Motorola Q9h beats Apple iPhone in text messaging tests
By Will Park on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 12:55 PM PST In Apple, Motorola, Research, Windows Mobile, iPhone, iPhone OS
What’s this? Another usability study? A recent study found that the heralded Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone takes a back seat to the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Q9h in SMS text messaging prowess, among other things. Good Housekeeping Research Institute took 11 QWERTY keyboard-packed handsets with subsidized (after 2-year contract) retail prices of $300 or less and pit them against the $400 iPhone in a test of text messaging ease, speed of delivery, battery life, voice quality, and ease of placing a voice call.
The results? Well, not unexpectedly, the T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Curve scored top billing as the fastest to send and receive SMS text messages. The battery life of the BlackBerry Curve was also noted as top notch. And, the iPhone took a back seat, in terms of text messaging ease, to the Windows Mobile 6.0-powered Motorola Q9h. The study noted that users liked the Moto Q9h’s large, easy to read display and voice quality.
First off, I’m playing with my Motorola Q9h loaded with Windows Mobile 6.1 right now. Let me just say that Windows Mobile 6.1 really dresses up the long-in-the-tooth Windows Mobile 6.0 interface and brings some serious functionality improvements – like threaded SMS text messaging. In terms of text messaging speed (sending/receiving), the iPhone and Motorola Q9h are on par with each other – neither is BlackBerry Curve-fast, but they’re both on the same level. Battery lives on the iPhone and Q9h are relatively similar with similar usage. But how about ease of use for text messages?
I’m going to have to disagree (surprise, right?) with the study. The iPhone’s SMS text messaging application is so much easier to access and start-up (not to mention actually tracking past text messages) than its Windows Mobile 6.0 counterpart – keep in mind, WM6.1 improves the UI and makes text messaging even easier. In terms of hardware, the on-screen keyboard on the iPhone allows for much faster typing speeds than the Motorola Q9h. Granted, the iPhone’s keyboard takes some getting used to, but thanks to the on-the-fly error correction I think the iPhone’s keyboard allows for faster text input. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I can type faster on the iPhone than any other QWERTY-toting handset, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Still, the keyboard on the Motorola Q9h does have great tactile feedback and the keys are well laid out. If only the Q9h had the web-browsing and user interface prowess of the Apple iPhone…
[Via: WMExperts]
great article. I’m sure the truth will rise to the surface when iPhones virtual keyboard has been around for as long as those funky mini plastic ones have. I just wish apple would allow landscape mode for text input or more apps like the SMS messaging.
Care to post your speed results? iphonetypingtest.com.
Don’t feel too bad. These usability studies are garbage through and through, and I’m almost certain the research never takes place at all.
You can be the fastest iPhone typist, but I’ll best your speeds on T9 for sure, without looking, and with one hand less…while driving.
Wow, are you serious? While driving even? Well then I stand corrected. Let’s all pitch our iPhone’s in the fire cause we can’t type really fast while driving. Just kidding. I would love to see some full on test with the OVERALL speed of accessing things on different platforms. Not just SMS texting typing speeds.
Oh well, it was worth a shot.
I’ve actually been searching for mobile-based typing speed tests that work with the iPhone, WinMo, Symbian, and Blackberry, but I have come up empty handed.
I really want to find an online typing test that works across platforms, but the only tests Ive found are designed for AJAX capable handsets or for the iPhone. Also, I wish there was a speed test that allows you to post to a link on the site that returns typing speeds scores.
That last part is really important because I can type upwards of 54wpm on my iPhone as long as I’m not trying to type any emote or other wacky characters (capitalization and pronouns are fine). But, without a linkable site to prove my score, I’m sure no one believes me.
How to unlock Moto Q9h in Nigeria.