Google's unusual product in Japan.

Unique rotary dial keypad. Photo: Google Japan .

Following their April Fool's Day prank in 2021, Google Japan has consistently created unique and interesting keyboard ideas year after year. Their latest product combines touch-sensitive keypad technology with the old-fashioned rotary dial telephone from the past.

The Gboard Dial Version keyboard features alphanumeric characters and various functions arranged beneath nine dials of varying sizes, instead of conventional keys. To type a specific character, users simply place their finger in the corresponding hole, rotate the dial until it reaches the corresponding slot, and then release. The dial will automatically return to its original position.

The buttons on the Gboard Dial version. Photo: Google Japan.

The smooth, curved movement and nostalgic sound of the keyboard will provide a novel typing experience. The design team addressed the issue of a large number of keys slowing down typing speed by arranging the main rotary dial into three tiers, significantly reducing size, increasing typing speed by three times, and allowing for simultaneous input of multiple characters.

Rotary dial telephones used to employ a technique called "pulse dialing." In this process, a spring-loaded dial would generate a series of electrical pulses each time it returned to its original position. The telephone exchange would then decode these signals to determine the number of the user dialing.

The keyboard comes with a convenient mouse rest. Photo: Google Japan.

Google Japan's Gboard Dial replaced the traditional dial mechanism with modern sensors that convert the rotational movement of each turn into a USB signal. The designers also created a stand. When you place a mouse on it, the device automatically turns off the webcam during video calls, similar to how old-fashioned telephones would end calls when you hung up.

Like its predecessors, the Gboard Dial Version is not available for purchase commercially. However, users can build it themselves. Google has open-sourced the design on GitHub, allowing users to download all the necessary files, including the 3D printer model, PCB design, and component list.

Google Japan is famous for its series of quirky yet fun keyboard products released annually, such as the teacup-shaped keyboard, the paper roll holder, and the 360-degree keyboard. This year's design takes inspiration from the rotating mechanism, which was absent in previous years' products.

"This keyboard offers a completely new way of inputting text, combining traditional typing, tapping, and tapping with a rotating wheel," Google Japan posted on its blog. These unique ideas have contributed to making Google one of the best places to work in the world .