Ryan Seacrest's smartphone keyboard killed by BlackBerry

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Ryan Seacrest's smartphone keyboard killed by BlackBerry
Typo, creator of the self-named, snap-on physical keyboards for the iPhone and other gadgets, has caught the attention of BlackBerry on more than one occasion. The Canada-based telecoms firm has consistently claimed that the layout and functionality of the Typo keyboards rip off its own iconic designs.

Having been granted a court order that prevented the original Typo for iPhone from retailing (although Typo flouted this), the redesigned Typo2 for the Apple gadget was showcased at CES earlier this year. BlackBerry once again took exception to the remade model, which still looked conspicuously like it was cut out of a Blackberry and stuck on an iPhone, and now, a settlement has been reached that means Typo will no longer sell keyboards for phones. 

The original Typo (left) and Typo2 for iPhone. BlackBerry was still not happy despite the tweaks 

The brainchild of TV personality Ryan Seacrest, he was one of seemingly many individuals who preferred the iPhone and iOS platform but still required the physical keyboard popularized by BlackBerry during its heyday. But while it seems less than likely that BlackBerry will begin selling third-party keyboards for the handsets of competitors, today's agreement means that Typo certainly will not be.

A BlackBerry press release has stated that Typo will no longer sell keyboards for devices with screen sizes smaller than 7.9 inches -- a major blow given Typo's focus on smartphones. This agreement could well signal Typo's demise, although it remains to be seen whether keyboards will continue to be made for devices that don't fall under the constraints of this deal. 

There's no question that a sizable portion of the market yearns for a product like the Typo, but it's hard to argue that the designs didn't take cues from the BlackBerry blueprint. The fact that, after several run-ins with BlackBerry, the Typo2 was scarcely any different to the first model leaves little room for sympathy of the start-up's plight, and while tablets and other product groups may provide some solace, don't expect to see a Typo3 for iPhone any time soon.

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