When looking at the prototypes of 3G terminals and GSM/GPRS terminals presented in the world up to now (12/2000), it seems that the designers seldom notice that there exist other fingers than thumbs! -  By having the GKOS keypad in the back, browsing, typing, gaming and selecting menu items can be done in a human fashion. The visions below try to explain the possibilities of GKOS and hopefully encourage to further equipment design.

The lower part of this page is tracking how the concepts of GKOS have been accepted in the global mobile terminal technology since the year 2000 when GKOS was presented.

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Personal Mobile Assistant

This PDA-type phone/browser features a mouse as a pointing device and the GKOS keyboard on the back
panel for fluent typing of messages and documents as well as for other functions like game control.
 This version also has a rolling camera that can be turned front and back. 

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The GKOS keys can also be used for channel +/- (A and C) and volume +/- (D and F)

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Another way of doing it

The number pad and the GKOS keyboard can be easily combined for those who still wish to have the option of dialling the old way. Only 3 extra keys to the number pad are then required to add all PC QWERTY functions!

 

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Roundie

The two keys on the left side of the front panel are the mouse triggers.
Mouse pointer control is on the upper right. This basic tiptyper terminal can be
used as a handheld phone as well  -  or hands free with an earphone/microphone.
When turned on in local mode, it can be used for typing memos on an aeroplane.

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Pocket Multimedia  -  The Gripper

This gripping terminal features a pop-up camera which can be rotated front and
back to make video calls or use it as a still/video camera respectively.
The push button on the lower right of the front panel turns power on/off and
also brings the menu onto the display. The GKOS back panel keys can act as
a game controller for Java-based downloaded games, and of course for typing,
dialling and for all other computer controls. Operates as a phone, too!

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Silver

Note the relaxed menu browsing when using the GKOS keyboard. No accurate pointing is required. To select the highlighted menu item, press the upper left button (mouse trigger) on the front panel or press enter with the GKOS keyboard. Even the display scrolling (Up/Down Arrow, Page Up/Down) etc. is done in a  logical way by using the GKOS keyboard on the back. No separate stylus/pen is necessary but of course it is possible as another parallel method if desired. 

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Developments in industry since 2000
Related products and links:

The QWERTY keyboard does not date back to the last century... but to the century before that!

- 6/2000: The basic idea of the new GKOS keyboad, invented during winter 1999/2000, was written down.

- 10/2000: The GKOS concept was widely published on October the 5th, 2000 among all major manufacturers of cellular mobile phones. GKOS keyboard prototypes were tested and the specification was created.

...and what has happened since:

- 12/2000: The GKOS keyboard, including a picture of it, was published in the leading Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on December the 30th.

- 1/2001: A kind of back panel keyboard introduced:  Sony MD player

- 2/2001: Comics

- 7/2001:  Halfbakery

- 8/2001: Point and Grunt...

 - 8/2001:  3G Concept terminals (see the 'unknown' category). It looks like the GKOS example (#75, 2/2001) has paved the way for Panasonic's much later concept terminal (#127) that appeared mid 2001 on the same website. It seems to be the first 3G terminal concept from the industry designed to the 'right' direction. Still, it is a concept phone, not a real product.

- 9/2001: Wikipedia lists the GKOS keyboard.

- 2001: COMPAQ's  iPAQ and the horizontal color display (a new feature on the market). What is probably still missing here? (hint: on the back panel)

- 10/2001: On October the 11th 2001, Nokia published a new real GSM product, the 5510. It is clearly a completely new category of phones on the market. It has been designed to be held by two hands in a horizontal position, and has a split keyboard (as also proposed by the GKOS concept), but still, instead of the 6 keys on the back, a total of 45 keys share the front panel with the display! The innovative 5510 is a big step forward and will certainly show the way for all other manufacturers towards the final man-machine interface of the 3G terminals. Even the display format of the 5510 is getting closer to the 16:9 format that was proposed by the GKOS standard and that is a standard for wide screen TV. Hopefully, the price will be set correctly to reach the targetted customers (young people?). Maybe some day, when the display grows larger...
The Nokia 5510
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10/2001 - What will be listed her next? And when?
 
- 9/2002 keyboard (number pad / multi tap) is hiding inside.

- 11/2002 full qwerty convertible, a very nice idea! But the display size...

- 8/2003 getting closer to GKOS (a great device but still not enough room for a large display)

- 11/2003 Nokia 7700 Media Device. Finally, the screen is what was proposed more than 3 years ago and thumbs use the pointer/game controls (part of the GKOS concept). If only there was an accessory for getting the real SixBack keyboard! Just a new cover with the keys on the back...

- 11/2003 The Nokia 7600 2G/3G phone. The keys are approaching the edges to leave more space for the display. When do they flip over to the back? Any bets for the date? Almost four years gone now...

- 2004 HalfBakery: 6 keys on the back for visually impaired

- 4/2004 Digitoday website shows this picture of a concept terminal (in an article about mobile operator alliance for negotiating better prices with vendors)

- 3/2005 Nokia releases model 7710 that has the same concept on the front panel as the GKOS proposal 5 yars ago (same dimensions, horisontal wide screen, pointer control and selection buttons for thumbs). But still the six fingers meet an empty back panel.

But why not a sixback this time...

...just wondering.

- 5/2005 Nokia releases model 770 for internet access without a phone capability:

- 12/2005 Crichton Barcode organizer  with GKOS input.

- 4/2008 LucidTouch - moving your fingers to the back of the device (8 years after GKOS, the keyboard too):

- 5/2009 On the google GKOS group (May 25, 2009), Sebastian Bub presented the idea of implementing the GKOS chorded keyboard on the iPhone multi-touch screen. The discussion continued and the application was made available within a year (see below).

- 2/2010 Android, Nokia N900 (Maemo)... Where is the new innovative text entry method (10 years of GKOS already!)?

- 3/2010 It seems that iPhone will be the first:

- 5/2010 The iPhone Chorded Keyboard GKOS application v.1.0 became available in the App Store May 8, 2010:

- 6/2010 Soon available for Android as well:

           

- 8/2010 Test versions available for Android

- 10 years late: Microsoft   (Image 1, Image 2)

- 11 years later MeeGo Harmattan GKOS Application

- 12 years later Windows Phone GKOS Application

- 2/2012 Re-inventing the wheel (6 keys on the back) 12 years later (Useful app anyway!):
 
  http://www.gatech.edu/newsroom/release.html?nid=110051 

GeorgiaTech's eyes-free app:

- Next ? Bada? Linaro?...

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