Are you finding your work too efficient? Google Japan's latest concept keyboard might just be the perfect tool to help you take things down a notch. Following its April Fools' Day prank in 2021, Google Japan has consistently introduced an array of unconventional keyboard designs each year. This year's innovation appears to be inspired by an alternate reality where "touch-based keys never supplanted rotary dial phones," and this design concept also influences other gadgets.

Unlike conventional keyboards, the Gboard Dial Version is devoid of keys. Instead, it organizes alphanumeric and function keys beneath nine dials of varying sizes, including one specifically for the Enter key. To enter a character, you simply insert your finger into the corresponding hole, rotate the dial to its maximum extent, and then release it; the dial will then automatically return to its original position. Google Japan has substituted the pulse dialing mechanism of traditional rotary phones with contemporary sensors, transforming dial rotations into USB signals that enable interaction with computers.

Moreover, the design team has crafted an accessory bracket: when you place your mouse on it, the camera in video calls automatically deactivates, mimicking the "on-hook" state of a classic phone. Similar to Google Japan's previous inventions, this rotary dial keyboard is not up for public purchase. Nevertheless, Google has made the design open-source, with files encompassing 3D print models, PCB circuit board schematics, and component lists all accessible for download on GitHub.