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Review: HP Jornada, HP iPAQ, and Dell
Thumb Keyboards INTRODUCTION The three thumb keyboards reviewed were all purchased from the Pocket PC’s manufacturer (Compaq, Dell, and HP). The Pocket PCs used for testing were a Compaq iPAQ 3850, a Dell Axim X5 Advanced, and an HP Jornada 565. LIST PRICES FOR REVIEWED THUMB KEYBOARDS Dell Snap-on Thumb Keyboard
$44.95 REVIEW CRITERIA
Here is an explanation for each criterion and comments of what I found. Price. The list prices for all three keyboards are nearly the same. However, my ranking is based on the value I believe I get from the product compared to what I paid for it. I believe the iPAQ and Axim keyboards would be more appropriately priced around $20 while the Jornada keyboard should be around $40. This belief is, I hope, justified by the comments that follow the other criteria described here. Keyboard Layout. The iPAQ and Axim keyboards have identical keyboard layouts as well as button size and shape. The only difference is that the iPAQ keyboard duplicates the iPAQ’s hardware buttons while the Axim keyboard wisely avoids it by leaving the actual Axim hardware buttons exposed and usable. The iPAQ and Axim keyboards perversely assign the period to a function key. This means that you are forced to press two buttons to type a period. The iPAQ and Axim keyboard Del (backspace) keys are small. It is easy to hit either the P key (above Del) or Tab (below Del) and make an entry mistake. The space bar for these two keyboards are also too small. The Jornada keyboard’s keys are larger and have a good spacing between the keys. I find I am less likely to strike the wrong key compared to the Axim and iPAQ models. Unlike the Axim and iPAQ keyboards, the Jornada keyboard have unshifted keys for both the period (.) and comma (,). This is most sensible since every sentence has a period at the end. I end up having the letter ‘m’ (the letter than share the key with the period) at the end of sentences on the Axim and iPAQ keyboards since I do not always press the Fn (function) key exactly right when trying to type a period. Typing Ease. Many factors are involved here. The keyboard layout issues is a big factor. Other factors are the size of individual keys, the space between the keys, the shape of the keys, and the amount of pressure required to produce a keystroke. The Axim and iPAQ keyboards are usable but inferior to the Jornada keyboard in this measure. The end result is thumb typing is slower and more error prone on the Axim and iPAQ keyboards. Visibility in the Dark. I am not a thumb-touch-typist (although I do touch type on conventional keyboards). I look at the thumb keys to type. If you ever need to take notes in a darkened room during a presentation, you understand the issue here. The Jornada keyboard keys light up in the dark. The Axim and iPAQ keys do not. No contest here. Size. You can see from the photo that the already bulky iPAQ 3850 with a PC Card Plus sleeve (I would need at least CF card access for any Pocket PC I use) becomes the largest Pocket PC with the thumb keyboard attached. The Axim combination is slightly smaller. And, the Jornada with thumb keyboard has the smallest footprint. Function Impairment. Installing a keyboard adds typing functionality. But, this comes at a cost in other Pocket PC functions. Here are the issues you find when installing each of these keyboards on their target Pocket PC. Axim Keyboard. The keyboard covers the power and data port on the bottom of the unit. It also increases the Axim’s footprint and makes it unable to fit in form fitted cases. This leaves the Axim vulnerable to screen damage and forces you to detach the keyboard if you want to protect the screen while traveling. This increases the possibility of losing the keyboard. iPAQ Keyboard. This keyboard also covers the iPAQ 3850’s combination power/data connector. It also covers the soft-reset button which is also at the bottom of the unit. It increases the footprint size (and, in fact, has the largest footprint of any Pocket PC/Thumb Keyboard combination reviewed here). Although the 3850 sleeves have covers, the iPAQ keyboard prevents the sleeve’s cover from closing. The iPAQ keyboard creates the most function impairment of the keyboards reviewed here. Jornada Keyboard. This keyboard also prevents access to the power and data connectors. And, it increases the footprint of the unit. However, its footprint and overall bulk increase is the least of any of the keyboards reviewed here. This is interesting since it also provides the largest keyboard layout of the reviewed thumb keyboards. The keyboard chassis comes with its own screen cover. This means that you can transport the Jornada without detaching the keyboard. Ruggedness. Keyboards literally get struck a lot. The ‘F’ key on my iPAQ keyboard became difficult to use in just a few months. It now takes up to 5 key presses to produce the letter ‘F’. Since the Axim keyboard appears to be from the same manufacturer, I assume it too will develop stability problems soon. The Jornada keyboard, on the other hand, remains reliable even though it has seen the most use. Attachment & Detachment Ease. The function impairments described above means that you cannot leave the keyboards on all the time. You must detach them to perform other functions (e.g., recharge the battery). The iPAQ keyboard attaches relatively easily (with or without various sleeves attached). However, the bottom release button requires a bit of finger gymnastics to detach the unit. The Axim keyboard has buttons on each side of the unit which are a little bit easier to deal with. However, both keyboards require significant pressure to attach or detach. I wonder if this damages the Pocket PC’s finish after time. The Jornada keyboard has two spring loaded clips on each side to attach to the Jornada’s cover clips. It also has an easy push-in connector at the bottom. None of these mechanisms are ideal. But, I have a preference for the Jornada’s design. SUMMARY |
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