USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

First thread of my own here but I think I have searched for as many of the terms as I can. :p

Well after reading all the reviews I was pretty sure I would go with an "iGo ultra-slim stowaway" Bluetooth keyboard (or the Dell one which is exactly the same but cheaper if I can fine one).

Then I realised you can't really use Bluetooth on airplanes! :rolleyes: However, with the new easy USB host mode I'm thinking that it's not a problem and I could use a USB keyboard.... but now I have to start my search again for portable USB keyboard :o

What would be really great is a UK keyboard too, with a £ sign ;)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

Why cant you use bluetooth on airplanes?

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

Never mind.

I was thinking that is was technologically impossible to use them.

I know its a safety measure even though RF interference has never cause trouble with a flight, or at least, never been proven

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

LOL, I re-wrote this bit of the post a number of times :p

While I personally don't think that BT will affect much on a plane, after some googling it seems that even that airlines are divided on it. Either way it just seems simpler (and hopefully cheaper) to go the USB route if I can get something portable enough.

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

Picked up a USB keyboard at the thrift store yesterday for $3 and plugged that into my homebrew OTG cable and after the usual message about not being supported (nothing is initially supported?!?), it came up and worked just fine. Put my igo back in the case and tossed it in my briefcase :-).

Gotta be USB keyboards out there with the pound sign on them :-).

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

Is it portable though? I can't really see me getting on a plane with a lovely little N800 in my pocket and getting a full sized USB keyboard out the overhead locker :D

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

It's hard for me to believe that ANY airlines are concerned about bluetooth to the extent that the announcement on the plane would say 'you may turn on electronic devices now EXCEPT bluetooth'!

Has anyone ever been asked if the were carrying any bluetooth devices when boarding a plane?

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

I really doubt Bluetooth will affect airplanes. That's pretty amusing.

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

That's why most of them say things like you may use electrical devices as long as they are in flight or offline mode.

So if your laughing at Bluetooth is Wi-Fi OK in your eyes? to quote an article on slashdot I wouldn't be so happy if a bunch of kids were all playing on PSP via Wi-Fi on a plane and to quote a post from a bluetooth designer "Bluetooth is already fairly resistant to disruption as it is designed to guarantee a certain minimum data stream will always get through".... glad my keyboard works over anything else! :p

At the end of the day, whether it affects planes or not it is still illegal on a lot of carriers. It seems to be the USA that are the strictest with airlines in Europe just passing a bill allowing GSM in planes in certain situations. (News articles)

Back on topic, surely it's just easier and cheaper to get a portable USB keyboard? Anyone know of one? :rolleyes:

Re: USB (non-bluetooth) portable keyboard?
 

Well, they aren't travel or folding keyboards, but I've always been a big fan of the USB versions of the IBM UltraNav keyboards.

They have been available on ebay lately in non-English variants:
( Swedish Ultranav on Ebay) (Though I think the price on that one is already a bit too high)

The compact models (not the ones with a num-pad) are relatively thin and light. Pre-N800, I traveled with one of these keyboards, a flash drive, and a Knoppix CD instead of a laptop.

I haven't seen much in the way of plain USB portable keyboards. I looked around for an Adesso, but the models in stock at various online retailers always seemed to be ones with proprietary PDA connectors.