Why, WHY can I not use one of those awesome little Apple wireless keyboards with my iPhone. Would be great to be able to take it to a conference or someplace where I need to blog, tweet, email, or otherwise write all day on a whim with out having to cart my laptop. (I would keep it in my backpack.)
Seems like a no-brainer for an Apple product to connect to an Apple product. Hopefully the 3.0 software will let this happen.
www.apple.com/keyboard/
Discussion about
Connect APPLE iPhone 3GS to APPLE wireless keyboard!
Context my friend... context.
I always have my iPhone. I usually carry my backpack. I only have my laptop when I plan ahead to bring it... and carrying the damn thing around a conference is a drag.
I don't want a netbook keyboard... I want a real sized keyboard. (Or something pretty close)
The physical products are out on the market... all this requires is a little serial driver and a couple of tweaks in the OS.
I always have my iPhone. I usually carry my backpack. I only have my laptop when I plan ahead to bring it... and carrying the damn thing around a conference is a drag.
I don't want a netbook keyboard... I want a real sized keyboard. (Or something pretty close)
The physical products are out on the market... all this requires is a little serial driver and a couple of tweaks in the OS.
Business my friend...hardware business. Like alexlau said, Apple is a hardware selling business not a charity or an underground open source software distributor.
Just like the 'Apple Newton Messagepad 2000', I 'never' needed a Powerbook until Steve Jobs said I 'did'. 12 yrs. ago Apple discontinued sales of the Messagepad 2100 even though the vertical market(including govt. agencies) had in place orders for over 100,000 units. Simple economics, more profit per unit via the Powerbook line.
What you're looking for is jailbroken iphone with non-authorized BT stack code to drive the keyboard.
Somebody prob. makes an app. for that, since my MP2100 has hacked serial drivers for current keyboards, memory stick converters, and a 802.11b wifi stack, all third-party. :)
...and yes I do own AAPL stock, so go buy a new Macbook Pro 13.3 already. :D
Just like the 'Apple Newton Messagepad 2000', I 'never' needed a Powerbook until Steve Jobs said I 'did'. 12 yrs. ago Apple discontinued sales of the Messagepad 2100 even though the vertical market(including govt. agencies) had in place orders for over 100,000 units. Simple economics, more profit per unit via the Powerbook line.
What you're looking for is jailbroken iphone with non-authorized BT stack code to drive the keyboard.
Somebody prob. makes an app. for that, since my MP2100 has hacked serial drivers for current keyboards, memory stick converters, and a 802.11b wifi stack, all third-party. :)
...and yes I do own AAPL stock, so go buy a new Macbook Pro 13.3 already. :D
While I agree that it would be cool, it's def not something Apple included in 3.0 or any of the 3.0 betas. Maybe a release in 3.1, though I haven't heard anything. I remember I used to have a collapsable keyboard for an old palm pilot that was great for meetings, class, w/e to take notes. I wonder if anyone has created an app for something like this via jailbreak. Anyone heard of such an app?
I had that keyboard for my palm pilot, it was awesome. If I can connect a bt kbd to my iphone, that's gonna be killer.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Either be able to use the small Apple BT keyboard (i use this everyday with my mac mini media center).
Or a small keyboard that docs with the iPhone via USB (and that supports both portrait and landscape mode).
Why is this taking so long!
Either be able to use the small Apple BT keyboard (i use this everyday with my mac mini media center).
Or a small keyboard that docs with the iPhone via USB (and that supports both portrait and landscape mode).
Why is this taking so long!
There was this hack, but it's a little rough and requires a jailbroken phone.
www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/02/video-bluetooth/
And as a hack, the touch keyboard is still on the screen. I hate the landscape keyboard as it takes up most of the screen. Hiding it allow for some room.
www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/02/video-bluetooth/
And as a hack, the touch keyboard is still on the screen. I hate the landscape keyboard as it takes up most of the screen. Hiding it allow for some room.
I'm pretty sure that was fake. Odds are the keyboard is just paired to a mac which is off camera and a VNC server is being run on the iphone with a client running on the mac. So the keyboard isnt actually paired to the phone at all, it just looks like it is cause you can't see the middle man.
It would have to be Apple, this is well outside the reach of App Developers because Apple doesn't allow direct access to the bluetooth hardware. It would be a relatively simple thing for Apple to include if they really wanted to, they'd just have to add support for the bluetooth keyboard profile (HID profile, I think) and throw in a flag to prevent the soft keyboard from appearing if a hardware keyboard is attached.
You may (or may not, I don't know) be surprised to learn that the Apple wireless keyboard can connect to Windows Mobile smartphones in exactly the way suggested here. Kind of silly the Microsoft phones support this feature but Apple's phones do not.
That would really open up the floodgates, too. No longer could people complain about the lack of a hardware keyboard on the iPhone, since nothing would prevent a third party from creating a QWERTY snap-on keyboard with a sliding mechanism to create a Touch Pro type of device.
You may (or may not, I don't know) be surprised to learn that the Apple wireless keyboard can connect to Windows Mobile smartphones in exactly the way suggested here. Kind of silly the Microsoft phones support this feature but Apple's phones do not.
That would really open up the floodgates, too. No longer could people complain about the lack of a hardware keyboard on the iPhone, since nothing would prevent a third party from creating a QWERTY snap-on keyboard with a sliding mechanism to create a Touch Pro type of device.
Didn't apple open up the bluetooth stack with the 3.0 software? Does this make a wireless keyboard possible?
Didn't apple open up the bluetooth stack with the 3.0 software? Does this make a wireless keyboard possible?
The hardware is there, but the issue is that you can't write an iPhone App that replaces bits of the OS, so your keyboard would only work in a custom-built app.
Take a look at the pre-3.0 apps for getting a landscape keyboard in Mail; they were a separate app for typing the text in, then it would copy that text over to the Mail app.
Apple could of course build support for external keyboards into the API. It would open up a lot of opportunities for 3rd party HW devs and would hurt RIM (and now Palm). If you could get a battery pack case for iPhone with a slide out physical keyboard... But I don't know if that's worth t for them. Guess not since they haven't done it yet!
Take a look at the pre-3.0 apps for getting a landscape keyboard in Mail; they were a separate app for typing the text in, then it would copy that text over to the Mail app.
Apple could of course build support for external keyboards into the API. It would open up a lot of opportunities for 3rd party HW devs and would hurt RIM (and now Palm). If you could get a battery pack case for iPhone with a slide out physical keyboard... But I don't know if that's worth t for them. Guess not since they haven't done it yet!
If Apple did that, their keyboard support would probably be proprietary. Why, Apple, must you torture us like this!!
biglig is correct. I co-founded the company that developed the folding keyboard for Palm, the Stowaway. The iPhone could certainly benefit from one, but it requires getting into territory that Apple hasn't opened up and likely won't. They need to decide to incorporate the software at a low enough level that will work with all apps.
@phil, with all due awareness of how long it's been, creating those keyboards was SERIOUSLY awesome.
I had half a dozen of them - folding ones for my m100/105, for my Vx, for my m515/Tungsten T3, and I still use the Bluetooth slimline version that I picked up for the Tungsten T3 that I then used with a Motorolla A1000 and most recently my HTC TyTN II... beautiful work. Really.
If I could use my BT keyboard with an iPhone, I might even get one.
I had half a dozen of them - folding ones for my m100/105, for my Vx, for my m515/Tungsten T3, and I still use the Bluetooth slimline version that I picked up for the Tungsten T3 that I then used with a Motorolla A1000 and most recently my HTC TyTN II... beautiful work. Really.
If I could use my BT keyboard with an iPhone, I might even get one.
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Heh, thanks Phil, on many levels: I still have my stowaway tucked away in my gadget crate.
That was a fantastic piece of kit. I never understood why other people made Bluetooth or IR based keyboards: the Stowaway used the Dock connector not just to move data to the device, but also to hold my Palm at exactly the right angle to type on. Having switched from a Psion 5MX to a series of Palm devices because I needed something that could fit in my pocket, the stowaway made the loss of the 5MX keyboard bearable.
That was a fantastic piece of kit. I never understood why other people made Bluetooth or IR based keyboards: the Stowaway used the Dock connector not just to move data to the device, but also to hold my Palm at exactly the right angle to type on. Having switched from a Psion 5MX to a series of Palm devices because I needed something that could fit in my pocket, the stowaway made the loss of the 5MX keyboard bearable.
I desperately want to use my Stowaway BT keyboard (thanks, Phil!) with either the Touch I own or the 3G I have on long term borrow. And I'm very disappointed that the Touch's new Bluetooth ability so far doesn't include BT GPS. That would make it work well with the all the marine navigation apps I've been testing (at panbo.com), and would lead to more Touch sales.
I agree this would be a fun and neat app/feature to have, however the fact that you would rarely carry the wireless keyboard around makes it only a "check this out" kinda app. This is possible however, you would likely have to write a new source class in their Objective-C language for it to work....
Apple's good about not crossing their product boundaries. They don't much like blurring the edges of their products together. I would venture to say having this product feature would make the MacBook Air seem a little more useless.
But if they did this, it would be amazing. They could use that laser keyboard that had two lasers. One to shine the keyboard on any surface and one to keep track of your finger movements. It just all came out of a really small box.
www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/
But if they did this, it would be amazing. They could use that laser keyboard that had two lasers. One to shine the keyboard on any surface and one to keep track of your finger movements. It just all came out of a really small box.
www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/
In addition to that, I've thought about an application for Mac OS X which, when connected to your iPhone, simply uses the network connection to make an receive calls and texts. It could be integrated right into iTunes. Then you could use your desktop/laptop keyboard and speakers/built-in-mic to text, email, call, etc.
I doubt there will be official support as making this possible would mean Apple admits the on-screen keyboard isn't good enough. The only reason I can see this happening is if Apple wants to sell more keyboards, but then again they would be better off selling more computers instead.
But yes, a Bluetooth hack should be possible. iBluetooth, anyone?
But yes, a Bluetooth hack should be possible. iBluetooth, anyone?
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Our fingers are not going to get any smaller. Though tapping letter by letter on the iPhone is not
awful, it sure ain't typing. Apple is working on a Bluetooth keyboard already. They will launch it within
six months.
awful, it sure ain't typing. Apple is working on a Bluetooth keyboard already. They will launch it within
six months.
I agree. This would be an essential addition to the iPhone. It would essentially turn it into a netbook for basic purposes. I can understand Apple trying not to compete with their own laptop line or potential future products... but it would be a welcome addition here. Compatibility with any bluetooth keyboard would be fantastic (since I already have one), but even if I had to get an Apple-branded keyboard... it would be worth it.
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NKline, stop bumping please. Bad etiquette. Anywhoo. . .
I was under the impression that the new 3.0 APIs opened up the 30-pin to peripherals. I'm not a developer, and I haven't seen a complete list of the new APIs anywhere, but I would assume a basic function like typing would be supported by them.
That being said, why are you guys so hung up on bluetooth? Use the nice 30 pin and develop a peripheral around that - seems MUCH more likely. Lots of people were upset when they found out not all profiles were included in the "unlocked" bluetooth. (see included profiles here: tinyurl.com/le6ymm) But the reality is probably that Apple will not unlock the missing profiles very soon, so the market for bluetooth-connected peripherals is much narrower than any of us would like. That leaves us with the other option.
We've already seen a blood pressure cuff and a blood sugar meter using the 30-pin, for crying out loud. Why NOT a keyboard? I'm anxiously awaiting the first round of hardware accessories for the iPhone, to see how creative people will get. Exciting!
ps, If you're really stuck on bluetooth, here's an idea for a workaround: Develop a bluetooth module with the profile you need and stick it in a little 30-pin adapter. Then build your peripheral to talk to that little adapter. It's not perfect, but if you HAVE to have bluetooth, it's a start. Cheers all!
I was under the impression that the new 3.0 APIs opened up the 30-pin to peripherals. I'm not a developer, and I haven't seen a complete list of the new APIs anywhere, but I would assume a basic function like typing would be supported by them.
That being said, why are you guys so hung up on bluetooth? Use the nice 30 pin and develop a peripheral around that - seems MUCH more likely. Lots of people were upset when they found out not all profiles were included in the "unlocked" bluetooth. (see included profiles here: tinyurl.com/le6ymm) But the reality is probably that Apple will not unlock the missing profiles very soon, so the market for bluetooth-connected peripherals is much narrower than any of us would like. That leaves us with the other option.
We've already seen a blood pressure cuff and a blood sugar meter using the 30-pin, for crying out loud. Why NOT a keyboard? I'm anxiously awaiting the first round of hardware accessories for the iPhone, to see how creative people will get. Exciting!
ps, If you're really stuck on bluetooth, here's an idea for a workaround: Develop a bluetooth module with the profile you need and stick it in a little 30-pin adapter. Then build your peripheral to talk to that little adapter. It's not perfect, but if you HAVE to have bluetooth, it's a start. Cheers all!
Although Apple probably won't do this, now that 3.0 supports application and peripheral integration, there is room for a 3rd party developer like Quickoffice or DataViz to make their word processing programs work with a peripheral keyboard, I think. I wrote them an open letter asking them to consider doing just this:
www.sampletheweb.com/2009/06/30/dear-dataviz-quick...
www.sampletheweb.com/2009/06/30/dear-dataviz-quick...
I totally second this motion. I had one of the original ThinkOutside keyboards (the one they resurrected as the ThinkOutside Sierra shortly before they sold the company to iGo), which I used with my iPAQ 3650 to take all my notes for the first two years of seminary. It seems to me a HUGE omission that what you can do with an Apple BT keyboard and a Windows Mobile device, you cannot do with the same Apple keyboard and an iPhone!
PLEASE, Apple, take note... There is a significant niche market here that would love to take the iPhone's usability, portability, and versatility to the next level!
PLEASE, Apple, take note... There is a significant niche market here that would love to take the iPhone's usability, portability, and versatility to the next level!
I'm not sure how much I personally would use something like this, but agree that it is ridiculous that you can use an Apple BT Keyboard with a Windows Mobile device but not with any of the Apple handheld options. It is one of those things that seem really important but maybe in real world use wouldn't get too much usage - probably one of the many reasons why Apple haven't got this sorted. Also the point that various people have made about the way Apple like to keep all of their products in nice little rows that don't conflict with eachother could be a big factor. Making a superportable but usable device like the iPhone completely fully featured by adding a hardware keyboard might be considered to be getting too close to the Air.
I would get something like this in a heartbeat. For the most part, I could eliminate a laptop entirely. But a keyboard would be useless without more Office docs/iWork edit support, either natively in the OS or via third party apps.
I agree with all that has been said it would be a perfect gadget addition to any iphone user. My understanding of iPhone 3.0 is that a keyboard developed by a third party developer would be 'sandboxed' to the application the developer provides. We would not be able to you use across the phone with the mail application or the notes application. In other words the keyboard would have to be bundled with a word processor application or the like.
In order to get full control of the phone the keyboard would have to be made with, or by Apple, so unfortunately, I think we will be waiting for awhile. . .but one can still hope
In order to get full control of the phone the keyboard would have to be made with, or by Apple, so unfortunately, I think we will be waiting for awhile. . .but one can still hope
