Hasta La Gadget!

Welcome to the 411, my Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of queries about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might be wondering about the same things, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I’m stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

Hi Nicole, I’m thinking of upgrading my mobile phone in the near future. I’ve been a BlackBerry user for the past couple of years, and I’ve really given this thing a beating. I have dropped it more times than I can count, sometimes at a great enough velocity to send the battery cover flying well past the rest of the phone. What I am wondering is, how durable are today’s touch-screen phones? I’ve heard that the Pre is particularly fragile. Are the OLED devices any better or worse? Would you recommend someone like me sticking with a non-touch device, since once you crack a touch screen, you are left with an expensive paperweight? — Jay, via e-mail.

If you abuse your phone that much, I would say touch-screen phones are probably not the best for you. Touch-screen phones usually have a glass surface as the display, which, of course, is particularly susceptible to cracking. You might consider a durable case of some kind to prevent everyday nicks and scratches, though. There are also many manufacturers that make scratch-resistant screen overlays, like the Zagg invisible shields, for example. But if you’re truly concerned, then yes, perhaps a more durable phone is in order. You can check out phones like the Sonim XP3 Quest or the Casio Exilim C721, both of which are rugged enough to withstand the elements. Check out our reviews of other durable phones, too, if you want more options.

The HTC Touch Pro 2's keyboard is very roomy.

(Credit:
Josh Miller/CNET

I am due for an upgrade in October and was seriously considering a BlackBerry Tour on Verizon Wireless. The only thing is that I have big hands and while some people might laugh it makes for an uncomfortable experience on those BlackBerry devices. My question is this: Does RIM have any plans on coming out with a BlackBerry device that has bigger keys? Or am I doomed to never be able to use a BlackBerry device at all? — Stu, via e-mail

RIM has been pretty consistent with the size and shape of its BlackBerry handhelds, so I don’t think RIM will enhance the size of its keyboards any time soon. …

Originally posted at Dialed In Podcast