GearDiary Reviews the i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.geardiary.com/?p=2007' target='_blank'>http://www.geardiary.com/?p=2007</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This past month with the i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. During this time, I have managed to learn way more about Bluetooth Stacks and Windows XP Service Pack 2 upgrades than I ever wanted to know…but I’m getting ahead of myself already, and we wouldn’t want that…"</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/geardiary_itech_virtual_bluetooth_keyboard.jpg" /><br /><br />So much for plug and play. :roll: Judie Hughes continues her look at the i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard where <i><a href="http://www.geardiary.com/?p=1408">i.Tech Virtual Keyboard Unboxing</a></i> left off. Like Judie, I think the <i>idea</i> of a virtual keyboard is cool. In practice however... Have you tried a virtual keyboard? Anyone really love it?

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Looks neat on your desk and it ends there.

Two of the guys in my office bought 'em together when they were much harder to get and a lot more expensive, and I can't imagine they could've wasted their money in a more profound way. You can't touchtype (obviously) but it doesn't register a lot of "key" presses also. It's just problem after problem.

[Paul Martin]

You can't touchtype (obviously) but it doesn't register a lot of "key" presses also. It's just problem after problem.

The lack of tactile response is a killer for me. Still, in theory it's a neat idea.

[Sven Johannsen]

I have one too, and actually find that it works pretty well...but...I'm not a touch typist. Haven't found one of those that likes it to be sure. If you aren't a touch typist, and don't mind the cost, it is significantly more portable than most other keyboard solutions, except maybe the roll up cloth one. I hear that is like typing on marshmallows so it may not be any more exciting for touch typists than this one.

It does have a certain cool factor, and is quicker to get up and running for a quick email or IM session. Even I wouldn't use it for any long sessions. I am waiting for the technology to just be included in PPCs. You fold out a little integrated stand in the back of the PPC, turn the keyboard on, type a response, and turn it off. That's gonna be convinient.

[DaleReeck]

As an external device, it doesn't do it for me. Now, once they start integrating these emitters into the PDA's themselves, then you might have something.