What if typing felt more like dialing again? In Japan, Google just unveiled the Gboard Dial Version: a fully functional keyboard that swaps out traditional keys for rotary dials, straight out of a 1960s telephone.
Unveiled (of course) on October 1st, a nod to the standard “101-key” keyboard, this experimental device invites users to compose letters by spinning little discs. Each dial represents a set of characters: slip your finger in, turn, release, and watch your chosen letter appear on screen, accompanied by that oh-so-satisfying mechanical click.
The main question: can Gen Z figure this out?
Also Read | Victorinox x La Marzocco: The Swiss Army Knife for Coffee Lovers
In true Google Japan fashion, it’s not for sale. Instead, all 3D files, firmware, and assembly guides are available online for anyone to print and build their own version, from minimalist one-dial setups to full nine-disc masterpieces. It’s part of Google’s long-running “Gboard Experiments” series, where the brand regularly drops delightfully useless prototypes to remind us that innovation and play go hand in hand.
Behind the humor lies a clever commentary on our sensorial disconnect from technology. By reviving an old mechanical gesture, Google questions our craving for tactile satisfaction in a world dominated by touchscreens and voice commands. It’s useless. It’s beautiful. It’s pure poetry in plastic.
In an era obsessed with efficiency, Google Japan keeps reminding us that creativity isn’t just about code, it’s about curiosity, play, and the joy of making something weird.
The Gboard Dial Version might not make you type faster. But it might make you feel something, and that’s real innovation.
