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Stowaway Shasta Bluetooth Keyboard for Blackberry
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| Price: |
Average customer review:
Product Description
The Stowaway Shasta Bluetooth keyboard is the perfect productivity companion for your RIM device. With it's 16mm spacing the Stowaway Shasta Bluetooth Keyboard allows you to quickly type emails, memos or surf the web in optimum comfort. The keyboard includes a 5th row of keys, for dedicated numerical entry. When not in use the keyboard folds into an ultra small package for easy portability.This product is designed for RIM 7100c, 7100g, 7100i, 7100r, 7100t, 7100v, 7100x, 7105t, 7250, 7290, 7520, 8700c, 8700g, 8700i, 8700r.
Product Details
- Brand: Think Outside
- Model: STWBBBT
- Original language: English
- Dimensions: 4.00" h x 1.00" w x 6.00" l, 1.00 pounds
Features
- Full keyboard for easy typing of emails, document and spreadsheet revision, and surfing the web
- Compatible with the RIM Blackberry operating system
- Connects wirelessly via Bluetooth technology
- User-programmable shortcut and command keys for complete remote control
- Folds down to 5.9 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches; weighs 6.2 ounces
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Perfect for the mobile professional who likes to travel light, the foldable iGo Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard enables you to easily type email, revise documents, and surf the Web on your Blackberry mobile phone from a full-sized keyboard. And because it connects via Bluetooth technology, you won't have to carry an additional connection cable.
 Quickly type emails, edit spreadsheets and surf the web on your Blackberry with this full-featured folding keyboard. (Mobile device not included.) |
Compatibility All devices running the RIM Blackberry operating system.
What's in the Box Keyboard, case, 2 AAA batteries, CD-ROM with drivers, and QuickStart Guide
Customer Reviews
Good keyboard, but has it's quirks
I just got this keyboard today. Despite the other reviewer's suspicions, this keyboard is actually Bluetooth, not infrared.
The keyboard itself is decent size. It is almost exactly twice the size of my Blackberry 7250. It is slightly thinner than the blackberry. One nice thing is that the keyboard fits neatly in the inside pocket of my jacket - almost like the pocket was made for it. Your mileage may vary with your pocket size. Regardless, the keyboard is not too large to be easily thrown in a coat pocket or purse. You wouldn't want to carry the keyboard on a belt clip - it's too big for that - and it's too big for pants pockets.
The weight of the keyboard is very close to the wieght of my blackberry, so it's not a burden to carry.
The fit and finish of the keyboard is nice, somewhat stylish and not too obtrusive. Once you open it up, you see a full sized, laptop style keyboard. It does NOT have a numeric keypad or the standard Windows keys, or a Ctl key. You shouldn't need them for a Blackberry anyway.
It does have all of the keys that a standard Blackberry has, plus a few convenient additions, like a top row of numbers and symbols - like a standard PC keyboard.
The touch/feel of the keyboard is very similar to most laptops I've used. It's not a full-sized PC keyboard, but it seems like a laptop somewhere is missing it's keyboard. It has decent touch/response and I can type on it easily, with very little adjustment as compared to my laptop. It has a function key that allows you to have one key access to most of the Blackberry functions. You can change thier assignments in the options of the Blackberry, though I haven't played with that yet.
The keyboard folds in the middle, and doesn't require any messing around - sliding this part into that part - like some of the early Palm keyboards I've seen. You just open it. That's it. It has a sliding lock that will hold the keyboard flat so you can use it on your lap or an uneven surface. The lock feels rather flimsy to me, and I would be afraid to break it. When typing with the keyboard across my legs, there's a fair amount of bounce caused by the flimsy lock, but it's workable. The lock is also difficult to engage and disengage because it's recessed and you can't get a grip on it. I have resigned myself to only use it when there's no flat surfaces around.
Also the keyboard has a flip out holder for your blackberry. It holds the blackberry at an angle so you can see the screen as you type. The holder is offset - or not centered on the keyboard - because that's where the keyboard folds. That may bother some people. I haven't found it to be a problem. The holder has a rubber pad at the base in an attempt to keep your blackberry from sliding around. It does an adequate job as far as typing on a flat surface, but I doubt it would be much help in a moving vehicle. You'd need some tape to keep your blackberry in place for that.
The keyboard pairs with your blackberry easily. Just load the driver disk and run the Blackberry Desktop Manager to load the application into the blackberry. Once loaded, you pair by starting the app on the blackberry and pressing a connection button on the keyboard. Once the keybboard is connected, you can just start using it. You can easly use the keyboard to navigate the blackberry menus and apps, just as easily as using the buttons on the blackberry itself. I didn't find myself reaching over for the blackberry to "hit this" or "press that".
The pairing is a bit clunky though, in that if you exit the keyboard app incorrectly, you'll disconnect it. I found that to be a hassle until I figured out what was going on. Also, the keyboard doesn't have an ON/OFF switch. So it will stay connected for a certain ammount of time, which can be set in the options. I assume that it stays active as long as you're typing, but I haven't tested that. In my opinion I think the keyboard functionality would be greatly improved if it would have a power switch, and would automatically pair with the blackberry as soon as it's turned on. As it is now, you have to use the app to connect every time you want to use it, and that seems rather redundant. I feel that my blackberry and the keyboard should pair once, and then have my permission to connect whenever available after that. Alas, it doesn't work that way.
The only serious complaint I have about the keyboard is that mine types a period when the comma key is pressed, and types a comma when the period key is pressed. The keys are mislabeled! They're in the right place, as compared to a normal keyboard, so if you don't look at it, and just type, you'd never notice.
In the light of my minor complaints about the keyboard, I gave it four stars. Part of that is because Amazon is selling this for $63.99 and everyone else sells it for over $100. So buy one if you're a blackberry user that needs to frequently type long emails. For that it's practically perfect. Plus it will save you from carrying your huge laptop around, just for email.
Fantastic product - with the right accessory
This keyboard really makes the BlackBerry much more useful! The keys are large enough to type easily, and it is a full 5 row keyboard. I've found 4 row keyboards hard to use, but with the full 5 rows, typing was very natural.
The other reviewers are right, out of the box the keyboard does have some issues, but, after scouring for solutions I stumbled upon MyMobileGear which sells a driver for the keyboard that solves all of the issues mentioned.
With this third-party driver the keys work as you would expect and the BlackBerry shortcut keys work (e.g. C or L for responding to an open email). The driver will switch the comma and period if you prefer so that these keys actually work the way they are printed on the keyboard. And turning on the keyboard is easy, you just push the pairing button on the keyboard and the driver automatically detects this on the BlackBerry and activates the keyboard.
Even without this driver I would recommend the keyboard, but I would probably only give it 3 stars instead of 5.
Also, be aware that if you are using BES, you must have your administrator install some software and change the security permissions so that your device will work. Essentially you need to change the Keyboard Injection permission for the device and set it to Allow (it is Deny by default).
Think Outside should be embarrased
I had high hopes for this product. The idea of a keyboard that folds compact yet allows me to type at full speed on the blackberry sounded great. Unfortunately, the execution is not there. After spending several hours with this product, I finally concluded that it will not work on a blackberry 7130, which is the Verizon equivalent of the Blackberry 7100 from T-Mobile.
To make matters worse, when I called the manufacturer for support, I repeatedly heard the greeting "your call can not be connected at this time". After a few hours, I got through to an auto attendant, and when I pressed zero for the operator, I was offered the opportunity to leave a message in the generic mailbox.
The only support option this company offers is via email, so I emailed them with my configuration and the error message I was receiving. After 3 days I still have not received a response. Furthermore, their web site has only very basic information on the product, and offers virtually no troubleshooting support.
Finally, I assumed that the reviewer below who commented on the comma key and period key being swapped must have received a unit from a bad batch, which surely would be corrected by the time I received my unit. Wrong! My unit had the same two keys reversed too.
How can a company operate like this? They should be embarassed, and you should avoid this product at all cost. There are other bluetooth keyboards out there from more reputable manufacturers that have more pride in their operations.
For what it's worth, the unit did work on a blackberry 7100 from T-Mobile. Unfortunately, I bought it for myself, so it didn't do me much good.
