Clicks Technology is nostalgic for the good old Blackberry days. So much so that it has unveiled Clicks, a case that brings a real keyboard to the iPhone.

This accessory is a case and keyboard built in one, working with either the Lightning or USB-C connector (which is used on the newer iPhones like the iPhone 15). The company will show it at the CES 2024 tech trade show in Las Vegas next week.

It’s based on the believe that a tactile keyboard gives content creators and users a better experience reminiscent of older devices like the BlackBerry, known for its physical QWERTY keyboard.

With a full set of real buttons, Clicks offers iPhone users an alternative to the virtual keyboard, liberating valuable screen space and empowering users to multitask more efficiently. Scheduled for availability starting February 1, the Clicks keyboard is available for pre-order today at $139.

“We use keyboards on their desktops, laptops and tablets every day – so it’s kind of odd that they abandoned physical buttons on the smartphone,” said Michael Fisher, cofounder of Clicks Technology, in a statement. “Clicks brings the tactility and precision of a physical keyboard to iPhone, so people don’t have to wait until they get back to their desks to create or communicate with the satisfying feedback only real buttons can provide.”

Fisher is a YouTube tech reviewer with 1.2 million subscribers. The Clicks creator keyboard is the flagship product of Clicks Technology, founded by content creators Fisher (known as MrMobile) and Kevin Michaluk (known as CrackBerry Kevin), alongside a team of experts with mobile experience from companies like Apple, BlackBerry, and Google.

In a statement, Michaluk said, “Clicks will appeal as much to longtime iPhone users as it will to past keyboard phone users. They assembled a dream team of tech industry veterans to bring together the best of physical keyboards with the best of iPhone. They labored over every decision from exactly how the buttons should feel to the keyboard layout, ensuring it would be intuitive for iPhone users.”

The Clicks creator keyboard enhances the iPhone experience with screen real estate. By removing the keyboard from the display, Clicks maximizes the screen, doubling the available space for content immersion.

It offers a more natural typing experience for people on the move. Clicks facilitates mobile creation tasks like writing notes, editing documents, or prompt action on ideas. And it introduces powerful iOS keyboard shortcuts to iPhone users for improved navigation and task handling.

It has a backlight for low-light typing and easy, seamless attachment, the keyboard blends seamlessly with the iPhone. Utilizing the Lightning or USB-C connection means that Clicks requires no separate battery or Bluetooth connection.

“We’re excited to bring Clicks to those who have a latent love for keyboard phones, as well as a whole new generation of iPhone users,” said Adrian Li Mow Ching, CEO of Clicks Technology, in a statement. “In founding Clicks Technology, we’ve established the capabilities to deliver on an ambitious roadmap of mobile products for people who create on the go.”

The Clicks Founders Edition, available in BumbleBee and London Sky colors, offers exclusive benefits including VIP support and early access to future releases.

At CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 9-12, Clicks will offer a hands-on experience with the creator keyboard, starting with the ShowStoppers press event on January 9.

For months, rumors have swirled about BlackBerry maker Research In Motion's first-ever touch-screen smartphone and Apple iPhone rival. On Wednesday, rumor became reality when Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and RIM officially announced the BlackBerry Storm.

According to RIM, the BlackBerry Storm will be available later this fall exclusively to Verizon Wireless users in the U.S. and Vodafone users in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Adding a touch-screen device to its BlackBerry arsenal is another sign that RIM is targeting both consumers and business-conscious users with its latest lineup of smartphones, which also include the oft-delayed BlackBerry Bold 9000 and the just-released BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220. BlackBerry's new cadre of devices deliver on the communications and global connectivity that is their cornerstone, but adds personal touches and multimedia capabilities.

RIM said the BlackBerry Storm, formerly known as the BlackBerry Thunder, features the world's first "clickable" touch-screen display, meaning it responds like a physical keyboard and supports single-touch, multitouch and gestures for efficient application navigation and easy and precise typing. The screen clocks in at 3.25 inches with 480 x 360 resolution at 184 ppi.

The Storm, which measures 4.43 x 2.45 inx 0.55 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces, will operate on Verizon Wireless' high-speed 3G EV-DO Rev. A. network for Internet browsing and multimedia applications. In Vodafone territories, the Storm will also support 3G.

"The BlackBerry Storm is a revolutionary touch-screen smartphone that meets both the communications and multimedia needs of customers and solves the longstanding problem associated with typing on traditional touch screens," said RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in a statement. "Consumers and business customers alike will appreciate this unique combination of a large and vibrant screen with a truly tactile touch interface."

What sets the BlackBerry Storm's touch screen apart is that it actually depresses slightly when the screen is pressed, allowing users to feel the motion, and is released with a click, similar to that of a physical keyboard or mouse button. The clickable screen gives users confirmation that they have made a selection.

While the device is mostly screen, the face features phone, menu and escape navigation keys. The BlackBerry Storm also adds support for multi-touches, taps, slides and other touch-screen gestures to enable highlighting, scrolling, panning and zooming. It also features a built-in accelerometer, which allows the touch screen to switch between landscape and portrait modes as the user rotates the handset. In portrait mode, users can type on a SureType keyboard, while in landscape mode the keyboard is a full QWERTY. The device also offers an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts backlighting for screen viewing.

While the device will operate on Verizon's 3G network in the U.S., it also offers global quad-band connectivity through EDGE/GPRS/GSM.

The BlackBerry Storm offers a full HTML browser that works in both portrait and landscape orientation. Icons along the bottom of the display enable accessing and switching between page view and column view; users can also toggle between pan and cursor modes. The browser supports file downloads, streaming audio and video, and built-in RSS support.

Like all BlackBerry devices, the Storm also delivers mobile e-mail and messaging, supporting both personal and corporate e-mail, SMS, MMS and instant messaging from most consumer and enterprise platforms. It also offers easy access to popular social networking sites like Facebook.

In addition, the BlackBerry Storm includes BlackBerry Internet Service, BlackBerry Unite, BlackBerry Professional Software and BlackBerry Enterprise Server support. It comes with preloaded DataViz Documents to Go, which lets users edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the handset.

The Storm ties in a 3.2-megapixel camera with variable zoom, auto focus and a flash that also provides continuous lighting while recording video.

Similar to other new BlackBerry models, the Storm offers built-in GPS for location-based services and geotagging of photos.

The device offers 1 GB of onboard memory storage and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot to support up to 16 GB of additional storage. The built-in media player can play movies in full-screen mode, display pictures and slideshows and manage music collections. The handheld also features a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack and supports Bluetooth.

The removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr batter offers six hours of talk time on 3G networks and 15 days of standby time.