Cliq Case Adds Buttons to Your Android Smartphone

Smartphone controls have become mostly touchscreen since the introduction of the iPhone, but a recent Kickstarter campaign is looking to bring back the button.

The product hoping to be crowdfunded is called the Cliq, a case for some of the more premium Android smartphones on the market. At the time this article was published, the Cliq had raised $16,600 of its $40,000 goal with 22 days to go.

Now, what’s so special about this phone case?

While the Cliq does look like the type of smartphone cover you could purchase at Five Below, its major selling point isn’t necessarily the protection it provides; instead, the Cliq’s magic comes from the three buttons found on its rear. Each button can be mapped to an action inside the Android OS; so with a click of one of the buttons, you could start the camera app, launch your favorite music service, or light your phone’s LED flash for use as a flashlight.

My daily phone is an iPhone, and this is the kind of product I’d love to have for quickly opening the camera, or the calculator. Unfortunately, the locked-down nature of iOS means that the Cliq will likely remain an Android-only accessory for now. But if you’re the owner of one of the more recent Galaxy S phones, Google’s Nexus 5, the Moto X, or LG’s G2, you can back the Cliq Kickstarter campaign for a minimum of $20 and get yourself on the list for one when the product launches.

You can learn more about Cliq by watching the video below, which stars the two man team behind the product: Carson and… “Bobz.” Yeah, the “z” is actually used in his name, apparently.

Have some thoughts about the Cliq case? Do you think it’s a good idea or is it destined for the Kickstarter deadpool? Drop us a line below.

[via GigaOM]