If you like to have a physical keyboard for use with your smart phone then there are some choices out there. The latest handset sporting one being the Motorola Droid 3, which has a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Otherwise you are stuck using the touch screen keyboard. But what if, like a lot of apps and online services now allow you to do, you want to use your phone or tablet device as a workstation? That on-screen keyboard or QWERTY slide-out number is going to give you cramp after the first couple of emails or paragraphs of a document.
Elecom has decided to offer up a possible solution to that problem with a couple of wireless, fold-up keyboards aimed specifically at smart phone and tablet owners.
The Japanese manufacturer has announced two such keyboards today carrying the rather unfriendly names of the TK-FBP018 Series and the TK-FBP019E Series. Both work using a Bluetooth link, but the 18 is aimed at Android users where as the 19E is for iOS devices. Why the difference? It seems the 19E is specifically for iOS and Mac, where as the 18 has an SPP mode and works with PC, Mac, Linux and PS3 as well as Android devices.
The need to own one of these keyboards depends on just how much you type. If you want to write a lot of emails or documents while travelling, but don’t want to carry a laptop around, this could be the perfect solution. It’s certainly going to be easier to compose a report, write out a long todo list, or write several emails than directly on the display with your thumbs.
Measuring 14.6 x 9.9 x 1.9cm when folded, either keyboard should easily slip into a bag when not in use. Each one comes with a suede case for protection and a handy stand that can be used to prop up your phone or tablet like a display. There’s also a choice of 3 colors: black, white, and pink.
The keyboards run off two AAA batteries, with battery life set at 3 months as long as you remember to turn it off with the power switch when not in use. There’s also a light that tells you when the batteries need replacing. As for their range, you can sit up to 3 meters away and still type, although we challenge you to see the characters on a smart phone display from that distance.
Now for the kicker. These keyboards are seriously expensive. The TK-FBP018 will set you back a cool $230. The cheaper iOS-only TK-FBP019E is still a rather expensive $144. So the desire to own one of these keyboards not only has to be great, you have to be someone about to do a serious amount of typing in order to warrant the price.