05-18-2004, 03:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Think Outside Bluetooth Stowaway Keyboard
"Typing into a PDA or a cell phone has always been clunky. Even when miniature keyboards hit the scene, they either had to be physically connected to the PDA or were so small that even people with small hands had trouble using them. No longer. Think Outside, a Santa Clara mobile device manufacturer, next month will introduce the Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard, which is compatible with most cellular phones, PDAs and other devices equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology."
Finally, no more buying new keyboards with each device. Now, how easy will it be to get the devices to partner and actually work? ;-)
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05-18-2004, 03:16 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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FINALLY!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
Now my next question will be regarding the keyboard layout, will they go with the full keyboard with number rows or will they go with the more recent layouts with lesser keys?
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05-18-2004, 03:16 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 485
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I have been waiting for this - it makes excellent sense. But $150 seems a trifle steep for a keyboard, even if it is Bluetooth...
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05-18-2004, 03:22 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 516
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What's so bad about IR keyboards? You're still going to need to prop up your PDA with something, so I don't see how this BT model will be any smaller and it will probably suck more battery life.
What I'd really like to see is one of these companies offer a foldable keyboard with integrated trackpoint (eraserhead pointer) and left/right mouse buttons so that I can move a pointer around on-screen instead of having to lift my hands off the keyboard periodically to tap at things with the stylus.
Scott
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Tapland
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05-18-2004, 03:31 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 23
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:mrgreen: I can't see how the bluetooth unit would be an improvement over the IR unit. My assumption is that the bluetooth unit will consume more battery life from both the keyboard and the pda/phone.
However, if only one "bluetooth" driver is required then maybe it is a good thing.
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I'm not as dumb as I look
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05-18-2004, 03:50 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 217
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You know I am trying to decide if I want to go with an IR keyboard for half the price or wait for a Bluetooth keyboard. My concerns with the Bluetooth version are the ability to use the keyboard and connect to a Bluetooth phone at the same time for wireless connectivity. Also, Bluetooth pairing has been quite easy for me, but doing any more involved tasks (GPRS connection, headset connection, etc.) has always presented some challenges and I wonder how well the keyboard driver will be with multiple devices.
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05-18-2004, 03:54 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Scott R
What I'd really like to see is one of these companies offer a foldable keyboard with integrated trackpoint (eraserhead pointer) and left/right mouse buttons so that I can move a pointer around on-screen instead of having to lift my hands off the keyboard periodically to tap at things with the stylus.
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The Targus Universal IR does that. It's a little d-pad on the keyboard and a single select button as I recall. The driver adds a pointer on the screen so you can see where you are. Only drawback in my book is the size of the keyboard. It's the size of a small paperback, folded. This is something you'd likely stick in a briefcase, not in your pocket.
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05-18-2004, 04:20 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Scott R
What's so bad about IR keyboards? You're still going to need to prop up your PDA with something, so I don't see how this BT model will be any smaller and it will probably suck more battery life.
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The draw to IR/BT keyboards is not size, but device independence.
As for the potential benefit of BT over IR, I've used IR keyboards in the past and the setup is much more fragile as you need a mirror-like contraption that may or may not work with the device in portrait mode and (from my experience) IR can be slow to react.
I'm hoping a BT keyboard will provide the ease-of-use of a serial connected keyboard with the device independence of an IR keyboard.
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05-18-2004, 05:05 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,055
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Ed, that was an evil April Fool's trick! I've been waiting months for the keyboard to be released, and when I saw it on the news page, I thought it finally had been released! But nooo... it was a teaser... 
Everytime I switch devices, I end up selling my old stowaway on Ebay and buying another. I want to avoid that, this time, and buy just one keyboard which I will be able to use in the future.
The IR keyboard seems nice, and the keyboard is very responsive (even over IR). However, I'm worried that one day the IR port of a future device will either be nonexistant or tucked away in a very awkward spot.
That's why I'm thinking a bluetooth keyboard will save me the trouble. However, I don't think I'll buy this keyboard until I've read a positive review or two.
Now I'm getting really excited..
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05-18-2004, 05:06 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 516
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ekkie, I have a palmOne-branded ThinkOutside IR keyboard. It's quite small and it works very well with both my Tapwave Zodiac and HP h4155. My only complaints are the lack of any sort of "mouse" substitute and the added inconvenience of having to use alt keys for numbers and special characters, though adding a dedicated row would have obviously reduced the pocketability.
Scott
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Tapland
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