Customer Reviews

HP iPAQ Micro Keyboard for H4100 & H2200 series Pocket PC

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently picked up an Ipaq 4155 and this keyboard to go along with it. I chose this over the 4355 with the built-in keyboard since the 4355 is just too large to carry around all the time.

The keyboard is as small as possible while still being easy to use, and it weighs almost nothing. Driver installation was a snap. I've had no problems with it so far.

If you are like me and could use a keyboard for your iPaq sometimes, but not all the time, go for this with the 4155 over the 4355. If you will need it the majority of the time and you dont mind the additional size, the 4355 may be a better match for you. Of course if you need a keyboard for the 2200 series this is also the way to go.

Small, easy to use, light - well worth the price.

When shopping for a ppc I coudn't decided between the ipaq 4155 and the 4355. The reason being is that I didn't know if the added keyboard would be necessary. I ended up with the 4155 and the hp micro keyboard. Glad I went with this route. The keyboard is small but still big enough to type with ease and when I don't need it I can simply slip it off. What I like the most about using this keyboard with the 4155 vs the 4355 is that the keyboard actually slips over the navigation buttons so it does not make the unit that much longer like the 4355. It does make it a bit fatter though.

I purchased this keyboard to be used with my iPAQ 3835. I've had this keyboard for almost two months and it has worked very well--the keys are easy to press, typing speed increases as you get more used to it, and it does not add too much more to the length and thickness of the unit.

Using the numeric keys takes a little to get used to, as the num-lock key needs to be enabled and sometimes it's easy to forget to unlock it since there is no on-screen indicator. All the numbers are on the top row of the keyboard and are not laid out in a "numeric keyboard" layout. Also, for those who have previously used the Targus keyboard with their iPAQs, you need to uninstall the Targus software to allow this keyboard to work--hence, you will be unable to use your old keyboard. An added plus is that the keys and the hot-keys will not turn on your iPAQ directly, preventing accidental use.

Also, I use the pharos GPS system and the software of the keyboard also messes with the GPS software--you would need to shut off the keyboard, then do a soft-reset prior to using the GPS device.

Overall, this is an excellent piece of hardware for the iPAQ, it substitutes well for the on-screen input methods in accuracy and allows for quicker input. I would have given it 5 stars if it did not conflict with the other software programs--something that should have been considered, especially coming from HP.

PROS:
1. The spacing between the keys and the feel of each key-press are both engineered very well and allows me to type quickly with just two thumbs
2. The keyboard fits perfectly under my h2210 -- there is no rattling, it won't detatch accidentally, and it attaches relatively easily
3. The software and hardware installation was complete in under 2 minutes
4. I haven't tested this with all programs, but the gameboy/SNES/etc emulator MorphGear allows you to map the hardware keyboard buttons to the controller buttons within the program -- this means you'll have enough hardware buttons to play SNES games

CON:
1. The thickness of the keyboard is a little more than i had expected -- it seems like it's about 1.5 times the thickness of the iPaq 2210, which destroys the sleekness of the iPaq with the keyboard attached

I own the Ipaq 4155. I am using this keyboard to write this review. Set up was so simple and the layout is easy to learn. I used this keyboard to send an e-mail within 10 minutes. Much much faster than block reckognizer. I had planned on purchasing this keyboard when I first got my 4155 but delayed a coulple months and just used block reckognizer. How sorry I am that I waited. I write more e-mail and take more notes now. This is a must have accessory.

I bought this for my HP ipaq 4150 and it works great. Once you download the software onto the ipaq, it will recognize the keyboard no problem.

The keys are so small you still have to use the stylus. J/K but really they are tiny and it causes you to mistype alot. However it is very well built and seem like it would last a long time.

I just purchased the mini keyboard and am using it to type this review. The software was really easy to setup and straight forward. The keyboard needs some getting use to as there are multi-functions in each button. Overall, I am really happy that I purchased this. This will make writing emails and adding contact a lot easier.

I really like this keyboard, very useful since I don't like to use the Grafitti text input method because I think that I'll scratch my screen (I really take a lot of care to not scratch my screen).

Highly recommended!!!

This keyboard is very similar to the Blackberry keyboard, although this was rather long before the Blackberry became common. If you're still using one of these iPAQs by any chance and want a keyboard, it's a good one. Before the smartphone became popular I carried one of these and kept the keyboard with me all the time. My fiance actually used it to write a 7 page paper on a long road trip.