http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/310791_software09.html

I'm an instant messenging freak. I think this is a good idea for MS. If you click on the link, there's a picture of an Xbox controller with a qwerty keyboard on it so you can type faster. That's like 30+ more buttons so Kwaad should be drooling over it! (J/K you know I'm not hating on you, Kwaad!)

 What do you guys think?

I consider it 2 things. Buttons, and useable buttons.

Just becuase a keyboard has 110 keys, does not mean that I would use every one of them. I hold my fingers on. shift, a, s, d, space. With my right hand on the mouse/joystick.

The only keys I use on the keyboard for 'use' is, shift, a, s, d, f, w. q, e, ctrl, space. Basically 10 buttons.

That is my point on the Wiimote, is the +, -, 1, 2 buttons are useless.
Those text buttons are 100% useless ingame. Especially considering how Live is based around voice.

It's one of those stupid, pointless things.

I still like instant messenging. I can talk to like 5 different people at once in seperate windows. If I were to get 5 people yelling at me using voice chat, you can imagine how insane it can get.

Plus, I could IM my friend online or whatever and say "hey, get on and play this game!"  

Or, you could always use a USB keyboard... At least that's how it works on the PS3.

EDIT: It type around 80wpm, and it really makes me mad trying to type on one of those things, becuase I type faster than I talk, and when I'm on something like that I type about 5-10 wpm, wich kills me. And I'm talking after I get good at it. I think the simple controller text entry is almost as fast. (cell phone style) 

yeah that's true. I'd be typing with my thumbs or something with a keypad that small

I don't use MSN. And can't the PS3 run AIM already as well as other messeging programs?

yup, exactly. When I am typing on the computer I use 9 fingers and I type really fast. If your wondering why I say 9, is becuase I dont normally use my left thumb. However I do use it for hitting space sometimes.

I use the home-row keys flawless, and I have god given dexterity on my fingers. When I see someone that can type as fast as me, faster than me, or almost as fast as me, I tend to say something. It's really rare to see someone who can type as fast as me, or even faster, and to see it with my own eyes, it is nice to see I'm not a freak. But if you can type that fast, you should be proud of yourself becuase you are in the 1%. But hey, typing fast isnt everything. Being able to pull crap out of certin places is what makes it worth while. But yup. I hate typing on anything but a full size keyboard. My dad offered me 50$ for my 12 year old keyboard. I will not part with it. The keys have to have a good long stroke, they have to have a good *thud* feel, and they have to make that 'perfect' typing sound. Otherwise I am annoyed by the keyboard. I've gotten quite good at typing on a cellphone. In all honsty if it uses a predicition system, I can type faster on a cellphone, than I can on a micro-keyboard. That's kinda sad tho. 

 Not that I am aware of. I mean, the PS3 can run linux... wich means if linux can run it, the PS3 can. But we are talking about in-game. And as far as I'm aware, there is no 'ingame messaging' system. However sony has pointed the are working on makeing one.

 Well Ps3 can run linux, linux runs firefox, and firefox runs the browser version of AIM.  But ok I understand now. My roommate has 360 and I am moving out soon so I am just trying to see what out there.

 Linux runs GAIM, wich functions as MSN, Y!, AIM, and Google Talk.