iGo Bluetooth Stowaway Keyboards to be Discontinued

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=9&title=keyboard_blues_bad_news&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/in...1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I regret to inform you that the production and support of the iGo Bluetooth Stowaway keyboards has been discontinued. After a sad meeting with the iGo people at CES, I learned that the president of the company decided not to continue the line because of the unjustifiable expense of developing all the necessary drivers. I suspected something was up when I found out that no WM6 drivers had been developed yet. What a sad, sad development or lack of development because the Stowaway Bluetooth keyboards were the best of the best, and there's really nothing out there that I know of yet that will replace it. So, enjoy yours while it lasts, but don't count on being able to upgrade it to a new device."</i><br /><br />I only got my Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard a few months ago and I was looking forward to being able to use this keyboard for a long time with different devices. While I can understand at some point it becomes cost-prohibitive to continue support, it's certainly disappointing news. Wonder if there's a market for someone to continue writing drivers for these? It would be nice if Mobility Electronics would sell the ThinkOutside division to a company who will put some resources into it.

[Menneisyys]

Fortunately., the situation is far better than many think. I've made some serious compliance tests with, among other operating systems, WM6. WM6 has turned out to be FULLY supported by the recent (WM5) drivers on both the PPC and SP platforms.

See http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=449210 for my article.

[Mikey]

I never have been able to get my Stowaway BT Keyboard to work as well as the Stowaway Keyboard I had that I used to hard connect to my iPAQ 5555. It always seems to lose connection with my Dell Axim x50v. It also had a delay as I would type, even with new batteries. This technology was great when it worked but not so good in the current form. My model # is Think Outside Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard XTBT01. The device itself is very sturdy &amp; was great when it worked. It might be my Axim... who knows?

[daS]

I never have been able to get my Stowaway BT Keyboard to work as well as the Stowaway Keyboard I had that I used to hard connect to my iPAQ 5555. It always seems to lose connection with my Dell Axim x50v. It also had a delay as I would type, even with new batteries. This technology was great when it worked but not so good in the current form. My model # is Think Outside Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard XTBT01. The device itself is very sturdy &amp; was great when it worked. It might be my Axim... who knows?

I have the same unit and don't have many problems (other than a slight delay in typing as you noted.) Perhaps it's the specific unit or as you indicated, the Dell Pocket PC.

As for the original premise, I'm not sure why they are so worried about writing special drivers: While their custom software is nice, it's not critical. I've used the keyboard with a number of devices with just the standard Bluetooth HID driver. It worked fine although you don't get the nice features such as the custom Windows Mobile specific keys that you get with the Think Outside driver.

I suppose the real issue is that with so many devices now coming with built-in "thumb keyboards" there's less of a demand for $100 external keyboards. It's really a shame because even with the built-in keyboard of the AT&amp;T Tilt, I still use the Stowaway when I have a long email to type or other "major" text entry. But I do understand the difficulty in supporting a small market.

I agree with Paul that it would be nice to see this product line sold to another small company that could make something of it.

[Ed Hansberry]

:cry:

I hate to see this news. it does work fine on a Kaiser, Wizard and Universal, All with WM6. I suspect we may not be so fortunate with WM7.

[Sven Johannsen]

Might have been a worthwhile endevor if they could charge for driver updates and folks would be willing to pay for them. I'm as quilty as the next guy for buying a device with PPC2003 drivers and being incensed when WM6 drivers aren't on the site for download withing hours of the new OS release. Sooner or later though we need to understand the development costs money, and even if they sell the keyboards new, with new drivers, they likely may not sell enough to recoup the cost. Especially true for those devices that are well built and continue to function over several generations of mobiles.

My hope in mitigating this unfortunate situation is that WM device manufacturers getting a clue and including USB host capability on devices. I would gladly give up the convinience of BT wireless for the broad spectrum of available USB keyboards/mice...not to mention the other advantages of USB Host.

Right now though, I'm off to get the latest (and last) drivers from iGo, so I have a copy archived.

[dwswager]

Got mine from Amazon for 29.99 and works fine w/ WM6.

[VulcanTourist]

I hate my Stowaway and hardly ever use it, because of the way it rocks uncontrollably on a flat surface in response to my heavy-fingered typing. I also came to hate the absence of dedicated numeric keys, and would have gladly suffered a larger form factor to get that. Lastly, why do I have to endure keyclicks for every press of a function key? Should have at least been an option in the driver to disable that.

Nevertheless, as has been said repeatedly it works fine with Windows Mobile 6, with both the Stowaway custom driver and the generic WM6 HID driver in a more limited fashion. I have a "third party" WM6 ROM in my iPAQ hx4700, and it works even with that. Looking forward to installing WM 6.1 on it in a few days, and I expect it will work fine with that, too.

[Jason Lee]

Lastly, why do I have to endure keyclicks for every press of a function key? Should have at least been an option in the driver to disable that.

You can disable the sounds. Simply tap the speaker icon on the SIP it brings up at the bottom of the screen.

[VulcanTourist]

Lastly, why do I have to endure keyclicks for every press of a function key? Should have at least been an option in the driver to disable that.

You can disable the sounds. Simply tap the speaker icon on the SIP it brings up at the bottom of the screen.

I *know* that. That disables ALL keyclicks, not the ones that make sense to disable.

[Ed Hansberry]

I *know* that. That disables ALL keyclicks, not the ones that make sense to disable.
what keyclicks does it make sense to keep?

[VulcanTourist]

I *know* that. That disables ALL keyclicks, not the ones that make sense to disable.
what keyclicks does it make sense to keep?

The ones that AREN'T function keys. I was quite clear about that in my first post.

[Ed Hansberry]

I *know* that. That disables ALL keyclicks, not the ones that make sense to disable.
what keyclicks does it make sense to keep?

The ones that AREN'T function keys. I was quite clear about that in my first post.
To me, no clicks make sense. I can't see the driver having an optoin to enable for keys, but not function keys. What about the shift key, or the backspace key, or the enter key? Bleh. I just turn them all off.

[VulcanTourist]

[Shift], [Ctrl], [Alt] etc. are all function keys, too, in that typically they exist to modify the result of another key that is pressed. It doesn't make sense to have a sound for such modifier keys. Why should there be TWO keyclicks for [A] but only one for [a]? It's distracting when one is typing, because it interferes with the rhythm. It's nice to have the audio feedback, especially since there is little to no tactile feedback, but they implemented it poorly.

[Ed Hansberry]

It's distracting when one is typing, because it interferes with the rhythm. It's nice to have the audio feedback, especially since there is little to no tactile feedback, but they implemented it poorly.

does your desktop keyboard have silencers on your definition of a function key? all of my keys sound the same.

[GoldKey]

I've got one of these an never had to install any sort of driver to use it (N800 and two different PC's). I thought keyboard was just a standard profile so no special drivers required. Is this something different for PPC's?

[Jason Lee]

I've got one of these an never had to install any sort of driver to use it (N800 and two different PC's). I thought keyboard was just a standard profile so no special drivers required. Is this something different for PPC's?

It will work with pocket pcs without using any special drivers. The default HUD bluetooth profile works just fine. Unfortunately, all the cool special features they added for windows mobile will not work anymore. For example, my favorite one... If you press and hold the FN key then press either the right or left half of the spacebar it will actually click the right of left softkey on the pocket pc. It makes it very easy to use your device without touching the screen.
Also the bluetooth mouse that I also have will no longer work as the drivers are what make the mouse pointer display on the screen. :(

[BevHoward]

the bt stowaway works with my XP tablet using no installed drivers... just the native hid driver.

perhaps it's time for winmobile to begin using the same approach?

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

[Ed Hansberry]

the bt stowaway works with my XP tablet using no installed drivers... just the native hid driver.

perhaps it's time for winmobile to begin using the same approach?

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]
I believe the basics work, but not the extras, like soft key support.

[miterb]

I now have an HTC X7501 w/wm 6 and my Stowaway, originally purchased for my Dell X50v, works fine on the new device. I for one will NOT miss the special function keys, in particular the 'OFF' which is the Fn, Backspace! I can't tell you how many times I hit that combination in error when typing a long email only to have my whole device power down..
Brad

[thierryb]

It does not work with the Wm05 xda flame. But works with the Hid bluetooth stack. Unfortunately I have a french keyboard and I do not know how to make french layout be recognized.

[Mikey]

I now have an HTC X7501 w/wm 6 and my Stowaway, originally purchased for my Dell X50v, works fine on the new device. I for one will NOT miss the special function keys, in particular the 'OFF' which is the Fn, Backspace! I can't tell you how many times I hit that combination in error when typing a long email only to have my whole device power down..
Brad

MiterB, did the BT keyboard work on your Dell Axim x50v, if so what version do you have...

[miterb]

"MiterB, did the BT keyboard work on your Dell Axim x50v, if so what version do you have..."

I bought the keyboard from Dell at the same time I bought the Axim and it worked great. I did upgrade the ThinkOutside software to Version 4.4 at some point.

Brad

[wladston]

OMG! That is pretty bad news ..

If at least they would lay down in open the specs or the source code for the WM5 drivers, probably we could make the fixes and adapt for WM7.

The worst thing is that I'll have to handle my backlight not getting lit by keypresses .. a bug that seems to be easy to fix! :(