Freedom Pro Portable Keyboard: Works With Anything

Keyboard with Android phone

Portable keyboards are nothing new; I’ve used them for years. Many mobile gadgets rely on onscreen keyboards for text entry, but for writers, that’s often not good enough. I investigated options available when I needed a new portable keyboard, and settled on the Freedom Pro Keyboard. I’ve been using it for a week now, and it’s pretty darn good.

There are a number of keyboards available that work with Windows-based tablets, but for those using multiple devices, the Freedom Pro has a unique feature; it supports the HID profile that works with Windows and the iPad, and it also supports the SPP profile used by many smartphones. BlackBerry devices and Android phones work over SPP, and it made sense to get a keyboard I could use with my HTC Evo 4G in addition to my iPad and Windows tablets.

The Freedom Pro keyboard works over Bluetooth, so it connects wirelessly to devices. It’s a light, plastic keyboard, slightly less than full size, yet yields a good touch-typing experience. It folds in half for portability, and comes with a case for transport. The keyboard automatically latches when folded closed, and opens via a simple button push on the side. It sits firmly on a surface due to small rubber feet on both halves, and has a sliding lock to keep it rigid while being used. In spite of this lock, the keyboard doesn’t work well on the lap.

 

There are five rows of keys comprising the Freedom Pro, including a small number key row at the top. These keys are very small and don’t lend themselves to touch typing, but it’s nice to have them anyway. There’s a vertical row of buttons on the left side of the keyboard, which include dedicated keys for certain apps and two buttons for instigating/ hanging up a call for phones that support the functions. To the left of this row is a recessed button to trigger the Bluetooth pairing process (first time with each device only), a slider for selecting which protocol is desired and a power slider to turn the keyboard on and off. It uses two AAA batteries, which last quite a long time when the keyboard is turned off when not in use.

With the HID profile active, the keyboard works as expected with both Windows systems and the iPad. The pairing process with each is straightforward, after which the keyboard works as expected. Not all devices support all the special keys mentioned, but experimentation shows some of them work with each device. Typing on the little keyboard takes some to get used to, but I quickly reached a decent speed. The backspace key is too small and requires some practice to hit properly, as does the small space bar, which is split in the middle at the hinge. The DEL and CTRL key placement is particularly funky; this isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s a factor in fast typing.

The SPP profile lets me use the Freedom Pro with the HTC Evo 4G. I don’t do heavy text editing on the phone as a rule, but I figured since I have the keyboard, it’s nice to be able to use with the phone. Getting it going with the phone is a three-step process that’s detailed nicely in this short guide. The keyboard connects automatically once it’s working, and is a lot more useful than I expected. The kickstand on the Evo is pretty handy for use with the keyboard.

The Android driver for the keyboard allows assigning apps to each F-key. This is a handy way to fire up programs on the phone that are often used with the keyboard.

We know Android tablets are going to hit the market in great numbers shortly, and the Freedom Pro can be a handy keyboard to use with them. The Freedom Pro keyboard isn’t the cheapest alternative ($85 at Amazon), but it does work with virtually every device out there, so you get what you pay for.

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