It's October, which means Google Japan 's Gboard team is back with another wild keyboard concept. This time, they've ditched traditional keys entirely for spinning dials inspired by old rotary phones. You guessed it right—to type on this keyboard, which Google calls the Gboard Dial Version , you rotate discs to select characters instead of tapping keys.
The concept keyboard features nine dials of varying sizes arranged across its surface, each representing different sets of alphanumeric characters and functions. There's even a dedicated dial just for the return key. To type, you stick your finger in the appropriate hole, rotate the dial to your desired character, and release—letting it spin back to its starting position with a satisfying whir.
While rotary phones relied on pulse dialling with electrical signals, Google Japan 's version uses modern sensors to track each dial's rotation and convert it into USB signals. The team argues this slower, more deliberate input method could actually reduce typing-related strain and minimise accidental key presses, though you definitely won't be breaking any speed records.
Want One? You'll have to make It yourself
True to form with Google Japan's annual keyboard experiments, the Dial Version isn't hitting store shelves. Instead, the team has released all design files—including 3D printer models, circuit board schematics, and firmware—on GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license. Anyone with the patience and tools can build their own rotary keyboard at home.
This wouldn't be Google Japan's first rodeo into the territory of weird keyboards. The team is notorious for its concepts—a 65-inch-long single-row keyboard, a bendable version that wraps around objects, and a teacup-shaped cylindrical design.
Google even created a matching accessory: a mouse stand that automatically turns off your webcam during video calls when you place your mouse on top—a modern twist on the old "hang up to disconnect" phone feature.
The concept keyboard features nine dials of varying sizes arranged across its surface, each representing different sets of alphanumeric characters and functions. There's even a dedicated dial just for the return key. To type, you stick your finger in the appropriate hole, rotate the dial to your desired character, and release—letting it spin back to its starting position with a satisfying whir.
While rotary phones relied on pulse dialling with electrical signals, Google Japan 's version uses modern sensors to track each dial's rotation and convert it into USB signals. The team argues this slower, more deliberate input method could actually reduce typing-related strain and minimise accidental key presses, though you definitely won't be breaking any speed records.
Want One? You'll have to make It yourself
True to form with Google Japan's annual keyboard experiments, the Dial Version isn't hitting store shelves. Instead, the team has released all design files—including 3D printer models, circuit board schematics, and firmware—on GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license. Anyone with the patience and tools can build their own rotary keyboard at home.
This wouldn't be Google Japan's first rodeo into the territory of weird keyboards. The team is notorious for its concepts—a 65-inch-long single-row keyboard, a bendable version that wraps around objects, and a teacup-shaped cylindrical design.
Google even created a matching accessory: a mouse stand that automatically turns off your webcam during video calls when you place your mouse on top—a modern twist on the old "hang up to disconnect" phone feature.
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