Fat-thumbed texters, here's a phone for you

Finally a slim Android phone from HTC -- the Desire Z -- with a big keyboard, hi-def camera, and instant mapping. My dream come true.

Wed, Sep 22 2010 at 4:16 PM

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Green Gadgets, Android

Photo: HTC

As much as I love the iPhone, those of us cursed with big hands in this ever-shrinking digital world had a really hard time with its touchscreen interface. A few smart phone manufacturers attempted to offer an option using a bulky "slider" keyboard, but HTC is the first to perfect a device with its Desire Z, which offers all the wow factor of a big screen along with a super thin keyboard.

The keyboard "pops out" rather than slides, which means even more space for fat-thumbed texters who want to speed-text just like everyone else. It's also the first Android phone to come with 8 megapixel flash camera, and the 1 GHz processor should provide much faster interactions than its sluggish predecessor.

But perhaps one of the phone's most compelling features called HTC Locations is a pre-loaded GPS map system, which should mean significantly reduced drag on the battery. Just imagine, no waiting two minutes for Google Maps to load ... the mind reels.

This is one of the tools in the HTC Sense package — a web-based personal data management system — that allows you to track a lost phone online, back up data uploaded on your phone, and share media with your friends.

According to Engadget, it will be a few more months before HTC Desire Z hits stores in the U.S., but for those of us with clumsy thumbs, it might be worth the wait.