Palm 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard

The Palm 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard is excellent. Not only is it very compact and light weight, but I need to write a lot of notes, so having the keyboard is invaluable to make the most of my time. Even though the keyboard AA batteries last a long time, the PDA battery will be used faster because the IR signal will be in use while using the keyboard. All in all a fantastic product with a terrific price that cannot be denied. I would recommend this product.

The keyboard works well. The combined weight of the keyboard and my Palm Tungsten is much less than that of a netbook, a feature that was very important to me.

This product would be perfect it it were 1994 and people still carried around PDAs.

Since it's the future, save your money and buy yourself a fax machine.

I bought this item new hoping it would it would free up a lot of desk space when all I needed was a simple platform to type notes into. I'd read many reviews and was prepared with a downloaded driver. When the keyboard arrived I installed the downloaded driver on my device and was able to work instantly. It works great and many menu commands are placed right on the keyboard for easy access. My only complaint would be the location of the "?" key, which is a key that deserves proper placement as it is used often. Instead Palm jettisoned it way off to the side to make way for arrow keys that do seem to get a lot of use with this application. I'm really happy with my purchase and think it is something anyone with a PDA should look into, as it is a good simple way to have typing convenience without wires and a lot of desk space. BTW, I'm someone who's hands tend to cramp really easy using a normal mouse, yet this keyboard hasn't given me any trouble to speak of yet.

This product is just garbage, it brock before I was even able to get it set up.

I had an older version of the Palm Keyboard that I had used for years but one of the plastic hinges broke so I ordered the 3169. It is much better than the previous Palm keyboard. It is no longer necessary to hold a "blue" key to access numbers or a "green" key to access symbols. Also, this keyboard will work with the Palm in the "portrait" or "landscape" position. It is a much better design and more durable. Also loved the fact that it was on sale and shipped with free shipping. The only thing is that the price went down again two weeks after I bought it.
Updated Feb 27, 2001 - The keyboard worked well for 6 months. I use it often but handle it very carefully. The first sign of a problem was that several keys on the right side of the unit would not respond (-,_,[,{, left arrow, right arrow). I accommodated for this by using my stylus on the Palm keypad. Then the plastic button that secures the IR arm broke off. The unit still worked but the arm dangled from the unit. Because I use the keyboard often, I checked Amazon and found a seller offering a new, in-box unit for $15.00. I am waiting for it to arrive. Hopefully this unit will be more durable. I am glad I did not have to pay the $69 price that the units originally sold for. When the unit works, it works well.

I got an HP iPaq RX1955 for college. I got this keyboard to go with it. Obviously it was much lighter than a laptop and I only needed something to "punch out" my notes on as my professors rambled. Other than constant inquiries of my gadgets, it was a complete hit. Once everyone got used to my 'not a laptop' sitting on my desk, it made a great way to do homework, take notes, and even just chat while on the go or while waiting for the next class to start. My only complaint was battery replacements. The batteries do seem to last a while, but with lithium-ion batteries and charging capabilities there should be no reason to have to switch out batteries like that. Also worked with my Mogul a couple years down the road! I'm just super disappointed it doesn't work with my Curve since it doesn't have an infrared port :(

Although I don't use this product on a daily basis, I am very pleased with the product. It is compact and light enough to put in my purse.

I hope that when I can figure out how to install this hardware on my Palm I will be happy with it. So far, all the help, hints, and suggestions don't work. If someone knows a secret to this TELL ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

I had been looking at this item for a long time before I took the plunge and bought it. It is an excellent product. It connects easily and worked perfectly right out of the box. I love it for travel. I would recommend this product.

This item works great. I'm very pleased with it. It arrived ver quickly. thank you

I am not the best sleeper. Which means even while camping when everyone is asleep, I am wide awake. As a poet, portability in my equipment is extremely important to me. I was not keen on trying to write a poem in the Graffiti that comes on my Palm, so I purchased the keyboard. Definitely ONE of my best decisions.

First it was delivered ahead of schedule and that was in line with my belief that first impressions go a long way. I was damn right. The keyboard matched with my PDA. When there was no accompanying CD to download unto my computer the seller was gracious enough to send me a link from where I downloaded and installed. And the result? The UWK responded positively to my PDA and typing has been so pleasant ever since. They talk so much about Bluetooth or WiFi or whatever. This one with ordinary infra red sensor suits me very well.

Here are a few Pros:
1. It makes a whole lot of difference when you are able to type with both hands rather than punch or tap alphabets with your stylus.

2. The UWK becomes very useful when you need to put large amounts of data unto your PDA

3. You can type in a traveling bus or train and in the case of an airplane you can simple perform a comfortable typing from your small dining table behind the seat in front of you.

4. My greatest excitement is the function keys specially designed for programmes like calender, contacts, address book, web-pro, versamail and so on where you can easily open any of them with just one key stroke form your keyboard. And to think that there is a connection between the UWK and your PDA without any wire is just simply amazing.

5. It is a wonderful and fantastic travel companion. Why? It is foldable into a small object that can slip into any bag no matter the size. It can even get inside your pocket. Oh my my my!!!

6. It runs on just two small batteries. Nothing to worry about cables and electricity bills. It does not add to your PC, printer,and other cables under your desk to add to the mess. A very independent device. And guess what. The battery stays for a long time.

Now my cons:
1. None that I could imagine or have observed. I highly recommend this device to any Palm PDA user. The stylus is fine but not the same as typing with both hands on this cute keyboard. Just try it and send me a note at aaronyeboah@yahoo.com Thanks.

Thanks to the other reviews I was able to get this up and running with little effort. First, do as they say and throw away the cd...go to palm support and download the drivers or you will loose your sanity. Second,
remember to turn the keyboard on so you can use it..simple as that. I have a Palm TX and they go great together.

I love the way the keys respond and how compact it is. Do read the reviews
that are technical, they will help you get started with little problem.
The reason I gave this a four is because of the cd that came with it.

It makes your Palm TX work junt like a laptop. But much cheaper. It folds up into a nice easy to cary bundle.It is very easy to use and nothing to understan.Just open it up put your PC in its holder turn it on and start typing If you can type you can realy use it I hunt and peck. It understands be like me try it you will like it.good instructions come with it Glen Anderson

The keyboard arrived 1-2 weeks after placing the order and worked perfectly after installing the keyboard driver, and putting in the batteries. I haven't used it more than once or twice, but it is great
for entering any text of any length more than a dozen or so words.

I have an Axim x51v. This is so cool that I have folded and unfolded it like a million times already. Folded, it is small and protected from harm. Unfolded, it locks flat and I can even use it on my lap without another surface. It works in landscape and portrait. Installation of the software took literally 1 minute. The space bar hinge was annoying at first, but I got used to it. You just have to slow down and adjust at first. There are a lot of useful shortcuts built in. (they are different depending on palm v ppc) to add things like bullets or to open certain programs like word. I did notice that my ppc lost power a lot quicker while using the keyboard, but I feel like you can't get around that really with any keyboard. If I'm wrong correct me. All in all good choice. Fits in my purse, wows my friends, helps me take notes in class. worth the 30 bucks I paid for it. (used)

Simple and incredible battery life, it also collapses to the size of a wallet. Price is a little steep but anything wireless is these days.

i currently have three of these keyboards. i loved them for their ease of use and long battery life. my problem with my first keyboard started about a year after purchase when different keys stopped working on the right side. if i moved the keyboard around i could sometimes get it to come back but it got worse and worse. thinking that this was a fluke, i bought another one and within the warranty period it also had the same problem and it was as though the keyboard shorted out along a line of keys from top to bottom. i called customer support which less than customer friendly or supportive, but they ultimately determined that it was a defect of the keyboard and not my palm tx and sent me another one. i used that one for about two months and it began to do the same thing. i have done absolutely everything to the keyboard, and my palm to try to rectify the problem with to no avail. i absolutely love, and depend on this keyboard daily, when it works, and take great care of them, however they all died the same death. disappointing.

I bought one of these keyboards for my Palm Pilot and I have to say its wonderful!! Its not cheaply made and it works great. If you own a Palm Pilot I suggest you buy one because it makes it so much easier working with your Palm Pilot.Great Idea! Love it!

IT WORKS WITH PALM CENTRO.

I have torturously read through dozens of negative reviews describing the incompatibility of the Palm Centro PDA phone with a plethora of Bluetooth and infrared keyboards. You cannot imagine my relief when, upon receiving the new love of my life - the Palm 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard - I was able to install the driver and get the keyboard 100% functional in 5 minutes. No exaggerations: I was running late for a flight when the package arrived, and I made a desperate and SUCCESSFUL!!! attempt to make the keyboard useable for my trip.

The only quickly-resolved glitch was that the intro screen from the CD had a broken button - I clicked on "install Palm OS driver" and nothing happened. However, I went into the directories on the CD and quickly found the correct installation file. Piece of cake.

The Centro's IR port is on the right side, so I barely have to dislodge the swinging antenna from its resting place. The connection is very good, while the device is on the kickstand. It had not occurred to me to use it without the kickstand - that would be awkward and uncomfortable. The antenna also swings up 90 or more degrees to get the top ports of other handheld devices.

Some of the keys are positioned in uncustomary places, but not without thought. It takes a little getting used to, but not much, and it's not physically uncomfortable to reach for any keys.

The keyboard is stable on the lap (unlike some other versions/models/manufacturers according to reviews). The keyboard folds across the middle. While unfolded, the middle joint is well-supported from the back/bottom and I've happily used the keyboard on my lap.

I would wish for some provision to secure the device on the kickstand. It just leans up. The retaining bar along the bottom is designed for thicker devices than my phone-sized Centro. It does not touch the Centro and does nothing to secure it. This is an understandable design, given that they need to make the keyboard compatible with so many differently-shaped devices. I think I'll get creative and improvise some sort of contraption to prevent movement.

The keyboard is flimsy for a desktop or laptop keyboard, but not when you consider what it is and how it moves, slides, folds and clicks closed. It won't last forever, but it will do quite reasonably. The price seems appropriate to the product.

I'm also going to get some sort of pouch. I'm not concerned about scratching or damage to the exterior casing. However, having dumped the poor keyboard into my messy, overstuffed purse, I've seen the battery cover pop open twice already (in a week) and spill the batteries into the purse. It's not big deal, but a little baggy will help.

In conclusion, the Palm 3169WW is not a perfect device, but it is a WORKING one. What a blessing and relief, after having almost resigned myself to the notion that no working keyboard out there was compatible with my Centro. There are so, so many Centro (or not-for-Centro) portable keyboard reviews out there, that I felt it was my duty to report back and show my fellow Centro-ites the light.

It is a really useful item, though its configuration to Spanish may be tricky. The item was recieved sonner than expected and it has been working fine.

I purchased this for my Godson and he loves it. It gives him his own computer with out him downloading every game known to man on mine which means my computer does not crash anymore.

I tested the keyboard when I received it and it worked. However, once I was traveling, the board failed to operate and I have not been able to get it working since. I have changed batteries, etc, but to no avail. So I don't feel I can give this product a good rating.

I thought I'd try to save some money and buy a used keyboard... Parts are missing. My bad luck... Be smart BUY NEW

The keyboard worked perfectly with my T|X. It folds small for easy portability, and the unfold mechanism is simple and easy to understand.

Some have commented about the lack of stability and I will agree that the Palm just sitting there with nothing to secure it is a draw back that cost it a star. I however did solve this on mine, but adding a velcro strip that holds the palm in place and now use it comfortably on any hard surrface such as placing a book on my lap.

The keys are small and that will take some getting used to but it's still a much more comfortable way to write on the go then palm script.

If you are a heavy user of the IR port for beaming data you may find this annoying, because the driver program hijacks the port for keyboard comunication, and you have to turn it off to use it for normal data transfer.

The batter life is excellent. I bought it over a month ago, useing it a fair bit to write between calls at work and have not had to replace them yet. (your millage of course will varry)

Over all if all you use your laptop for is writing, listentenging to music on the go, and basic hotspot access adding this keyboard to it will let your palm (with pocket tunes and doc's to go and a 2 gig mem card) take care of you just fine.

Give it a try :)

Very useful gadget, makes you feel you're using a mini-computer (little less than a laptop). Despite a few bugs in the software (that require frequent soft-resets) both Palm TX and keyboard work very nice together. For email and word processing this keyboard is a must.

Software installed easily and it worked great on a Palm TX. You have to install the software onto the TX via a PC. Folds down to a small, rugged packet about the size of the TX itself. Even my wife thought it was cool. Looks and works better with TX in sideways mode. Have to make sure the IR wand is positioned correctly to 'talk' to the TX. Only thing that might make it better would be some sort of clip or strap to hold TX more securely in place. It just sits on the cradle. Recommended.

After I got it set up with my Palm T|X, it worked fine the first 2 times I needed to use it. Now it doesn't. I'll continue fiddling with it and hope for the best.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTR6PV3X4BOVS Compact & Easy to Use

I received this product about a week ago from Amazon.com, I selected free shipping and got it in about 4-5 days which as a nice plus. I've been using it mostly for word processing with the Documents to Go application on my Palm TX and its a really great alternative to using the stylus. I just type much faster than I write. The keyboard is pretty much a full sized keyboard the only key I really have problems with is the right "shift" key which is really close to the "up arrow" key which makes me go up a line instead of hitting the "shift" key, this positioning will take some getting use to. Other than that typing is a breeze and my fingers were quickly accustomed to the keyboard. The function keys are a nice feature that allow you to communicate with your Palm quickly w/o the stylus.

The keyboard folds into a small little package slightly larger than the Palm TX, the cradle holds the Palm securely in the portrait or landscape orientation and it makes for a nice stand when your watching a movie on your Palm. So far so good!!!

un teclado muy util, solo con pequeños problmas para ajustar la palm (life drive) al teclado. a pesar de que la version por blue tooth es mas comoda la version por IR mentiene el puerto blue tooth libre para otras conecciones. totalmente compatible con windows mobile y paml os.

If you are a traveler and you need to type any long email o report on your Palm, you must have this keyboard. I bought it to use it with my tungsten E2, and it works fine. It was really easy to set up, you just have to open keyboard and extend IR arm. I only use this keyboard when I am traveling, because normal day to day operation can be successfully done with palm pencil. I usually need to write long emails to explain my technicians how to do certain job, and to give technical assistance. In fact, I think that nowadays looking for a computer on any airport may be easier that we think, so it may not be necessary to buy this keyboard.

I just purchased this keyboard and it does its job, though not as elegantly as I would have hoped.

Several Palms ago I had a Targus Stowaway keyboard which I really liked. When I tried to set up this Palm Universal Keyboard it would not work, and it turns out the problem was the old Targus Stowaway software was preventing my Treo from accepting the download of the driver for the new keyboard. It took some tweaking (I had to find the old application software in my backup folder, delete it, put the new application software in the backup folder, and perform a hard reset), but once I got the right driver loaded on it worked like a charm.

The keyboard is perfect for what I want--a portable way to take notes in situations where I don't want to schlep my laptop. It will be great for continuing education classes, or for when I want to work on an email or document at home without the whole laptop setup. Sometimes I want to do some writing while putting my feet up at home, and the laptop is not comfortable for doing that.

It doesn't really secure the PDA so I can see I'd have to be careful using it on uneven surfaces.

My major quibble is the split spacebar, and the fact that the large hinge is right where my thumb wants to press the spacebar. I keep hitting that hinge instead of the spacebar.

I'm used to a small keyboard--I use a small laptop at home and at work with small wireless keybaord, so the key span and placement is just fine for me.

The keyboard is quick and responsive to my keystrokes and the function buttons really make it easy to use. The stylus is still needed to switch apps and do some other tasks. I miss a place to park the stylus which the old Targus Stowaway had.

I find that it's stiff and difficult to open and hard to close properly. It is big and somewhat bulky and heavy for its size--I can't imagine carrying it around in a pocket, or even adding that weight to my purse. It certainly weighs more than my Treo itself. But it will be simple enough to slip it into a tote bag with a few other things to use at a continuing ed class, or another place where I might wish to use it instead of the laptop.

In summary, it does what it is supposed to do well enough. I don't feel like I wasted my money (got it for 20% off!).

It took me a long time trying to get this running. The main problem was that the CD that comes with it does not contain the right driver. You must go online and download 1.13

I have not used it a lot yet. I expect it will be a great accessory.

Janni

I love this keyboard! It works great! It even has shortcut keys for less poking of the screen.

There are still some things that I have to use my stylus for...but I am sure I just haven't studied enough to figure some of the features out.

Great product.

Works as I'd hoped it would: no problem configuring, hasn't lost its IR connection once, and has a good feel. Only complaint: the battery cover comes off too easily (some carefully placed tape fixes that).

I've had one of these Palm keyboards for a couple of years now. It works okay, and turns my Palm Tungsten into a computer I can carry in my pocket. I can take notes in meetings, write articles. It's great. But it has always been temperamental. Within a month of getting it I found I often had to jiggle the two halves of the keyboard a little to get it to start working. Then lately, a row of keys on the right (the zero, p, l, and period) started not working unless I would twist and manipulate the halves just so. Every time! It was maddening. I got fed up with it and upgraded to the Bluetooth keyboard (Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard). For only $15 more, I have a smoothly functioning no-glitch keyboard. It's a little more stable--in locked position I can actually use it on my lap without resting it on a book or clipboard. You can detach the cradle for the Palm and set it off to the side if you need to. The keyboard on this page uses an infrared beam to communicate with the Palm. The Bluetooth uses radio waves.

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.

Spend the extra $15 and get the better keyboard--it will last longer and be more useful.

EXCELENT FOR INTRODUCE DATA OR EDIT CONTACTS IN YOUR PDA, WRITE WORD DOCUMENTS OR CREATE EXCEL FILES. VERY HANDABLE

Why do we even bother with laptops when you can have a small portable keyboard and Palm. I used the Palm keyboard all the way through Georgetown University to type notes while in class. It is wonderful!!!

I probably would have purchased the next higher grade of this keyboard if I had to do it over. Although the price is better, the built-in casing tends to pop open when not in use in the brief case. I had to download the program (and sync it) three times before it would work consistently. (I.e. after the first download, it worked fine. Then when I put it away for the night, the next day it would not work and I had to repeat the process twice before it did not consistently without a problem.) If you have bigger than average fingers, stay away from this. While the keyboard is convenient, it is still smaller than standard.

I just received this product in the mail and found the installation to be extremely easy. Within minutes, I was typing away. The keyboard is a little smaller than the one on my laptop, but was easy to use (if you are used to a larger desktop keyboard it may require more of an adjustment). The keyboard locks in place and I was able to rest it on my lap and type. My only complaint is that my palm device (Tungsten E2) rests on the holder, but isn't secured in any way. I'm a bit concerned that it might fall over if I make any sudden movements. All in all, however, I'm extremely pleased with this product. Try to get it on sale, because $70 is a bit steep.

Great product. I have had wireless keyboards in the past and this is by far the easiest to use.

I downloaded and installed the drivers from the Palm site and was up and running in about ten minutes. This works with no problems on my TX.

Since I've always used my Palm as a laptop replacement - even from my earliest Palm - I was anxious to try out the Universal Wireless Keyboard with my Palm TX, one of the last remaining non-phone Palm models.

Since the TX is Bluetooth capable, I had purchased the Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard earlier. But I kept having to reestablish connection with the keyboard, which took several seconds (and sometimes much longer), which didn't work well when taking notes in meetings or even when working on my desk or at home.

By comparison, the connection with the Wireless Universal Keyboard was always instantaneous and strong. I could start typing immediately upon opening the keyboard. And the variable infrared reflector (on the end of the movable wand) allowed for easy vertical or horizontal orientation.

Compared to earlier Stowaway keyboards I've used for my Palms, this Universal model is 1) extremely small in size, 2) rigid when open (for use on one's lap, but you'll probably need a lap desk), and 3) complete with four rows of keys (so the number keys have their own row and can be reached without having to always hit the `shift' key).

The space bar has kind of a 70/30 split, and the right shift key is much smaller than the left. But the overall typing experience is very positive - but maybe just a tad tight given this keyboard's slightly smaller keys (relative to a full-size keyboard).

As nits, the battery compartment door kept falling off (so I used some black vinyl tape to hold it on, which didn't detract from the keyboard's looks or functionality).

More significantly, the `shift' key action started to get erratic, with one side of the other losing the ability to capitalize. This is probably due to the contacts wearing down (or losing contact) when they keyboard is not quite fully unfolded with the pieces locked into place. (If this happens, be sure to fully lock the back piece (the one that supports the Palm) to the far right. It sometimes also helps to reboot the Palm, (which, for me, doesn't cause any loss of info given the abundant flash storage space on my TX).

This Palm and this keyboard are probably the last of their breed. I'm not a big Palm phone fan - since it sacrifices the screen size - which severely limits the Palm's use as a laptop PC replacement.

But times are a changing.' But with this Universal Keyboard - I can hopefully avoid having to take my laptop on the road a few more years.

I traveled to Peru with this keyboard and my Treo and was able to work on my book on the plane then throw it into my pack for the remainder of the trip. Keys seem to stick a bit a first, but once you get going, it works nicely. Better than the alternative (paper or lugging around a laptop).

To begin, I have to question the negative reviews on this keyboard. I have large hands, and there is only so much typing one wants to do with the Treo keyboard. I bought this in person at the official Palm store in Sunnyvale. At the time of purchase, the store clerk warned me that the downloadable drivers (November 2005) for the Treo were back-level, and he beamed me the driver directly from another Treo 650. I've had no problems at all since then. I suspect that some of the negative experiences were driver issues, but who knows?

The construction seems solid, and it opens and closes easily after a couple of tries. Seems up to most rough-and-tumble knocking around in a briefcase, unless one is also carrying a three-pound hammer. Very compact for a full keyboard. As others have noted, when you need characters past the basic alphabet, numbers, and primary punctuation symbols, it can be a bit fiddly. The 18mm spacing for the alpha keys is adequate. The number row is slightly shorter than the primary three rows, but that has not been a problem for me.

This is very useful when writing emails while traveling. I have never tried to balance it on one knee - another review complained about that, but it works OK for me with two knees. As I tend to use it on a restaurant table or seatback tray, this is not a problem. YMMV.

I obviously cannot speak to how well it will work with other Palms. I recommend it highly for Treo users. Keep your IR port clean and make sure it is clearly visible within the case if you use one.

I found two issues with the keyboard. First, it tends to use batteries at a fair rate, so stock up on AAAs and buy stock in the battery company. Second...I lost my Treo 650 recently and replaced it with a 680...and discovered that the Palm web site does not list this keyboard as supported for the 680. So I thought I would be stuck with getting a more expensive Bluetooth replacement. (Insert sad face here.) However, I downloaded the most recent driver from the Palm support site, et voila - if you will pardon my French - it works. So this issue is much less severe than I originally feared.

Recommended.

I consider myself rather technically savvy and a skeptic of reviews. However, I have had nothing but bad luck with these cheaply made keyboards. It is suppressing that Palm would brand such junk and I would not recommend this product to anyone, even if price in an option. Stay clear and go bluetooth for about 50 bucks more.

I bought this for my Palm TX only because of the fluent feeling of the PPK for my Palm Vx. I use my PDA more than the laptop for emails and posting articles on blogs. Surely I need a reliable keyboard for my handheld.

Unfortunately this item is totally a failuer and a reputation crasher. After using it for few days, I have to waste more and more time to switch the driver on and off to get the two devices connected. Recently it even caused an unexpected hard reset on my PDA and wiped out all the data on it. It took hours to restore everything back online.

Unless Palm Inc. provides a update of driver to fix this problem completely, I highly suggest NOT to buy it. It's not worth your money and time.

The keyboard worked flawlessly out of the box. Pop the CD in your laptop and let it set up the drivers. Then sync. Now you can use your keyboard.

Bring along some spare batteries, because they will run out when you least expect it.