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About a year ago there were a couple of posts talking about the Freedom folding keyboards (one Bluetooth and one USB).

While the USB one seems to have come and gone the bluetooth option is alive and kicking. This is good news as other alternatives (such as the iGo Stowaway) have been discontinued so it’s good to see at least one option out there for folks who need a better experience.

While I’m happy enough to knock out a quick email reply on my smartphone it’s not easy to be as productive as I’d like when I’m away from the office. That however was nowhere near as frustrating as trying to type on the split keyboard on my Samsung Q1U which I’ve not been able to get comfortable using.

So I finally ordered a Freedom Universal Bluetooth keyboard to try it out for myself.

As the earlier reviews had suggested it’s a nice solid keyboard. Despite the folding mechanism the keys are full size and the action feels great. Having the full five rows – including numbers – means your typing isn’t constantly interrupted trying to remember key-sequences to get to “special” characters and everything is pretty much where you expect it.

Bluetooth connection was simple and straight-forward on the UMPC (the keyboard supports the HID profile so it’s automatically recognized) though pairing is a little strange as you have to type the passcode blind!

Things are a little more complicated on the phone as you have to register your device and get a unique code – even though I had a problem with the process support is very responsive and helpful. Windows Mobile and PalmOS devices support the HID mode but the keyboard also supports the SPP profile so you can pair with a Blackberry. Currently the iPhone doesn’t support HID but it will be interesting to see what the v2 brings.

One nice touch is the pop-out stand that you can use to hold your phone at a better angle (or notes to type from). If you’re not using it it remains tucked out of site and doesn’t get in the way.

I’ve not had the keyboard long enough to prove the claimed 5 months battery life (80 hours actual use) but as it uses standard AA batteries (and I always carry a couple spare for emergency phone recharging)

I’ve not really noticed the extra bulk carrying it around the last few days. It comes with a nice little case that protects it from knocks. When folded in the case it’s about the size of a decks of cards side by side – not something you’ll slip into a pocket and forget, but easy enough to hide in carry-on luggage. To the right you can see it unfolded next to my Q1U, a Shadow, BlackJack II, TyTN II and SGH-i780 by way of comparison.

If you’re looking for a better typing experience with a phone or a UMPC and don’t want to carry a laptop or something like a RedFly then it’s a great thing to have in your bag.

And yes. Before anyone asks – I did write this on the UMPC thanks to the my new keyboard… not a task I would have undertaken with the built-in thumbpad!

Offbeatmammal (9 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook

A geek who's been mobile most of his life - from the UK to Australia and now the Pacific Northwest. I'm an enthusiastic Windows Mobile user (and Vista on my UMPC) - always looking for a better solution to a problem that keeps evolving :)