Comments on: Review: Fellowes PDA Pocket Keyboard

While Graffiti is an efficient method for entering text into a handheld, many people who use their handhelds for long emails and even word processing want something faster and easier. Long-time reviewer Robert Zach brings us this review of the Fellowes PDA Pocket Keyboard, which is a rebranded version of the Cirque Glidepoint.

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Palm m5xx Availability

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/24/2001 12:54:04 PM #

Any word on compatability with the m500 series handhelds?

what I want

AriB @ 8/24/2001 4:38:17 PM #

this is the kind of keyboard that I'm looking for. I don't want a keyboard that folds out into something so big that I need to put it down somewhere. I want to type while standing

RE: what I want

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/24/2001 10:03:47 PM #

I owned this keyboard for awhile before switching to the PPK. It is very portable but really does still need a flat surface to be used effectively. I think you might have some trouble using it while standing (IMHO).

Visor Version

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/24/2001 5:15:29 PM #

I have the Handspring Visor version of this keyboard and I only have one thing to say about it... avoid this keyboard if you must have a springboard module installed!

The drivers that ship with the device are not intellegent enough to tell the difference between the hotsync port and a springboard module.

I contacted Fellowes regarding this issue and the only response I got was that they *might* issue a fix someday. (Incidently, the Fellowes website doesn't currently carry the drivers for this keyboard. You can download them from the Cirque website, however.)

There is a workaround for this problem though...

If you connect the keyboard and activate it *before* installing a springboard device, the keyboard can be used with it. However, if you disable the keyboard, you will not be able to reactivate it until you remove the springboard, otherwise the visor will hang.

Not pressure sentsitive

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/24/2001 9:20:58 PM #

This keyboard is not pressure sensitive like you claimed in the review. It in fact uses a capacitance sensor to measure the electrical conductivity of your fingers. Therefore, it has no idea how hard you press, so the amount of pressure applied cannot effect the key repeats. This also means that this keyboard cannot be used with a stylus (or even a fingernail), it must be used with your finger (which also limits the possibilityt of using it as a drawing tablet). The technology used is identical to the touchpads on laptops (in fact, this keyboard is just a touch pad with letters printed on it). It is also worthy to note that there are ridges between the keys to help prevent pressing two keys at once.

Why no iiic support?

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/25/2001 10:30:24 AM #

Why doesn't it work with the iiic? the connector is the same, and the size difference isn't that big. I can see it being a bit top-heavy, but other than that, no problem. Every other Palm iii device works on a iiic (except the parachute for obvious reasons) so drivers wouldn't be much of a problem either.

It works fine - see link

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/25/2001 10:41:06 AM #

Ok, the Gadgeteer tested it with her iiic and it worked fine
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/pocket-keyboard-review.html

The items below the keyboard on the Fellowes site were the one's that wouldn't work with a iiic (some kind of integrated case/keyboard).
Just for those iiic folk who feel unnecessarily excluded :)
Looking at the design of the keyboard, an optional adaptor would allow m500 series usage too.

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