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iPod Touch portable keyboard?

S

sravana

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 14, 2008
142
0
Texas
I'll be upgrading from an XP laptop to an iMac at home in a couple of months, purchasing the Touch after that. I'm hoping to be able to use it as a portable computer substitute. Do you think that the Nike thing in the 2G iPod Touch will eventually be unlocked to function as a true bluetooth, so I could use a wireless keyboard/mouse/whatever with the Touch? Are there portable wireless bluetooth keyboards that could be used with the Touch? I have a Dell Axim with a foldable keyboard which connects with a hardware connection, and I used that a *lot* when I was in school, rather than hauling around the laptop.

I haven't tried any typing with the soft keyboard on my friend's Touch, but I'd guess that even with my small hands it would be rather difficult.

Perhaps my question will only result in speculation, but I'm still curious what people think...

:)
 
The iPod Touch is more of an iPod (with added features) than a PDA like the Axim. I haven't heard of a portable keyboard coming for the Touch.

I would suggest bringing your laptop or selling it and buying a more portable laptop, if you just need it to take notes.
 
soberbrain said:
The iPod Touch is more of an iPod (with added features) than a PDA like the Axim. I haven't heard of a portable keyboard coming for the Touch.

I would suggest bringing your laptop or selling it and buying a more portable laptop, if you just need it to take notes.
Click to expand...
But the Touch has apps for scheduling etc, right? I supposedly have wireless with my Axim, but the wireless app is so counterintuitive that I've only gotten it to work about 3 times. :( It's horrible!
My idea was to use the Touch as a scheduler, music player, and traveling email client - I use gmail, and could get online easily without traveling with a laptop. I'm not much with taking notes, but if there was an easily-carried folding keyboard for the Touch, it would make emailing easier on the fly.
Galley said:
Apple already makes a great portable keyboard, but it's Bluetooth-only, and there is currently no way to use it on the iPhone. :(
Click to expand...
Yes, that's a beaut of a keyboard, but I don't see it as being a portable keyboard, a la something like this. IOW, something that folds up.

But you're right, the Touch doesn't have bluetooth yet. I wonder if the next one will? But by that time I will have bought one, and moved on.
 
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jmann4489 said:
I would call that keyboard conveniently wireless, but not portable. I would consider this portable. I really wouldn't want to haul around the apple keyboard in my bag all day.
Click to expand...
Exactly!
Now if we knew that the Touch would eventually be bluetooth enabled...
 
jmann4489 said:
We will all know in time. Just keep your mind open to jailbreaking, because most likely that is the only way that this feature is going possible.
Click to expand...
Is there a link referring to jailbreaking? I'm not a Mac person, so I'm not really up on what that means, or why people do it.
 
Some relevant threads:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/567655/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/567087/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/570092/

As I said in one of the those threads, I'm surprised there is no current driver available to use the touch with a Bluetooth keyboard. There are already several Bluetooth adapters available for the Touch, but I believe these are all specialized for use with specific headsets.

Apple put Bluetooth in the iPhone because they knew they needed to in order for it to be competitive. They probably left it out of the Touch so that they could get people to buy a new iPod when they finally decide to add it. They probably have a whole bunch of little features planned that they easily could have put in all at once, but since the Touch has no serious competition, they're in no hurry.
 
Phrasikleia said:
Some relevant threads:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/567655/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/567087/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/570092/

As I said in one of the those threads, I'm surprised there is no current driver available to use the touch with a Bluetooth keyboard. There are already several Bluetooth adapters available for the Touch, but I believe these are all specialized for use with specific headsets.

Apple put Bluetooth in the iPhone because they knew they needed to in order for it to be competitive. They probably left it out of the Touch so that they could get people to buy a new iPod when they finally decide to add it. They probably have a whole bunch of little features planned that they easily could have put in all at once, but since the Touch has no serious competition, they're in no hurry.
Click to expand...
Phrasikleia, thanks for those links. I'm in a similar situation to you - I've been using a Pocket PC for quite a while, and love the foldable keyboard. It looks like I will be using the PPC for a while longer, though I need to buy a Touch by next summer, for a trip overseas. I'd buy one now, except that I worry that Apple would add a real Bluetooth to a 3G Touch, and I'd be S out of Luck.

Frankly, I'm unimpressed with Apple's corporate strategy of incremental updates to hardware, so you have to upgrade to get the features you want, but were unwilling to wait for. I understand it, but it sucks, IMO.

I'm curious about the Bluetooth adapters you mention. I'll look into it!
 
sravana said:
Phrasikleia, thanks for those links. I'm in a similar situation to you - I've been using a Pocket PC for quite a while, and love the foldable keyboard. It looks like I will be using the PPC for a while longer, though I need to buy a Touch by next summer, for a trip overseas. I'd buy one now, except that I worry that Apple would add a real Bluetooth to a 3G Touch, and I'd be S out of Luck.

Frankly, I'm unimpressed with Apple's corporate strategy of incremental updates to hardware, so you have to upgrade to get the features you want, but were unwilling to wait for. I understand it, but it sucks, IMO.

I'm curious about the Bluetooth adapters you mention. I'll look into it!
Click to expand...

I use my Palm overseas all the time. I bought a European power supply (about $10) to use with its charging cradle. They're available at any electronics store over there, just note down the power output specs on the power supply you have and get one that outputs the same amount. They come with multiple standard connectors, and you just use the one that fits your cradle.

If you find that I'm wrong about the Bluetooth adapters being headset-specific, please come back and report! I'd be thrilled to hear that they do more.
 
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