People that are into smartphones are pretty passionate about what they like. Treo users swear by their touchscreen. Blackberry users by their trackwheel/ball. Will iPhone users swear by their on-screen keyboard? Speculation abounds about the viability of extensive use of such a keyboard, and RIM may be toying with a possible solution. In a recent patent application, RIM has introduced a keyboard that actually rolls back into the body of the phone, allowing for only certain keys to be exposed, should only they be needed. It’s an interesting twist, for sure. Only on the days after June 29 will we find out if it’s necessary.
