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Looking for a Keyboard that leaves the Serial Port open


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Topic: Looking for a Keyboard that leaves the Serial Port open

bwohlgemuth
Member

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 7

Looking for a Keyboard that leaves the Serial Port open

Hello All,

I'm looking for a portable keyboard that can be used when my Visor is connected to my cell phone. Basically, I want to be able to be able to use the keyboard and the serial interface at the same time. Does anyone know if a keyboard like this exists. I would wait for the Treo next year, but GSM coverage in this area is just sad (why the heck doesn't Handspring start building CDMA phones!).

B

10-22-2001 03:41 PM

PDAENVY
Member

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

The only one I can think of is ThumbType

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Jeff

10-22-2001 04:41 PM

potter
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 290

I stumbled onto thus just today. I do not know a thing about it other than what is here. But it appears to be a device that one can attach a PS/2 keyboard to and it will communicate with the PalmOS device through the IR port.

http://www.pdapex.com/eg/product/i101/i101.htm

10-22-2001 07:35 PM

MarkEagle
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Re: Looking for a Keyboard that leaves the Serial Port open

quote:
Originally posted by bwohlgemuth
I'm looking for a portable keyboard that can be used when my Visor is connected to my cell phone.

If you're connecting to the phone with a cable, you're out of luck. While a keyboard and phone both use the serial interface, the communication between each and the handheld is different. There's no way for the Visor to know whether data is coming from the phone or keyboard.

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

10-22-2001 10:31 PM

PDAENVY
Member

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

Re: Re: Looking for a Keyboard that leaves the Serial Port open

quote:
Originally posted by MarkEagle
If you're connecting to the phone with a cable, you're out of luck.

Actually, the ThumbType appears to be a mechanical means of entering graffiti, so the PDA doesn't know you're using a "keyboard". It should work.

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Jeff

10-23-2001 02:32 AM

potter
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 290

quote:
Originally posted by potter
I stumbled onto thus just today. I do not know a thing about it other than what is here. But it appears to be a device that one can attach a PS/2 keyboard to and it will communicate with the PalmOS device through the IR port.

http://www.pdapex.com/eg/product/i101/i101.htm

After thinking about it, I do not think this will work. Most PalmOS devices only have one serial port, which can be switch between driving the HotSync connector or the IR port. The only exceptions to this that I know of is a original Pilot or PalmPilot which has been upgraded with the PalmOS 3.0 memory card with IR (the memory card actually contained a second serial port to drive the IR port), and the Visor Edge which has a second serial port available to it's expansion connector (the one the springboard sled attaches to).

10-23-2001 03:14 PM

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