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“Fat Fingered” Football Player Nick Mangold Uses iPod Touch, Prefers Blackberry to iPhone

mangold

Butterfingers? Nick Mangold photo courtesy examiner.com

Nick Mangold, a  6’4”, 300-pound offensive lineman for the New York Jets, talked to uberfan Angel Navedo about, among other things, why he loves the iPod Touch but prefers a Blackberry to the iPhone.

The salient bits:

Do you consider yourself tech savvy?

Nick Mangold: I like to. I don’t know where I measure up to everyone else, but I like to believe I’m gadget and tech friendly. I’m a Blackberry guy.

AN: That hurts my feelings.

Nick Mangold: (Spots my iPhone) But I’m an iPod Touch guy! The iPod Touch is awesome. I think it’s a great device for games and messing around. But for dealing with emails and everything, I pick Blackberry—with the actual keyboard and everything—hands down. I can bang out a page-long email while I’m sitting, doing whatever. Touch screens, you know, I got fatter fingers. It’s not my thing.

AN: It definitely took some getting used to for me.

Nick Mangold: I’m just not a touch screen guy at all. I love it for playing games and stuff, but I keep them separate. If that requires me to carry two different things, I live with it.

The interview caught my eye after spending an afternoon thumbing on a number of keyboards in the quest to finally put my beloved first-gen smartphone out to pasture.

Not an Apple customer by kneejerk, the contract nonsense with the iPhone got me testing the Blackberry and a bunch of Nokias.  And leaving empty handed, for the moment.

Any advice?

About the author

nicole_martinelli

Nicole Martinelli was born in San Francisco and has lived in Milan and Florence, Italy. Cultish tendencies and love for DIY increased while living on the Old Continent, where tech came late and cost more in Big Mac index terms. She's written for Wired.com, The New York Times and Newsweek, and since 1999 on her site, Zoomata. If you're so inclined, friend her on Facebook or connect on Linked in.

Email the author | Read more posts by Nicole Martinelli.

4 comments

    To each, his own. I have fat fingers as well – I’m 6′0″ and around 300 lb – my wedding ring is a size 14.

    I much prefer the iPhone virtual keyboard to the BlackBerry or other physical keyboards, but that’s just me.

    I’m 6′4″ 300lbs with big hands and I type just fine on my iPhone. In fact I have found it to be easier than typing with a tiny physical keyboard. I don’t think anyone should assume typing will be difficult on a touch screen and easier with a keyboard. You need to try both and find out which suits you better.

    I wouldn’t run out and sign a two year contract with AT&T right now. Things may be changing within the year, opening up to better choices, and boy oh boy would you be pissed to get stuck with AT&T when you don’t absolutely have to be. They really are sort of a disaster.

    I’m big, but don’t have fat fingers. I find neither keyboard very useful. I like the tactile Blackberry, but I also found the touch “intuitive” keyboard function works pretty well. At least better than I ever expected.

    I’m also a cheap b*st*rd, so I don’t own either. I have a 5 year old, pay-as-you-go phone that I rarely use.

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