Click Technology today unveils the Clicks creator keyboard for iPhone. It’s less “the future” than a wistful look back at a world we thought we’d left behind, a nostalgic throwback to the days of BlackBerry and Nokia, when pressing physical buttons was the pinnacle of mobile communication.
“We use keyboards on our desktops, laptops and tablets every day — so it’s surprising that we’ve abandoned physical buttons on the smartphone,” said Michael Fisher, co-founder of Clicks Technology.
The thing is, we haven’t given up on physical buttons. It turns out that there are plenty of Bluetooth keyboards out there that fulfill this role just fine — and that on-screen keyboards (with their swipe / predictive text / spell check features) are simply a better solution for users on the go. Tiny little BlackBerry-style buttons have always been an unmitigated disaster, and there are really excellent reasons the technology died out a long time ago.
The Click keyboard combines the “advantages” of touch and typing. By moving the keyboard off screen while typing, clicks almost double the available screen. Yes, you can now see all your typos in HD resolution.
This falls firmly into the “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” category if you ask me. Image Credits: Click Technology
And for those who really miss the good old days of typing on a physical keyboard, clicker keyboard offers real keys. Now, you can feel the physical pain in your fingers as you type your memoir on the go.
Keyboard shortcuts are another ‘innovation’ that comes with clicks. iPhone users can now use shortcuts like CMD + H to navigate to the home screen or CMD + Space to launch Search. It’s a whole new world, right?
Clicks connects directly to the iPhone via Lightning or USB-C, completely ignoring the wireless world in which we spend most of our lives.
For the mere price of $139 (USD), you can own this piece of innovation. The company is opening its order book today and says it will ship on February 1st.
So, if you’re looking for a hint of nostalgia, a bit of hassle and a bit of unnecessary physical effort, the Click keyboard might just be for you.
