this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2025
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BlackBerry's iconic keyboard patent has expired (mobilesyrup.com)
submitted 3 days ago by jqubed@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
169 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I had two BlackBerry devices for work, right about the time they were going away. I'd heard the keyboard was good on earlier models but it seemed like the quality had gotten pretty cheap on the later phones. The BlackBerry 10 OS on my last phone was actually pretty good, and probably would've kept them in the market if they'd launched it 5 years earlier.

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[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 28 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Remembering the BlackBerry keyboard leads me to remembering the Palm Pre, which had so much potential. In many ways, still my favorite phone ever. It's sad to see WebOS reduced to Smart TV shit.

[–] DJDarren@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I got an LG largely because the options were WebOS or shitty proprietary OS.

And yeah, LG haven't been kind to it.

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It was such an innovative Mobile UI for its time, and the physical slide-out keyboard of the Pre, was a really satisfying typing experience. These days, people take for granted that they can dismiss an app by simply "flicking" it up and off the screen on your mobile phone, but that whole visual metaphor and activity came from WebOS. It felt like the first true multi-tasking mobile phone. shucks I miss it.

[–] greybeard@lemmy.one 4 points 2 days ago

My Palm Pre people. I loved that phone. It was under powered, buggy, and felt like the future.

[–] storcholus@feddit.org 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I still keep it around. It doesn't work, but it is such a nice object. That was my favourite phone. I miss interesting phones

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I still have mine too, and really for the same reason. It is such a great design, and the aesthetic of a water-smoothed river stone was really cohesive. The Pre was all smooth lines and soft curves. Just gorgeous.

[–] storcholus@feddit.org 3 points 2 days ago

Exactly. I had the pre 3 afterwards, but I kept the original pre

[–] dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

My friend in high school had every palm pre, those things were awesome

[–] njordomir@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I used a Palm Zire 31 and Later a Dell Axim 51v (Windows Mobile) in high school. People thought I was weird, but it kept me organized. I miss how simple and functional those programs were. This was largely pre-enshittification. No built in keyboard on either, but physical buttons alone are a strength.

[–] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I found one of those in the back of a taxi before my first smartphone.

I read through the guys messages and decided he was an abusive asshat. Kept it, wiped it, used it as an mp3 player until the screen cracked in my back pocket.

To this day I cringe whenever I see someone keeping their phone in a back pocket.