Clicks has begun shipping its Power Keyboard, a slide-out, tactile keyboard designed to revive physical typing on smartphones, offering broad compatibility and new features like wireless charging, as it prepares for its upcoming dedicated device.
Clicks Technology has begun shipping its Power Keyboard after previous delays, marking a new attempt to revive the appeal of physical smartphone typing. The accessory, which starts at $99, has now reached 75% of first-wave pre-orders, according to reporting from TechCrunch. The company is positioning it as a more flexible alternative to its earlier phone-specific keyboard cases, with support for MagSafe on iPhone and Qi2 on Android.
The Power Keyboard uses a slide-out design and is meant to deliver the familiar tactile feel associated with classic BlackBerry handsets. Clicks says the device can work with a wide range of phones, including standard and larger models, and can be used in portrait or landscape mode. Its dimensions are 119.7 x 76.6 x 15.2 mm and it weighs 180 grams. The company says it includes a built-in battery and can pair with as many as nine Bluetooth devices.
The accessory also adds practical features beyond typing. According to Clicks’ product listing, the keyboard offers adjustable LED backlighting, a dedicated battery reserve for typing and compatibility with existing cases. TechRadar reported that it can also provide wireless charging, with part of its battery reserved for keyboard use and part available to recharge a phone. Notebookcheck noted that Clicks is promoting broad compatibility across smartphones, tablets, televisions and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Reviews of the new model have also highlighted the compromises that come with attaching a keyboard to the back of a modern phone. TechCrunch said the setup can make large devices top-heavy and awkward to hold in portrait orientation, while also making pockets less friendly and limiting use with thicker protective cases. Even so, the product is being cast as a holding pattern for users who miss hardware keys while they wait for Clicks’ first dedicated smartphone, the Clicks Communicator, which the company says is due later this year.
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