The Universal Wireless Keyboard (IR 501) Reviewed

[Stephen Beesley]

<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/Beesley-June04-Keyboard.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Product Category:</b> Universal IR Keyboard<br /><b>Manufacturer:</b> <a href="http://www.citipack.com.tw/"> Citipack </a><br /><b>Where to Buy:</b> <a href="http://www.suntekstore.com/pm-kb-ir-501.html"> SuntekStore.com </a> also available on <a href="www.ebay.com"> ebay </a> through various resellers.<br /><b>Price:</b> Currently $38.99 USD with discount coupon available. Sells on ebay for anywhere between $18.00 and $50.00 USD. <br /><b>System Requirements:</b> Drivers available for Pocket PC 2000 and 2002. A WM2003 version (<a href="http://www.suntekstore.com/unwiirpdake5.html"> the IR 502 </a>) is also available. <br /><b>Specifications:</b> Battery: 1X1.5V AAA (Included), Battery stand-by time: 2,000hrs( with Alkaline battery), Key numbers: 67 keys, Key lifetime: 10 million, Standard key pitch: 17mm, Dimension: Closed(142X96X9.2mm), Open(284X96X9.2mm) <br /><br /><b>Pros:</b><li>Small size;<br /><li>Full five row keyboard;<br /><li>Easy set up;<br /><li>Can be used in both portrait and landscape mode.<b>Cons:</b><li>Keys could be a little small for those of us with bigger fingers;<br /><li>Need to type firmly on keys.<b>Summary:</b><br />With the wide variety of different Pocket PC brands now available and the many different connector types used (even between models made by the same manufacturer) it is not surprising that Belkin, Targus, Pocketop and a host of other manufacturers have come to the market over the last year or so with IR keyboards. The Universal Wireless IR Keyboard is yet another entry to the market - how does it measure up in the usability stakes?<br /><br />Read on for the full review!<!><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>What You Get in the Box</b></span><br />The box contains the keyboard, a small installation/user information leaflet, a CD with the drivers, a AAA battery and a plastic clip that can be attached to the stand to help stop any vibration when used, for example, in a plane or train.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/Beesley-June04-Keyboard_laidout.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 1: The full package!</i><br /><br /><span><b>Design and Materials</b></span><br />The keyboard is made of plastic with a professional looking silver and black finish to the exterior. The unit is hinged in the middle and opens by releasing a small catch and folding flat. The bottom surface of the keyboard has four black rubber grips to keep it firmly in place. When folded, the keyboard is light enough to carry easily, but still has a nice solid feel to it. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/Beesley-June04 -Keyboard_Dimensions.gif" /> <br /><i>Figure 2: Dimensions.</i><br /><br />At top centre, there's a pull-out, flip-up stand that supports your PDA when in use. The keyboard has two IR ports: one located on a plastic arm which swings up from the support and another located at the left edge of the keyboard to accommodate PDAs with side mounted IR ports or use in Landscape mode. <br /><br />The keys are slightly smaller than those found on most notebooks with a 17mm travel. Unlike some other IR keyboards, however, it has a full five rows of keys with the usual complement of number keys and a fairly standard notebook layout. There are also four dedicated keys for launching the main built-in applications such as Inbox, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks. When used in combination with the Fn (Function) key they give access to Notes, Excel, Word and Calculator. If that is not enough for you then the A, S, D and F Keys also have built in application launch functions and the number keys can be configured to access applications as well when used in combination with the Fn of other keys that can be used in combination with the Alt and Fn key. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/driver screen 2.gif" /> <br /><i>Figure 3: Hot Key Configuration.</i><br /><br />Finally, there is also a dedicated Today/Start key which will either bring you back to the Today screen or bring up the start menu. Taken together, the large selection of keys for common functions and commands means you should have less call to use your stylus. <br /><PAGEBREAK> <br /><br /><span><b>Installation and Setup</b></span><br />Installing the provided driver software went without a hitch (although interestingly it does not use the standard Activesync Add/Remove Program dialogue). The only thing to watch is that you need to turn off the “accept all beams” option in the connections settings tab. Otherwise the Keyboard driver reports that the IR port is already in use. The installation process puts a Keyboard shortcut in the Start menu, which brings up the following settings screen. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/driver screen.gif" /> <br /><i>Figure 4: Main Configuration Screen.</i><br /><br />Once the driver is installed and the battery inserted in the keyboard it is simply a matter of placing your device in the attached stand and typing away.<br /><br /><span><b>Performance</b></span><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/in use.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 5: Keyboard set up for use.</i><br /><br />In use I found this keyboard to take a bit of getting used to. One downside of the centre folding keyboard design is the space between the two sides of the keypad and the need to split the central “space” bar into two smaller bars. Another design element that took some getting used to is the slightly raised lip at the bottom of the keyboard. I also found that I needed to use fairly firm pressure on the keys – no light fingered typists here! Once I had adapted my typing style a bit, however, I found that I could type away at a pretty good clip – although not as fast as on my desktop keyboard or my original Stowaway Keyboard.<br /><br />During my testing I did not experience any significant problems with dropped connections or slow response. I tested the keyboard in Landscape mode (using Nyditot Virtual Display) and found no problems with connection or slow response using the second IR receptor located on the left hand edge of the keyboard.<br /><br />While I would like to say that this review was written entirely using the keyboard under review – it wasn’t! However, I have used the keyboard for some pretty extensive pieces of writing and found that the more I use it the more I like it. In particular I have found the ability to use it landscape mode is very useful. <br /><br /><span><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />Overall, the Universal Wireless Keyboard performed solidly, although I do not see it replacing my original Stowaway keyboard as my principal keyboard. To a degree I put this down to my largish fingers and a preference for the more roomy keys on the Stowaway – something that would apply equally to a number of other similar keyboards. In general, given the ability to use it with pretty much any IR equipped PDA (not just Pocket PCs) and the general ease of set up and use I would consider this keyboard to be good value and a worthwhile purchase.

[mcsouth]

Interesting review - I've seen these keyboards come up on eBay, but always been leary about bidding on one, due to stories that I'd heard about some IR keyboards having bad lag ties between typing and text appearing, and questions about build quality.

This keyboard might be a good solution for me - occasionally, I wish that I had a full size keyboard for my PDA (currently iPaq 1945), but then I remember how little I used the dedicated Stowaway keyboards that I had for both my Palm M505 and Jornada 567. Ever since the IR keyboards started coming out in quantity, I figured this might be the right solution - buy it once, and use ith with whatever PDA I have......

Nice review - I'm tempted now to try one of these keyboards out!

[Pony99CA]

Thanks for the review -- I hadn't heard of this keyboard before. It's good to see more alternatives to the Stowaway IR keyboard which doesn't have a number row. :roll:

As a suggestion, I think that any keyboard review should try to show a close-up of the keys to get an idea of the key placement. None of the images gave a good idea about where the non-standard keys were placed.

Also, it would have been useful to show the keyboard with the stand unfolded. I can visit the Citipack Web site (http://systech.myweb.hinet.net/IR501.htm), but their photo is kind of small.

http://systech.myweb.hinet.net/PIC/IR50101.png

Steve

P.S. I visited the Citipack/Systech Company page (http://systech.myweb.hinet.net/company.htm) and found something amusing.

Over 100% of the staff has a college-level education or above....

I guess their colleges don't teach math. :lol:

[snave]

I was approached by the manufacturer to sale this keyboard in the UK, but decided against it due to the build quality and the fact that it was only available with US keyboard layout, with some keys not working correctly on my UK Dell Axim.

The manufacturer did offer to produce a UK version for me, but at a cost to me!!!

Having tried other keyboards I would not recommend this one, especially to UK buyers.

[Ryan Joseph]

Good review! Mine should be coming very soon... 8)

I might buy one of these...keyboards for i-mates are way overpriced. I really want a keyboard and this might be a good option.

[Marcel_Proust]

Now that bluetooth keyboards are around the corner these are less attractive except for the price.
while i love my old ir keyboard, there is always a bit of a lag, and the positioning needed is always a drag.

[Pony99CA]

Now that bluetooth keyboards are around the corner these are less attractive except for the price.
You forget one major thing -- every Pocket PC includes IR, but many don't include Bluetooth. An IR keyboard will work with any Pocket PC the user has (and Palms, for that matter), while a Bluetooth keyboard won't.

With driver software, IR keyboards may even work with Handheld PCs. :-)

Steve

[jimski]

Now that bluetooth keyboards are around the corner these are less attractive except for the price.
You forget one major thing -- every Pocket PC includes IR, but many don't include Bluetooth. Steve

Uh....ALL of my Pocket PC's include Bluetooth and always will. No reason to have it any other way.

[ctmagnus]

That is SO true.

[Stephen Beesley]

Thanks for the review -- I hadn't heard of this keyboard before. It's good to see more alternatives to the Stowaway IR keyboard which doesn't have a number row. :roll:

As a suggestion, I think that any keyboard review should try to show a close-up of the keys to get an idea of the key placement...

Your wish is my command :D

I am at work at the moment, but when I get home I will dig out the digital camera and try to get a good close up of the key layout and post it here.

As for some of the comments about build quality, I can only talk about the keyboard I have, which seems to be pretty sturdy.

[Pony99CA]

Now that bluetooth keyboards are around the corner these are less attractive except for the price.
You forget one major thing -- every Pocket PC includes IR, but many don't include Bluetooth.
Uh....ALL of my Pocket PC's include Bluetooth and always will. No reason to have it any other way.
No reason at all -- unless you want a VGA Pocket PC (the Toshiba e805), or you have an older Pocket PC Phone, a Dell before the Axim X30, a ViewSonic and so on.

There may be no other reason for you, but there are many non-Bluetooth Pocket PCs out there.

Steve

P.S. All of my Pocket PCs (OK, all two :-)) after my iPAQ 3650 have had Bluetooth. Now if only I could find a use for it. :-)

[Deralict]

There may be no other reason for you, but there are many non-Bluetooth Pocket PCs out there.


I consider most Pocket PCs to be Bluetooth-enabled given that adding Bluetooth via CF or SDIO is cheap and easy these days.

[Marcel_Proust]

Now that bluetooth keyboards are around the corner these are less attractive except for the price.
You forget one major thing -- every Pocket PC includes IR, but many don't include Bluetooth.
Uh....ALL of my Pocket PC's include Bluetooth and always will. No reason to have it any other way.
No reason at all -- unless you want a VGA Pocket PC (the Toshiba e805), or you have an older Pocket PC Phone, a Dell before the Axim X30, a ViewSonic and so on.

There may be no other reason for you, but there are many non-Bluetooth Pocket PCs out there.

Steve

P.S. All of my Pocket PCs (OK, all two :-)) after my iPAQ 3650 have had Bluetooth. Now if only I could find a use for it. :-)

I have a e805 + a Socket bluetooth SD card. I wish it was built in but it's still possible.
I'm not saying ir isn't still a plausible solution for some people, but if you can, bluetooth keyboards should be much better. I'm eagerly waiting for better response time, not having to position carefully, and working in full sunlight.
(also i've just ordered a bluetooth gps device for my car, so I guess I have a number of purpose for it now.)

[Pony99CA]

There may be no other reason for you, but there are many non-Bluetooth Pocket PCs out there.

I consider most Pocket PCs to be Bluetooth-enabled given that adding Bluetooth via CF or SDIO is cheap and easy these days.
So you probably like those "HDTVs" that are HDTV-enabled -- if you buy an HDTV tuner. You wouldn't be in marketing by chance, would you? :-)

By your reasoning, most Pocket PCs are also WiFi-enabled, GPS-enabled, camera-enabled, 1 GB-enabled and so on. Many other Pocket PCs (those with Compact Flash slots) are USB host-enabled, VGA-enabled, FM-enabled, TV-enabled, Ethernet-enabled, modem-enabled, hard disk-enabled, etc.

Personally, I don't count a Pocket PC as having a capability unless it comes built into the Pocket PC.

Steve

[yslee]

How about price then? BT keyboards are stupidly expensive. And I'd rather not sacrifice a card slot to BT.

[galt]

I tested the keyboard in Landscape mode (using Nyditot Virtual Display) and found no problems with connection or slow response using the second IR receptor located on the left hand edge of the keyboard.

Some questions related to using this device w/the yet-to-be-released Motorola MPx... The MPx IR port appears to be on the right hand side of the device when in landscape mode, would this present a problem if trying to use this keyboard w/the MPx? Also, does this keyboard (and IR keyboards in general) use generic PPC OS drivers to work, or does there have to be device specific drivers released in order to provide compatibility?

Thanks.

Galt

[Janak Parekh]

Some questions related to using this device w/the yet-to-be-released Motorola MPx... The MPx IR port appears to be on the right hand side of the device when in landscape mode, would this present a problem if trying to use this keyboard w/the MPx?
I think there would be a far larger issue trying to mount the flip-based MPx on the keyboard in the first place. For the MPx, seeing as it has Bluetooth, I'd seriously consider investing in that as a solution, and then use the MPx in its landscape mode, so you don't need a stand in the first place. :)

--janak

[Ommadawn]

I know this is an old thread, but I've just found my old citipak IR 501 keyboard that I'd thought lost. It worked fine (and still does) on my old Clie T615C, but I can't for the life of me get the mongrel thing working with my h1930. I've tried downloading the IR501 and 502 drivers, disabled Beam receive, but no joy.

Has anyone else been able to the this keyboard working with a WM2003 PPC at all? It's not a great quality keyboard, but I already own it, and would like not to have to find another one if I don't have to.