Handset form factor: What do you prefer?

I think sliders are the most efficient design for both dumb and smart phones. You have a large screen and a physical keypad. With bar phones, half the phone is screen, and half keypad. Flip-phones are ok too, but 2 hands are required to open it, whereas a slider you only need one.

...and I love my slider smart-phone too

 

I voted flip. If it isn't going to be smart, it might as well be small and compact.

 

Exactly! It is nice to have a phone that is easy to carry.

 

I have to say that I prefer a side flip, like the LG enV line. Prefer that so I can compose messages easier.

 

To me bar phones feel more durable in my hands.

 

I chose slider because you don't have to open it to answer a call, and it is still a compact device, and you don't have to worry about locking the keypad. Other than that, I prefer a candybar phone. I agree that, less can go wrong with the hinge mechanism with a bar phone. Unfortunately, your preference largely depends upon your carrier.
Try finding a non smartphone in a candybar or slide version on the CDMA network. From what I see VZW does not have any candybar phones.

 

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (S60; SymbOS; Opera Mobi/SYB-1103231405; U; en-US) Presto/2.7.81 Version/11.00)

Of all of the dumb phones that I've owned, I liked the Nokia 6800, which can be used just like any other bar phone, but also has a qwerty keyboard that flips out. The form factor was a major deciding factor for choosing the Nokia E70 smartphone.

 

You ain't lying about that! The last one from what I remember was the ZTE Salute... don't think anyone is willing to try them out... and the push is to smartphones.

MetroPCS seems to be the king of candy bar phones...I have seen Kyocera, Samsung, and ZTE bar phones

 

I agree, the push is to smartphones. But there will always be that minority that just want a basic phone without data. I don't think the wireless companies can do away with the simple flip phone, although you see more and more incentives to to jump on the smartphone wagon.
Once you have a smartphone, it's almost impossible to go back to a basic phone. While not a businesss man, I find a smartphone to be a useful organizer.

 

I agree - I loved the bar style w/ flip out keyboard of my 6820 and the E70. And while I really do like the large display on the E7, I find it more awkward to open and use the keyboard (just doesn't seem to fit my hands was well).