Comments on: Wireless Handheld Keyboard and Trackpad for UMPCs

By: PeterC

PeterC — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:30:04 +0000

Being familiar with this business the main reason that the choose not to use bluetooth is the cost. Bluetooth has licensing costs associated with it and the chips cost more. Additionally, bluetooth chips consume batter life faster.

All that being said, I agree that from the customers perspecive no dongle is better that adding another one.

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:59:01 +0000

Seconded, why dongles?!? I dont have many usb port but I have Bluetooth, and it supports HID keyboards and Mice…

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:14:54 +0000

I also have the dreamGear mini-key (2 of them, actually).

They do work. They’re not excessively comfortable, and are missing some keys you’d want for, say, working in a linux/unix terminal shell, but they get the job done for the basics.

By: Who

Who — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:13:14 +0000

I use BlueRemote on my Treo!

http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&PartnerREF=&siteid=1&prodID=124035

Touchpad and keyboard!

By: Peggy Graybill

Peggy Graybill — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:21:39 +0000

I use the viliv s5 as a phone with a bluetooth headset. The software on the viliv s5 does not accommodate use of the headset to answer phone calls. I am hoping that I can use a shortcut key on this keyboard to do that. Also the 5″ screen just gets pretty tiny sometimes so I think this will be a great alternative for brief input. I went ahead and purchased one. Thanks for the review!

By: gunderstorm

gunderstorm — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:07:56 +0000

For $20 (or less) I highly recommend this usb keyboard that was made for the Playstation 2: dreamGEAR MINI-Key for PlayStation 2 It's much more portable and I don't think twice about just plugging it in, banging out a few sentences, and then unplugging it and stashing it away again. It works great on the Xbox 360 too, BTW. Why do you need to be wireless when you're using a 7-inch screen? How far away do you need to be?

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:33:07 +0000

The keyboard is great and I purchased it 6 months ago, but I purchased it at efo site. Cheaper than above site, only US$45 including shipping fee.

Share it : http://efo.buy-lowest.com

By: James Kendrick

James Kendrick — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:14:41 +0000

No, I was carrying the usage scenario further than that, given the focus of this site on the mobile computer market. It would certainly work with HTPCs, that’s a given. It will work with any Windows PC.

By: Alex Whiteside

Alex Whiteside — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:11:26 +0000

The site says it’s designed for HTPCs (Home Theatre PCs), rather than UMPCs. I’m not sure how well it would work with the average UMPC sitting on your desk, unless it has a kick-stand. Have you had some wires crossed here? ;)

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:10:47 +0000

is it windows only? That’d be … unfortunate.

(why doesn’t it just use bluetooth, instead of its own wireless dongle?)