Customer Reviews

Palm 3245WW Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I had used the Palm keyboard model 3169WW (Palm 3169WWZ Universal Wireless Keyboard) for a couple of years, and got fed up with it. It was being very temperamental. I've upgraded now to this Palm Bluetooth keyboard, and love it. It works smoothly every time, and is more stable so that I can use it on my lap without backing it up with a book or a clipboard. I can carry it in my pocket, and it's like having a computer with me all the time. I use it to take notes in meetings. I can write articles, and even used it once to write a book.

The keyboard on this page uses radio waves to communicate with the Palm. The model 3169WW uses an infrared beam.

And a cool thing is that either of these keyboards really impress my friends. I get comments like, "amazing!", "where'd you get that?" I love it.

Installation was straightforward and took about 3 minutes. The keyboard is responsive and almost full-sized. On my desktop computer, the q to p keys span 7 1/4 inches. On this keyboard, they span 7 inches. One gripe: I don't like the question mark/slash to the right of the shift key. I can never get used to that position.

Spend the extra $15 and get this keyboard instead of the 3169WW--it will last longer and be more useful.

I had bought an infrared keyboard for my Palm TX, but found that it was not easy to keep the connection established, as the Palm had to be positioned exactly with the sensor. The Bluetooth keyboard can be used with the Palm in any orientation/position.

The only issue is battery life - of the TX, as the Bluetooth consumes a lot of power.

After going through a bunch of infrared Palm keyboards that stalled when you least wanted them to, I finally settled on the Bluetooth type and have been a happy camper ever since; it also seems sturdier and easy to the touch.

The Palm Treo 700wx may have its own built-in keypad, but there's nothing like using an actual keyboard to take notes, write word documents or respond to e-mail messages from colleagues. The keyboard itself is excellent - responds as well as any keyboard I've ever used. Unlike other keyboards, there is a line of keys for the numbers (I've seen some other keyboards that don't have this separate line of keys...what a pain!). Many shortcuts on the keyboard itself. The easel is sturdy enough for desktop use, but I wouldn't recommend it for travel.

Here are the disadvantages of this keyboard. For one, like any bluetooth product, it will eat up your phone's battery life. Second, there is no feasible way that I can see to actually plug in the Treo while using this keyboard (anybody who has found a way to do so on a hard surface, help would be appreciated) - this means that your battery should be charged before using the keyboard for a long period of time. Third, the driver for the keyboard seems to be very buggy for the Treo 700wx - I've had to reinstall it three times...including directly after the first installation because it would not connect to the keyboard. This is very easy to resolve - but it's still a bit of a pain if you're in the middle of a meeting and can't connect the Treo and the keyboard.

Overall, it's definitely the best keyboard that was available when I purchased it and, despite the negative aspects that I listed, I would still highly recommend it.

I was looking for a replacement for my IR keyboard and was somewhat hesitant about this one. My IR keyboard was flimsy and felt like cheap plastic. Not this keyboard.

This bluetooth keyboard is strudy with thicker plastic and has a better tactile feel when typing. Also the software will automatically reconnect with my TX when the device powers off. All I do is start the device using one of the hard buttons and start to type. About 10 seconds later, the keyboard recognizes the signal and reconnects. This is fantastic for me.

I really like this keyboard. I had a little trouble getting used to it at first, but now it seems to work seamlessly. It is light and fits just about anywhere my PDA fits. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it isn't as easy to start us and use as I would like.

Just wanted to write a quick review to let people know that this works wonderfully with the iPad. I am a graduate student, and wanted to bring my iPad into the classroom to take notes. I looked for a bluetooth, portable, keyboard-- and this one is the ticket! Connects easily, and no lag whatsoever while typing.

I will update this review should I encounter any problems down the road.

DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM TO USE WITH A PALM CENTRO!!!! I ordered this to use with my Centro, and it doesn't work. After spending quite a bit of time on the net researching this problem, including on palm's own forums, and spending quite a bit of time on the phone with palm, it's become apparent that this is a well known problem with this device working with the Centro. You download the drivers, and it works the first time, but after you fold the keyboard closed, it won't work again unless you reload the drivers or maybe even have to do a hard reset!!! And palm calls this being "compatible" with the Centro!!!

This keyboard works great. It is solid enough for use, though the device support stand is thin and seems like it would break easily. I have experienced no connection issues. Pairing the device requires use of a keyboard connection application instead of the regular bluetooth application and I have ended up wasting a minute or two on a couple of occasions by choosing the standard bluetooth app then having to close it out and open the keyboard connection app. The split spacebar is a little awkward to get used to at first and the keys seem like they are not as solid as those on my desktop or laptop keyboard; but these are both understandable issues for a portable keyboard. It has over 30 functions (such as home, menu, calc, etc.) that help me keep my hands on the keyboard instead of fishing for my stylus. These are accessed by holding down a function key then tapping a standard key. Most of these dual-purpose keys are located on the number keys across the top and on the top row of letters.

I just wanted to add this brief note in case anyone else is searching for compatibility info about these 2 devices. Both were able to work with the keyboard without any additional drivers (the N810 has Maemo 2008 Linux).

Both did take a bit of finagling to get paired up. I don't know if adding a Windows Mobile 6.1 driver (if even available) would have helped the XV6800, but it took less than 5 minutes). I think I have read somewhere that WM 6.1 includes BT keyboard driver support automatically ? The XV6800 originally came with WM 6.0, but I upgraded with Verizon's 6.1 update long before I got the keyboard.

The N810 took a bit more tinkering with the BT pairing before I figured out that I needed to type in the security code on the keyboard that the N810 was showing me. I have not used it much, but just now, after not using it for a couple weeks, the N810 got connected in less than a minute, and all I had to do after starting its BT service was type a key a few times. Plus I let it sit for a few minutes without touching the board, and it maintained the connection, so I could just start typing again immediately. I guess I should load AbiWord on the N810 to take advantage of this jewel ;-}

BTW, they are frequently selling on EB___ for around $20-30, BIN, brand new - mine was in the original package (with batteries even).

My only issue with this is that if does feel a bit flimsy for using on a lap with support only from one's thighs at either end - some sort of supportive surface, even if only a book, seems advisable.

HTH,
RO