[hpjoan]

Personally I don't like Apple. But if this thing get real I might think again.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/physibo/physibo

[zer0ten]

I've got a work issued iPhone XS that I hate. I even took the sim card out to put in my Passport SE.

If this was a reality, I would be all over my iPhone.

[jackbuck93]

If there was no Key3, I would take an iPhone with a keyboard case. Problem is, I would want the trackpad feature in the pkb, and that's not going to happen.

And, this one doesn't have a chin? That's going to make typing on this fairly difficult, no? It doesn't look like it's made particularly well either, if that thing is real.

[hpjoan]

If that thing succeed - they're far from it by now - is going to be the only choice, at least in portrait mode. I'm sure is far from perfect, but at least we're going to have a decent option. Titan appear to be unsafe, f(x)tech pro 1 is landscape slider and also cosmo communicator.
We'll see.

[bb10adopter111]

I would recommend that PKB fans avoid becoming so desperate that they accept poorly designed add-on keyboards that will lack almost all app and OS integration other than text entry.

What made the BlackBerry keyboard so great was the way it facilitated effortless navigation of all aspects of BlackBerry legacy phones. Today's touch-based OSes simply don't support deep PKB functionality.

I would recommend against fetishising the PKB to the point that you miss the fact that a well-integrated touch-based interface (including the VKB) is better than a poorly integrated PKB.

I type equally well with or without the PKB, and while I would happily use a PKB that had the integration and usability of the legacy BlackBerry ones, I would rather use a slab that deal with cheap, "one trick pony" imitations.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

[the_boon]

I type equally well with or without the PKB, and while I would happily use a PKB that had the integration and usability of the legacy BlackBerry ones

Yet you are typing on a Z10 and not a Q10/Classic

[bb10adopter111]

Yet you are typing on a Z10 and not a Q10/Classic

Yes. It came out first in 2013 and I needed a new phone after a horrible six-month experience with the iPhone. I had planned to buy the Q10, but within a day I was in love with the Z10 and saw no reason to spend another $600.

The Hub and gestures in BB10 obviated my need for the wonderful keyboard shortcuts I had become addicted to in BBOS.

I eventually picked up a Q5 and an AT&T Passport, both of which I really like, but I am so fast and efficient on the Z10, that neither has migrated into my bag as a daily driver for more than a week or two.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

[hpjoan]

Fair point.
But we don't lose anything giving it a try. If its poorly supported I can sell the iphone and that's it.
I want to press real keys, haptic feedback is not good enough and when I'm in a VKB I tend to write less and less.
I had the same thing years ago, actually lots of years ago with HP calculators. They had real keys with proper hinges and I couldn't think about not wearing one in my pocket.
I'm never going to be comfortable with a VKB, sure the one in my Z30 is better than any other one I've tried but still not good enough for me, so I'll keep seeking for a modern OS with a PKB.

[the_boon]

Yes. It came out first in 2013 and I needed a new phone after a horrible six-month experience with the iPhone. I had planned to buy the Q10, but within a day I was in love with the Z10 and saw no reason to spend another $600.

The Hub and gestures in BB10 obviated my need for the wonderful keyboard shortcuts I had become addicted to in BBOS.

I eventually picked up a Q5 and an AT&T Passport, both of which I really like, but I am so fast and efficient on the Z10, that neither has migrated into my bag as a daily driver for more than a week or two.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

If you don't use the Q5 and Passport, why not sell them and get a Q10/Classic and keep the leftover money?

I didn't know the Q10 launched at $600, that is so overpriced!

But now they can be found for like $20

[bh7171]

If you don't use the Q5 and Passport, why not sell them and get a Q10/Classic and keep the leftover money?

I didn't know the Q10 launched at $600, that is so overpriced!

But now they can be found for like $20

Q10 and Z10 were flagship level devices in '13 and remember then most phones were a nominal cost for a new "2 year" agreement one was locked into. At least that's how it was when I was with AT&T.

[bh7171]

Personally I don't like Apple. But if this thing get real I might think again.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/physibo/physibo

I don't see this going anywhere after the prior attempt and litigation.

[hpjoan]

That was for the Typo and in 2014. They made the Typo 2 without any further action and it was available on amazon. The reviews are still there.

[bb10adopter111]

If you don't use the Q5 and Passport, why not sell them and get a Q10/Classic and keep the leftover money?

I didn't know the Q10 launched at $600, that is so overpriced!

But now they can be found for like $20

But I do use both the Passport and the Q5!

My Passport is my primary device at home, and I use it extensively for reading, audio, and light video. My Q5 is my "phone and email only" focus device that I carry when I want to minimize distractions but stay in touch.

I've noticed that you've suggested in a few threads that I "trade up" my older phones. Honestly, I don't enjoy selling my stuff because I don't have really like to deal with boxing, shipping and communicating with buyers. It's just not worth it for a few bucks.

If I wanted a different phone, I would just buy it outright. And money is definitely not the issue. I have exactly the phones I want right now. I don't expect to buy another phone until early 2021.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

[Bla1ze]

Looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Well with a MRSP: $129.99, they must have some laywer money built into it? Even though it can be had for $55 for a limited time...

But if this was launched on Nov 21 as it says... and they only have 5 day's left. Kinda a moot point, as they haven't even come close to their goal.

[Bla1ze]

Well with a MRSP: $129.99, they must have some laywer money built into it?

Maybe.. but I doubt it tbh.

[RWIndiana]

I wish they would bring modular keyboards, navigation buttons, and other useful modules for phones... software would catch up. There are still some games on the play store that have keyboard shortcuts in them. Not sure if the developers even know that they're still there.

[jackbuck93]

If BlackBerry try and take down this admittedly flawed attempt to create a keyboard case for another phone, they'll lose me completely. If BlackBerry phones are going to be no more, then this is the kind of thing I want to see. I'd move to an iPhone, if forced to, if there was a keyboard case for it.

If every attempt gets taken down by a lawsuit then they'll cash in and the end users, us, lose out on the chance to continue using pkbs.

[Chuck Finley69]

If BlackBerry try and take down this admittedly flawed attempt to create a keyboard case for another phone, they'll lose me completely. If BlackBerry phones are going to be no more, then this is the kind of thing I want to see. I'd move to an iPhone, if forced to, if there was a keyboard case for it.

If every attempt gets taken down by a lawsuit then they'll cash in and the end users, us, lose out on the chance to continue using pkbs.

But the company has fiduciary obligation to protect the BB IP and shareholder rights.

[jackbuck93]

But the company has fiduciary obligation to protect the BB IP and shareholder rights.

I'm aware. That's what I'm complaining about. It sucks.

[johnb_xp]

Looks like a worse "Typo"

Lol they even have a picture of the Typo in the cheesy video.

[zer0ten]

Looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

But why???

If BB is done with hardware and their partners are also done, why can't other companies produce a mobile qwerty?

Does BB literally own the rights to any physical keyboard on a mobile device?



Posted via CB10

[bb10adopter111]

But why???

If BB is done with hardware and their partners are also done, why can't other companies produce a mobile qwerty?

Does BB literally own the rights to any physical keyboard on a mobile device?

No, BB does not own the rights to any physical keyboard on a mobile device, but they do have nearly 10,000 patents, including the following three, which were cited in the Typo lawsuits (from this site):

The ‘964 patent, entitled “HAND-HELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A KEYBOARD OPTIMIZED FOR USE WITH THE THUMBS”, was granted on December 8, 2009, and among its multiple independent claims, of particular note is independent claim 19 which claims “[a] keyboard for use with a mobile communication device”. Claim 19 includes the limitations of “twenty-six letter keys and at least one other key” distributed in three rows, that are symmetrically distributed along the face of the electronic device. Furthermore, claim 19 includes the limitation of:
“five letter keys in the upper row being disposed on each side of the vertical reference, five letter keys in the middle row being disposed on one side of the vertical reference and four letter keys in the middle row being disposed on the other side of the vertical reference, and four letter keys in the lower row being disposed on the one side of the vertical reference line and three letter keys in the lower row being disposed on the other side of the vertical reference line…”

The ‘552 patent, entitled “RAMPED-KEY KEYBOARD FOR A HAND-HELD MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE”, was granted on April 24, 2012, and claims “[a] keyboard for a wireless hand-held mobile communication device”. The limitations recited in independent claim 1 include “a keyfield comprising a plurality of depressible keys arranged in rows that are distributed about a vertical centerline of the keyboard” and “each of the depressible keys has a top engagement surface of which an upper inboard portion is raised relative to a lower outboard portion thereof, wherein the top engagement surface of at least some of the depressible keys has a generally inclined crest shape with a top of the crest diagonally orientated on the key.”

The D’775 patent, entitled “HAND-HELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE”, was granted on July 9, 2013, and claims “the ornamental design for a hand-held electronic device, as shown and described.” The D’775 patent has the entire profile of the phone shown in broken lines as well as the screen, speaker and other components of the phone. Only the keyboard of the phone is shown in solid lines. Thus, in accordance with design patent law, only the keyboard is claimed in the D’775 patent.

I tried to post links to the primary patent documents, but I seem to have broken the CrackBerry HTML editor, so you'll have to perform your own patent searches at http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.htm

The full patent numbers referenced above are
7,629,964
8,162,552
D685,775

Feel free to browse all of Blackberry/Research in Motion's 287 patents that have the word "Keyboard" in the title for more information, or any of their other 9490 patents at http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.htm with the following queries:

an/(Blackberry or "Research in Motion") and ttl/keyboard
an/(Blackberry or "Research in Motion")

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

All those PKB patents are almost worthless - at least based on today's demand for that technology.

Looks at Physibo, they might have been shooting for under 2,000 - 3,000 units (they aren't even going to come close to that), how much per unit do you think they could afford to pay BlackBerry? Let's say they gave BlackBerry $10 a unit, is $30K worth BlackBerry's (or their new IP closing house) time? Not to mention BlackBerry would assumable have some conditions, like quality control.

BlackBerry has to protect their IP... just in case it one day becomes valuable.

[bb10adopter111]

All those PKB patents are almost worthless - at least based on today's demand for that technology.

Looks at Physibo, they might have been shooting for under 2,000 - 3,000 units (they aren't even going to come close to that), how much per unit do you think they could afford to pay BlackBerry? Let's say they gave BlackBerry $10 a unit, is $30K worth BlackBerry's (or their new IP closing house) time? Not to mention BlackBerry would assumable have some conditions, like quality control.

BlackBerry has to protect their IP... just in case it one day becomes valuable.

I never said that the PKB patents were strategically valuable. I just answered the question asked about what BlackBerry's PKB patents ARE. Less than 3% of their patents are for PKBs. Most are for mobile app functionality, messaging, and security.

Any patent attorney will tell you there are three good (interrelated) reasons to patent something:

1) To monetize a valuable invention by preventing potential competitors from copying or reinventing it, and reward inventors for their investments of time and resources in research and development. This is true whether the patent holder wishes to exploit the patent themselves or license it to others

2) To prevent another company from patenting an invention. At one of my companies, we invented a device that was critical to our business. We didn't think anyone else wanted to copy our business model, but the invention could have been used for other purposes, and we were very worried that IBM, Microsoft, or another big company would patent it first and then prevent us from using it, possibly destroying our business.

3) As a bargaining chip in cross-licensing patent agreements, where companies license patent portfolios to each other so that they can develop new products freely without walking on eggshells worrying about lawsuits. This is what the big tech companies usually do, and what BlackBerry has done multiple times.

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.