Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard - is finally here - inital thoughts.

[dochall]

Has anybody elses arrived yet?

Mine arrived this morning - having order it so long ago that I had all but forgotten I was waiting for it.

It seems reasonably well put together. Comes with a plasticky (but functional case - some thing I think should be compulsory for all manufacturers to provide.

It's reasonably stable and the keys are decent and it's possible to touch type without too many problems.

Bonding is pretty simple and was using it fairly quickly.

BUT......

It's pointless touch typing as what you type takes an age to appear on the screen. You can look at your hands because you ain't going to see anything on screen any time soon. You can literally type a whole sentence and then have it magically catch up (i probably only type around 30wpm). This happens no matter what's running on the ipaq.

It has an interesting habit of repeating a letter 11 times if you use a capital (it seems to do this most of the time but not always)

It also seems to have problems reconnecting. Either the manual is wrong or I'm an idiot (either of these is possible.) I should be able to open the keyboard up and have it reconnect by pressing any key but it doesn't seem to wake up. Unless I stick it back into discoverable mode.

The think outside website says that it is testing on the 5500 (which I'm using it with) but I wondering if anybody with the newer gen ipaqs (22xx, 4xxx) was using it and having similar problems.


I've just mailed support and we'll see what they have to say.

EDIT - This may be the wrong forum but I couldn't see a general hardware forum so it seemed most the likely candidate.

[Sven Johannsen]

And there are still a couple of days left onthe free shipping if ordered by Aug 31st :)

[dochall]

Well after posting here when I had the problem I thought I'd let everybody know that I have just recieved a new driver for the keyboard. It is a known problem with the 55xx.

I haven't tried it yet but I'll post when I have.

EDIT - Installed the new driver and all is well. The keyboard is now totally usable and it does what it says on the can.

Kudos to Think Outside for the swift response and sorting out the problem.

[fmcpherson]

Out of curiosity, what version of the Bluetooth software is on your 5500?

[gregh2000]

by the way, we have had those keyboards in stock at compusa for about a week now, lol

[maikii]

I believe I read in a review here or somewhere (probably of a prototype) that it has no number row, you have to use function keys to type a number. Is that the case with the released version?

IMO that is OK for a thumb keyboard, but a full-size keyboard should have a number row.

Besides using it with your PPC, has anyone tried it with a Bluetooth cell phone as well? If so, did it work well?

There are supposed to be other such Bluetooth folding keyboards coming out. Belkin for instance. I believe HP as well. Anyone know when these will be available?

[Sven Johannsen]

I got the Dell branded version of the thing, and I must say I'm not particularly impressed. The BT part does work just fine. Some fits and starts getting it all set up, but since then pretty painless.

My issue is with the design of the unit itself. It is one of the few keyboards I own that really does have a solid base that would allow you to stick it on your lap and type without it folding up in the middle. Unfortunately the base that lets it do that, holds the ends of the keyboard up off a solid surface about a quarter inch. Enough that hitting the A or Enter will make that side of the keyboard go down and the other end pop up. It rocks, if you are a heavy typer. A stack of business cards under each end would solve the problem, but I don't carry that many at a time.

Yes it only has three rows of keys. It is left function numbers, and right function symbols. If you touch type, I bet this would drive you nuts. I hunt and peck, so it's not a big deal. That hunting and pecking probably aggravates the rocking though, as I tend to land on the keys like an albatross.

The other thing that irritates me about the Dell unit is that it seems to come with drivers very specific to the Dell. Understandable, but with the wide support advertised at ThinkOutside, I was hoping to use it with more than just my X30, while paying $50 less. Not sure if I'll be able to do that by finding the TO drivers somehow or not. Not that big a deal as I am not that crazy about the thing in the first place. I'll keep it, as it works OK with the X30, and should work fine with the X50, assuming I get one of those.

I will likely keep my eye on the Belkin and HP ones coming out though as I would like to be able to use one with my 2215, 4155, and Tablet, and if I ever get a BT capable smartphone. At that point, I have a few gullible friends with x30s ;)

In summary, the BT aspect and execution of this thing seems just fine. Very convenient. The hardware itself, just doesn't really cut it IMHO. Remember, I'm talking about the Dell branded one, but i believe they are the same hardware. It says designed and manufactued for Dell by Think Outside on it.

Incidentally, the Belkin BT keyboard was in the last MobilePlanet print catalogue, but it is not in the current one. That's not a good sign. Don't know about HP's, except that I've heard of it. If it is like the current foldable keyboard they sell but in a BT version, that would be great.