Guilbert53

Yes , good advice .
A colleague of mine bought a phone on ebay .
When he picked it up and tried to use it , it was locked .

The seller had reported it stolen .
He went through a lot of hassle , trying to get it unlocked , to no avail . The network provider did not want to know .

He took the seller to the small claims court and won - but they did not pay up

[sapelesam]

Hi Ratter, would Ed let me post an email address on AB?

[Buenchico]

Sam:
Although the general advice here is not to post personal email addresses, there's no problem when somebody states that the address that they're providing is simply a 'throwaway' one.

[Lyminge]

If you don’t want the qwerty keyboard, get from App Store TYPE NINE....ITS SO EASY IF USED TO An older phone.

[sapelesam]

Buenchico, which would be the best email service to use for a throwaway address. TIA.

[bainbrig]

sapelesam:

not having you going to that much trouble, so I've set up a throw-away email myself:
billbainbrigATyahoo.com

(obviously change the AT to an @)

Drop me a line, and once we've established a link, I can ditch that email...

Intrigued by your message about me and a phone, but I will insist on paying my way!

BillB

[Buenchico]

Sam:
Your question now seem to be redundant as far as this thread is concerned but, for future reference, the email service I always recommend (both for main accounts and throwaway addresses) is this one:
https://www.gmx.co.uk/