The iPhone touchscreen has become quite a success, but of course it has not won universal acclaim. Some people just don’t like typing on a screen, and would rather have a physical keyboard instead.
Buying Guide for iPhone Keyboards
For the most part, this is all about price and personal preferences. Since you don’t like the iPhone touchscreen, you have to figure out what you do like and what you can afford to buy.
There are quite a few options here. Some snap around your iPhone and offers a readily accessible hardware keyboard. Others are attached to the back of the iPhone and either folds out or swivels out when you need to use them. There are even some that act as an integrated stand.
Pick out the features you want that suits your typing style. Choose one that’s not too bulky and too heavy for you, and then pick one that fits your budget. Just make absolutely sure that you’re buying a keyboard that’s actually compatible with your iPhone model.
Keyboard Options for your iPhone
So what should you get? Here are some of the better choices available:
Typo iPhone Keyboard. If you long for the days when you easily typed in text through the Blackberry keyboard, then this Typo keyboard is your best bet. It feels and functions very much like the Blackberry keyboard, and it even looks the same.
Unfortunately, the folks at Blackberry thought so too and brought a patent infringement suit against Typo. And now even the judge has agreed that the Blackberry case has some good points, because a preliminary injunction has been granted that halts the sale of Typo keyboards in the meantime.
Boxwave Keyboard Buddy. There are two versions of this. One slides from the side of the iPhone so you can type in landscape mode. The other slides from the bottom so you can use it in portrait mode.
It connects via Bluetooth, and it works with any app in which an onscreen keyboard appears. It also has iPhone-specific features like controls for medial playback and screen brightness. It adds about ¾ of an inch to the thickness of your iPhone. Some versions also offer backlighting, so you can type in the dark.
IMOD Backlit Keyboard Case. This one is compatible with the iPhone 5 and 5S models. The fit is quite smooth, and the ergonomics make it easy for you to hold the phone and the keyboard together. The backlighting is quite convenient in the dark. You can turn it off to conserve power, and the keyboard has a micro USB port for charging. It can last for two straight weeks on a full charge.
Minisuit Bluetooth QWERTY Keyboard. This is very similar to the IMOD. It offers support for iPhone 5 and 5S, and there’s an on-off switch for the keyboard. But this keyboard also acts as an integrated stand.
Pick one that feels good for you, and of course it should fit your thumb and fingers as well!
