One of Samsung’s less talked about accessories is the Keyboard Cover designed for the S7 and S7 edge. It’s obscure because many get by with the keyboard on the full touch screen, and the physical keyboard went by the wayside with the demise of Blackberry.
Blackberry recently joined the Android ranks with the premium Blackberry Priv which has a slide out keyboard built into the phone. Other than the Priv, phones with physical keyboards are slim pickings. Leave it to Samsung to save the day for those who just need their trusty old physical buttons with the detachable QWERTY keyboard cover.
Design
Samsung’s QWERTY physical Keyboard Cover is exactly what you would imagine it to be – a lightweight keyboard that fits over the front of your phone. Included with your purchase of the keyboard is a slim fit plastic case that fits like a glove over the back of the S7 edge.
It’s as simple as sliding on the back cover, and then clicking on the keyboard onto the front of your S7 edge. You will need to use the included case in order to get the keyboard to stay onto the front of the phone.
Features
- Mechanical keyboard – no pairing needed through Bluetooth or WiFi needed. Just click on and start typing.
- No battery required – no need to ever recharge the device
- Ergonomic QWERTY layout with Samsung hotkeys and shortcut keys
- Automatically switches your device to keyboard mode (70% screen) when installed and back to full screen when removed
- Comes in black and gold colors only
Usage
Without question the Samsung Keyboard Cover is specifically designed for people who need a physical keyboard. The vast majority of users will not like going to such small keys in place of an on screen keyboard. If your last phone was a Blackberry, or you want an alternative to the Priv, this is one of your few best options.
For those of you who are used to a full touch screen, I wouldn’t recommend ever going with a physical keyboard. It took me a good four days straight just to be able to type 75% as fast as I normally do on a touch screen keyboard. On the first day with the physical keyboard I was typing at maybe 20% of my normal speed. Let me reiterate, this keyboard is mainly aimed at those who need physical feedback or for those who came from a Blackberry before the S7 edge.
If you were that person whose last phone was a Blackberry, this keyboard is absolutely perfect for you. It doesn’t require batteries, nor does it need a Bluetooth connection. All you need to do is slide on the back cover, which is about as perfect as a cover gets, and then simply clip on the keyboard to the front of your screen. Samsung designed the software to recognize the keyboard, and shrinks the screen to 70% of its normal size automatically. Its as if you were using a Samsung Blackberry phone. You could instantly start typing like it was 2008 on your new s7 edge. The buttons are firm, tactile and intuitive. The keyboard is so light weight that you could easily carry it in your side pocket without knowing it is there.
The back cover that is included with the Keyboard Cover is one of my favorite cases I have ever used from Samsung. It is ultra light weight, and fits the S7 edge like a glove. It’s not too tight, and it’s not too lose. The plastic has a nice soft touch to it, giving the S7 edge added grip without adding bulk. I’m not the type who drops their phone, and can tell you this case is not nearly as tough as those from Urban Armor Gear or OtterBox. It did turn out to be my favorite aspect of this Keyboard Cover combo and I will gladly keep it simply for the case.
Summary
If I was a Blackberry user prior to the S7 edge, I would most definitely pick up this case. It is not the cheapest accessory at $59.99, but you get what you pay for. Samsung’s accessories are as good as any, and the software optimization for this Keyboard Cover make it perform as smooth as butter. The included back cover is one of the slimmest, and most perfect fitting cases you can get for your S7 edge which is an added bonus if you want extra protection.
I highly recommend this cover only to those who prefer a physical keyboard, otherwise stick with the touchscreen that came with the S7 edge.
Seriously? That is the most hideous looking keyboard ever. If you want a great physical keyboard, stick to BlackBerry.
That thing looks absolutely repulsive. There are literally no words to describe the fuglyness that BlackBerry keyboard rip-off has. Not only does it look fugly, it steals screen space on the phone. Something that the BlackBerry Priv’s keyboard does not do, and it functions almost identically because the Priv is a portrait slider that has a similar amount of keyboard space that’s capacitive. Get the real thing, not a scummy, fugly copy.
Considering you can get an Android that has a Blackberry keyboard, which is functionally and aesthetically far superior to the monstrosity, there is absolutely no point to this. Want a keyboard? Get a Priv.
Does any mobile vendor produce a horizontal slideout keyboard that leaves 100% of the 5+” screen as a Monitor to show a PC screen as you use your mobile as a laptop, remotely connecting to a server?
Which of the “add on keyboards” do you recommend?
they keyboard clips off front and clips on back for full screen capabilities.
Yes it is ugly, but users looking at this want functionality over everything else.
I think it is a great idea for those who do not want to be tied to Blackberry anymore, but who still enjoy typing without looking.
Thanks for the article order mine. Ignore the haters function over former any day when it comes to tech tools!