as mobile phones get smaller and smaller, they also become difficult to use. specifically, with many phones (especially "chocolate bar" types) you have to slide the phone up higher in your hand in order to press the keys with your thumb, while at the same time, your fingers have less phone to grip on to. this can lead to dropping the phone, misdialed numbers etc.
if the keypad was located above the display, you could still grip the phone with all four fingers, thus keeping it stable in your hand, and press the keys with your thumb, kind of like with a tv remote.-- mihali, Oct 13 2004 panasonic g50 http://asia.cnet.co...580/panasonic01.jpgsmall phone [mihali, Oct 13 2004] another small phone http://www.panasoni...cts/a102/index.htmlshe wouldn't keep dropping it if the keypad was above the display [mihali, Oct 13 2004] SmartSkins http://www.smartski...om/smartskinsf.htmlNot only upside down, but crooked [tiromancer, Jan 14 2005] curitel identity http://www.tigerdir...8384&Tab=1&NoMapp=0mobile phone with keypad above the display [mihali, Jan 18 2005] Siemens SX1 http://communicatio...Description,00.htmlButtons on either side of the screen [kmlabs, Jan 18 2005] The SixBack http://gkos.com/Keys on the back. [tiptyper, Oct 05 2006] i'm not entirely sure how your holding your phone that its dfficult to both hold and dial at the same time, just as a test if you hold your phone upside down don't you find that the base of your thumb is awkwardly covering the screen as you try to enter numbers or interact with the menus?-- thejaredfanclub, Jan 14 2005 Sorry [mihali], but I'm with [tjfc] - I don't think you could see the screen very well.-- wagster, Jan 14 2005 i think u would still have good visibility of the screen if it were underneath. if u try it, your palm really is resting against the side - not over the top. there would be some minimal loss when your thumb has to reach all the way across, but surely phone technique would adapt.-- benfrost, Jan 15 2005 well thanks to tiromancer's link, i've found that this is looking pretty baked. see my link as well for more photos.-- mihali, Jan 18 2005 Maybe put the keyboard on the back of the phone? With a little practice....-- bristolz, Jan 18 2005 Baked(ish) - Siemens SX1. See link...-- kmlabs, Jan 18 2005 A colleague of mine just turns his phone upside down while dialing. Works for him.-- jstf, Jan 18 2005 I can't believe that the SX1 isn't a complete pain up the a**e to use. They should have posted it up here before building it and let us set them straight before they wasted all that money.-- wagster, Jan 18 2005 Yeah, I thought that [wags]. Was going to get one, but then decided that it would probably annoy me far more than the benefits would please me...-- kmlabs, Jan 18 2005 You might also count the original N-Gage or gauge or whatever, as the keypad would be up in speaking position.
I'd like to see a flip phone with the screen on the lower portion.-- tiromancer, Jan 18 2005 Yes, you can also put the keyboard on the back - like with the SixBack (gkos.com).-- tiptyper, Oct 05 2006 random, halfbakery