Hacker News Reader

Comment by freehunter | Hacker News Reader

I was trying to find a small Blackberry-like keyboard for a side project I was working on about a year ago. Doesn't exist, at least not in a form-factor that is easy to integrate (USB, Bluetooth, etc). The best I could find is a USB wireless keyboard that they sell on Adafruit that really, really, really sucked and was still way too big.

View on HN

Boxee was one of the first to do a USB wireless keyboard in a nice form factor, though it is primarily a remote. They are tough to find, especially the 'sold separately' edition with the USB dongle (instead of de-soldering the receiver from a Boxee). Here's one on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111569863840

There are a number of knock-offs now, such as http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0092KDSQW/

However, if the AdaFruit 'smallest wireless USB keyboard available' didn't work out then these probably won't either.

I've got this SMK-LINK keyboard [1] for my HTPC, and it has worked out well so far.

If I wanted a portable Linux computer (besides my phone), I guess I could design a bracket to hold a small tablet or similar.

[1] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823158...

Too bad a Blackberry can't function as a BT keyboard.

Nokia N900 and E7 had good keyboards.

I think this app: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/38050888/?la... allows you to do just that.

This looks excellent, thanks much for the pointer.

Yup, it is. I use this to control my HTPC. It works very well.

It's not about size, but about the idea behind it. The basic keyboard is designed for people sitting in front of a desk and using both hands. Making it smaller is just not enough. In the subway I have one finger, my thumb. I want an input device designed with that in mind. E.g. the iPod sliding wheel was exactly a result of designing an input device for a single finger. We need more like that and less blackberry keyboards.

Weren't the blackberry keyboards also designed for use with thumbs? That's how I always typed with mine.

The Lenovo N5902 isn't too bad, but I don't think I'd want to type extensively on it. For short messages, URLS, etc. it works ok.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com