American Idol host Ryan Seacrest is funding the development of iPhone cases with BlackBerry keyboard. This new product targets those who want to have an iPhone but prefers to have a physical keyboard than the virtual keyboard.
The host of the popular singing contest, American Idol, together with a friend, has thought of developing a keyboard that would make it easier for iPhone users to send messages or just type whatever they want. Now he is making this idea possible by financing Typo Keyboards, a company that makes iPhone cases with a Bluetooth-enabled BlackBerry keyboard. According to AllThingsD, the entertainment media personality has invested $1 million and plans to add $5 million more.
Wondering what made Seacrest so eager to do this? Well, one night, as he was having dinner with friend and co-founder Laurence Hallier, a serial entrepreneur and real estate developer, they noticed that they were only two, but there were four phones on the table. "We looked at each other and thought there was an easy solution to the problem," reads a blurb on the Typo Keyboards' website.
They have been searching for iPhone keyboards but weren't satisfied with what they found so they decided to make their own.
The Typo iPhone keyboard case comes into parts that both fit the iPhone from top to bottom and, once en suite, it will protect the sides and the back of the phone.
The product is also being promoted as a case for Apple-made mobiles, so users can still take photos and have full access to all built-in buttons.
The physical BlackBerry-like keyboard is designed to be at the exterior bottom of the phone, as usual. That means the 40 percent of the screen usually eaten up by the virtual keyboard will stay clear for use.
However, aside from making the phone longer and a little bulky, it is only compatible with iPhone 5 and 5S.
The Typo Keyboard, which was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is now available for pre-order for $99 and will be widely available beginning January 7.
