The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
Entered CNET Catalog: 05/18/2003
SKU: 0092636205706
Manufacturer: Targus, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The Universal Wireless Keyboard works with Palm and Pocket PC PDAs as well as Palm/PPC based PDA/cell phones and smart phones. No more juggling different keyboards or worrying about switching products because it works with the world's most popular PDAs, PDA/cellular phones and smart phones. It supports PDAs with screen flipping software and includes a 210-degree rotating infrared arm and two coin batteries. The Universal Wireless Keyboard - do more anytime, anywhere!Product summary
The good: Full-size keyboard; lock mechanism; directional mousepad.
The bad: Bulky; cumbersome PDA stand; we experienced some troubles with installation.
The bottom line: While the full-size keys are nice, the Targus's dimensions and cumbersome installation trip up an otherwise good keyboard.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 10/21/2004
At 5.6 by 5.2 by 1.0 inches and 12.3 ounces, the Targus is easily the largest PDA keyboard we've tested. The black and silver housing sports four rubber grips on the bottom to prevent it from slipping on slick surfaces. Despite its simplistic look, opening the keyboard is a multistep affair. First, you lift the cover that houses the PDA stand and the battery case, then a release button on the left side unleashes the keyboard. We like that Targus included a lock mechanism so that you can use the keyboard on your lap without it collapsing--a feature that was noticeably absent on the Belkin. The PDA stand consists of numerous pieces and makes it unnecessarily complicated to set up. There's an easel-type stand on the back that you can lock into several notches, depending on the angle you want to view your handheld, while three wire prongs are present to hold your PDA in place. Finally, there's a 210-degree rotating infrared arm.
We matched the Targus keyboard with the PalmOne Zire 72; however, the included software was outdated, so we had to download an updated driver from the company's Web site. It wasn't a huge hassle but still an inconvenient hiccup. Also, after performing a HotSync operation, we noticed two keyboard utilities were installed on our device. From the IR Keybd5 utility, you can set up the keyboard's repeat and delay rates, assign function keys, and adjust mouse speed. And don't forget to disable all incoming beams under Settings and Connections before using the keyboard.
With the Targus's 18mm key spacing and 3mm key travel, we happily tapped away e-mail and notes without experiencing any cramped fingers. However, we had a couple of complaints. While the keyboard has dedicated numeral keys, they're a bit small, so users with bigger fingers should take note. Also, we didn't understand why the space key was split in two on the left half of the keyboard. Why not stick with one roomy bar? Four shortcut keys line the right side to give you quick access to applications, such as Inbox, Notes, Pocket Word, and Excel. The Targus uses two CR2032 lithium batteries (included), which should last 150 hours with continuous use or 1,100 hours in standby time, according to the company.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3out of 3 user reviews
Typing is impossible!!!
Pros: Price is great. bought it at Best Buy for $44. Couldn't believe it was wireless for that price. The size of the keys are great.
Cons: Price doesn't matter when you have to relearn how to type. The middle space bar is not there! I type fast and can not get use to it. It's going back to the store!!
out of 3 user reviews
Do not buy from their website!!!!
Pros: Overall, nice product that works the way it should.
Cons: The product is fine, the company is the con. Their website charged me 2 times and sent me 4 keyboards then charged me for 6. There support is in India, so people in IT should boycott Targus anyway for sending our jobs overseas!!!
out of 3 user reviews
Miss my stowaway
Pros: The full size keyboard is an advantage if you do a lot of typing. Communication between the keyboard and PDA is reliable.
Cons: But the spacebar is separated over two keys and there is no spacebar right in the middle where you use it most. The key travel is not great and the holder for the PDA is flimsy and doesn't actually hold the PDA.
