If you've been waiting for emoticons to fall out of favor and be dismissed as a fad, it's time for a reality check. They've become a permanent fixture of online communication, so you may as well surrender and embrace the idea of the Look@Me keyboard. Part of an exhibit called "Between On & Off" from Pega Design (formerly part of Asus), the Look@Me is a portable mini keyboard designed specifically for easy typing of smiley, surprised and sassy faces (among others).

Obviously, this keyboard is designed to supplement a regular one, not supplant it — unless you wanted to start a new language where you communicate only with emoticons. It's a scary thought, though not as scary to me as the hot pink keys… designers Harry Wu, Ming Yang and Jabez Lin (it took three people to come up with this?) clearly had a demographic in mind when the crafted the Look@Me. It's only a concept right now, but what do you say, kids — :) or :P?

Check out another pic after the jump.

Pega Design, via Oh Gizmo!