Stowaway Infrared Wireless keyboard

[Domhnull]

Has anyone used the Stowaway Infrared Wireless keyboard with a Clie? Could you share your experiences? I'm thinking of getting this keyboard to use with the TH55 (I'm assuming it'll be compatible but ThinkOutside hasn't tested it yet).

[zugzug]

I could imagine that the clear cover could get in the way.
Since I'm equaly curious about this, could anyone clarify this? It's either the infrared KB, the rumoured BT KB or the new Clié KB. From this line-up the infrared surely will be the cheapest, so the most interesting to me.

[Cyker]

I dunno... with the IR window on the side I suspect it might be a bit awkward...

[Domhnull]

Well the infrared arm rotates so it should be able to be positioned for the port. The fliptop may or may not have to come off.

[EdFrmBrighthand]

It works just fine. I wrote most of my review of this model (http://www.brighthand.com/article/Sony_Clie_TH55_Review) on the TH55 itself using the Palm Wireless Keyboard. The arm the keyboard's IR port is one can be swung around until it is on the right side of the device. The flip cover isn't in the way at all.

[Domhnull]

Thanks, that's very useful information.

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
It works just fine. I wrote most of my review of this model (http://www.brighthand.com/article/Sony_Clie_TH55_Review) on the TH55 itself using the Palm Wireless Keyboard. The arm the keyboard's IR port is one can be swung around until it is on the right side of the device. The flip cover isn't in the way at all.

Did you use doctogo and the TH55 in portrait mode ? How would you compare this experience against a T3 in landscape ? This is a critical issue for me...i'm torn between the TH55 autonomy and the T3 landscape mode

[EdFrmBrighthand]

Landscape is definitely better for word processing. It's not like you can't do the job in portrait (I write most of my reviews that way) but landscape is more comfortable.

[tobym]

will the th55 connect to a stowaway xt for clie though? i mean hardware-wise? do you have any news when the new drivers will be out?

[Sara]

According to ThinkOutside, the XT Keyboard (as well as the earlier Stowaway/Clie keyboard for the T-series) won't work with the TH55, and it is a hardware issue. Eventually (and hopefully sooner, rather than later) ThinkOutside will issue a driver for the IR keyboard. These are quotations from my correspondence with ThinkOutside:

"Sony used the same connector on the TH-55 as they did with previous models. When they did this they changed the electronics to the connector making it NOT compatible with the XT keyboard.

"As for the IR Wireless Keyboard, after it gets tested this would probably be the only keyboard we off that might be compatible with the TH-55. We just don't have one to test it out for sure."

"It's the pin outs on the keyboard that will not match up to the connector any longer."


"We are in the process of developing a new driver [for the IR kb] we hope will work with the TH-55. This driver will be available in the next couple of weeks."

Personally, I am a bit angry at SONY for not addressing compatibility issues with the earlier keyboards!

[valodya]

The I presume the same is true of the Belkin G700? I have one lying around that I was looking forward to using with a TH55. Has anyone tried and know for sure? Since the connector is the same, I never would have guessed that there'd be a problem. Grrr....

[valodya]

hat was me. I *am* registered. Grrr again...

[cjr007]

I have a sony clie t665 and I also have a pockettop IR keyboard. I've had nothing but unpleasant experiences with it. I found that the pockettop drivers conflict with some progs especially Zlauncher. The keyboard has to be in a certain spot in order for it to the IR signal to hit the mirror on the stand at the right angle. Also the little stand with the mirror that you have to use isn't very sturdy and gets knocked off my desk by people walking by in lecture halls at school. I would say stick to a keyboard that allows you to "dock" your clie directly into it.

[cjr007]

I have a sony clie t665 and I also have a pockettop IR keyboard. I've had nothing but unpleasant experiences with it. I found that the pockettop drivers conflict with some progs especially Zlauncher. The keyboard has to be in a certain spot in order for it to the IR signal to hit the mirror on the stand at the right angle. Also the little stand with the mirror that you have to use isn't very sturdy and gets knocked off my desk by people walking by in lecture halls at school. I would say stick to a keyboard that allows you to "dock" your clie directly into it.

[Sara]

I know what you mean. I tried the pocketop with my T415, and it was a disaster. I ended up returning it to Pocketop. As soon as SONY released the KB11, I bought it -- and you're right, it was much better with a keyboard that you can dock.

That being said, Pocketop was well aware that their drivers for Clies were problematic. The question is, I think, whether ThinkOutside will produce a better driver for their IR keyboard. The economic benefit of a keyboard where there won't be hardware issues if I get a new PDA in the future kind of speaks to me. I'm assuming that ThinkOutside, like Pocketop, will allow returns if the IR and driver don't work out.

[cjr007]

I wonder if the sony's intent on putting the IR reciever on the side of the TH55 was so that you could lie the unit on it's side (in landscape mode) with the IR receiver pointing up towards the mirror of a pockettop stand when using an IR keyboard. That being said, does anyone know if Documents2go or Wordsmith supports the landscape view?

[Dougf]

I will confirm with Ed that the Palm Wireless IR Keyboard works with no problems. I just wrote a long report in Word Format using my TH55 and the keyboard, I might also mention though that it messed with my Beam receive preference, I kept wondering why the beam receive wouldnt stay on.....you have to change the settings in the keyboard driver to keep it on. It works great though, no skips, no blanks....and it is great when I need a laptop but don't have one available.

[Bilbo]

EdFrmBrighthand

Did you load the drivers on TH-55 from the palm disk?. I tried this and I am getting fatal errors on soft reset. I had to do a hard reset to get it back to work. Also on this forum somewhere I read that you do not need to load drivers, if you did not load drivers how did you get it to work? or there any setting on the handheld that need to be set?

Thanks

[Unregistered]

sara, ken posted the following in another thread in the forums:


"ThinkOutside told me that they are expecting their TH55 to arrive this week. Once it comes and they can begin testing, they expect to have a compatible driver within 2 weeks after that."


i was wondering which of your contacts would possibly be right. i am hoping on his so that i may use my xt keyboard but please let me know if you can confirm what he's saying with your contact or is my xt keyboard a hopeless case? thanks.

[skennedy1217]

EdFrmBrighthand (or anyone else),

Can the TH sit in the Thinkoutside keyboard and have the charge cable connected at the same time? I'm trying to decide between this and the Belkin G700. The only reasons I'd see for this one over the Belkin are 1) possible future landscape use on TH and 2) compatibility with other POS devices.

Also, has anyone used the Belkin wireless keyboard? How does the PDA connect to the IR stand?

Thanks,
Scott

[skennedy1217]

Grrr, did it again...not a Guest.

[igor_n]

Originally posted by skennedy1217
Also, has anyone used the Belkin wireless keyboard? How does the PDA connect to the IR stand?


Take care with Belkin wireless keyboard. I had received following email recently:


Hi, I wonder if it's difficult to modify your G700 driver to be used
with Belkin wireless keyboard F8U1500. Belkin's driver doesn't
support TT, TT2, TT3, TE (only Tungsten C and W is supported !?).
Their (Belkin's) software department seems to be lame in the PalmOS drivers developement.

[rolian]

The F8U1500 accomodates the TH55 just fine - the mirror rotates to the side and you can stand the TH55 upright on the stand with no problem. However, the arrow (right, left, up, down) keys don't seem to work, so menu navigation is difficult unless there is a command key combination you can use to avoid the menu. Other than the arrow keys, everything else seems to work, although I'm not a heavy keyboard user, so there may be other things I am missing.

[1ns4nity]

Yup the wireless keyboard is pretty good. Only problem is the TH-55 is a little shaky on the stand. And the TH-55 doesnt support landscape :( It does sit nicely in landscape though :)

[kingsjewel]

Yeah I just bought a Belkin IR Keyboard and the only thing I miss is an ON SCREEN MOUSE. Does anyone know of a hack I can download so I can be "stylus free" with my keyboard...so fay I give this thing a 3 out of 5...the key layout is a little small...

[Jayman]

I could not make my G700 work with the TH55 either.... Oh well, I need to get the Kb100

[olian]

Originally posted by kingsjewel
Yeah I just bought a Belkin IR Keyboard and the only thing I miss is an ON SCREEN MOUSE. Does anyone know of a hack I can download so I can be "stylus free" with my keyboard...so fay I give this thing a 3 out of 5...the key layout is a little small...

Are you able to use your arrow keys to navigate menus, etc. - I can't. If I could, pToolSet by PaulComputing has an onscreen mouse function, but it needs the arrow keys to move the "mouse" pointer.

[IsLNdbOi]

EdFrmBrighthand (or anyone else),

Can the TH sit in the Thinkoutside keyboard and have the charge cable connected at the same time? I'm trying to decide between this and the Belkin G700. The only reasons I'd see for this one over the Belkin are 1) possible future landscape use on TH and 2) compatibility with other POS devices.

Also, has anyone used the Belkin wireless keyboard? How does the PDA connect to the IR stand?

Thanks,
Scott


I'd like to know too if the TH can sit in the PalmOne / ThinkOutside Stowaway IR and have the charging cable connected at the same time. I just searched and saw another thread where someone mentioned that a TH55 with the Global Source / Brando book type case (very similar to my JavoEdge case) on, will not be able to reach the connector on the G700 (which I was about to get), so now I'm gonna go with the Stowaway IR.

[Wazowski]

I'd like to know too if the TH can sit in the PalmOne / ThinkOutside Stowaway IR and have the charging cable connected at the same time. I just searched and saw another thread where someone mentioned that a TH55 with the Global Source / Brando book type case (very similar to my JavoEdge case) on, will not be able to reach the connector on the G700 (which I was about to get), so now I'm gonna go with the Stowaway IR.
Hi IsLNdbOi: The short answer is to your question is "sort of." A TH55 can be both plugged in and can be used with a wireless keyboard at the same time. However, it won't look as "sexy" and it will be easier to tip over your TH55 if it's in the wireless keyboard. In particular, the TH55 needs to be "balanced" on the charging cable connector if it's in the cradle of the Palm Wireless Keyboard. As a result, the TH55 will sit higher in the cradle because of the extra height added by charging connector. Therefore, it will have a higher "center of gravity," which also may make it easier to tip over. It's still usable, but it's something to keep in mind if you are on a bumpy airplane ride. Another option would be to simply let your TH55 rest on the desk while plugged in. You can just put the keyboard right next to the TH55 and it will still work fine. Remember, since it's an IR connection, all you pretty much need is a line of sight connection (but not too far) between the IR port of the TH55 and the IR "boom" of the wireless keyboard. I've found that the keyboard still works reliably even with the distance between the IR "boom" and the IR port of the TH55 at about 6 to 8 inches away. This is how I'll probably use the TH55 on an airplane if I decide to use my battery extender while I am using my keyboard.
Good luck!