RIM Patents Trapezoidal Keyboard for Users with Big Thumbs

**W1zz** · 05-09-2012, 09:52 AM

RIM patents trapezoidal BlackBerry keyboards for slanty-thumbed texters
By Daniel Cooper posted May 9th 2012 7:46AM

RIM is utterly devoted to the physical keyboard, but how do you deal with sausage-fingered emailers who can't pick out individual keys? Thanks to this newly-granted 2009 patent, the company has the solution -- a trapezoidal keyboard designed to offer easier access of type-weary thumbs and wider keys for better accuracy. We hope that in a windowless office in Waterloo, some engineer will combine elements from all this patenting activity and come up with the next generation of mobile telephone.

Source: RIM patents trapezoidal BlackBerry keyboards for slanty-thumbed texters - Engadget

**husainpatan** · 05-09-2012, 10:11 AM

Awesome. It seals our confidence even further that keyboards are here to stay with BB.

But, eh... Doesn't this keyboard looks ugly?

**BoldPreza** · 05-09-2012, 11:31 AM

Why don't they just push the existing keyboard out? The 9900 has an excellent sized keyboard.

**sleepngbear** · 05-09-2012, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by BoldPreza

Why don't they just push the existing keyboard out? The 9900 has an excellent sized keyboard.

Some people's thumbs are bigger than that!

Obviously a black-and-white sketch is a fairly poor representation of a finished product. I'd really like to see how this design translates in real life; i.e., are the actual black molded keys visually appealing, and are keys of that shape really any larger or easier to work with than the traditional squared chicklets and scallops.

**Bobcat665** · 05-09-2012, 12:59 PM

Ugly? I think that actually looks pretty cool! But, yes, we would have to reserve judgement until some real life examples come out.

**BBPandy** · 05-09-2012, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by husainpatan

Awesome. It seals our confidence even further that keyboards are here to stay with BB.

But, eh... Doesn't this keyboard looks ugly?

Practicle, isn't always beutiful

**Thunderbuck** · 05-09-2012, 02:05 PM

I don't think it's bad-looking at all. My question would be if they shouldn't have been slanted the other way, up towards the center? When I think about how my thumb presses a key, I'd rather the key was longer rather than wider.

**husainpatan** · 05-09-2012, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by bbpandy

Practicle, isn't always beutiful

Hahaha...
I now guess that I should have kept mum

**mithrazor** · 05-09-2012, 02:10 PM

This looks awesome. Especially if it makes texting easier to hit the right buttons. I'd love this in my next BB phone.

I hope they can implement it!

**Blackberry_boffin** · 05-09-2012, 02:30 PM

Basically BlackBerry needed something of a paradigm shift to shake of the tag of "same old, same old" so this could be smoothed and honed to be the new BB10 keyboard.
I definitely approve.

**cycomyk** · 05-09-2012, 02:31 PM

I think its cool, breakaway from the norm and standout. can't wait for BB10, sure I can

___________________________________
Blackberry 9900
Blackberry Playbook
"Carpe Diem"

**sleepngbear** · 05-09-2012, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by cycomyk

I think its cool, breakaway from the norm and standout. can't wait for BB10, sure I can

I'm ok with that, as long as it's functionally an improvement and not just different for the sake of being different.

**Mystic205** · 05-09-2012, 04:46 PM

all really pretty...but..only helps the faithful

After all, if the bestest physical keyboards like on the 9900/9930 with their super duper typing speed and accuracy dont bring you to the BB then making the keyboard superer and duperer wont help...

**llllBULLSEYE** · 05-09-2012, 09:39 PM

Don't like the design at all.
probably useful though

**FSeverino** · 05-09-2012, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Thunderbuck

I don't think it's bad-looking at all. My question would be if they shouldn't have been slanted the other way, up towards the center? When I think about how my thumb presses a key, I'd rather the key was longer rather than wider.

i think you could have made yourself a lot of money if you suggested this earlier.

when you go to press a button your thumb will 'slide' to the next button, where as if the buttons were slanted the other way they would prevent your thumbs from doing this since most of us use an upward motion when pressing the button.

although I am sure RIM did some R&D on this so they may have little bezels or something like they do on current keyboards to prevent this... the picture isnt really that detailed, and we dont have the documentation to go with it either.

**jkomo001** · 05-09-2012, 10:14 PM

I think its a cool idea. I have a 9650 and although I see it as a perfect keyboard, this sounds like something that could somehow improve something that is already perfect. I wana see how it looks foreal!