Registered: Dec 2000
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 134

well, i have read a lot of good reviews about the stowaway, which i plan on buying at bestbuy where i can get a $20 discount (and use some gift cards). how does everyone like it? is it good quality? i like the shortcut keys and especially the portability factor. thanks in advance.

brandon

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 137

Stowaway is cool

I got a Stowaway for my VDX back in October.
It's useful, and it's especially cool.

If you think you'll use it, it's definitely a great price now.

I haven't used it as much as I thought I would...mostly because I forget to carry it with me.

For the discount, it's a great buy. However, it makes me think that a new version may be coming out soon.

Mike

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 17

Stowaway difficult to use

I returned the stowaway I bought because I found it very difficult to get the Visor on or off it. it felt like I was going to break one on or the other. The other Pal stowaways are not like this at all. They slide right on and off.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: London
Posts: 81

I bought one of these pieces and now use my visor a LOT!
Every night you can hear me tapping away! I actually look forward to letters, so I can use the keyboard. People all over the globe are suddenly receiving letters and emails from me! Lol!

Soundsgood Mp3 player comes in........in 9 days time

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 13

Love mine

Best add on for the Visor. I use mine all the time. Works great with no problems. I worried that it would be too flimsy, but I have had mine since they released and have no issues with it at all.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

It's great, but I wish it:

- slanted instead of laying flat
- had alt and ctrl keys on both sides of the space bar
- had a numeric keypad mode.

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Jeff

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 287

Well, what can I say..! Technical Excellence of the Year according to PC Magazine, also a great product for PC world and for me, the best gadget I've ever bought.

I bought it around Augost and I've been using it since then to take a lot of notes in class. I've never have a problem with it using my VDX on those days. Now, that I have a Prism and I've registered for WordSmith, I'm more than excited about taking notes, I wish college would start tomorrow, so I can take a lot of notes with my [b]STOWAWAY KEYBOARD[\b].

Also, there is a new driver that gives you a color icon and layout options. Look for it in http://www.thinkoutside.com

A few last words, it takes a few days to get use to hook it in and out but you'll get use to it. However, some poeple find it hard to get use to this. Believe me, NOTHING will break, you just have to pull it up slowly to one side, pressing down on the keyboard (close to the serial port)with you fingers. Now I'm so use to it that I don't even think on how to do it, it's like changing the gears of your car.

Hope this helps

Al

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It all started way back in February 2000 with a Blue VDX.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

With or without the $20 discount, get it. I never thought I'd use my Visor to replace my laptop until I got the Stowaway early last year. Then about a couple of months ago, it occured to me that I hadn't turned on my laptop in about three weeks. With WordSmith, another must-get, you can create Doc files that synch to your PC as MS Word files. The only time I use the laptop now is for coding in Visual C++, VDK Builder or Falch.net.

The prongs that hold the Visor in place on the Stowaway do seem like they might break the first few days you try to attach the Visor to it, but like acajigas says, you get used to it. It also takes a few days for the prongs to "break in"; once you attach and remove the Visor enough times, you don't feel like you have to force it down anymore.

I use the Stowaway several times a day, everyday, and carry it with me everywhere.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 134

Thanks for the replies everyone! I just got my Stowaway today and it is an awesome accessory for the Visor. I paid $80 and it seems like it was well worth it. took a couple minutes to figure out how to attach, but i think in a couple days it will be a piece of cake. again, thanks for the replies, i gotta play with the keyboard :-)

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

If you are into hacks, check out LapTopHack.
It makes your keyboard much more powerful.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Interests: Women, Drums, Visors, Computers, Home Theater and any cool gadgets.
Posts: 138

quote:

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Originally posted by acajigas

Also, there is a new driver that gives you a color icon and layout options. Look for it in http://www.thinkoutside.com

---

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I don't NEED color, I crave it!
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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 8

Stowaway

I hesitated because of the price. Once I got it, I became an instant fan. It's easy to use and does exactly what it is meant to do. The name of the game is convenience. I use it all the time, and it saves me the trouble of having to be near a computer. It is absolutely portable. I have seem some questions about the "sturdy" factor. Well, it is not designed so that you can use it to play football, but neither is your handheld. It is at least as sturdy as your Visor, and perhaps more so. I recommend it highly.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 287

quote:

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Originally posted by Babylon5
I downloaded the latest from their site twice and still it is only version 1.2 of the driver and has no color icon. Can you tell me what version yours is reporting? You did download it from the Visor section right?

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It all started way back in February 2000 with a Blue VDX.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location:
Posts: 49

For those who do own a Stowaway keyboard, would you recommend this keyboard if the visor was also to be used with a modem or wireless modem. The reason I ask is that I have seen the Stowaway up close and noticed applying even a small amount of pressure to the top of the visor unit cause the keyboard to bend up away from the surface. I would be concerned that some of the heavier modems, Minstrel S, may result in damage to the keyboard or decreased peformance/comfort of the keyboard.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Posts: 79

Leave the laptop at home if all you need is email, and a "quick" office. I use the Stowaway with a ThinModem. I recommend getting the 4 inch female telephone connector from Card Access to attach to a desk telephone.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

quote:

---

Originally posted by acajigas

quote:

---

Originally posted by Babylon5
I downloaded the latest from their site twice and still it is only version 1.2 of the driver and has no color icon. Can you tell me what version yours is reporting? You did download it from the Visor section right?

---

You could download the developers kit for free and get the new version.

Al

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 134

yardie, i could send it to you, what is your email?

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brandon
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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Interests: Women, Drums, Visors, Computers, Home Theater and any cool gadgets.
Posts: 138

quote:

---

Originally posted by pcgamingnet.com
yardie, i could send it to you, what is your email?

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I also would not mind this but worry about them being beta and not stable? If they are stable then why are they not downloadable any other way? If you feel they are stable please send them to me as well 8o)

We should start an egroup(s.com) for the keyboard.

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I don't NEED color, I crave it!
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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1062

WHY DID I WAIT???

I could stand it no longer and took myself off to Staples during lunch today. The Stowaway is every bit as nifty as y'all have said...I am experiencing some difficulty with putting VDX on/off keyboard.

Two questions:
1. the software that came with mine was version 1.0. reading this thread i see that i do not have the latest

2. will this keyboard work with platinum if i ever can upgrade?

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Interests: Women, Drums, Visors, Computers, Home Theater and any cool gadgets.
Posts: 138

Re: WHY DID I WAIT???

quote:

---

Originally posted by K. Cannon
I could stand it no longer and took myself off to Staples during lunch today. The Stowaway is every bit as nifty as y'all have said...I am experiencing some difficulty with putting VDX on/off keyboard.

Two questions:
1. the software that came with mine was version 1.0. reading this thread i see that i do not have the latest

2. will this keyboard work with platinum if i ever can upgrade?

---

You get used to taking it on and off. You just have to convince yourself that those little tabs won't rip off when removing it or shoving it on

Yes get a later driver from their web site.

Yes it will work with ALL current Visor models and *should* work with future ones as well. They better

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I don't NEED color, I crave it!
<BR>Just a fan! <A HREF=" http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/ "><IMG SRC=" http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/nav/foot-station.gif "></A><BR>