iGo Stowaway Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard for PDAs and Handhelds
by Think Outside
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Our Price: $229.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $105.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of iGo Stowaway Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard for PDAs and Handhelds
Customer Review: The Only Choice For Mobile Professionals
Summary: 5 Stars
ThinkOutside Stowaway Keyboard
Pro -
* Near full-size key spacing. Easy to for a touch typist to use accurately with no loss of speed or learning a new keyboard feel
* Unfolds and Folds easily
* Unfolds and locks securely - can be used in a lap without risk of board assuming the characteristic "V" shape of bent HP iPaq and Freedom keyboards.
* Folds to small size
* Removable cradle
* Folds to small lightweight size
* Easy to use software
* Simple power management: powers down upon closing; powers up when opened.
* Protective case included.
Con -
* No number/symbol row. Need to use awkward alt-key combinations. Not appropriate for extended numeric data entry or spreadsheets.
* Cradle difficult to remove
* Protective case cheap vinyl
* Does not sit totally flat on a flat surface.
In so many fundamental areas where other mobile Bluetooth keyboards fail, Think Outside got it right.
They are the *only* contender who remembered that a mobile keyboard will be used in mobile situations - read: "on a lap" - and designed the board to sit sturdy without risk of bending when the board's center is hovering in the air between one's legs.
They also remembered that one advantage to using a wireless connection is it gives the user an option to place the handheld to any convenient location within range. The cradle however requires a distressing effort of bending and twisting to remove, which makes the user fear breaking the cradle.
Additionally, this board is designed for use by experienced touch typists, and does not require users to re-calibrate the fingers to type on significantly smaller keys as does the Freedom Keyboard.
Finally, despite its slightly Rube Goldberg appearance, this keyboard is solid, with a refreshing amount of metal in it's construction. It will take some reasonable punishment - the HP iPaq and Freedom keyboards are cheap plastic children's toys by comparison.
Were I able, I would dock the Stowaway ½ star on two points: The lack of a number/symbol row of keys and it's instability on a flat desk.
The absence of a number/symbol row reduces the width of the folded board by only ¾". Given that I could replace my laptop with a handheld and folding keyboard if I had reliable means to enter numbers onto a spreadsheet, I would gladly accept a Stowaway model which is 4.25" wide when folded, instead of the current 3.5".
In all other ways, Think Outside built this board for professional use. They forgot however, those of us who crunch numbers on Excel, requiring use of cumbersome alt-key combinations (which cannot be locked) for numeric entry.
Although very stable when sitting on a desk, the unfolded board sits on a thin base 5.75" long, with two cantilevered "wings" extending 2.25" in the air past the sides of the base.
Thus, if both hands are not simultaneously on the keyboard to balance it, a keypress on either the extreme left or right side will make the board imitate a catapult. A hunt-and-peck, one or two fingered typist will find this frustrating, though a touch typist accustomed to both hands on the home keys will have little, if any, problem.
Compared to the HP iPaq Folding Bluetooth Keyboard or the Freedom Bluetooth Keyboard -- arguably the only other choices for mobile Bluetooth keyboards -- this Stowaway is the only one worth the money you spend for it. Remarkably, it has the lowest retail price of the three on Amazon.
At the time of this writing, the Think Outside Stowaway Keyboard is the clear winner in design, construction, and functionality over all other mobile Bluetooth keyboards. There are simply no other choices for the mobile professional.
Customer Review: Indispensible
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read all the reviews for this product and I purchased it based upon those reviews. I bought this keyboard in hopes that it would save me time. In my profession, I am a butler, this gadget is indispensible and used several times a day. I bought it for the Asus A626 3.5" PDA Windows Mobile 5.0, Wi-fi (802.11 B+g), Bluetooth 2.0 (edr),. There are several concerns other amazon purchasers have made that I feel need to be clarified.
1. The tape on the keyboard that tells you how to open and close it has been upgraded. I had it off in less than a second with no residue left behind.
2. The notorious keyboard "wobble" is nonexistant. I found the only way to make it seesaw was to pound on the keys. A professional typist will have absoulutly no problems with this keyboard. The keys are somewhat close together, but in retrospect, they are full sized, so even someone with large hands (such as myself) will find it a cinch to use. I often use it in my lap, as well as on a tabletop surface.
3. The case it comes with does indeed emit a noxious odor similar to cheap hair dye spilled in a new car. This is common with plastic zip-up cases (read: cheap) and I am confident that the smell will go away over time. If it is a problem, I suggest a gentle hand wash and hang dry will solve most of a consumer's worries. I could care less about the smell for the simple reason I type with my fingers, not with my nose.
4. The PDA or phone holder that comes equipped with the unit I do worry about. I feel that it could break in the next year or so with continued removal. My suggestion would be to either take it off or leave it on at all times. The manufacturer had two choices: make it a free floating design to enable it to hold as many different configurations of PDA's and phones as humanly possible, or make it hold one design as securely as possible. The manufacturer went with the obvious choice. If you don't like it, I suggest you use a rubber band to securely hold your device.
In closing, I must say I've used several different brands of keyboards in the past, and I find this one far and above all of the other brands on the market. I admire the extensive use of brushed aluminum, as well as it's small size and lightness. The keys themselves feel firm and crisp, exactly like a "real" keyboard. (I think they feel better than my regular computer keys). Lest I forget, it's always fun to watch someone's jaw drop the first time they see me close it up and put it in my coat pocket.
Regarding travel, most airports require you to open any luggage containing computers, often resulting in an undignified scramble to unzip, unstrap, scan and repack your precious laptop, while trying to make it to your flight on time. This keyboard, my PDA, and two Centon 32GB DataStick Credit Cards all fit in one or two pockets, and don't require unpacking.
Well, I'm back with an edit for my review. Some things that I could live with at first, but are now getting rather old. I have to uninstall and reinstall the keyboard every time I use it. (I think it has to do with the ASUS MyPal not being supported, nor is it likely to be, since they don't make this keyboard anymore) Dosn't take long, but it is a hassle. Customer support for this keyboard is non-existant. Company does not respond to emails. If there was something better on the market, I would get it. But there's not, so...shucks.
Customer Review: An excellent companion - - - far superior to IR keyboards.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have infrared (IR) keyboards to use with my Palm Treo 650 and Palm TX. They don't work very well, at least not for me. I had major problems with lag: characters I typed simply didn't make it to the screen.
Taking a chance, I bought the Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard . . . and I am very, very impressed.
Set-up is very quick and Stowaway's set-up software is simple to use. Reading the short user's manual (not the brief Quick Start) is a must. The learning curve isn't steep, but because the keyboard is intended as a "universal" device, tweaks have to be made for using it with Palm or Pocket PC devices.
Once set up, the keyboard performs superbly well. Every key I struck showed up immediately onscreen. I have large hands and I was concerned that I would encounter many typos because of my large fingers. I needn't have worried. The keys have a firm touch and the spacing is wide enough to keep typos to a miniumum. Because of the immediate feedback provided by Bluetooth, I felt no tendency to go back and retype because the character didn't show up. I had no idea that the IR keyboard with its lag was causing me to do that so much.
Others have commented about instability because the ends of the keyboard are essentially unsupported. At first this struck me as a design flaw, but within a few minutes this is easily compensated for. I had little difficulty with my keystrokes causing the keyboard to rock.
Some have also complained about devices slipping off the minimal stand provided. I had no problems with the Treo 650 or Palm TX.
Finally a number of people have complained that there is no fifth row for entry of numbers. You have to use a function key + number combination or you can set the keyboard to number lock. If you have to enter a lot of numeric data, the complaints are justified. On the other hand, for people like me who have limited need for numeric entry, it is an inconvenience, but not a major one. I'm happy to trade a fifth row for numerics for the small size of the unit.
Construction of the unit is typical for many of today's products. It's plastic with some metal, but overall it does not feel like it is built like a tank. On the other hand, it doesn't feel overy flimsy either. Time and use will tell how well the unit stands up.
Overall, this unit makes it eminently possible to use handheld devices like the Treo 650 and Palm TX for serious typing. I was surprised to find that I could type almost as rapidly on this keyboard as I can on a full-sized unit. The Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard is a very slick piece of work and well worth the cost for anyone who wants to use their smartphone or PDA for typing more than a few words.
Customer Review: Great keyboard from the makers of stow-a-way
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my third keyboard that I've purchased for my PDA (Axim X50v) and I'm thrilled with the quality and performance of this keyboard. I highly recommend this product to anyone considering a keyboard.
I first bought a Belkin IR keyboard from Office Dept and it sucked. It felt cheap. The keys were poorly spaced and I couldn't get it to work with my Axim X50v. But in reality the biggest problem was the cheapness of the keyboard. I paid $60 for the keyboard and felt that I should have paid $20. Piece of crap. Decided to return it within 5 minutes of opening the box.
The second keyboard I bought was the "Dell Axim X50V Portable / Foldable / Full Size Bluetooth Keyboard" from Suntekstore / Amazon. This keyboard sucked for several reasons. First off, while it may have number keys (unlike this keyboard) the keys are all undersized so I couldn't type with them. Not a good start. Second problem is that the keyboard was made for cell phones, NOT PDA's! I couldn't put my Axim on the stand without it falling over or leaning at an unacceptable level toward the ceiling. Total crap. And the third problem was that I couldn't get it to connect to my PDA. I'm sure i could've figured out the third problem but the keyboard sucked so bad I made the decision to return it after an hour of opening the box.
Then I ordered the Think Outside keyboard...
This keyboard is head over heals better than the other keyboards that I just mentioned. The keys feel nice and they are well spaced. Opening the unit was a little stiff at first, but now slides open and closed easily with a satisfying "click" at either end of the process. The Axim fits PERFECTLY into the cradle that is built into the unit (I use the Axim in landscape position). I was also able to get this keyboard to work in about 30 minutes. Not plug and play, but reasonable. The keyboard sacrificed the number keys to make room for the larger key spacing, but I haven't found that it's a problem to type numbers by holding down the function keys. The best thing about this keyboard however is the quality. I paid $90 for it and I'd do it again in a second.
BTW, for those of you who are trying to figure out if the extra money for bluetooth is worth it, it is! I keep my PDA in its cradle by my computer charging when I'm at my desk. At any time I can flip open my keyboard and start typing notes without ever removing the PDA from its cradle. It's very convenient!
I've owned the keyboard for about a week and I'm very thrilled with the quality and performance it. It's a joy to use and easily doubles the usefulnexx of my PDA
don
Customer Review: Perfect mate for my Dell Axim50v and Nokia 6680
Summary: 5 Stars
I had this keyboard for a couple of weeks now, to use with my Dell Axim50v and Nokia 6680 (Series 60 Symbian O/S) mobile phone and I absolutely love this since it's so easy to use once it's setup.
Firstly, to get it working with the PDA, you install the keyboard driver on the PDA using ActiveSync, and once installed let it find the keyboard and set it to auto authorised. (This way, you won't have to keep sending authorisation keys on the PDA and the keyboard).
The keyboard uses 2 AAA batteries and the good thing is that after 3 minutes of inactivity, it shuts itself down and once you want to use it again, you simply start typing (and after a couple of seconds of delay) the connection is re-established automatically with the PDA. So, you won't have to worry about battery draining nor do you lose anything that you typed while it re-connects itself with the PDA.
The keys are full size and have a good travel, so you get a reassuring feeling of the keys been pressed as you type.
If you keep your PDA on its own cradle to keep the batteries charged, then you won't need the cradle that is attached to the keyboard, in which case it can easily be removed.
The first thing you have to get used to is the lack of number keys on the keyboard, i.e. the top row of the keyboard contains the QWERTY...etc keys, and if you're so used to typing on normal PC keyboards like me, it feels weird having to use the top rows of keys when typing words.
Incidentally, to type the numbers and punctuation marks, you hold down either the blue or the green function keys with are on the either side of the space bar. I thought this would be inconvenient but now it has become second nature and I don't even think about it.
One small criticism I have is that the keyboard tended to wobble now and then when you type the keys on the either edges of the keyboard, i.e. the TAB, Q, = and Backspace keys, etc. since the keyboard extends beyond the base unit which it sits on, but that's a small gripe.
If you want to find out if this keyboard will work with your device, go check out the list of drivers from the Think Outside drivers
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I have no experience of using any other portable bluetooth keyboard and now that I have this, I don't wish to find out either. The quality and ease of use is exactly as I expected from product such as this, so I'm very happy.