Customer Reviews

LandWare GoType Portable Keyboard for PalmPilot & Palm III/VII

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This keyboard is what enabled my Palm to be a complete laptop replacement! I use it every day in my grad school classes, and I don't know how I lived without it. It is sturdy and very well constructed- I don't have any worries at all about just tossing it in my backpack. The integrated keyboard cover protects the keyboard without having to buy a separate case. And it comes with a FREE full-featured word processing program, TakeNote, and the WordSleuth thesaurus- indispensable tools for a student like me! But what I like best are all the little details- six programmable function keys across the top of the keyboard, that allow you to launch any program at the touch of a button. A numeric keypad when you hit the numlock key. Two stylus holders so that you can keep your stylus handy in case you might need it. A very simple and small software driver that instantly recognizes the keyboard as soon as you plug in the Palm. The ability to hotsync to my PC without a cradle- the GoType has an integrated serial port on the side and they give you a free cable in the box! Not having to worry about batteries- the GoType just runs off your organizer's power, and doesn't noticeably drain the batteries at all. Tech Support is completely free by email, though I have never needed any help. The keyboard simply does what it says, without any hassle or fuss. You just can't do any better than the GoType. I recommend it very highly, and I am sure that as soon as you try it out for yourself, you also will be wondering how you ever lived without it.

This keyboard is an excellent addition to the Palm PDA. It is best used for taking notes on the fly and junking all the notepaper usually used in paper organizers. It also makes access to special symbols faster when you are using your Palm in the field. Several functions are also available via Shift or Alt (Toggle backlight, Cut, Copy, Paste, Details, etc). It even has two holes at each upper corner to temporarily store the stylus for later access. I rated it four out of five, for the following reasons: 1) It monopolizes the periperhal port (it would be great to attach a modem to this particular keyboard while it is attached); 2) I would really like to have had Home/End functionality similar to a real keyboard. Otherwise, I recommend it to people who find themselves answering e-mails with their Palm or for those who don't want to lug around a laptop.

I was all psyched to buy the much heralded Palm Portable Keyboard, waiting four months for the privledge. In the meantime, I borrowed my boss's GoType, just to use something in the meantime. I wasn't expecting much, but it turned out to be a great keyboard! I could type just as fast on these 3/4 sized keys as on a regular keyboard, and its rugged case made it a solid product.

When I finally got my Palm Portable Keyboard and tried it out, it wasn't as good, primarily because it was somewhat flimsy and had a noticable delay during my typing.

The GoType's not perfect (sometimes you slip on the small keys), but it's very effective as a laptop replacement for word processing.

When I bought my Palm Pilot two years ago...it revolutionized my life! Okay, maybe that's a little strong. But I found that the amount of "stuff" I needed to carry on the road decreased considerably.

This portable keyboard takes it to the next level. I find myself taking notes in meetings using the keyboard. I can then copy and paste these notes into email for easy distribution. Graffitti works but this keyboard makes input to(and therefore usefulness of) the Palm Pilot even more efficient. The carrying case (also available on Amazon.com) makes toting the keyboard and PDA very easy.

I'll never go back to taking notes on paper again!

This simple, easy to use keyboard will increase the functionality of your Palm PDA. Now you can easily type memos, reports, and e-mail messages with much less hassle than Graffiti. Combine this unit with Smart Doc and you have a simple word processor that can even synch with Word on your PC.

We have both the GoType keyboards and the Palm portable keyboard, and while the GoType does not have quite the same "wow" factor as the Palm keyboard, it's sturdier and it's much better value - because it also comes with word processing software which is important if you want to type and read documents longer than a memo (and if you get the Palm V version it also functions as a hotsync and charging cradle). It is also almost as fast to type on as a full-sized keyboard as long as you don't have large stubby male fingers.

I bought the LandWare GoType! keyboard for my Palm IIIe organizer, and I was pleased with the results.

1. The keyboard is small and lightweight, making it easy to carry. It even has a handle that pulls out of the back which provides support while typing, and can be a carrying utensil also. 2. It has shortcut buttons to certain programs on your Palm that you can even reprogram. For example, one button can take you right to your Memo Pad, and another can take you to your address book, etc.

3. One thing I didn't really like was that it was small, and a little bit cramped. After typing on a normal keyboard, going to the smaller keyboard is a little hard. The keys are very small, and the shift key is in an inconvenient place. 4. This is a good keyboard because it has a protective cover that flips up, and while protecting the keyboard, it also provides support for the Palm organizer to rest against while you're typing, so the organizer doesn't fall out.

This is a great product, and I'd recommend it.

The only reason my review was four star not five, is that the key stroke feel is a little better on the Palm V GoType, and because the right shift key is a little small and out of place so that you tend to hit an arrow key when you reach for the shift key with your right pinky. I have sort of large hands and found this slightly reduced keyboard just fine for touch-typing, even for extended periods. It's tough, light, easy to throw in a bag or side jacket pocket, or even back pocket if you don't sit down. You'll always have your keyboard with you, it's that easy and light.

Let me start by saying: there is nothing wrong with the Landware keyboard. It works wonderfully. But having just bought the Palm Portable keyboard (folding model), I have to admit that the Landware doesn't quite match up. The keys are smaller and the case is bigger so if portability isn't a big issue for you, then I heartily recommend this model, as it can be $20 to $30 cheaper than the folding one. But overall, the folding keyboard is a much better solution.

I was skeptical about the raves that this keyboard was getting and after trying it -- it's true! Great quality, great price; no complaints about it whatsoever.