If you're a former BlackBerry user and can't adjust to the iPhone's virtual keyboard, then check out SoloMatrix's Spike SmartType. The Spike, soon available for the iPhone 4/4S and 5, is a case that adds a physical QWERTY keyboard to the device's screen, folds up and hides easily when you're not using it, and doesn't even need to be charged.
And that's because unlike most iPhone keyboards, Spike doesn't use Bluetooth to connect to the device. What it does is take advantage of the iPhone's capacitive screen and by pressing a key, it imitates your finger and presses the corresponding button on the virtual keyboard. So, its battery never runs out (since it doesn't have one), it doesn't need charging, and it doesn't need any special app to work.
Spike fits on your iPhone as easily as any other case, and when you don't need the keyboard, you can easily rotate it and snap it onto the back. It even has a special key that appears on the virtual keyboard, giving you access to numbers and special characters.
However, according to CNET's Tim Hornyak, it takes a bit of getting used to and isn't as easy to use as a regular BlackBerry keyboard. Plus, the case is ugly and bulky, so some might prefer something slimmer and sleeker, but of course, they miss out on the keyboard.
Spike for iPhone 4/4S will be released in February and will cost $49.95, while the iPhone 5 version will come a little later.
Dimitrios Georgoulas @ GreekAppleNews
