[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
(Image credit: Justin Mitchell) AI company has released a design of a keyboard dock for smartphones With a beige color scheme and a pseudo-mechanical keyboard, it has a strong 1980s feel to it It is expected to cost less than $250 and will appeal to those looking for a Psion 5MX replacement Amber.Page , an AI startup for writers, has teased a new keyboard case that transforms an iPhone into a portable, laptop-like writing device. Shared by company founder Justin Mitchell on Threads, the renders of what he’s calling the AmberDeck show a clamshell-style design reminiscent of retro tech, like a mini Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 or the Psion 5MX. The latter had a similar design with what was widely considered one of the best keyboards ever made for a device of its size. The device offers a minimalist setup for drafting articles, editing text, and even tackling writer’s block with the support of the startup’s AI-powered writing assistant. Mitchell wrote , “Been cooking on some hardware for Amber over the holiday break. Always wanted a clamshell iPhone keyboard for focused writing on the go, so I made one.” LATEST VIDEOS FROM techradar Tech Radar Pro The case isn’t intended as a permanent enclosure for your phone; rather, it serves as a docking station, turning your device into a focused typing tool with a high-travel pseudo-mechanical keyboard that features a compact 60% layout. Yanko Design says when docked, you won’t be able to use your phone for usual tasks such as accessing the camera or making calls, but if you’re focused on writing that will be a good thing. A work in progress Mitchell wrote , “Been cooking on some hardware for Amber over the holiday break. Always wanted a clamshell iPhone keyboard for focused writing on the go, so I made one.” The case isn’t intended as a permanent enclosure for your phone; rather, it serves as a docking station, turning your device into a focused typing tool with a high-travel pseudo-mechanical keyboard that features a compact 60% layout. Yanko Design says when docked, you won’t be able to use your phone for usual tasks such as accessing the camera or making calls, but if you’re focused on writing that will be a good thing. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors The clamshell case includes an adjustable hinge for screen positioning and a charging port for the keyboard itself. Yanko Design notes the case doesn’t appear to support pass-through charging for the phone, and the keyboard lacks backlighting, which will limit its usability in low-light settings. That said, this is still only a prototype, so things could change. Indeed, in another thread , Mitchell has updated the design based on feedback and suggestions from his social media followers, including changes made to improve functionality and compatibility. In the updated design, the hinge is centered and features a dual-action mechanism, allowing the case to lay completely flat thanks to an internal gap inside the top shell. The arrow keys have been reconfigured to a standard layout, with the shift key moved to the right and enlarged for a more intuitive typing experience. A gap has been added around the faceplate, making it easy to pop off and customize or swap as needed. To accommodate a wider range of devices, including Android phones, the inset on the inside has been squared off for better versatility. Additionally, the lip of the case has been moved to the top. Mitchell has suggested the AmberDeck could sell for under $250, and while these early renders are just a preview, the case could potentially appeal to writers, journalists, and editors looking to turn their phones into compact writing devices that can be used anywhere. You might also like These are the best free writing apps you can get right now And these are the best AI writing tools available The modular smartphone returns, sort of, via a Chinese vendor Wayne Williams Editor Wayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout More about pro Hidden text “salting” is letting hackers craft devious email attacks to evade detection This worrying Git flaw could lead to users leaking credentials Latest Gamers are already lining up to buy an Nvidia RTX 5090 – I just hope there’s enough stock of the GPU See more latest ► Most Popular LATEST ARTICLES 1 Gamers are already lining up to buy an Nvidia RTX 5090 – I just hope there’s enough stock of the GPU 2 Nvidia calls DeepSeek an ‘excellent AI advancement’ and praises the Chinese AI app’s ingenuity 3 Is DeepSeek AI safe? Or is it just a data minefield waiting to blow up? 4 Disney Plus had two of the most-streamed shows of 2024 – here are the 3 I recommend watching on Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video 5 Don’t panic! Baldur’s Gate 3 players on PS5 who were affected by the accidental release of Patch 8 can fix their game using this easy solution
Leave feedback about this