Registered: May 2000
Location: Rome, NY
Posts: 28

For those who have owned a Stowaway for several months,
How durable do you find it? I have read some posts of people being concerned with parts looking like they have frayed or have become fragile.

Thanks in advance.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 29

I've only had it for about a week, but so far so good...

I really like the fact that the keys are full sized, but at least one other keyb has it beat in that it can serve as a craddle too which may allow others to use it to connect to a cell phone... (maybe) (although the keys and travel are less than optimal)

The keyboard looks flimsy, but I think it is well engineered. The ribbons at the hinges are actually protected by a flexible strip of plastic on both sides, so It should protect tehm a least a bit... if you are going to use it for heavy duty applications (where it may fall, etc) I would consider the other keyboards... if, OTOH you want it to work as a confortable keyboard in a controlled environment, the stowaway can't be beat...

Art

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Dr.Art

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Redwood City CA
Posts: 472

I've had one since it originally came out, and it's holding up fine. Lots of people have expressed concern that it might be fragile, but I don't recally hearing from an owner who has actually broken it.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 38

I've had mine since late May, 2000. I use it probably 5-10 hours a week and open and close it 10-20 times a week. No problems what so ever. I think it is very well made and the early concerns about durability have been proven wrong.

- Ryan

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 19

I have had the Stowaway since June 2000. Have not had any problems with it - I am a family practice doc and have used (and abused) it under hospital conditions. It is holding up well when on call and I have not noted any signs of wear. Will continue to post if I have any problems.

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GreyWolf

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 289

ditto for me .. had my Stowaway since May and over the past month, I have been using it about 5-8 hours a week, lots of opening & closing of it (quite a bit just to show it off) and no problems...

Joe

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 165

At risk of being repetitive, I've had my Stowaway since May with no problems whatsoever. Mine gets maybe an hours' use each week, sometimes more. It's working better than ever with the latest driver from ThinkOutside.

It's an engineering marvel and well built to boot, but I wouldn't recommend dropping it or tossing it down the stairs. I think a good rule of thumb is to handle the unit with the same care as your Visor; it doesn't have an LCD screen but it is a complex electronic device. Fr'instance, when it's folded you can just drop it in your pocket or bag and go, but you wouldn't want to accidentally slam a car door on it, y'know?

If any VC readers out there are on the fence about the Stowaway, just GET IT!!! It is a an indispensible accessory for your Visor, and for its price and how much it expands the Visor's functionality, it's a great deal compared to most of the Springboard modules currently available.

-Andy

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<br>"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" -Frank Lloyd Wright

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 21

Stowaway Problems

I'm still experiencing intermittent problems w/ it. Specifically the right Shift, Enter and Arrow keys, which frequently don't work and require reseting the unit. I've yet to determine whether this is a software (v 1.2) or a physical one w/ the keys.

It's a pain in the ass.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 308

You'd be suprised how durable it is, I haven't put it to any tests and I constantly afarid that I'm about to break it, but the truth is that it works great, and that we will all be forced to upgrade long before any of them ware out.

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"Everybody don't like something and we all don't like you." -- Richard Thompson, Hard Luck Stories

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Lafayette, CA, USA
Posts: 6

As I high school student, I use my Stowaway about an hour a day (at least) to take notes and write...err...type down homework. I open and close it about 4 times a day, not to mention all the times I open and close it just to show my friends (who think it is the coolest thing on the planet). The worst part is, when I'm done, I just toss it into my back pack with my calculator. At first, I was worried about doing so, but after a week, there were still no problems and it works great. I would definately recomend getting one.

PS BTW, I just love the looks my teachers give me when I whip the keyboard out during class and start taking notes. It just makes my day!

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 5

I've been using it for several months now (August 2000) about four times per week; it still turns heads and garners lots of attention. No indication of wear at all; today I was at a meeting where another person had a Palm V with a Stowaway, she pulled it out of a felt case (I did feel a twinge of envy, the one for the Visor does <b>not</b> come with any case).

If you are still undecided I also say GET IT. You will not be disappointed.

With the RhinoPak 3000, you'll have enough room for your Stowaway, the Visor AND a cellphone, even a MiniJam mp3 player.

It is very well made, and I'm still amazed at this marvel of engineering.

Scooter

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Moved to Clie Land
Posts: 331

Thanks USONIAN...didn't know there was a new driver for my Stowaway(where have I been?)

For everyone else who's behind, here is the page STOWAWAY DRIVER PAGE

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"Stupid Handspring."

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beverly, MA
Posts: 125

be careful

I have had my Stowaway for a few months now, and I have had one problem with it - when I was putting it away once, I accidentally caught my finger under the Y key and it came loose. I had to spend a half hour trying to get it to clip back on... but I eventually did get it. Yes, they're fragile - the real vulnerability is when you have the keyboard partially folded up and the sides of some of the keys are exposed. You don't want to catch anything on them like I did. Other than that, it's great. Somehow I feel I can type faster on this keyboard than any other keyboard.... I keep it and my Visor in a Rhinopak 2000 case, to avoid bumps and scratches.

Peter

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Registered: Feb 2000
Location: GA
Posts: 17

Argh, well I'm sitting here on the fence about getting one and i think I will just have to go ahead and get one. One of the docs has one where i work and she was using hers to take notes during a meeting on her puny palm VII and I was just sitting there thinking that I should be doing the same. Ah well whats another $100 for a poor student anyway. Thanks for reliability reports.
MOO!!!

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