Some months back, we heard that a virtual keyboard was about to be offered to the mobile community. Of course there was a lot of hype about it, and some felt it just couldn't be real. Well folks, it's not only real, it's accurate, easy to use, and wireless! A new era of convenient, mobile text entry has begun with the introduction of the iTECH Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard (VKB).
The Bluetooth VKB consists of a small rectangular projector/sensor module slightly larger than a super-size pack of gum. It uses a built-in "holographic optical element" with a red diode laser to project the image of a full-size QWERTY keyboard on a flat surface in front of it. At the same time, it transmits a plane of infrared light a few millimeters above the same flat surface. When you touch a key on the projected image, the infrared light is reflected off of your finger to a sensor in the front of the unit. The sensor processes the signal, determines which key was pressed, and transmits the information to a Bluetooth-equipped Pocket PC or other device. The sensor has the ability to track multiple keystrokes at the same time, allowing you to press CTRL-Fn and other key combinations.
After spending some serious time with it on several of my iPAQs, I can tell you that this is one seriously cool device that promises to be the accessory of the year!
Out of the box
The Bluetooth VKB ships with the projector/sensor module, a leather case, a charger, a Quick Start Guide, and a mini CD with the drivers, software, and a full User Guide in PDF format. The AC power cord comes with a European electrical plug. Customers in the US must purchase an adapter plug. The leather case is nicely made with a soft cloth interior to protect the module and a magnetic clip to keep the cover firmly closed.
As mentioned, the projector/sensor module is a small and portable unit that could easily be carried in your shirt pocket, pocketbook, or one of those new cell phone pockets they are adding to jackets. The module is a rich metallic speckled dark gray color—almost a perfect match for my iPAQ hx4700. A shiny black plastic window located in the lower front of the module allows the infrared transmissions to pass through. Above the black plastic is a red plastic window through which a red diode laser projects a perfect image of a QWERTY keyboard onto a flat surface in front of it. The AC adapter receptacle and a reset buttonhole are located on the lower left and right edges of the device. The battery cover on the back of the device has a tiny hole at the top used to release it when the rechargeable battery needs to be replaced. The power-on button is located on the top of the unit. Finally, a tiny safety button sticks out of the bottom of the device. When you stand the module upright, this button is pushed in, enabling the device. Lifting the device releases the button, shutting the VKB off.
Installation and typing are easy
Installing the software driver and the VKB program on my iPAQ was easy. The VKB software program is fairly straightforward. There are six tabs on the program's main screen, giving you a variety of adjustments to improve your user experience. However, I found that the default settings were perfect for me. The only complaint I have is that the battery monitor built into the program is not very accurate.
Once activated, the Bluetooth VKB projects an image of a full-sized, 63 key QWERTY keyboard measuring 11.6 x 3.75 inches (295 x 95mm). After enabling Bluetooth and activating Bluetooth Manager on my iPAQ, I was able to pair the devices easily. A few additional selections within the VKB program and I was ready to type. (In subsequent connections, your Pocket PC recognizes the VKB almost instantaneously.) It is important to remember that the VKB program must be running in the background for subsequent pairings to work.
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