Razer iPhone game controller leaks, Ryan Seacrest creates an iPhone keyboard
A pair of forthcoming iPhone accessories have been revealed, as purported images of a new Made for iPhone game controller --?this time from major gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer --?have hit the internet, while Typo, a new iPhone keyboard case, has emerged with a unique backer: entertainer Ryan Seacrest.
Unlike Logitech's offering, however, the "tray" in which an iPhone would be seated on the Kazuyo is capable of tilting away from the rest of the device at what appears to be a 45-degree angle. The unit is also shown packing a front-facing speaker and rear cutouts for the iPhone's camera and flash.
The Kazuyo would be the first Apple-specific accessory from Razer. Razer is known in the PC gaming world primarily for their ultra-configurable, high-end mice and keyboards, though the company has recently branched out into the laptop computing market with their Blade lineup of gaming laptops, generally well-reviewed devices with a design reminiscent of a black MacBook Pro.
The Typo keyboard case is a 14-centimeter-long, 1-centimeter-thick clip-on iPhone case that adds a small hardware keyboard below the display of an iPhone 5 or 5s, which appears similar to the keyboards on older-generation Blackberry devices. The keyboard connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth and is powered what the company says is "the world's smallest Lithium-ion battery", a 1-millimeter thick, 180 mAh unit, though there is no word on battery life.
According to Typo, users testing the case --?which, in addition to company cofounder and investor Ryan Seacrest, include a heavyweight list of entertainment industry veterans --?report typing 50 percent faster and with fewer typographical errors than with the iPhone's virtual keyboard.
The keyboard is backlit and, perhaps in an indication of who Typo believes their target market is, sports a quick-access feature for entering currency symbols. Typo also contains its own autocorrect algorithm and, when installed, adds 0.25-inches in thickness and 0.75-inches in length to the iPhone.
Typo is now accepting preorders for the case, which costs $99, and expects to debut the product at CES 2014 with shipping around the same time.
Razer "Kazuyo"
Razer's rumored entree into the iPhone controller market is shown sporting an understated industrial design similar to Logitech's competing PowerShell product, with four function buttons, a directional pad, and two shoulder buttons that match Apple's "standard" profile for MFi game controllers. The device, dubbed "Kazuyo," was revealed by Twitter user @evleaks, who also outed prerelease images of the PowerShell and Moga's Ace Power.Unlike Logitech's offering, however, the "tray" in which an iPhone would be seated on the Kazuyo is capable of tilting away from the rest of the device at what appears to be a 45-degree angle. The unit is also shown packing a front-facing speaker and rear cutouts for the iPhone's camera and flash.
The Kazuyo would be the first Apple-specific accessory from Razer. Razer is known in the PC gaming world primarily for their ultra-configurable, high-end mice and keyboards, though the company has recently branched out into the laptop computing market with their Blade lineup of gaming laptops, generally well-reviewed devices with a design reminiscent of a black MacBook Pro.
Typo Keyboard Case
The Typo keyboard case is a 14-centimeter-long, 1-centimeter-thick clip-on iPhone case that adds a small hardware keyboard below the display of an iPhone 5 or 5s, which appears similar to the keyboards on older-generation Blackberry devices. The keyboard connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth and is powered what the company says is "the world's smallest Lithium-ion battery", a 1-millimeter thick, 180 mAh unit, though there is no word on battery life.
According to Typo, users testing the case --?which, in addition to company cofounder and investor Ryan Seacrest, include a heavyweight list of entertainment industry veterans --?report typing 50 percent faster and with fewer typographical errors than with the iPhone's virtual keyboard.
The keyboard is backlit and, perhaps in an indication of who Typo believes their target market is, sports a quick-access feature for entering currency symbols. Typo also contains its own autocorrect algorithm and, when installed, adds 0.25-inches in thickness and 0.75-inches in length to the iPhone.
Typo is now accepting preorders for the case, which costs $99, and expects to debut the product at CES 2014 with shipping around the same time.
Comments
Not sure about the headline. Before I read the article, I found myself wondering what sort of fluid the game controller was leaking!
Seacrest Out!
Gag.... Seacrest go buy a blackberry if you want the keyboard... Dork...
Blackberry will probably not exist much longer, then what. This is a fantastic idea, those who use their phones for logging into remote servers via SSH is going to find this invaluable. I still hate virtual keyboards but I am forced to use them if I want to have a first rate phone. This is the must have gadget addition, can't wait.
I'm much more interested in Seacrest's Gash razor, and his Splatter motorcycle helmet.
Typo Keyboard Case
Great name¡
Typo Keyboard Case
Great name¡
I thought that it was quite a clever and funny name, actually. At multiples levels.
Wow that's going to be a flop. Many companies have tried to do a case like that and failed because it just feels awkward typing on them. Just comes to show that Apple needs to redesign there keyboard as it is crappy to use and has not evolved much since the first iPhone. It can't recognize what language i am typing in and the spell checker is horrible. I just wish they would concentrate on fixing things like their iOS keyboard before they decide to just put a new coat of paint on iOS and call it iOS 7.
Good for look my site.
Curious, why use bluetooth? Wouldn't it make more sense to put a lightning doc connector to the iPhone and another on the bottom as a pass through for charging/syncing? It may have it's own battery for the keyboard, but won't the bluetooth use more power than using the iPhone's battery to power the keyboard directly? No?
Gag.... Seacrest go buy a blackberry if you want the keyboard... Dork...
Great argument - just call people names.
I love my iPhones and hated the Crackberry, but the fact remains that it was far more efficient to type on the Crackberry than it is on the iPhone, since I could type with both hands on the Crackberry, but with only one hand on the iPhone, even in landscape mode. I could see myself buying this device if it actually does work well. One thing that concerns me is that it seems to cover up the start button. That doesn't make sense to me. I wouldn't want to have to keep taking the keyboard off and on.
Curious, why use bluetooth? Wouldn't it make more sense to put a lightning doc connector to the iPhone and another on the bottom as a pass through for charging/syncing? It may have it's own battery for the keyboard, but won't the bluetooth use more power than using the iPhone's battery to power the keyboard directly? No?
The obvious drawback I see with this case is the use of a USB connector for charging. Who wants to plug in twice at night? Unfortunately there probably isn't a protocol for attaching two devices to the same lightning connector (keyboard plus whatever external device you want to ?plug in). The people making external battery-pack cases presumably have the same problem, which is why they also charge with micro USB.
It shouldn't be too hard to have just a pass-through for the lightning connector, and detect when it's charging the iPhone and steal a tiny amount of power to recharge the tiny keyboard battery then. I would bet, though, that Apple wouldn't certify that kind of a hack. Apple could solve this problem properly by providing a charging-pass-through controller chip, but perhaps they want to reserve that capability for their own accessories.
Oh, I like it, sure! It’s a branding that is greatly relevant to both the physical and conceptual nature of the product itself, using a name that is truly unique; no one else would have thought to use it. But you can’t think about the fact that the word means something else or, well…
Curious, why use bluetooth? Wouldn't it make more sense to put a lightning doc connector to the iPhone and another on the bottom as a pass through for charging/syncing? It may have it's own battery for the keyboard, but won't the bluetooth use more power than using the iPhone's battery to power the keyboard directly? No?
While it may not be the reason, using bluetooth enables them to avoid having to pay the "Made for iPhone" tax.
They get what they pay for. They don’t want to pay to be certified, they get to enjoy fewer sales because people trust certified products over other stuff.
How are you supposed to activate the fingerprint scanner (let alone the home button), with that keyboard blocking it? Did I miss something?
No, but I missed that. That’s hilarious.
" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
Maybe the whole thing is an illustration of the uselessness of physical keyboards.