I'm thinking of getting a portable keyboard for my iPAQ 2210, using
the PPC's Bluetooth facility for the first time in the 3 years since I
bought it. The Think Outside Bluetooth Stowaway Bluetooth Folding
Keyboard is a prime candidate. But I'm a bit confused. Googling, every
photo I've found so far seems to show the keyboard physically
connected to the PPC. I'd expect to be able to use it separately, i.e.
maybe with the PPC in its cradle and the keyboard on my lap or
whatever.

Can any existing user clarify this basic point for me please?

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:i8shd2p8uahr48q24bdeb7qisi12106f3c@4ax.com...
> I'm thinking of getting a portable keyboard for my iPAQ 2210, using
> the PPC's Bluetooth facility for the first time in the 3 years since I
> bought it. The Think Outside Bluetooth Stowaway Bluetooth Folding
> Keyboard is a prime candidate. But I'm a bit confused. Googling, every
> photo I've found so far seems to show the keyboard physically
> connected to the PPC. I'd expect to be able to use it separately, i.e.
> maybe with the PPC in its cradle and the keyboard on my lap or
> whatever.
>
> Can any existing user clarify this basic point for me please?
>


The Think Outside Bluetooth keyboard comes with a small snap on prop to hold
the PPC for convenience viewing only - You can remove this if you want the
items separate (which I did right away).

For example, for my ppc-6700 I usually prop the PPC on the side (thanks to
the lumpy extended battery) and keep the thinkoutside BT keyboard floating
free (no physical connection). Works best for me this way, and the TO BT
keyboard has been great.

One thing to note - I suggest steering way clear of the HP BT keyboard.

I agree with xTenn...

I've even used mine with the ppc stowed in a pocket with the screen off
for some "stream of consciousness" lap typing at one point... the key
"bips" were enough to confirm input, then edited the raw text on the pc
when that became available.

initial setup can be frustrating, but, once done, making a connection is
easy.

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

Reply to message from "xTenn" <xTennRemoveThisPart@tds.net> (Tue, 08 Aug
2006 16:29:06) about "Re: Bluetooth keyboard?":


x> "Terry Pinnell"
x> <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex. com> wrote in message news:
x> i8shd2p8uahr48q24bdeb7qisi12106f3c@
x> 4ax.com...
>> I'm thinking of getting a portable keyboard for my iPAQ 2210, using the
>> PPC's Bluetooth facility for the first time in the 3 years since I
>> bought it. The Think Outside Bluetooth Stowaway Bluetooth Folding
>> Keyboard is a prime candidate. But I'm a bit confused. Googling, every
>> photo I've found so far seems to show the keyboard physically connected
>> to the PPC. I'd expect to be able to use it separately, i.e. maybe with
>> the PPC in its cradle and the keyboard on my lap or whatever.

>> Can any existing user clarify this basic point for me please?



x> The Think Outside Bluetooth keyboard comes with a small snap on prop to
x> hold the PPC for convenience viewing only - You can remove this if you
x> want the items separate (which I did right away).

x> For example, for my ppc-6700 I usually prop the PPC on the side (thanks
x> to the lumpy extended battery) and keep the thinkoutside BT keyboard
x> floating free (no physical connection). Works best for me this way, and
x> the TO BT keyboard has been great.

x> One thing to note - I suggest steering way clear of the HP BT keyboard.

I actually just bought the HP keyboard this weekend (in fact I'm using it
to type this) and the only issue I have with it is that there is no way to
turn it off. It pretty much stays in "standby" forever when not in use (and
draining the battery). However, I knew this about the keyboard before
buying, but I hate four row keyboards (like the Think Outside model).

The other driving force in my decision was price. The TO keyboard at $150
is just way too expensive, although it would have the benefit of working
with my T-Mobile SDA (the HP keyboard works with both my Pocket LOOX and
hx2415, but not my SDA smartphone). But I just could not bring myself to
spend that much money on a keyboard. The HP Keyboard was on sale at my
local CompUSA for $69 (normal price is $125 - which is also too much which
is why I never bought one before) and at that price, I bought.

It works really well and it seems to be about the size of a small laptop
keyboard. At any rate, I have absolutely no trouble typing on it (except
for the placement of the ? key, which is oddly placed to the right of the
right shift key. As a touch typist, I have to actually look to find that
key as it isn't where it should be). All in all, I'm quite satisfied with
it.

The Think Outside keyboard is more flexible and works with smartphones and
has a proper on/off switch, so I guess you get what you pay for.

I just take out the batteries from my HP keyboard when I'm not using it.
You do have to re-pair the PDA and keyboard when you put the batteries back
in, but that's not a deal breaker for me.

Don





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"Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]" <BevNoSpamBevHoward.com> wrote:

>I agree with xTenn...
>
>I've even used mine with the ppc stowed in a pocket with the screen off
>for some "stream of consciousness" lap typing at one point... the key
>"bips" were enough to confirm input, then edited the raw text on the pc
>when that became available.
>
>initial setup can be frustrating, but, once done, making a connection is
>easy.

Thanks all.

BTW, I'd have thought advertisers would have made a point of
illustrating such a separation in their photos, as it seems a
significant selling point to me! I have actually since found one page
which does so
http://www.widget.co.uk/asp/product.asp?recorprod=&product=521&cat=&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=

Amongst widespread praise for the TO product, one criticism seems to
be the lack of number keys. Is that as much of a snag in practice as
it sounds?

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

>> one criticism seems to be the lack of number keys. Is that as much
of a snag in practice as it sounds? <<

Life in the tiny lane is a constant compromise, and adding that row
would have increased the total size by 25%, but they do a fair job of
"dealing with" the omission of the top row.

My KB (the Dell branded ThinkOutside) has two color coded function keys,
one turns the top row into unshifted (numbers) normal top row, and the
second turns it into the shifted top row... first few times were
awkward, but it's pretty obvious after a few uses.

Back to the "physical connection" of the ppc to the keyboard, the
connection is a flip-up/unfold ppc stand which allows the ppc to be held
up vertical or horizontal... then, the entire flip up stand can be
snapped off of the keyboard and placed anywhere convenient.

Another note, the unlock button to stow the keyboard is _not_ obvious
nor is the opening/closing fold process... when you first use this _go
slow_ as it's possible to do damage opening and closing the unit... for
the same reason, it's unwise to let anyone else play with it unless they
are ready to buy you a new one when they break it ;-)

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

"Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]" <BevNoSpamBevHoward.com> wrote:

> >> one criticism seems to be the lack of number keys. Is that as much
>of a snag in practice as it sounds? <<
>
>Life in the tiny lane is a constant compromise, and adding that row
>would have increased the total size by 25%, but they do a fair job of
>"dealing with" the omission of the top row.
>
>My KB (the Dell branded ThinkOutside) has two color coded function keys,
>one turns the top row into unshifted (numbers) normal top row, and the
>second turns it into the shifted top row... first few times were
>awkward, but it's pretty obvious after a few uses.
>
>Back to the "physical connection" of the ppc to the keyboard, the
>connection is a flip-up/unfold ppc stand which allows the ppc to be held
>up vertical or horizontal... then, the entire flip up stand can be
>snapped off of the keyboard and placed anywhere convenient.
>
>Another note, the unlock button to stow the keyboard is _not_ obvious
>nor is the opening/closing fold process... when you first use this _go
>slow_ as it's possible to do damage opening and closing the unit... for
>the same reason, it's unwise to let anyone else play with it unless they
>are ready to buy you a new one when they break it ;-)
>
Thanks, appreciate the helpful follow-up.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

"Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]" <BevNoSpamBevHoward.com> wrote in
message news:OBhLeVIvGHA.3372@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> >> one criticism seems to be the lack of number keys. Is that as much
> of a snag in practice as it sounds? <<
>
> Life in the tiny lane is a constant compromise, and adding that row would
> have increased the total size by 25%, but they do a fair job of "dealing
> with" the omission of the top row.
>
> My KB (the Dell branded ThinkOutside) has two color coded function keys,
> one turns the top row into unshifted (numbers) normal top row, and the
> second turns it into the shifted top row... first few times were awkward,
> but it's pretty obvious after a few uses.
>
> Back to the "physical connection" of the ppc to the keyboard, the
> connection is a flip-up/unfold ppc stand which allows the ppc to be held
> up vertical or horizontal... then, the entire flip up stand can be snapped
> off of the keyboard and placed anywhere convenient.
>
> Another note, the unlock button to stow the keyboard is _not_ obvious nor
> is the opening/closing fold process... when you first use this _go slow_
> as it's possible to do damage opening and closing the unit... for the same
> reason, it's unwise to let anyone else play with it unless they are ready
> to buy you a new one when they break it ;-)
>
> Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]
>
>
And look into the Think Outside mouse to go along with the keyboard. I
couldn't believe how much using a mouse instead of stylus enhanced the "tiny
lane" experience.

TCR

Reply to message from "TC Ronson" <tcronson@att.net> (Tue, 15 Aug 2006 10:
04:39) about "Re: Bluetooth keyboard?":

TR> And look into the Think Outside mouse to go along with the keyboard. I
TR> couldn't believe how much using a mouse instead of stylus enhanced the
TR> "tiny lane" experience.

TR> TCR

With the added advantage that the mouse can be used with other devices. I
bought the TO mouse to use with my PDA and use it just as much with my
iBook.

Don

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