Actually, maybe the need for T9 could be avoided if a tap-hold-slide could be implemented for letter picking.. e.g. tap and hold the 5, slide thumb all the way to the left of the screen for J up to about about 25%, K is 25 - 50%, L is 50% to 75% and 5 is 75 - 100%

Is something like that doable? I really don't think I'll find a portrait qwerty that useful because I have serious problems pressing the correct buttons on the genuine Nokia landscape keyboard due to the size of my thumbs.. a 2abc 3def dial pad is usable though..

There were other input methods that appeared on older nokia phones like KeyStick: http://www.symbianone.com/content/view/1203/84/ - i don't know if thinking about something radical like these would also be an option for easier one handed big thumb text entry?