Folding Keyboard Coming for Kyocera Smartphone

Posted By: Ed Wednesday, January 9, 2002 2:46:17 PM

Kyocera Wireless has announced that a version of the Think Outside folding keyboard will soon be available for the Kyocera QCP 6035 smartphone. Closed, the keyboard is 3.6 by 5.1 by 0.8 inches. Open, it's 13.8 by 5.1 by 0.44 inches. It weighs about 7.9 ounces. A phone stand with an built-in cable connects the smartphone to the keyboard and weighs another 3.2 ounces. It will sell for $100 and be available sometime in the first quarter of this year.

"Think Outside worked with Kyocera to adapt our Stowaway Portable Keyboard to the Kyocera smartphone," said George Gerwe, vice president of sales of Think Outside. "As more than one and a half million people worldwide have already discovered, the Stowaway keyboard transforms a handheld into an even more powerful device that can perform many of the functions traditionally done using laptops -- but with far greater mobility and a lot less hassle. Now Kyocera smartphone users can enjoy the freedom and flexibility the keyboard provides.'"

Related Information:

Review: Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone

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Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 3:19:06 PM #

Please god let that thing die.

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 3:54:34 PM #

AL I can say is yuck! The setup is a kludge.

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 3:55:14 PM #

What the phone or the keyboard? I think the addition of a keyboard is great! As it is right now I have to carry around my old yet faithful Palm IIIxe with a GoType! keyboard AND my Kyocera Smartphone -- Now I can retire my Palm Pilot at last.

Thank you Kyocera and Think Outside for FINALY responding to my emails with ACTION!

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 6:20:19 PM #

Unless more and more smartphones comes out, there is no death for them. Although, tha Handspring would be HUGE competiton...
PDANature - http://pdan.has.it - Great hourly refreshed pda news, reviews, commentarys, software, software update notices, features, and more! Simply the best. http://pdan.has.it

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 10:32:49 PM #

What is your beef with the Smartphone? I've had it for almost a year and an in LOVE with it. Sure, I would probably prefer the Treo's keyboard, but other than the keyboard the Treo has nothing on the Kyocera (until the color version comes out). As it is, the battery life on the Treo will be significantly less. And it has no voice dailing which the county I live in requires for cell phones. Requires it. Thus, it is illegal to drive and talk on a Treo.

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/10/2002 12:23:00 AM #

The Kyocera is a brick. I dunno how people can carry that thing around. The Treo's Stowawway keyboard will be much better because the Treo can be attached directly to the keyboard.

RE: Oh no....

Taco @ 1/10/2002 3:10:05 AM #

The Kyocera is NOT a brick and NOT kludgie. It is very easy to carry around. It is well designed. The size is right for your hand. It's curved edges and rubber grips are easier, more comfortable, more secure to hold and don't jab into your side with the belt case...like my former Palm. It is thick enough to be very rugged. Ask those that have had their shinny, slippery, thinner, smaller ...broken Palms that have slipped out their hands! Yes the Treo looks like a good, next generation step. But it doesn't look rugged, and the Treo wil be twice the cost of new 6035's presently. I hope that Kocera's succeror model keeps a similar, strong, form factor. I know many that purchased new smaller, "trendy" PCS phones, and are not as content as they are not as secure to hold, and didn't last long because they were too fragile. The smaller phone may be part of the manufacters planned obolesence, as the smaller phones don't last as long, and more purchases are made more often.

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/10/2002 9:41:22 AM #

Yeah, after spending $500.00 on that POS, I would be trying to justify it myself.

Wait until Stowaway comes out with one for the I300, where you DONT have to set it up like this.

;-)

(by the way, I do not own an I300. The Clie is my PDA)

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/10/2002 3:21:24 PM #

You may think the Smartphone is a brick, and compared to the new phones it is. But, comparing apples to apples, the Smartphone is not more a brick than the Treo. Have you held a Treo. I did at Comdex. It is shorter (barely) than the Kyocera, but it is wider (a little more than barely) meaning it sits a bit more awkward in the hand.
I admit these phones don't appeal to people who want cute little phones, but it isn't mean't to. They appeal to people who carry PDAs and cellphones. And if you want your PDA to work similar to a Blackberry, Smartphones (and Treos) are a god send.

RE: Oh no....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/11/2002 12:07:18 AM #

The Treo is designed to look like a classy cellphone with a nice screen, that Kyocera is this giant flip down monstrosity that feels so GREAT with it's cheap plastic and oh-so-stylish oval/brick design. It's a clunker, but a saving grace, it's smaller than a PocketPC and the original Cell Phones put together!

Well the positive is...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 3:54:17 PM #

this might allow the option for other phone stands. So then the same keyboard could be used with different PDAs. The negative is that you've got two parts to carry around.

Alternative?

Midknyte @ 1/9/2002 4:27:47 PM #

Are there any connector/cables that allow the use of just a regular PC keyboard with any of our palms? These specialized keyboards always go for $100 when you can get a PC Keyboard for under $10.

RE: Alternative?

rldunn @ 1/9/2002 4:55:13 PM #

But a PC keyboard isn't very portable, while the Stowaway is.

RE: Alternative?

Midknyte @ 1/9/2002 5:08:19 PM #

I'm certainly not going to argue that point...

Happy Hacking Cradle

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/9/2002 5:13:21 PM #

It's called the Happy Hacking Cradle and sells for around $50. A quick search will turn up several places to buy one. Here's a review:
http://www.sunsetwestpi.com/palmorama/hhcradle.htm

For $50 and another $10 to $20 for a keyboard, I would think that the convenience of the PPK would be worth the extra $40.

About two months ago, I received an email from Palm and was able to buy PPK's from them for $50. (I already had one, but two for other folks here at work.) With the popularity of the device, I expect the price to drop to $50 or $60 sometime this year.

Thanks,
Ricky

RE: Alternative?

mrscarey @ 1/9/2002 6:22:33 PM #

There was this Hatker thing which PIC reviewed a while ago. Not sure what PDAs it works with as the site is really slow and I am tired. It would not be any use to me and I am not recommending it but here's the contact email address:
Contact them service@pdapex.com

mrscarey

palmist and visionary

RE: Alternative?

Ed @ 1/10/2002 10:19:41 AM #

Take a look at the IrKB101 Wireless Keyboard Module. It works with any handheld with an IR port. When I wrote the review last fall, they were having a hard time setting up a distribution system.
www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=2387

---
News Editor

RE: Alternative?

Midknyte @ 1/10/2002 12:00:32 PM #

Hey thanks! Very neat "alternatives".

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