Acer Developing Two Mobile Keyboards

Posted By: Ed Monday, May 14, 2001 3:13:51 PM

Acer Communications is developing two new mobile keyboards for the Palm V series. The G300 is a tiny keyboard that clips onto the serial port of the Palm. It is only 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.6 inches and weighs a paltry 1.4 ounces. The G300 runs off power from the handheld so no batteries are needed and power consumption is very low. This keyboard has rubber/plastic keys and features programmable hot keys. It works with OS 3.3 and 3.5 and will be available June 1 for $50.

The G500 is a full-sized keyboard when open but folds to only half that size, which makes it easy to type on but also easy to carry. It requires no batteries and runs off power from the Palm V. It will be available at the beginning of August for $90.

The company is running a "Win it before you can buy it" contest in which they are giving away five of each of these keyboards. The sign-up form is on their site.

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Palm m505

bobbdd @ 5/14/2001 3:28:42 PM #
Any possiblity that Acer will develop this smaller keyboard for the m500 series?

RE: Palm m505
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2001 4:22:21 PM #
I have sent them an email asking them if they will be developing this kind of keyboard for M500 series. I'll post their reply once I get it.

RE: Palm m505
Ed @ 5/14/2001 6:22:52 PM #
I asked this same question to my contact at Acer's PR firm from whom I got all the other info. She is still trying to get the answer from Acer itself.

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RE: Palm m505
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/15/2001 4:04:56 PM #
I would think that they would certainly develop this for the m500 series, since then it would fit all the new Palms and the Handsprings (and maybe the new Sony?). It would also be very handy for the rumored "m700" that showed up on Palmstation last week. There is no doubt that Palm is making a blackberry killer, and it's going to use the same "universal" hotsync port that is on the m500, and a little thumb keyboard like this one would really be the perfect accessory.

How small can you get.

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2001 4:13:12 PM #
Give the size of the palm V, I can't imagine that it would be very easy to use this keyboard without hitting more than one key. But I guess if you really want small.....

RE: How small can you get.
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2001 4:38:35 PM #
I suppose it would be no different than using a Blackberry pager. I like mine. It took some time to get used to, still make some mistakes. My concern would be how to hold on to it. Would it be uncomfortable holding the keyboard and palm combination and typing. We'll have to see...

RE: How small can you get.
Cheetah @ 5/14/2001 4:39:35 PM #
It looks similiar in size to the keyboard on the Blackberry two way pager (and larger then the motorola two way pager keyboard).

Although these keyboards are very small, most people can use them fairly well.

I would be very interested in buying one of these keyboards for my 505 when/if available.

one word:
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2001 6:33:17 PM #
stylus

re: one word:
MadMax @ 5/14/2001 7:54:38 PM #
thank you

Ease of Use

RedFox @ 5/15/2001 5:01:00 PM #
I was wondering if the G300 was ment to be a thumb-type or used or like a traditional keyboard. I think this could be a very useful product.
RE: Ease of Use
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/11/2001 3:13:54 PM #
this is designed to be used as a thumbpad keyboard

More plastic keys than rubber?

Jonathan F. @ 5/17/2001 4:56:01 PM #
I was currently thinking of investing in the Palm portable keyboard for Palm V series. However, since this is $50, I might give it a shot. Hopefully there are more plastic than rubber keys. I find rubber keys a pain to type with. I have to check out this product June 1.

Got one...

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/12/2001 9:43:26 PM #
Just got the keyboard, and it's pretty cool. It's very small and very light. The keys feel good (rubbery, but plasticky enough to press them solidly.)

C o m p a r e d t o B l a c k b e r r y
It's nearly the same size keyboard -- slightly more breathing room if different at all. More distance between key-up and key-down than Blackberry. Funny thing, though: the Blackberry keys are layed out in rows curving slightly up in the center of each row. The Acer's rows curve in the opposite direction (downward in the center of each row). Slightly less useable, but certainly a nicer design from a visual point of view -- form follows function on this. But it's negligible -- they're all within thumb's reach anyway. I like.

H e r e ' s a little p r o b l e m
The driver (universally MAC or PC) is shipped on a 3.5" floppy disk (not CD), and I couldn't find it downloadable from Acer's site. Three years with an iMac and I never missed the floppy drive until now! Why not offer the software online?!?! (So I jump on a friend's PC.)



RE: Got one...
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/22/2001 2:07:02 AM #
help my disk is bad how do i get drivers?
email me them please ericstone21@hotmail.com


Nothing compared to the Stowaway/Palm Keyboard

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/5/2001 5:38:23 PM #
These products are great for users with fingers like MacDonalds french fries.

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