TOKYO: Google Japan’s Gboard team has revealed an eccentric concept keyboard that borrows its interaction model from old rotary telephones, a playful reimagining of typing that uses dial rotations instead of traditional keys.
Dubbed the Gboard Dial Version, the prototype features nine rotary dials, each assigned to different characters or commands. Sensors embedded in each dial track rotation and convert the motion into USB signals, allowing characters to be entered by placing a finger in a dial’s hole and turning it to the end — a modern analogue of the pulse‑dialing technique used in vintage phones.
While it works as a concept, Google states the Gboard Dial Version will not be commercially available. The Gboard team is making build instructions and related data available on GitHub so that hobbyists and makers can build their own device at home. For less tech-savvy users, Google intends to offer the simpler single‑dial version as an easier option for DIY.
All nine dials on the device are different sizes, reflecting their distinct assignments. The concept even includes a miniature dial for the Return/Enter function. In a further retro flourish, the keyboard includes a cradle similar to old telephone handsets: placing a mouse on the cradle during a video call reportedly turns off the webcam, adding a physical “privacy” gesture to the setup.
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The Gboard team in Japan, which has previously released several odd concept keyboards, indicates that these prototypes could provide a venue for exploring new ideas in interactions and are not intended to be products for consumers right away. Google is also sharing the schematics and software on Github to inspire experimentation and tinkering in the community again.
