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PalmOne 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard

PalmOne 3169WW Universal Wireless Keyboard

List Price: $49.99
Your Price: $47.49
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good HW, Okay SW
Review: (UPDATE)
I now give it 4 out of 5 stars.

PalmOne has updated the drivers to version 1.05, dated 12/13/04, which fixes the worst problems. Be sure to download this, and ignore the driver on the CD, or you might be in a LOT of pain.

ALSO - DON'T install the PalmOne Phone Link Update dated 11/29/04, as the keyboard.prc will cause a "fatal exception" if this is also loaded (only tested on Tungsten T3).
(/UPDATE)

I would have given it four or five stars, the keyboard hardware is a good implementation.

But the driver kills one of PalmOne's top of the line devices, the Tungsten T3. I suggest you wait for a driver update before purchasing this item (current BAD driver 9/22/2004 77,790 bytes).

It's so bad that I had to disassemble my T3 (voids warranty), disconnect battery to wipe RAM. Others have same BAD results with this UW keyboard on their T3 PDAs. See post at brighthand for more information.

Warning: If this also happens on the T5 device, then one's only solution would be to send item back to PalmOne for repair. Because the RAM on the T5 is non-volatile. But I've not heard if this problem happens on the T5.

FWIW - It DID work when I had NOTHING but keyboard.prc loaded on T3. But otherwise keyboard is unusable on T3.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: OK, But Not Perfect
Review: * Nice Construction

* S/W Problem Resolved - Do NOT use the CD Driver - Download the 12/13/04 update from PalmOne

* Good Layout - Easy to type and unlike Ultra-Slim, does not require 100 Function Key operations!

* Only complaint is that it likes turning off at inconvenient times, so I have to completely close the unit and re-open to activate the driver, so I think something in the hardware itself is still jacked. Otherwise, it is worth the $$

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: User Friendly Keyboard FINALLY!
Review: After trying a few keyboards with my Tungsten E, I found this one to be user friendly ... at least for adults. It allows you to access the number keys & special character keys just like a regular keyboard (no need for function keys in awkward places). It also has blue icons above the numbers to automatically access Palm home, contacts, calendar, memos.... when you simultaneously press the function key. There's a programmable command key which when pressed with a number will open whatever application you wish. You can orient your Palm vertically or horizontally. So what's so adult-friendly & not so kid-friendly (I'm using these with 3rd graders)? Opening it. Rather than pull it open, you slide it open. To close it, you need to push a little release button. For me, I love it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: palmOne should be ashamed...
Review: I have been using the Palm IR keyboard and a Tungsten T3, but frustrated by the missing number key row. I saw this keyboard and it looked impressive. Unfortunately, I did not see the bad experiences with the driver and the "white screen of death", so I too experienced it. A call to the PalmOne customer service only infuriated me-poor communication skills, zero technical help other than to tell me that the Palm had to be returned to the factory. Palmone knows about this problem, and has no warning on their download page. Fortunately, I found the Palm Forum topic on how to partially disconnect the power and reset the Tungsten. After resync and reloading all apps, the Tungsten is working again, but not with the new "Universal" wireless keyboard. Shame on you palmone for your lapse in quality control...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: This thing SUCKS
Review: I purchased this so called Universal Wireless Keyboard less than two weeks ago and it already is broken. I didn't use it for 5 days and then when I go to use it today it doesnt work. Then, since I do have a Tungsten T3, when I go to see what the problem with the keyboard driver is I accidentally click it and White Screen my palm.

Oh and the second day I had the UWK I clicked the keyboard Icon for the first time and I white screen my palm, called their tech support got a person who has such a thick accent that I can't understand him. Since I am out of warranty the would have charged me $125 dollars to send it to them to break the connection between the battery and the rest of the palm. So I declined their "offer" and disconnected the battery my self. See the post on the bright hand forums on how to fix this if it has happened to you.

This keyboard is just horrible. I am going back to my old Palm Ultra thin keyboard and am contemplating whether or not to get the ThinkOutside Stowaway IR. The Ultra-Thin wasn't manufactured or designed by palm. It was only sold by palm. It was created by ThinkOutside Inc.

Anyhow. If you have a T3 DONT BUY THIS KEYBOARD IT WILL CRASH YOUR PALM and will either require you to wait until the battery dies or void the warranty and disconnect the battery yourself. I will never buy a product that isn't a PDA that was designed by PalmOne Inc. In fact I would be weary of the new "fixed" driver whenever it comes out. You would think that Palm would have tested the driver on models that had more than the programs from ROM but they didn't. They cut corners and this thing just sucks.

Heed my warning and don't make the mistake I made.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A toy --- not like a real keyboard
Review: I wish I could get an infrared keyboard for my Tungsten, with a layout like my old Targus Stowaway keyboard for the Handpsring Visor. The keys on the PalmOne 3169WW are just small enough, and just non-standard enough that I have to concentrate on how I am typing, rather than on *what* I am typing. My fingers are squeezed together, I keep hitting the hinge instead of the space bar, and I keep hitting "scroll up" where the question mark key normally is.

The 3169WW is technically a keyboard, and my words per minute are certainly faster than drawing graffitti. But I cannot type the same as I can on a regular keyboard, as I could with my old Stowaway.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Who designed this rubbish?
Review: This keyboard is a totally unstable design, you cannot use on your knee or anything moving, otherwise the Handset will topple over. Software installation was a no-go, and when it was finally installed, a succession of fatal errors led me to junk the whole thing. Just waiting for the pins on the T5 connector to bend or snap, and no integrated USB power.

Whoever designed this contraption failed to consider basic ergonomics, and how the Palm is used on the move.

Used to have the Palm IIIc and keyboard. Loved it. Stable platform, easy to use, reliable, strong connector, and great for rapid note taking. Replaced it with a T5. Progress?


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