Google Japan is at it again. This time, they’ve come up with another unusual keyboard concept: the Gboard Dial Version (via The Verge).
The new keyboard design, inspired by vintage landline phones, replaces traditional keys with rotary finger discs. Instead of pressing keys for input, you instead insert your finger into a hole and turn the dial until it reaches its stop, after which the movement is registered as a key press. It’s satisfying to use, but it’s hardly fast.
Under the hood, sensors are used to convert the dial movements into USB signals, a modern-day equivalent of the classic pulse signaling in phones. Google Japan has also developed a stand that switches off the webcam during video calls when the computer mouse is placed on top—a nod to how we used to “hang up” landline phones.
The Gboard Dial Version won’t be sold commercially, but the design is open source and available via GitHub for anyone who wants to try building one for themself. There are designs for 3D printing, circuit boards, and a list of needed components.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC för Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.
