Clicks' Power Keyboard brings BlackBerry-style typing to any phone, with tradeoffs

Clicks Technology, the startup working to bring physical keyboards back to smartphones, began shipping its $99 MagSafe-compatible Power Keyboard this summer after some delays. As of last week, 75% of preorders from the first batch had shipped to customers.

The slide-out keyboard, with tactile buttons, attaches to a phone via MagSafe or Qi2 (or an adhesive ring for phones without either) and can be used in portrait or landscape mode across different phone sizes, giving any phone a BlackBerry-like feel. The company says it has tested the device with the iPhone Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and 16 Pro, as well as the Pixel 9, Galaxy Fold, and other Android devices. It’s also a preview of what’s coming when Clicks ships its BlackBerry-like Communicator smartphone with a built-in physical keyboard later this year.

Unlike the company’s earlier Clicks keyboard case, which drew power from the phone’s own USB-C connection, the Power Keyboard has a built-in 2,150 mAh battery that can also provide wireless charging to MagSafe- and Qi2-compatible devices — a feature that can be disabled or reserved for the keyboard alone in the companion app. Other customizable touches include an adjustable LED backlight, a “Cursor Mode” that turns letter keys into directional controls, custom Number Row shortcuts for functions like Esc or volume, and support for pairing Apple Shortcuts to individual keys.

The device isn’t without compromises. In testing, it suffered the same issue as the company’s earlier keyboard case: it can make a phone feel top-heavy and hard to hold in portrait mode, especially on larger devices, and can slide open if pressed against a back pocket. Pairing also proved inconsistent when switching between Android and iPhone during setup.

Because the Power Keyboard pairs over standard Bluetooth, it can also connect to tablets, smart TVs, and AR/VR headsets, offering an alternative input method for typing on those devices.

Why it matters

Clicks is betting that shipping an affordable keyboard accessory now builds an audience — and works out the kinks — before its more expensive keyboard-equipped Communicator phone arrives later this year.