PalmOne Portable Keyboard for Palm III and VII

Though I have the Go Type! keyboard already and think it's great, I decided to get this when I walked into a coffee shop and wanted to pull out my Palm to do some creative writing, only to face the problem of no easy way to input. (I have the Go Type! board and like it, but one usually wouldn't carry the Go Type board around, even though it is small -- it ain't really for pockets!) This is THE solution to that kind of writer's or user's needs! I agree with and would merely second most of the comments of the other reviewers, with manye one or two additions. This keyboard is slick, and well worth the not too expensive outlay of cash. I'd disagree with one writer, though, in this point: the folded up keyboard IS bigger than the Palm itself; it will NOT fit in most shirt pockets, for instance (unless you have big cargo pockets). And it is again worth highlighting that you DO definitely need a solid surface for this, which for certain folks (e.g. "field workers" like a friend of mine, who is helping outfit a bunch of social workers with Palm stuff for home visits to clients) might make it less useful than the Go Type! keyboard if the only solid surface you'll have to work on is your lap (often the case in a car, for instance. A not-TOO soft briefcase will work fine, though.) One slick feature missing on Go Type! (( think) is that this turns on your Palm by touching any key, much like waking up my Mac Powerbook from its "sleep" mode (this also has the same black keys, which is cool... actually the keys of this are BIGGER than my Powerbook's, creating the unusual adjustment problem of having a portable keyboard that is for once bigger than my computer's!) You don't have the problem that Go Type! has, of the right shift key being easily missed in favor of the "up" arrow, and the layout and function keys are great. Basically this keyboard and any Palm make a system that far exceeds my first, old Apple IIc computer in memory, practicality, and overall coolness (not to mention the really old days when we had to walk barefoot in the snowdrifts with our stacks of punch cards to the computer labs!) We've come a long way!

After having my Palm Portable Keyboard for one day, I am already a loyal fan. This thing is highly impressive. I own a Palm IIIx, and as of yet, I would have to really stretch to think of anything negative about this product. The design itself is ingenious... it folds up just like the pictures demonstrate. I have to say that before it came I was worried about it being a little flimsy; afterall, how sturdy can a foldable keyboard be? Forget it though- folded or unfolded, this is a rugged little product, and a marvel to the eyes. The keys have a nice, bouncy feel, just like a normal keyboard (another thing I was worried about, but no problems there), and there is no noticeable key delay for my typing speed, around 45 wpm. Having programmable keys is great- you can easily switch from applicaiton to application, and with a little bit of practice, it is easy enough to scroll and switch between applications without having to mess with the stylus. As I am a college student, I expect this to almost completely replace my use of a laptop, whether for notes in class, or typing a paper in the student lounge. It is extraordinarily easy to transfer text to a Word Document after performing a Hotsync, and I can set this up in 15 seconds, without having the bother of carrying around a heavy and sizeable laptop as well as books. Really am amazed with this product, and after quite a bit of research, Amazon currently offers the best price on this item, even after postage, whether online or in stores. In my opinion, this keyboard more than doubles the functionality of my Palm IIIx; it's the best buy I've made in a long time.

This keyboard looks awesome on the Amazon site. Wait until you see it in person, you will be impressed twice as much. It folds open, then the outer sections of the keys slide together to make a full sized keyboard. Very compact, very unique. This definately gets the job done and is much better than the LandWare GoType keyboard which I own as well. The Palm Portable is definatly worth spending the extra money on. Get this keyboard. You will love it!

What a great addition to the Palm Pilot!! I cannot believe what a difference it makes for inputting, particularly if you are "keyboard literate." A definite must in my book.

great item. easy to use, well designed. well worth the price

I love my old Palm III. It is reliable, it syncs well with Outlook 2000 now that I've picked up PocketMirror, and the amoritized cost is now down to pennies a day. But after years of use, I still hate that stupid little stylus. My "graffiti" technique never got better than about 90% accuracy, I can never remember how to punctuate, and don't get me started on the little touchpad keyboards. So the Palm III keyboard is a godsend. First off, its very cool. The key action is very good--soft and accurate. I'm still fiddling with the delay settings, as the delay is a bit too slow for my tastes. They keys are also a little too noisy for use in a meeting. On the plus side, typing notes into the Palm is now a breeze. Better still: the keyboard is collapsible, so its folds into a small rectangle not much bigger than a Palm, but is very nearly full sized when unfolded. When unfolded and locked, it is pretty stable (although I agree with those who say you can't really use it on your lap). It looks great. What more can you ask?I recently took my Palm III and keyboard to a conference. Everybody else was lugging around laptops. I just unfolded my keyboard, snapped on my Palm and rocked. All my Dilbertesque buddies were very jealous. (Palm probably owes me hundreds in finders fees.) The only problem: Carrying my Palm, the keyboard, and my cell phone is a lot of juggling. I need a small case that carries all three. Anybody know one?