BlackBerry's iconic keyboard patent has expired
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The article is absolute trash for not mentioning this. "Their iconic keyboards..." is the closest it gets to describing them.
Thankfully, there is a link to the patent at the end.
Abstract
A keyboard comprising a plurality of transparent keys. In use, the keyboard is attached to a device such as a mobile device, to overlie a display screen of the device. One or more images displayed on the display screen are made visible to a user through the keys, which may be pressed by a user. User input is determined by identifying a pressed key, and the image or part thereof visible through the key when pressed.
Basically a detachable keyboard of transparent material as a display overlay, providing tactile feedback while the LCD allows for backlit and customizable key labels. I don't remember seeing a practical implementation of this IRL or in media but I might be too young for that.
Wow really I never saw that before, sounds crazy.
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It's why somebody make this. They too were missing the keyboard
Oh the sweetest raspberry, mother of jam, What is this abomination?
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Remembering the BlackBerry keyboard leads me to remembering the Palm Pre, which had so much potential. In many ways, still my favorite phone ever. It's sad to see WebOS reduced to Smart TV shit.
I got an LG largely because the options were WebOS or shitty proprietary OS.
And yeah, LG haven't been kind to it.
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Oh the sweetest raspberry, mother of jam, What is this abomination?
Looong loooooong maaaaaaaaaaaan
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Yea looking forward to this kind of keyboard XD
Urgh split keyboards are the worst. Better to have everything in one higher up central position with easy access to entry ports for finer fingering.
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Finally we can begin to chip away at BlackBerry’s dominance.
They've had it good too long!
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Oh the sweetest raspberry, mother of jam, What is this abomination?
Clicks.tech keyboard case of you really want to know
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God I don't know how anyone likes the haptic feedback. Turn that shit off.
Swiping is pretty cool though.
I fucking love haptic feedback. They suck only when the system used is a motor with that circular half-weight thingy. The linear oscillating weight ones are amazing.
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I fucking love haptic feedback. They suck only when the system used is a motor with that circular half-weight thingy. The linear oscillating weight ones are amazing.
I like it if it's really really subtle. Basically the minimum length vibration, which is 2ms on heliboard.
Anything longer, I find annoying.
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God I don't know how anyone likes the haptic feedback. Turn that shit off.
Swiping is pretty cool though.
Boomers and normies appear to love it.
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60% Bluetooth, but what's the other 40%?
Concentrated power of will.
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I had two BlackBerry devices for work, right about the time they were going away. I'd heard the keyboard was good on earlier models but it seemed like the quality had gotten pretty cheap on the later phones. The BlackBerry 10 OS on my last phone was actually pretty good, and probably would've kept them in the market if they'd launched it 5 years earlier.
Best keyboard I ever had was a Motorola Q. The phone itself was mediocre, but great keyboard.
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It's why somebody make this. They too were missing the keyboard
It looks so flimsy. The size of the keyboard compared to the screen feels like it would be nearly impossible to type on it with the thumbs comfortably and without the phone falling out of your hand.
Edit: Oh no, I just noticed that's a case. Than makes it even worse. I would not trust that thing to hold my phone in place.
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I got an LG largely because the options were WebOS or shitty proprietary OS.
And yeah, LG haven't been kind to it.
It was such an innovative Mobile UI for its time, and the physical slide-out keyboard of the Pre, was a really satisfying typing experience. These days, people take for granted that they can dismiss an app by simply "flicking" it up and off the screen on your mobile phone, but that whole visual metaphor and activity came from WebOS. It felt like the first true multi-tasking mobile phone. shucks I miss it.
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It's why somebody make this. They too were missing the keyboard
I remember this. Was it a kickstarter?
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The article is absolute trash for not mentioning this. "Their iconic keyboards..." is the closest it gets to describing them.
Thankfully, there is a link to the patent at the end.
Abstract
A keyboard comprising a plurality of transparent keys. In use, the keyboard is attached to a device such as a mobile device, to overlie a display screen of the device. One or more images displayed on the display screen are made visible to a user through the keys, which may be pressed by a user. User input is determined by identifying a pressed key, and the image or part thereof visible through the key when pressed.
Basically a detachable keyboard of transparent material as a display overlay, providing tactile feedback while the LCD allows for backlit and customizable key labels. I don't remember seeing a practical implementation of this IRL or in media but I might be too young for that.
So changeable keys on a touchscreen, but with physical buttons on top. Sign me up!
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It looks so flimsy. The size of the keyboard compared to the screen feels like it would be nearly impossible to type on it with the thumbs comfortably and without the phone falling out of your hand.
Edit: Oh no, I just noticed that's a case. Than makes it even worse. I would not trust that thing to hold my phone in place.
I had a phone with a physical keyboard that small. Surprisingly easy to work with.
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It was such an innovative Mobile UI for its time, and the physical slide-out keyboard of the Pre, was a really satisfying typing experience. These days, people take for granted that they can dismiss an app by simply "flicking" it up and off the screen on your mobile phone, but that whole visual metaphor and activity came from WebOS. It felt like the first true multi-tasking mobile phone. shucks I miss it.
My Palm Pre people. I loved that phone. It was under powered, buggy, and felt like the future.
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I had two BlackBerry devices for work, right about the time they were going away. I'd heard the keyboard was good on earlier models but it seemed like the quality had gotten pretty cheap on the later phones. The BlackBerry 10 OS on my last phone was actually pretty good, and probably would've kept them in the market if they'd launched it 5 years earlier.
Blackberry's design patents have expired as well. So you can go nuts.
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I had two BlackBerry devices for work, right about the time they were going away. I'd heard the keyboard was good on earlier models but it seemed like the quality had gotten pretty cheap on the later phones. The BlackBerry 10 OS on my last phone was actually pretty good, and probably would've kept them in the market if they'd launched it 5 years earlier.
Oooh I might look into that once my 3310 dies
