GoKawiilClicks Technology, the startup determined to bring back physical keyboards to smartphones, began shipping its now-$99 MagSafe-compatible Power Keyboard this summer, after some delays. As of last week, 75% of the pre-orders from the first batch had shipped to customers.
Designed to work with a range of devices, this new, slide-out keyboard with tactile buttons can accommodate different phone sizes and can be used in either portrait or landscape mode, the company says, giving any phone a BlackBerry-like feel.
The device is something of a teaser for what’s to come when Clicks ships its first smartphone, the BlackBerry-like Clicks Communicator, also featuring a physical keyboard, later this year.
Like the upcoming smartphone, the idea behind the Power Keyboard is to provide an alternative to onscreen keyboards for those who miss the speed and reliability that came with typing on a small, physical keyboard.
However, in its current implementation, the Power Keyboard suffers from the same fate as the company’s earlier Clicks keyboard — a smartphone case that included a physical keyboard. It can make the phone feel top-heavy and difficult to hold in portrait mode, especially if you’re using a larger smartphone as I did in tests with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 10 XL.
Still, the device itself is crafted with care, and could appeal to those who still desperately long for their BlackBerry.
Image Credits:Clicks Technology
Unboxing the device, we noticed the Power Keyboard was nicely packaged as a premium device would be, with peel-away cling films to prevent scratches during shipping and a full-color Quick Start guide to using the product.
You may first need to charge the device’s battery via USB-C, though we found ours shipped with a charge already. To pair the device with your phone over Bluetooth, press and hold the power button and slide out the keyboard. We quickly paired the device with our Android phone. We ran into trouble once we switched over to the iPhone. Even after “forgetting” the device on Android, it still refused to pair with our iPhone. Returning to the instructions, it appears this was our mistake. The trick is to press a number key alongside the power button on the keyboard to add a second Bluetooth device. (The only way to actually “forget” a device is by removing it from its slot using the Clicks mobile app.)
The keyboard attaches to your phone via MagSafe or Qi2. If your phone doesn’t support either technology, you could opt to use an adhesive ring or a phone case that adds the magnetic power profile instead.
... continue reading