I like keyboards; I like big, full-sized keyboards like my Logitech G15 on down to my one-handed Lenovo N5902 Multimedia Remote. I could barely play “Chopsticks” on the piano and when it comes to 0n-screen keyboards. I’m all thumbs…in the wrong way. We have three tablets in our home (Apple iPad, Asus Transformer and HP TouchPad), all of them are paired with keyboards that make typing anything over a few words much more pleasant.

There’s a trade-off to carrying a physical keyboard though, and that’s the added size and weight. When you start lugging around a separate keyboard maybe it’s time to consider going with one of the new “ultra-thin” laptops like the Apple MacBook Air or one of the new slim Windows machines by companies like Sony, Lenovo and Asus and reap the benefits of using full-fledged desktop operating systems and applications.

It appears that selecting your mobile computing device and the matching input method to fit your needs could become more difficult than choosing the right outfit. Okay, I admit, in my case, that might be a bad example as my clothing selection usually comes down to whatever is clean, but you get the idea.

So, what do you do when you don’t want to use the on-screen keyboard on your phone or tablet, but carrying an extra keyboard is too much? Well, that’s where Magic-Pro’s ProMini BT-Joy might meet your needs. Pyramid Distribution sent us the ProMini, which is a Bluetooth-enabled, physical thumb-board that includes a working joystick-type of pointer control that they call a “Sliding Jog Mouse”. If you have ever used the IBM/Lenovo TrackPoint device that appears on many of the ThinkPad notebooks you have an idea of how the ProMini’s pointer works. Right and left mouse button functions are handled nicely with one button on the top edge of the keyboard, easily accessible to your index finger and the right button situated just to the right of the pointer-stick.

Specifications
(as Supplied by Magic-Pro)

• Dimension : 110mm x 59mm x 10.3mm
• Weight : 50 grams – 58 games (two different weights listed)
• Battery Type : Built-in rechargeable Lithium-ION Polymer
• Battery Life: Use 30 hours plus, Standby 30 days
• Operation range : up to 10 meters
• Operating Voltage : 3.7V
• Bluetooth version: 2.0 HID
• Frequency: 2.4-2.48 GHz
• Charging Time: Under 3 hours
• Comparability: Apple iOS 4 or above, Google Android (please read below), Nokia Symbian 560, Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7, Mac OSX 10.2.8 or later, Linux OS, Sony PlayStation 3.
• Warranty: One year limited

What's in the box.

The ProMini has a back-lit, five-row, QWERTY layout. The keys all have discernible travel and a reassuring and slightly audible click when pressed. The punctuation keys except the period require holding one of the two shift or Fn (function) keys. Four standard cursor keys (up, down, left, right) are included on dedicated keys.

Special function keys like a “.com”, “www” and play/pause, fast-forward, rewind and volume-up, volume-down, and mute are available when you hold down the function key.

There are two buttons above the keys that the documentation explains are to serve as a home key for iOS and Android. They do this, but instead of one working with iOS and the other for Android as described. I found that one worked for both functions and the other didn’t have any effect whatsoever. That same key also launched a browser on my Windows and Ubuntu machines.

The keyboard connects to your device through Bluetooth, and Magic-Pro included a small USB Bluetooth dongle for PCs that don’t have native Bluetooth support. There are no drivers included and with one exception they shouldn’t be necessary.

Power is provided by a Lithium-Ion battery that charges with a USB (micro) connection from either your computer or many USB chargers. I appreciate the use of standard charging ports as it means there’s one less cable to pack and they’re easily obtainable when I forget to bring it or, leave it plugged into the outlet at a hotel.

Apple iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone sync/charge cables are not compatible, but depending on which charger you’re using it may work with the ProMini’s cable. Battery life of the ProMini (30 hours of use or 30 days on standby) is such that you really shouldn’t have to worry about charging unless you’re going away for a long time or have to do a lot of typing. If it’s the latter, you probably won’t want to be using the ProMini anyway. The battery is not easily user-replaceable.

The ProMini’s case is made out of plastic and while it doesn’t look like the most well-built/sturdy device I’ve seen it felt relatively solid in my hands. The keyboard tested was black, but Magic-Pro’s literature and website also indicate that it may be available in white.

Testing

I set out to test the keyboard with a variety of devices including my T-Mobile/HTC G2 smartphone running Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), an Apple iPad running iOS 4.3.3 (Jail-broken), an Apple iPod Touch (4G) running iOS 4.3.5, a PC desktop running Windows 7 x64 SP1, an IBM ThinkPad T42 running Ubuntu 11.04, and an Asus Transformer tablet running Android 3.2 (Honeycomb). I added a Sprint/Samsung Nexus S running Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) to the testing after having problems connecting the ProMini with the G2.

Other than the two Android-powered smartphones the ProMini paired, connected and worked very well. The mouse functions did not work with the Apple devices, but that’s related to the lack of mouse support in iOS and not a failing of the ProMini.

Android Issues

There is a tiny asterisk next to the Android compatibility statement on the back of the ProMini box for good reason. Android does not include Bluetooth keyboard drivers as part of the operating system. Compatibility is on a device-by-device basis.

However, even if the ProMini doesn’t work out of the box with your Android phone it’s not impossible to get it up and running. I had a similar problem when trying to connect my Apple Wireless keyboard to my Asus Transformer. I rooted through through the Android market for a solution, and found the “BlueKeyboard Pro JP” by Elbrain it worked for the Transformer and the Apple keyboard, and worked again on both phones with the ProMini. BlueKeyboard has a free version or for roughly $2 you can buy the upgrade that incorporates additional features like a user dictionary. While it’s not a difficult task to download, install and configure this keyboard driver it is an extra step and could be confusing to some.

Pairing and Connection

Other than the aforementioned Android phones, pairing the keyboard was pretty much the standard Bluetooth experience. You start by turning the keyboard on and then pressing the “connect” button which sits next to the power switch, and is slightly recessed to prevent accidentally activation. A blue light begins to blink and you then start the Bluetooth device scan on your device. Follow a couple of on-screen instructions and it should take the place of, or work in addition to any keyboard and mouse. As with most Bluetooth devices you only need to go through the pairing process once per device with connection occurring automatically thereafter.

It Works Quite Well

So, how did the keyboard work? Well, about as I expected with a couple of minor flaws. When I compared it to the built-in hardware keyboard on the T-Mobile G2 I found it slightly easier to use. Its keys are a bit larger and it has a full five rows of keys rather than four on the G2. They’re both still thumb keyboards though so the advantage wasn’t enough for me to want to carry the ProMini around in addition to my phone. I’m sure some former Blackberry/Treo owners that are now using iPhones might be interested in the ProMini.

Tablet owners with small hands could potentially find use for the device, but it would be difficult to use the ProMini while also holding the tablet. I thought of duct-taping it to the bottom of my iPad, but it covered up the sling-shot in Angry Birds so I had to abandon the idea.

On the PC and ThinkPad the keyboard/mouse worked as well as you would expect any combination keyboard/mouse to work. While I did not test the ProMini with a Macintosh, I expect that it would work with OSX without significant issues.

I can think of a couple of uses for a device this small and a PC; Home Theater PC use and as a substitute for a remote mouse when giving presentations. I tried the ProMini with our HTPCs and it worked well, but there are better alternatives with dedicated media keys  like the Lenovo Multimedia Remote/Keyboard in the same price range. As a presentation mouse it serves adequately.

Two Minor Complaints

Other than the Android connection problem I had a couple of very minor issues with the ProMini. The backlit keyboard is controlled by a button that works at any time except when you’re initially pairing the device. So, when you have to type in the numeric code to complete the initial pairing you have to make sure you have enough light in the room to see the keys.

My other nit involves the alternate uses for the keys. On the black keyboard the key caps have the main character in white and then one or two alternate characters/functions in much smaller red or blue font.  For anyone without very sharp vision these are going to be difficult to read.

Conclusion

So, that’s about it for the ProMini BT Joy. If you have a need for a very small “thumb-board “ it seems as though it will do the job. I’m sure some people will consider it small enough, and inexpensive enough (list price is $69) to carry around  for the every-so-often situation where it can make input into a variety of devices a bit easier and faster. To me it’s a bit pricey, and I’m not sure if I see a real need, but it does what they say it will do so I’ll still give this “thumb board” a thumbs up.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Keyboard, Mobile gear

Magic-Pro ProMini BT-Joy Bluetooth Keyboard Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Never find yourself in need of a WiFi hotspot again-it will be in your pocket.   The Verizon MiFi 2200 is an uber-portable (roughly the size of a credit card, about as thick as an iPod) hotspot, connecting up to 5 WiFi-enabled devices simultaneously to Verizon’s 3G network.  Added bonus–when attached to a laptop through USB it switches to the world’s sexiest broadband modem and also charges itself.  I spent a little bit of time trying out my company’s MiFi and instantly fell in love–then again anything that eases my daily three+ hours of commute by train will win my affection

The MiFi sports a 4-hour charge while in WiFi use, 40 on standby.   You still have Verizon’s data plans to contend with.  The MiFi itself is $99.99 (after rebate)-$150 (full price) with a two-year data plan at either  $40 (256MB data usage) or $60 ( 5GB data usage).  Not a Verizon customer?  Sprint has their own MiFi 2200 (both are  manufactured by Novatel Wireless) with identical features and price points.

Filed in categories: Travel Gear, Wireless

Tagged: Mobile gear, WiFi

Rise of the MiFi originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2009 at 5:42 pm.

The iPhone is a wonderful, addictive, and mind-enhancing device. People joke about the social cachet or the hubris of iPhone users, noting that they sit them on the table, or seem to always have a reason to bring them out when in public. Well, for some it may be social status, but for most of the iPhone users I know, it’s just that there is so much to do with it, and the apps are so varied and interesting, that you just don’t want to put it down.

(Reality check: I owned several Palms for most of the decade before getting an iPhone, and had loads of applications on them. They managed eBooks, calendar, brought in information when I’d sync and, with the last device, the Tungsten|C, would surf the Internet over WiFi. I’m not new to cell phones or handheld computers, but the iPhone broke the mold.) The difference in the iPhone and many of the devices that came before is that the internet – full and unvarnished, is not only available, but paid for. Every plan (at least in the US) includes all-you-can-eat data. If you also opt into the unlimited texting package, you can do a lot of communicating, searching, and writing on these devices, without ever once placing a phone call or increasing your monthly service charge.

The problem with all these capabilities is that it takes quite a bit of energy to power everything. The iPhone has four, count-em, four, radios: Cellular, GPS, BlueTooth, and WiFi. In contrast, my Tungsten|C had only WiFi. My Sony-Ericsson phone only had Cellular and Bluetooth. So not only did I use these devices less, but their batteries seemed to last forever. Sure, they could charge quickly, and would last for days, but anything lasts for days if you don’t use it. A few weeks back, I was in Victoria, British Columbia for two days, and left data and text off, due to Rodger’s onerous roaming pricing. (Last time I spent two days in Canada (Nova Scotia) and allowed my iPhone to roam, it cost $60 for the data use, on top of my regular phone bill. Yeowch!) On those days, I noticed that the battery on my iPhone seemed to be lasting longer, even though I’d use it in and around the hotel, where there was free WiFi. So, as many pundits and commentators have written, it’s not that the iPhone battery is so bad or can’t be replaced. The issue is that it runs down because it’s in almost constant use.

So, given that we need to use the iPhone, what are we to do? Some folks outfit their cars with 12-volt USB connectors or charging cables, others make sure they have a charging cable in their home, their office and in their bag, so they can top off at coffee shops, airports, libraries or where ever they stop to use their laptop. I’ve done both of those, but recently have found a third and, in many ways, easier solution: I’ve been using a Mophie Juice Pack.

What's in the box? Another box?

The Mophie Juice Pack comes with a lot of packaging.

There are several similar devices on the market, all doing the same thing: it attaches to the iPhone and recharges the battery, so that you don’t have to find a power plug or USB charger. So, how does it function? Let’s take a look and find out.

In the Box – another box?

The Juice Pack and a 30″ USB cable are held in a cardboard filler in a cardboard shelf hanger box with a clear plastic window. There’s a short instruction booklet wrapped in a cardboard iPhone prop inserted in the Juice Pack. It’s an attractive package, very well done, but it’s quite a bit of paper to toss out, once you get the actual unit out.

The claims on the back flap of the box seem quite extravagant:

Talk Time:

up to additional 6 hours (3G network)
up to additional 12 hours (2G Network)

Internet use:

up to additional 6 hours (3G)
up to additional 7 hours (WiFi)
Standby time: up to additional 350 hours
Audio Playback: up to additional 28 hours
Video playback: up to additional 8 hours

The interior and exterior of the Mophie Juice Pack can be had in any color scheme you want - provided you want flat black with day-glo green inside!

The device itself is a custom-molded sled for a single iPhone model. On the bottom, there is a USB mini jack; on the back, four blue diode power indicators for amount of charge left. (It comes at least partially charged. You can see the diodes through a window in the back of the display box.) Inside is a full iPhone/Touch dock-type connector which enables pass-through syncing and concurrent charging. The sled covers the back of the iPhone up to about halfway through the camera lens. There’s a notch for the lens to “see” fully.

The four blue charge indicator diodes are activated by a small button. The unit comes partially charged. Here, the mini-USB plug can be seen, as well as the rear coverage.

Since it’s a solid, single piece, there are no joints to creak or give. The inner plastic is a bright, day-glo green, with the outside a flat black. The fit is so tight that no case or skin that I have seen can be on the iPhone when it’s inserted. It’s actually a bit difficult to pull the iPhone out of the sled once it’s charged, at least when it’s new. After a few days of charging with it, the fit is relaxed, but still very secure. To each side of the iPhone connector, there are small indentations that focus the speaker sound out of the case and toward the front.

Pass-through change and sync in the cradle are enabled with the included USB cable. Note the spaces left for sound to pass through.

When the iPhone is in the sled, it’s just slightly wider and thicker, and a little heavier than the bare unit. The texture is a bit less slick and easier for my dry skin to hold onto than the smooth, shiny bare phone. That’s the reason I usually use a silicone case: with the skin, the phone has enough surface texture to stay in my hand or shirt pocket without sliding. One drawback of putting your iPhone in the Juice Pack is that you’ll have to find a place to store any case or skin you may be using. You may be tempted to leave your iPhone in the battery pack all the time, but that’s not recommended. Neither the internal battery or the ones in the Juice Pack are designed to constantly be under charge.

When you slide the phone into the sled’s dock, the charging screen with the green battery icon appears briefly, just as it does when you plug it into a charge cable. Depending on how low your battery is, it should charge up almost as quickly as your computer would charge it. I was able to get a full charge within an hour or less from a very low state. Once it had fully charged the iPhone, the Juice Pack’s LED status display had moved from 4 dots (full) to two solid. You’d think that would mean you could fully change your iPhone fully again, but you’d be wrong. Once the Juice Pack gets low, it is not as fast to supply power to a phone that’s almost charged back. I thought about doing a little more testing, starting with 75% change on the phone and 50% in the Juice Pack, but with only graphics and no real numbers, these measurements are so subjective as to be worthless. All in all, the battery life seemed in keeping with the claims mentioned above. Suffice it to say that you can get well over 250% of your usual battery life if you carry one of these packs. (The full internal battery, then a full recharge, and then close to another half-charge, all without being near power or a USB charger.) I’ve also left it unused in my bag for the better part of a week, and still get 4 full dots of power available on the meter. That’s quite a security blanket.

Recharging the Juice Pack is a breeze. You plug it in to a mini USB cable, with or without your iPhone connected. The beauty of this is that you can sync and charge your iPhone while it’s connected with this cable, so you don’t even have to have a regular sync cable.

If you’re constantly on the move, this is a great thing to have in your bag. Since you can use the iPhone fully while it’s being charged in the Juice Pack, it’s actually better than having a replacement battery: you can talk for a few hours, realize you’re getting low, slide the phone into the sled while still talking, and it will charge up – while you’re still talking. With a battery swap, you have to disconnect, open the unit, change the battery out, put the cover back on, restart, then reconnect to your party.

I had absolutely no issues with the Mophie in the field. I’ve used a lot of gadgets over the years, and it’s quite rare to find one that so cleanly and fully meets the expectations it sets. For $99.95 (that’s $100 to normal people), it’s a box full of worry-free usage. Five stars.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Travel Gear

Tagged: iPhone power, Mobile gear

Mophie Juice Pack Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2009 at 3:00 am.