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From:Palm
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 Nice idea but with shortcomings, 2008-11-16
I have been using the Palm Universal Wireless Keyboard (infrared) for a while with my Palm Tungsten T5 and I had grown to like it. Then I purchased a Palm Centro and tried to make the keyboard work with it with some difficulty. I then decided to instead purchase the Palm Keyboard with Bluetooth which, as it says on the palm support page, is the compatible accessory for the centro. Comparing the two types of keyboards here's what I like and disliked about both.
Infrared Keyboard:
Pros:
- Full size keyboard: my hands rested comfortably on it and typing is a joy, compared with the on-screen keyboard. I could instantly see my productivity increasing merely because I can type so much faster with this.
- Easy to get started: The IR port always ready to go.
- Auto-caps: Whenever I type a period "." followed by a space " ", the IR driver senses that I am starting a new sentence, so it turns on caps only for the first letter I type afterwards. That way I don't have to press shift to capitalize the first letter of every sentence, it automatically does that for me.
Cons:
- Flimsy design: you should use it on a hard flat surface.
- Temperamental: With the moving/sliding parts, the interconnections within the device are not always reliable. For starters I never move the wand at all, and just re-orient my T5 in landscape mode to use it with the device always on its side rather than upright. I have grown to like using it this way. The other finicky point in the unit is where you have to slide the cradle to the right to turn the keyboard on. I continue struggling with this still and try to start the keyboard working and slide it to the left or right a bit for the terminals to come in contact (trial and error method) but after a couple of attempts it always seems to cooperate. I had returned the first one of this keyboard that I had bought because of that very reason, and got a replacement. Ever since then I have not disturbed the wand and only did the sliding adjustment whenever I needed to use it and it has worked fine for me ever since.
Bluetooth Keyboard:
Pros:
- Full Size Keyboard: Same as for the IR model.
- When folded up, it is compact enough to fit in my pocket without causing my pocket to bulge out noticeably.
- Bluetooth is the method of communication so I don't have to rest the device in the cradle and line it up with the IR port. It will work with the device as long as both are within bluetooth range. I normally put the centro on a more convenient place so I can view it better while using the keyboard with it, instead of keeping it inside the cradle.
Cons:
- Just as flimsy as the IR keyboard, and a hard flat surface is needed to operate the keyboard.
- Because it is based on bluetooth, you have to pair it with your palm device every time you need to use it. And in order to conserve battery, I normally keep my bluetooth off on the centro unless I need it. So first I start the bluetooth, then I pair both devices together, and then I can start using it. I miss the days when I used to put the T5 in the cradle, no initial setup needed, just adjust the position of the slider on the IR keyboard and I'm good to go.
- During my typing if I pause for a bit to think about something, and in the meanwhile the device goes to sleep after the 10 or 15 seconds as it is configured to do so, then I have to go through a whole set of choreography to pair the two devices all over again. So even when I am not typing anything I still have to keep moving the cursor and register some type of activity to keep the centro from going to sleep.
- Auto-caps: The keyboard driver is different and has less functionality. I had grown used to the IR keyboard driver automatically capitalizing the first letter of each sentence. This helped me type faster. I had grown used to this nice feature. In the Bluetooth driver, it doesn't turn on the caps so I have to remember to press shift now at the start of each sentence. And since I'm used to not doing that in the past, I generally keep typing and then notice that I forgot to press shift and so I have to backtrack over again to the beginning of the sentence and erase the first letter and replace it with a caps. It's a nice-to-have feature. I don't have this feature on a normal PC's keyboard so technically I shouldn't be complaining, but I spend more time backtracking to the start of the sentence and fixing the mistake now, which defeats the purpose of it since it's supposed to help me type faster and be more productive.
I had opened a call with Palm support on this very question. They didn't seem to know the functionality of the driver and that it was that way by design. So they started putting me through the painful troubleshooting exercise of doing a hard reset on the centro and losing all my data and put it back to factory configuration. Naturally that didn't help. After trying the routine resets, they gave up and escalated to second level support. There I was fortunate enough to talk to a person who actually uses one of these keyboards, and he instantly pointed out to me that this is the new way its supposed to work and there's no fix available for it. At that point I just decided I better stop complaining and get used to the way it is now.
Summary:
Overall I was happier with the IR keyboard (even with its mechanical flaws) because it got me started on my work quicker. The bluetooth keyboard doesn't score very high marks in my book comparatively. It seems more high-maintenance and has more baggage attached with getting the bluetooth connection started and its an obstacle for me. Plus the time lost with the auto-caps makes for a less pleasant experience.
 Good touch, makes life easier, 2008-11-11
My old palm keyboard which I loved, suddenly stopped working one day, and my life got harder. I found the wireless bluetooth keyboard on-line and tried several times to buy it on ebay to save money. I kept losing the bid and finally simply decided to pay more and order it from Amazon, and I am so glad that I did. It was quick and effortless and in a few days I was up and running. Installing the new software was a snap, it has worked perfectly, and the wireless aspect makes it quick and easy to use. The keyboard has a good feel to it and is large enough to be comfortable and light enough to be really practical. Between my palm and keyboard, I have easy access to word processing which I need for my work and don't have to carry a cumbersome laptop back and forth every day.
works well with Palm Treo 700wx, 2008-11-02
I was hesitant that it would work well with the 700wx as reviews did not specifically mention this model Treo was compatible - rest assured this keyboard does work - and it works very well!
For Canadians - don't let the lack of Treo components available due to the cellular monopoly stop you from ordering this great tool online!
 Palm Has Stopped Making These for a Good Reason, 2008-06-13
I'm on my second Palm bluetooth keyboard for my Treo 700wx. I thought the first one was the greatest thing ever when I first hooked it up. And it was. The problem came when I tried to use it again. It gave me two kinds of errors: one was that another bluetooth device was using the bluetooth connection (it wasn't) and to turn it off and try again. The other kind of error I would get was that I had the wrong passcode. So, I called the useless people at Palm's useless tech support. I was on the phone for an hour with this woman who told me that this problem was one of the reasons Palm has quit making this keyboard/piece of junk. She had me do a hard reboot of my phone, which wiped out all the personalized settings. I did have the calendar and contacts on my computer, so I was able to restore that, but I'm still trying to get things back like I had them. And the hard reboot (and everything else she tried) didn't work. I told her that if Palm was having so many problems with these phones they shouldn't have sold it to me then, and that since they had, she had three choices: either make it work, replace it or refund my money. She said that it should be replaced since it was under warranty. She transferred me to the Palm store where they were to make the replacement. Except they were the biggest bunch of unhelpful, pompous, smug-at-their-unhelpfulness people I have ever had the misfortune to talk to. When I asked one of them to let me speak to his manager, he told me that there was no one higher than him. How I do wish I had bothered to get his name. Do you think I got to speak to the president of Palm? Golly gee. I must have since there was no one higher than him.
Further, he refused to help me because I had bought the keyboard from Amazon. I said it was under warranty and that Palm had made it, so that Palm should replace it. He told me that warranty replacements were handled by tech support (the ignorant folks who sent me to His Arrogance) and that he would transfer me back there. I said nosirree he wouldn't. I have never been so angry in all my life. These are people who enjoyed not being helpful.
So after I stuck pins in my voodoo doll (just kidding) of this arrogant so-and-so I contacted Amazon and had no trouble returning the first keyboard for a refund (which I haven't received yet but I have faith is coming).
My brother had an unopened, identical bluetooth keyboard that he purchased from the Palm store and he gave it to me. It doesn't work any better than the first one. Every time I go to use it I have to uninstall it, do a soft-reboot and re-install it. Even though I use no other bluetooth devices just in the hopes that this keyboard will work, it frequently says that there is another bluetooth device using the phone and it won't connect. So I have to do a soft reboot and re-install. And every time if gives me a different passkey.
I'm giving it back to my brother. Do not buy this. There is a good reason that the unhelpful person at Palm's unhelpful tech support said that Palm is no longer making these. They are JUNK.
For more proof, go to the discussion thread about them at the Palm web site. In the meantime, I'm looking at bluetooth keyboards by other manufacturers.
Works great!, 2008-06-09
I previously had a Palm m100 with a plug-in keyboard. After upgrading to a Palm TX, I decided to purchase the Bluetooth keyboard instead of the universal(IR) keyboard. It was a great decision! This keyboard works very well without having to attach it to the TX. It locks in the open position making it easy to type on your lap, no tabletop needed. Folds flat and is easy to carry. Highly recommended.
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