[copeland007]

The headline is from Bloomberg (terminal). It appears that the initial stock was 10,000+ which means that the $1mm that Seacrest sunk in could be quickly recovered.

Hopefully BlackBerry gets its day in court rather soon! One of my fears is that BBRY's patents haven't been tested to a strong degree in court. You never know how a judge is going to rule.

[qbnkelt]

I just don't see myself getting one of those.....

[copeland007]

The full article:

(BN) Seacrest’s Typo Keyboard Accessory Sells Out After Debut at CES

Seacrest’s Typo Keyboard Accessory Sells Out After Debut at CES
2014-01-14 17:50:54.425 GMT


By Nick Turner

Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- The Typo Keyboard, an iPhone accessory backed by “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, is scheduled to ship out to customers at the end of the month after the product sold out of its initial inventory.

The device, which debuted at last week’s International Consumer Electronics Show, lets users attach a BlackBerry-style keyboard to the iPhone 5 and 5s. The startup behind the $99 product, Typo Products LLC, expects to ship new orders by the end of February, according to a statement today.

“We’re excited about all of the positive feedback Typo has generated and we’re working hard to ensure that we get as many keyboards in consumers hands as soon as possible,” said Typo Chief Executive Officer Laurence Hallier, who co-founded the Los Angeles-based company with Seacrest.

BlackBerry Ltd., the Canadian smartphone maker, sued Typo Products earlier this month, alleging it copied its designs for the keyboard. The product infringes patents and designs used in the Q10, a keyboard-equipped phone that BlackBerry released last year, according to the complaint.

Link to Company News:{BB CN <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{AAPL US <Equity> CN <GO>}

[ikalinin]

AWESOME! the more they sell, the more $$ BB will get!!

and may i add, what a bunch of goofballs that actually ordered one. CLEARLY, they miss the BBRY..

[copeland007]

It's an interesting product and I would try it if it were available for my old iPhone 4s. I'll wait to see how others find it (non-Kevin reviewers) before forming a decision.

I'm happy w/ my z10 but if keyboards are the future of Blackberry, I may pivot over on the next version of this product.

[bungaboy]

This should be under iMore or at least iPhone section.

Other than that . . . . who cares?

[copeland007]

AWESOME! the more they sell, the more $$ BB will get!!

and may i add, what a bunch of goofballs that actually ordered one. CLEARLY, they miss the BBRY..

Also, if someone misses a BBRY device, its apparent that they only miss one aspect, the keyboard.

I wouldn't go so far as to call people goofballs but Apple has a great accessory marketplace. BBRY's patents haven't been challenged aggressively in court so I won't jump up and down that this is a slam dunk case. Besides, what any case will do is potentially creat a roadmap for other keyboard makers to avoid getting sued. Typo Keyboard identified an area, someone like Samsung might come in to dominate this area... with a boat load of money to fight in court.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Thread has been moved. This is good news for the company that makes them.

[copeland007]

This should be under iMore or at least iPhone section.

Other than that . . . . who cares?

It's an accessory that brings a BBRY styled keyboard to another platform... I think this is appropriately located in my opinion.

[siddharth]

A case that makes my iPhone bigger and adds bulk to it. Hell no!!



Posted via Black ZeD on 10.2.1.1925

[ikalinin]

Also, if someone misses a BBRY device, its apparent that they only miss one aspect, the keyboard.

I wouldn't go so far as to call people goofballs but Apple has a great accessory marketplace. BBRY's patents haven't been challenged aggressively in court so I won't jump up and down that this is a slam dunk case. Besides, what any case will do is potentially creat a roadmap for other keyboard makers to avoid getting sued. Typo Keyboard identified an area, someone like Samsung might come in to dominate this area... with a boat load of money to fight in court.

i stand behind my "goofballs" statement. They keyboard is only good for messaging and email. which we all know BBRY dominates in. so if the APP happy people went ahead and ordered a keyboard, they may as well carry another device. they have to charge this with a SEPARATE charger too... in addition the typo basically covers up a reason for apple 5 users to upgrade to 5s.
goofballs all around.

the case is pretty much a slam dunk.
BBRY patents weren't challenged for the same reason auto manufacturers dont challenge the Rolls-Royce trade dress/patent of the front grille. because it would be a slam dunk settlement. Typo will continue to make its product and the presale sold out basically tells them that they should probably settle with BBRY.

in addition, their innovative design statement can be thrown out the window.
remember the Spike case for iphone like 2yrs ago? yeah..
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...pe-on-as-it-is
also, if this really started 2 yrs ago, they had a jump start on the design.. why in the world does it look EXACTLY like the Q10 keyboard? and seriously, like Kevin noted, why do they use an ALT key?? everyone qwerty phone i've previously seen uses/used SHIFT.

[Joao Oliveira]

Blackberry is going to make some money soon, not only that, but I think there will be great advertising for the brand aswell. Looks like physical keyboard isn't dead yet, and Blackberry is king on this type of keyboard

[donnation]

I don't get why everyone is in such an uproar over this keyboard. It's not like Apple made a phone with this keyboard or that by the design of this thing that it's going to somehow hurt sales of the already bad selling Q10.

People that buy this aren't people who were going to buy a Q10 phone. The people that buy it are the people that want the option of a keyboard while using iOS.

[ikalinin]

I don't get why everyone is in such an uproar over this keyboard. It's not like Apple made a phone with this keyboard or that by the design of this thing that it's going to somehow hurt sales of the already bad selling Q10.

People that buy this aren't people who were going to buy a Q10 phone. The people that buy it are the people that want the option of a keyboard while using iOS.

well, BB spent money for R&D of their keyboard, and they need to protect it. its like all the fake merchandise you can get from China, that are "copies" of the elite brands. why does Cartier, Lacoste, etc, go after them? well, for the same reason!

[ColdStoneGuards]

Maybe this has been asked and answered before (I don't really feel like hunting through all these pages), but does the Typo have any impact on the iPhone's battery life?

Posted via CB10

[donnation]

well, BB spent money for R&D of their keyboard, and they need to protect it. its like all the fake merchandise you can get from China, that are "copies" of the elite brands. why does Cartier, Lacoste, etc, go after them? well, for the same reason!

But those are knockoffs and exact copies. This isn't a copy of a BB10 phone, it's just a keyboard that looks similar to a Blackberry keyboard.

[ikalinin]

But those are knockoffs and exact copies. This isn't a copy of a BB10 phone, it's just a keyboard that looks similar to a Blackberry keyboard.

its pretty much a replica of the keyboard, c'mon!

[Joao Oliveira]

I still feel that this could have been a blackberry acessorie, with some good lettering saying Blackberry on the side. It would have been great advertising for the brand. It could be associated with BBM brand aswell.

[KenFletch]

BB has patents on it's various unique keyboard designs and functions. You must protect your patent

Typo might as well get all their devo and already produced keyboards sold before they has to cease production. Kevin's video at CES is all they need beyond the obvious look and Typo's own promotions as a BB like/type keyboard. The beveled keys, the frets , the layout are all BB patents and patents can be licensed out or used to make somebody copying you.

Allowing Typo to carry on like this is not smart, not worth the pennies to few dollars they might get in licensing fees.

Also if you don't defend a patent then the patent will cease to have force. You can't get the patent and then say no worries or else everyone can violate it. BB really has no choice other than to defend it. The keyboard design are a central part of what a BB is.

Another reason is the quality issue Kevin had. People mistake it for BB due to it's appearance. If it looks like BB and people confuse it for BB but it is poor quality then that can damage BB .... what if people start thinking that BB keyboard on my friends iPhone is a piece of crap ... that can damage BB as well

Make typo stop production and re-engineer there own keyboard that does not infringe is the way to go... and thet are probably working on that right now so they don't fail entirely. This product will have limited appeal, will be bought tried and discarded by most. As pothers have posted it is not the fordt kick at the can for this kind of product.

[tchocky77]

...which we all know BBRY dominates in.

Blackberry hasn't dominated anything since 2007, goofball. Have you heard about how the user base is shrinking and the stock price is a few bucks above nothing?

"Goofballs" indeed.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[tchocky77]

Also....as to Kevin's video,...is it not possible people identified the phone as a blackberry only because it had a keyboard at all?

They are the only ones around still clinging (at their peril)to the keyboard paradigm, after all.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[pcuser]

According to this, Seacrest is not the only one introducing physical keyboard to iPhone users.

[Raestloz]

Also....as to Kevin's video,...is it not possible people identified the phone as a blackberry only because it had a keyboard at all?

They are the only ones around still clinging (at their peril)to the keyboard paradigm, after all.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

No.

You need to realize the world is not made out of 4 companies. Chinese companies make keyboard phones all the time (even now), and NOKIA used to make keyboard phones (before the jump to Windows Phone). The design is merely copying BlackBerry Q10 then add two more keys. At this point nobody can even pretend anymore, either Typo honestly admits it's copying BlackBerry designs or BlackBerry will force them to admit that they're copying BlackBerry designs.

BlackBerry designs are always obvious. That people can mistake them alone is worth something in court to prove the similarity.

Either way, if Apple can get billions out of Samsung because of rounded rectangle and a custom theme, BlackBerry can get money out of suing Typo

Z10 STL100-1/10.2.0.1791

[Tre Lawrence]

According to this, Seacrest is not the only one introducing physical keyboard to iPhone users.

Therein us the problem.

Maybe BBRY really should come or with an official piece. It fits in with a cross-platform services future.

[powellcrazy]

AWESOME! the more they sell, the more $$ BB will get!!

and may i add, what a bunch of goofballs that actually ordered one. CLEARLY, they miss the BBRY..

Yes I miss my BB bold, still have and now rarely use the play book due to the lack of apps that I use /need. No one is creating apps for the BB..... If they had a Ecco system like apple or google they may survive