Clicks Keyboard case: Surprisingly nice or gimmicky gadget?

Earlier this 12 months, Clicks introduced their Clicks Keyboard case for the iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max. They needed to convey again the tactility of a bodily keyboard to the fashionable smartphone. As somebody who cherished utilizing Blackberry Pearl and Daring and the T-Cellular Sidekick again within the day, I used to be instantly intrigued. However I additionally had plenty of questions, like: Will the overall bundle be too massive? Will it drain my iPhone battery? Is it a real every day product or extra of a nostalgic gimmick? To my shock, the Clicks Case was really superior for a lot of causes. But additionally has room for enchancment. Right here is my Clicks Keyboard Case for iPhone evaluation.

If you wish to get a hands-on look and video evaluation, make sure you try the YouTube video beneath!

I needed to present the Clicks Keyboard a good shot, so I used it on my iPhone 15 Professional Max for over two weeks. I might take away the case for different use instances in some conditions, however we are going to get to that in a bit. The evaluation is damaged down into the {hardware}, the software program (as a result of there are some good software program shortcuts), and my general expertise.

Clicks {hardware}

The case itself could be very well-built. The Clicks crew had the powerful job of making a comparatively premium product whereas preserving it light-weight. They had been totally conscious that making this case out of heavier supplies can be a non-starter for some clients as a result of they needed to take into account the burden of the iPhone and the case mixed. They mixed mushy plastics and silicon to make this case each protecting and malleable so you possibly can confidently take away and put again the iPhone a number of instances a day. One other piece to contemplate is that because the case runs off of the iPhone battery, there is no such thing as a battery within the case, which is able to considerably cut back the burden. So the very first thing you discover is definitely how light-weight the case is, particularly contemplating what you might be getting.

Once more, I’m utilizing the biggest case for my iPhone 15 Professional Max and beneath are a few of the specs

• 65g in weight (62g for the 15 Professional mannequin)
• USB-C for charging
• Helps quick charging energy passthrough
• QWERTY keyboard structure
• 4 colours: London Sky, BumbleBee, Miami Seashore, Royal Ink (I’ve the London Sky variation)

The keyboard

Clicks determined to imitate the structure of the iPhone digital keyboard. I feel this was a fantastic concept as a result of it makes it extraordinarily acquainted since iPhone customers will use it. All the pieces is positioned the place you’d anticipate it to be, from the Caps Lock button to the enter key and the backspace button. So it’s only a matter of coaching your palms and fingers to kind on a tactile keyboard once more. Once I first began utilizing it, I used to be instantly introduced again to 2005 after I typed away on my Blackberry. The keys are very comparable. They’re spherical and have simply sufficient give to make it satisfying to press it down however sufficient resistance to keep away from unintended presses.

If you first get the machine, a QR code within the packaging tells you to comply with a get-started information. The information teaches you the way to put the iPhone within the case after which the way to use the keyboard. What I like about this information is that it reveals that the keyboard permits you to carry out shortcuts natively. You may go residence by urgent CMD+H or convey up highlight search with a CMD+area. Beneath is a listing of all of the shortcuts they supply and even some apps that may permit them. These shortcuts actually made studying and navigating the case very environment friendly.

The Clicks app

The corresponding app could be very easy. It’s there for a number of causes:

• Keyboard brightness management (sure its backlit!)
• Battery saving mode
• Caps Lock, Alt Lock, and Comfortable return settings
• Firmware updates

The most important characteristic right here is battery administration. When Apple launched the USB-C port to the iPhone, it opened up the iPhone for use with many equipment. However one factor that occurs is that when a tool is plugged into the USB-C port, it’s going to ALWAYS draw a little bit of energy. So, the battery setting will bodily lower energy off to the case whether it is idle for a sure period of time. This may cease that phantom drain when it’s nonetheless in your machine. The mushy return characteristic can also be a should, it permits you to determine if you’d like the ENTER key to both skip an area down or be your SEND button when in a messaging app!

My expertise – the great

General, I’m a giant fan of this product. It took me about three or 4 days of totally committing to the keyboard to get good with it. I nonetheless kind quicker on my iPhone keyboard, however one thing about bodily urgent down keys is simply so satisfying. So, I’ve been utilizing this for iMessage and the Notes app and sending quick and lengthy emails. It’s been a pleasure to make use of every day. My absolute favourite shortcut is utilizing the House bar to scroll by means of web sites. So you don’t want to even contact the iPhone display.

One of many greatest promoting factors is that if you find yourself utilizing this Clicks case, it fully opens up the iPhone show. In case you actually give it some thought, the digital keyboard takes up nearly half of your whole iPhone display in any scenario. So now, if I’m sending messages, I can see extra of a dialog in a single look, or I can edit a YouTube quick with the content material taking over your complete display. I feel that is the place the worth actually begins to return in. You don’t understand how a lot of the show is being wasted on the digital keyboard.

Lastly, its a fantastic dialog starter. Pull this factor out in public, and somebody will 100% ask you about it!

What wants enhancements

It is a first-generation product, so there’s at all times room for enchancment. Two issues should be up to date for this to tick all of the packing containers. Firstly, they need to add MagSafe. I perceive that they had been attempting to chop out something that added further weight, however I feel together with Magsafe magnets would have been a pleasant contact. With the case on, you possibly can nonetheless wirelessly cost the iPhone, nevertheless it should be flat. If in case you have a flat Magsafe puck, you’ll really feel the magnets, however in case you have a standing Magsafe charger, it won’t be robust sufficient to carry the iPhone and case collectively.

Secondly, the USB-C port. I spoke to the Clicks crew about this and for the USB-C iPhones (not the lightning variations), Clicks needed to determine in the event that they needed to permit for charging or knowledge. They may not select each. As somebody who makes use of their iPhone for content material creation, I continuously offload footage from my iPhone to my Samsung T7. So I exploit that USB-C port every day. Which means that each time I want to try this, I have to take away the case as a result of there is no such thing as a knowledge passthrough on the case itself. Sadly, this additionally signifies that in the event you use wired carplay, you have to take away the case to get Carplay working.

One factor to notice is that if you are going to buy the variations for the 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max, knowledge will work with the case. Once more, the limitation of the iPhone 15 lineup has to do with the USB-C port. So, the lightning port, on this case, really offers you extra usability when utilizing the case.

Pricing, availability & last ideas

The Clicks case is presently on sale for the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max and your complete iPhone 15 lineup. I want I had a smaller iPhone to check the sizes and see how they felt as a result of I feel smaller iPhones shall be higher for usability. The smaller variations are $139, and the bigger model is $159. They’re obtainable straight from the Clicks web site, however they not too long ago partnered with Greatest Purchase to make them obtainable there (I might order by means of Greatest Purchase for quicker transport or in-store pickup!)

All in all, I do take pleasure in this product. I see it as extra of a device I maintain with me versus one thing I’ve on my iPhone all day. The typing expertise is superb, and the general really feel simply brings you again to an easier time. So I might say this has been surprisingly nice. What do you concentrate on this? Is that this one thing you’d use or get? What was your first smartphone previous to the iPhone period? Lets talk about beneath!