Intel is incorporating Digit Wireless’ Fastap keypad, which fits a full alpha-keyboard onto a cellphone by interspersing lowered number keys between raised letter keys, into one of its reference designs for a new cellphone. Intel wouldn’t be building the phones themselves, but rather would be licensing out the designs to other manufacturers to use. As we mentioned a few months ago, the first cellphones with Fastap keypads are supposed to go on sale before the end of the year, though it remains to be seen whether that will actually still happen. We just hope somebody does something soon, since tapping out text messages using a regular cellphone keypad is endlessly frustrating.
