Samsung's folding keyboard brings a little starfighter to the cellphone
Looks like Samsung's elves have been busy thinking up new ways to cram a QWERTY onto all those touchscreen phones they've been selling lately: check out this patent application for a side-mounted flip-down keyboard. We're not sure if this would be comfortable, usable, or even stable, but we do know that we support any design decision that makes our phones look more like super-awesome space planes from the future. Carry on, Sammy.
[Via PhoneArena]
[Via PhoneArena]




















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Maeztro @ Jul 8th 2009 4:24PM
Autobots...Transform and ROLL OUT!
Maeztro @ Jul 8th 2009 4:25PM
...and txt message!
Techie @ Jul 8th 2009 5:45PM
Do you realize how hard it will be to type on that thing without folding it back in?
OneLove @ Jul 8th 2009 6:08PM
Samsung and Sony never pass the joint back. puff, puff, pass. wtf?
iphonerulez @ Jul 9th 2009 12:44AM
This is a joke article, right? No company would be crazy enough to have a fold out keyboard for a cellphone.
JJ @ Jul 8th 2009 4:25PM
Make it fly.
Templarian @ Jul 8th 2009 4:38PM
I want to attach a firework to it after the one/two year mark. It's like the idea of skipping ones pre across the water at the 2 year mark.
13enS @ Jul 8th 2009 4:25PM
Need to see a hands-on model. Just from the sketch, I'd imagine it'd be top head, and flip out of your hands.
gstar @ Jul 8th 2009 5:09PM
ahhh, top head, my favorite kind of head...
13enS @ Jul 8th 2009 5:15PM
brain fart...
"...top heavy..."
Jonathan @ Jul 8th 2009 4:25PM
YES.
This is really, really cool. Hope it fixes the thickness that slide outs bring.
Sisyphus @ Jul 8th 2009 4:26PM
No, no.
That's not a keyboard, its a featurephone. The primary feature? Making waffles.
edd @ Jul 8th 2009 4:30PM
It's a cool concept but if they make it that thin... "SNAP"
Smccullough @ Jul 8th 2009 4:33PM
I believe they sell those at Toys R' Us already...it's the Batman communicator!
Ivan @ Jul 8th 2009 4:33PM
If you need a paddle fan during hot summer then there you have it!
egress63 @ Jul 8th 2009 4:33PM
Interesting in design. Lets keep it that way, shall we?
Wolfticket @ Jul 8th 2009 4:58PM
What?
dan2600 @ Jul 8th 2009 5:12PM
lolwut
dangribbin @ Jul 8th 2009 6:03PM
uh.
Fingal @ Jul 8th 2009 4:34PM
It will be called Death Blossom
Neil @ Jul 8th 2009 4:34PM
Hahaha.....thanks Samsung, I really needed a laugh and you just gave it to me.
iGO @ Jul 8th 2009 4:35PM
OUCH !
This looks like a lesson on how NOT to design.
Imagine a "coil/sprung" based cable, that you pull from the bottom like a string tape-measure, to provide mousing functionality.
eeek!
Ken Renner @ Jul 8th 2009 4:37PM
Reminds me of my old Nokia 6800 with the fold out keyboard. The keyboard on it worked fine, but this looks pretty flimsy.
Monkey with glasses @ Jul 8th 2009 4:52PM
My homie still uses that phone. Lol.
Choco_Taco @ Jul 8th 2009 4:41PM
Ugly!!
joe23521 @ Jul 8th 2009 4:41PM
How are you going to hold the device?
Sam @ Jul 8th 2009 5:42PM
lol thats what I thought.. it looks like it would be really awkward to hold, let alone type on while holding.
James @ Jul 9th 2009 12:02PM
My thoughts too, Why not turn the whole design upside down? The keyboard flips toward the top of the phone instead, then you have someplace to put your fingers (the back of the phone, below the kb) making the whole thing more stable. As an added benefit, it wouldnt want to fold up on you like the current design appears it would do.
Matt @ Jul 8th 2009 4:42PM
"Lock SMS-foils in attack position!"
TJ @ Jul 8th 2009 4:50PM
You win.
dan2600 @ Jul 8th 2009 5:12PM
winrar is you
private.information @ Jul 8th 2009 4:43PM
Swiss Army Knife of Phones, just add a screw, magnifying glass, toothpick, etc...
sweet greggo @ Jul 8th 2009 4:45PM
wtf.
mugerg @ Jul 8th 2009 4:46PM
wow this is some grade A crap from samsung. thumbs up on amazing garbage
Dayne @ Jul 8th 2009 4:47PM
Shouldn't you have said, "Play it again, Sam."
J D @ Jul 8th 2009 4:47PM
Put the sharp edges of a Pre on it and have a Samsung switchblade
Wwhat @ Jul 8th 2009 4:47PM
Every phonemaking company:
"no we can't put a regular headphoneplug, there's no room"
"no we can't use mni USB there's no room"
And now they have this patented? Makes no sense, where would the battery and PCB go?
And yeah, joe23521 has a point too, how to hold it?
And who will underwrite the massive returns as people break off these things then demand a refund? Although I guess you could make some sort of flexible hinge setup where if you bend it it'll just bounce back.
ryan @ Jul 8th 2009 4:48PM
not to mention it won't even work if you tried to fold it back in, the keyboards occupy the same plane and would hit each other. if they were on higher and lower planes it would just look stupid as well...
NOCknock @ Jul 8th 2009 4:49PM
I think I saw this on the cover of a journey album. :P
T.W.G @ Jul 8th 2009 4:54PM
very old ... as the german Siemens SK65 had this type of keyboard a few years(!) ago and Engadget even reviewed it ;-)
http://www.engadget.com/2005/02/09/siemens-sk65-review/
Jonathan @ Jul 8th 2009 5:17PM
That keyboard twisted, like two l one behind another twisting to become a X
This new keyboard is like ||| becoming -|-
It's different.
Chad @ Jul 8th 2009 4:56PM
Actually the Siemens SK65 from WAY back in 2004 did this IMO much better. Would be nice to see that design resurrected with an Android smart-phone.
http://www.mobileburn.com/imagepop.jsp?Id=1098&file=media%2Fsiemens%2Fsk65%2Fthumb_sk65_open-IMG_1862.jpg
Timmy @ Jul 8th 2009 5:01PM
No sillies, those are Solar collectors/ cheese graters for your fresh Parmesan
LocalToast @ Jul 8th 2009 5:06PM
Wrong, it's a cyborg UAV carrier pigeon.
Grumpy old man @ Jul 8th 2009 6:52PM
Yeah great Samsung, way to go! So when the all-spark comes to town we're not going to even try to make it work? You've just made it easy to create a mini-Megatron!
Carrie @ Jul 8th 2009 5:21PM
Vrrooom!! Zzzzooooommmm~! Whoossshhhh
Chad Zeluff @ Jul 8th 2009 5:56PM
Thanks, but my motor skills have already developed to use both physical keyboard (PC) and touchscreen keyboards (iPhone).
SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jul 8th 2009 6:06PM
What are ya talking about? That's "Cell-Wing" the newest Decepticon.
Scout650 @ Jul 8th 2009 6:06PM
A DECEPTICON!!!
SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jul 8th 2009 6:08PM
Weird