I'm an Android nerd, but it wasn't always that way. If you climb into the Wayback Machine with me, you'll find me using a cheap-feeling, work-provided BlackBerry. When I switched jobs and didn't get to carry one around, I went out and bought one.
It was a device ahead of its time, and I was hooked. When Android came out, I also bought a T-Mobile G1 and carried two phones around for a while because my BlackBerry Curve was just ... better. They weren't built better; they weren't faster or more efficient, and there were no amazing games. However, BlackBerry was the king of communicating with people because of that keyboard.
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Android eventually caught up in its own way, and I stopped using my trusty old BlackBerry. I did flirt with the marriage of the two with the BlackBerry Priv and KEY2 (such great phones) but had to move on and experience the newer offerings from other companies. That doesn't mean I don't miss that small screen/physical keyboard experience, though, and the new Clicks Keyboard for Android might be the best way to return to what I love.
Before I go any further, I need to mention that I have a personal relationship with Michael Fisher (Mr. Mobile) and Kevin Michaluk (CrackBerry Kevin), the founders of Clicks. That's not why I want one for my Motorola Razr, though, and I haven't even asked for an early model, so I have to wait until May.
This is also not a sponsored post, and I do not roll that way; I would never do business with people I know, no matter how much I want their product.
This is just Jerry being a fanboy about a new product. I want one because I think it's so damn cool and might let me use my phone the way I love to use my phone. At least, I hope it will.
I'm not a big accessories guy. I know that's a bit strange coming from a person who works at a place that tells you about and recommends the best accessories for your phone. I don't even use a case or a screen protector. If you told me I would be excited about a phone case last week, I would have chuckled. I did think the initial Clicks cases were cool, but they were only made for iPhones, which I never plan on buying.
That's changed now that Clicks announced it is making them for real phones, such as Android phones, the Galaxy S25, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, and the 2024 Razr Plus. And yes, it works for the Razr "Minus," according to Clicks' website. I'm all in now.
A physical keyboard is a fast way to polarize Android users. There seems to be no middle ground; you either love them or you think they are stupid, clunky, and old-fashioned. That's a great thing because everyone should figure out what they like and don't like. If you haven't guessed already, I'm in the "love them" camp.
I think it's because of the way I use my phone. To me, my phone is the best way to communicate with the people I care about. I message friends and family on three different continents, and to me, the smartphone was the best invention of the 20th century.
I know I can use Gboard to do everything I could do (and more) with a physical keyboard because I'm doing it now. Or I could install another keyboard if I wanted. Trust me when I tell you it's not the same and never can be. That tactile feel of a key under your thumb is something the advancements in haptic feedback will never be able to replicate.
A Clicks keyboard case on my Moto Razr will also get me to use the front screen more. Right now, it's just a way to see the time and the weather because I'm not going to try using an app on that small screen with my fingers. I know I can do a lot more, but I can't do a lot more. A keyboard extension can change that, and my Razr may turn into the modern-day equivalent of my BlackBerry Curve, running much better software. And if I need the bigger screen, I can flip that sucker open and do whatever I need to do. Heck, even I play games on my phone sometimes.
Most of the two billion Android users aren't going to care or be interested in what Clicks is offering, though I hope the company does well enough to offer the case for even more Android phones. That includes the Pixel 8a because my wife was a BlackBerry fan too, and she loves her little green Pixel.
Now I have to play the waiting game until my order ships. I hope it lives up to my unrealistic expectations or at least brings me closer to what I really want.
