Cingular Slides out LG F9100

LG F9100The LG F9100, a GSM handset with a unique sliding keyboard that was first unveiled at CES, is now available from US carrier Cingular.

The otherwise ordinary looking candy bar handset features a hidden QWERTY keyboard that slides from out the side of the unit. Because users must flip the phone sideways to use the keyboard, the unit's rectangular display changes orientation when the keyboard is in use.

Although its side-sliding keyboard is unique, the F9100 joins a growing list of phones with cleverly built-in keyboards designed to make messaging easier while keeping the phone size relatively small. The F9100 will face off against the Motorola A630, a clamshell GSM phone with a hidden keyboard, among others.

Since the F9100 is designed for messaging, it supports several instant messaging clients, including Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, as well as Cingular's proprietary IM software. Aside from the keyboard, the phone is fairly basic. Bluetooth isn't included, and data support is limited to GPRS - not Cingular's faster EDGE network.

Will the hidden keyboard trend spread to other new models? It seems likely. Carriers are eager to encourage the use of lucrative text and multimedia messaging services - especially in the US, where mobile phone users have been slow to adopt text messaging. Many style conscious customers are reluctant to carry smartphones with built-in keyboards, such as the Treo 600, because of their larger size.

You can find a gallery of live photos of the LG F9100 from the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show on the following page.

 

Featured products from the MobileBurn store