Money expert Clark Howard is in Las Vegas this week for CES, the annual international consumer electronics show, and he and members of Team Clark are checking out all of the fancy gadgets and cool new tech.

One of the things that caught the eye of Clark’s radio show Executive Producer Kim Drobes is the Gemini phone, a new take on the old-school palm-sized keyboards of the 1990s. Made by UK-based startup Planet Computers, the Gemini’s tagline is “Bringing the keyboard personal digital assistant into the 21st century.”

Planet Computer’s Gemini wants to be your personal digital assistant

The Gemini is a smartphone that features a clamshell design with a palm-sized keyboard integrated into the device. “It is incredibly retro-looking, but it also reminds me of the smartphone that I currently carry,” Drobes said.

The device’s makers hope that people who want the full functionality of a QWERTY keyboard will opt for this device over smaller smartphones. The good thing is that even if you’re not into typing, the Gemini can be used as a regular smartphone as well.

The mini-laptop features a 5.7 inch screen inside a foldable clamshell design that actually protects the device by tucking away the keyboard when it’s closed shut. The phone is shipping to retailers this month, although it’s unclear where it will be available.

Price: $599 for the 4G and Wi-Fi version and $499 for a Wi-Fi-only version

Consumer takeaway: “If you’re frustrated with typing on a traditional phone and being able to type really fast on the go, this is a brilliant idea,” Clark says.

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