Mobile Journalism Reporting Tools Guide
| Tangible Keyboards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Pro Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard | Apple Wireless Keyboard | |
| Cost | $142.94 | $69.00 |
| Size | 12.6" | 12 1/16" |
| Weight | 9.1 oz. | 14.1 oz. |
| Mobile Platforms Supported | Symbian, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Android, iOS 3Gs+ | iPad, Bluetooth-enable Mac with Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later |
| Special Keys | Answer Call, End/Reject call, Open Messages/email, Open Address book, Open task and Open Calendar. | Dashboard, Brightness, All windows, Play, Volume, Eject |
| Power Source | 2 AAA Batteries | 2 AA Batteries |
| Recommended? | Recommended | Highly Recommended |
| Where to buy | Freedom Input Website | Apple Store |
| Manufacturer | Freedom Input | Apple |
| Virtual Keyboards | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8pen | SlideIT | |
| Cost | $1.58 | $8.22 |
| Size | 0.2 MB | ~900 KB |
| Mobile Platforms Supported | Android 1.6+ | Android, Symbian (Nikon), Windows Mobile |
| QWERTY | No | Yes |
| Recommended? | Recommended | Highly Recommended |
| Where to buy | Android Market | Android Market |
| Manufacturer | 8pen | Dasur |
Freedom Pro
Review by: Amanda Heisey
This wireless keyboard is easy to set up and doesn't require a lot of stress to get it working. Just follow the instructions and you'll have it up and running. The Freedom Pro works with the Android and iPhone. We tested it at a decent distance and it worked even when we were in different rooms. It's so much easier to type notes and get things organized with a keyboard. The small screens are frustrating to type on especially if you have clumsy, fat fingers. There's nothing better than being able to type without correcting your spelling errors every two seconds.
The best feature about the Freedom Pro has to be its ability to fold up. That's my favorite aspect of it. It fits wherever you need it and comes with a case so you never have to worry about destroying it. The keyboard is a little cramped because of the folding, so it does take a little getting used to. It's not a big problem, but it is annoying at first. I'd take getting used to this keyboard over the tiny iPhone or Android ones any day though. I think a wireless keyboard is definitely a good and necessary investment. It's too difficult to keep up with notes and internet searches without being able to type.
Apple Wireless Keyboard
Review by: Jennifer Elston
The Apple Wireless Keyboard is my favorite of our two Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard. It doesn't fold like the Freedom Pro, but the Apple keyboard is only $69.00 compared to, $142.94 for the Freedom Pro. The Apple keyboard is made of metal and even though it doesn't fold, it is a lot more durable. The keyboard is fully functional and the keys are normally spaced out.
It is very simple to set this keyboard up. Simply put two double-A batteries in one side and turn on the keyboard on the other side. Then, if you are using it on your phone, go to Settings > General > Bluetooth. Turn it on and it picks the keyboard up very quickly. You can use this keyboard from a long distance (although I don't know why you would want to). If you are using the keyboard on your computer, click on the Bluetooth icon on your computer and click Browse Device.
The Apple keyboard is only half of the price of the Freedom Pro and works just as well.
8pen
Review by: Jennifer Elston
The first virtual keyboard, 8pen, is an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. The letters are placed on four axes and are arranged in a way so the most common letters used are closer to the middle. This keyboard is supposed to more of a natural motion than the common "pecking" of texting and typing on a mobile device. To type on the 8pen, start your finger on the black dot. If you want to type 'a,' slide your finger from the dot on the side of the red bar where the 'a' is located. Continue moving over the red line and back to the black dot. If you pick up your finger, this will create a space. The circular motions are supposed to mimic writing.
Not surprisingly, this keyboard is very hard to get used to. The letters are not imprinted in my brain like they are with a QWERTY keyboard. I had to keep looking down to find the letters, but sometimes my finger was covering the letters so I had to pick my finger up, creating a space, and take a peek. It took a fair amount of time to get accustomed to this keyboard, but once I got the hang out it I started to like it. It was almost like a game - I wanted to get the process right - without any mistakes. Supposedly, with this keyboard, you will not have to look what you are typing once you memorize the letters, which could be very handy and fast for anyone in need of quick messages. I recommend this application if you have patience and don't mind taking a long time to send messages for a while. For more information, visit the 8pen website or watch the informational video here.
SlideIT
Review by: Jennifer Elston
The second virtual keyboard, SlideIT, is an easier way to type on the traditional QWERTY keyboard. Not trying to be cheesy, but instead of picking up your finger, simply slide it - like the name says. It makes typing so much faster than the pecking method of traditional keyboards on mobile devices. Now, people don't have to worry about their finger being too large. You can turn this writing style on and off, so it is really easy to try. It doesn't take very long to get accustomed to this style because you already know the layout and placement of the keys. The only downside of this keyboard is that it tries to guess what word you mean since your fingers don't always hit the proper keys. If you are trying to type in a word that it doesn't recognize it may come up with a "?" or guess something incorrectly. This isn't really a problem, though, because you can add words to the app's vocabulary. This application also comes complete with Graffiti mode, which allows you to draw numbers and letters, which are then read by the mobile device. All in all, I would highly recommend this version of QWERTY typing. It it fast, easy to learn and very convenient. For more information, visit SlideIT's website.
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