4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Finally, a nice, portable PDA keyboard!
Date of Review: Aug 27, 2004
The Bottom Line: Very functional, portable PDA keyboard with a few minor design blemishes.
It doesn't seem like that tough of a design task to adapt a laptop keyboard with a center hinge and put a PDA docking connector on it.
However, I've tried several portable keyboards and have been disappointed. Finally, I have one I can use: the Clie PEGA-KB100. It has full-size keys (key pitch: 17.3mm horiz x 18mm), is lightweight, folds compactly, is fairly sturdy, doesn't require batteries, and most important of all - its keys have adequate tactile feedback to make touch typing easy. I use it with a Clie PEG-SJ30/U.
... I do have some critiques.
I like that a power connector is supplied so it can function as a charging station but it is unfortunate that one cannot hotsync while the device is in the keyboard. It seems like minimal extra circuitry would have been required to allow the keyboard to serve both charger and docking station roles.
Mounting the PDA on to the keyboard is a bit tricky. It would have been nice to have a set of guiderails so that one could just plunk it down and be reasonably sure it would connect securely. I usually have to use two hands to carefully line up both PDA and keyboard.
You cannot use the keyboard on your lap without having to prop it on a hardback book or something to prevent it from folding. A means of locking the keyboard in an open position would have been nice.
