Universal Wireless Keyboard Coming Soon

Posted By: Ed Thursday, March 28, 2002 10:29:52 AM

The Pocketop Portable Keyboard has been designed to work with almost any handheld with an infrared port. It consists of a folding keyboard and a universal stand that has a small adjustable reflector. This reflects the infrared signals coming from the keyboard into the handheld's IR port and vice versa. It will be available soon for $120 with a $20 rebate.

The stand is .25 inches think, is the same size as the standard black Palm flipcover, and can be carried attached to the keyboard or to the handheld.

Folded, the keyboard is slightly more than half an inch thick and weighs 4.2 ounces.

It also comes with a hinge that allows a Palm m500 series or V series user to connect their handheld directly to the keyboard. The Pocketop Portable Keyboard comes with software that lets the user rotate the handheld's screen 90 degrees and the handheld connects to the keyboard lengthwise. This hinge is strong enough that the two can be carried around connected together.

For those who would prefer to not use the stand or hinge, the user can rotate the handheld's screen 180 degrees then put the handheld upside down in front of the keyboard. This allows their IR ports to connect directly.

Visor owners can rotate the screen 90 degrees and and position the handheld sideways, which will line up the IR ports.

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YES!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:03:00 AM #
This is GREAT!

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:32:07 AM #
it looks like this thing was really well thought out, many options for use, and a definite contender in the keyboard market. I'm seriously considering it.

Sweeeeet....
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 1:53:55 PM #
This looks much better then those chunky Targa crap keyboards. Anyone know where you can pick these up? Are they avail. online yet?

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:02:27 PM #
> Anyone know where you can pick these up? Are they avail. online yet?

Everyone who read the article knows the answers to these questions.

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:05:19 PM #
I think you'll be able to order it online from www.pocketop.net pretty soon.

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:07:15 PM #
Yes!!! I like this one too

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 4:10:19 PM #
Really doubt if this flipping utility will ever be compatible with Clie Hires... I suppose I am pessimistic.

ciaran

Great for Schools
eke @ 3/28/2002 10:50:27 PM #
This product would give my students the ability to share a keyboard among various PDAs. Lack of input options has been a serious impediment for PDAs in schools. Kids, especially early teens, just don't have the patience or motor skills necessary to utilize character recognition effectively.

RE: YES!!
Rolando @ 3/29/2002 8:18:02 AM #
>Really doubt if this flipping utility will ever be compatible with Clie Hires... I suppose I am pessimistic.

I don't think the keyboard has to support high res. The keyboard should just use a drive to enable input. Like Graffiti supporting high res., I guess.

Software/driver conflicts aside, I suppose. Do other keyboards have problems when using a screen in high res?

RE: YES!!
Rolando @ 3/29/2002 8:28:54 AM #
Wait a minute! In a previous post, I thought "flipping" was a polite way of posting bad word. You actually meant flipping, as in rotating the screen!

Oops!

RE: YES!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/29/2002 2:34:29 PM #
Yeah. Given the weak Nxxx IR, we Sony's WILL have to use our PDAs upside down with this. The screen flipping utility may not be hires compatible... which may make the whole exercise useless...

Of course, I WANT a 90-degree turn but....

ciaran

Battery Usage

peter167 @ 3/28/2002 11:03:26 AM #
I think it is much less battery efficient than the others because the infra-red has to be opened and used while I am using the keyboard. Is that right?

******************
Lie is the future.
RE: Battery Usage
visorprismman @ 3/28/2002 11:18:46 AM #
Yeah...that would be my concern...The IR port being open takes alot out of the battery life...What gives? :-(

RE: Battery Usage
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:51:28 AM #
I thought the IR port uses less power than the serial port. Yeah, I guess if you left the serial port active all the time for a connection that would be a problem.

RE: Battery Usage
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:32:48 PM #
According to their web site, it has customized time out option. So the IR port is always on during the typing but will conserve the power when you are not using it.

I have the Stowaway keyboard. A good design that the keyboard is actived by HotSync button signal. But it pays cost. Every keystroke it requires of UART initiation, send signal, and then shutdown the UART. If you check the UART spec., it takes 79 mA to power up, 16 mA to maintain.

You can figure out which one has better battery efficiency.

Just my 2 cents!

RE: Battery Usage
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/3/2002 8:45:14 AM #
Hmmm....Handera 330's can be plugged into the wall while in use....

I wonder

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:18:11 AM #
I bet you will not be able to use the bluetooth stack when the IR port is in use. And, I also bet you can't use the universal connector to connect to a modem when the IR port is in use. This means you will have to disable the IR keyboard to do any communicating (email, web surfing, etc.)

RE: I wonder
Ed @ 3/28/2002 11:41:15 AM #
> I also bet you can't use the universal connector to connect to a modem when the IR port is in use.

While it is true that you can't do IR and use the serial port at the same time on older models, I know that it is possible to use the IR port and the Universal Connector. I've been connected with an IR modem and typed on a UC keyboard simultaneously with an m505.

---
News Editor

Yes, but....
Stefanos @ 3/28/2002 2:56:48 PM #
"I've been connected with an IR modem and typed on a UC keyboard simultaneously with an m505."

I do that too, but the keyboard response time is significantly affected. I connect to the internet via GPRS phone using the IR port, and use a PPK on the UC. The characters appear on the screen after a significant delay, but it sure beats using the stylus.

Would anyone know if this delay problem exists when using bluetooth to connect to a GPRS phone (or other modem)?

RE: I wonder
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/29/2002 1:34:44 AM #
I have seen zero response delay when using a serial keyboard and Bluetooth to a GPRS phone. I use one of the snap-on keyboards (from Seiko) and it works great!!

Is this really necessary?

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:15:36 AM #
Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe there are features of this keyboard that will be revealed soon, but I have a hard time seeing why this would be any better than the Stowaway. It can connect directly to
the handheld, which the Stowaway can already do.

Meanwhile, what advantage would I gain from moving the handheld away from the keyboard? I still have to keep them pointed at one another. Plus, I would think the possible distance increase would actually hinder seeing the screen.

So the screen rotates--BIG DEAL. That's a necessity, since the IR ports vary from device to device. It's not really an innovation, especially for a platform that uses a SQUARE screen.

Maybe it's cruel to tell a company that it's product is pretty much unnecessary, but that's exactly what I think about this.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:48:35 AM #
There isn't a Stowaway for every handheld. The T series owners can confirm this. It's also good for people with more than one handheld. Buying two Stowaways is expensive.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:53:44 AM #
> So the screen rotates--BIG DEAL. [ ... ] It's not really an
> innovation, especially for a platform that uses a SQUARE screen.

Hmmm ... this might make things very interesting in landscape mode on my HandEra 330.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:56:56 AM #
Yes, this way you don't have to change your keyboard every time you upgrade your PDA. I got a few keyboard sitting in my closet as we speak.

Thank God!

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:39:49 PM #
Another use would be for people who use a modem 'sled' that takes up the serial port. I'm not possitive, but I'm pretty sure that you can use them both at the same time. Now those users can be online and have a real keyboard at the same time.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:44:29 PM #
Yap! Dragon Ball VZ has two UART port, one for IR, one for Serial, which make it possible ot co-exist.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:46:15 PM #
With this keyboard, when I meet my friend with whatever Palm device they got, I can say: "Take my keyboard, help you input faster!". I have GoType keyboard for Palm III and a GoType keyboard for Palm V. When I met with Clie, M50x, Visor..., they areout of luck!

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:49:34 PM #
It comes with PocketPC driver too ! In case my boss forces me to use PocketPC at work, I don't have to carry two keyboards (Palm for personal use). This will will be Hot!

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 1:15:14 PM #
I seem to remember Julie Streitelmeir (The Gadgeteer) reviewing the HATcker keyboard which is an IR kb and it could not work at the same time as the modem was using the serial port.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:17:09 PM #
DragonBall VZ device will DO! IR and Serial are seperated.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:26:03 PM #
The HATcker ran on a V which is one of those old models that can't do both.

RE: Is this really necessary?
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/3/2002 5:37:18 AM #
What about all the handhelds for which Stowaway don't MAKE keyboards?

Why InfraRed?

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:37:47 AM #
Why not Bluetooth?

Then you won't have to worry about pointing things at each other at all!

RE: Why InfraRed?
Stefanos @ 3/28/2002 11:40:36 AM #
That would be ideal for two reasons:

1) You can connect to the internet (again via bluetooth to, say, an Ericsson T39) while using the keyboard.

2) As you said, no need to maintain line of sight.

However, the obvious drawback is that you need to purchase the Bluetooth SD card and spend more money. Even more important is that while using the bluetooth keyboard you cannot have an MMC or SD card in the slot. Hence, any programs or large documents that you have on the cards can't be used! This is very important, given that you would presumably want to use a keyboard with large documents that you want stored on the card. There are crude ways around this problem, I guess.


RE: Why InfraRed?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:44:13 AM #
its not like you have any other option but to have the pda pointed toward the keyboard...can you type with the PDA being sideways, or in your briefcase?

RE: Why InfraRed?
big_raji @ 3/28/2002 11:45:12 AM #
the key word is UNIVERSAL.

All PDA's have an IR port. (I think)

---
If you sing in french while hopping on one foot, the evil birds won't come out of your bathroom mirror.

RE: Why InfraRed?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 11:45:22 AM #
I agree that a Bluetooth version would work much better but Bluetooth isn't ready for Prime Time yet. At this point, the only Palms with Bluetooth are people who have plunked down big bucks for some kind of adapter. Maybe in a year or so.

RE: Why InfraRed?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 12:56:36 PM #
You are right. BT is not in prime time yet. IR device costs AVG $45 and BT device costs AVG $150 now. This mean BT keyboard will be in $220 range which is out of picture.

RE: Why InfraRed?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 2:37:18 PM #
> IR device costs AVG $45 and [...]

and this device averages $120. Ouch! Of course if you switch devices just once to a different connector, it is probably worth it.

RE: Why InfraRed?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/28/2002 4:05:07 PM #
Am I the only one who thinks using bluetooth to connect a *keyboard* is a bit like trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer?
I mean, it's a keyboard! We're not talking about large quantities of information being transmitted, here. You'd have to type in the tens of thousands of words per minute to require something as expensive and robust as bluetooth to transmit it.

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