calguy99

Hi,

My X50V is supposed to arrive on Tuesday. I was wondering if I need to get an external keyboard. I have had PDA's in the past and could never get the hang of using graffiti or the software keyboard. And what type of keyboard is best BT or infrared?

Thanks

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joedoe101

I think most people on aximsite like the thinkoutside bluetooth keyboard

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Howard2k

It's not a question of 'need'. Sounded like maybe you want one though.

BT keyboards are more expensive but don't require line of sight.

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PeteUALaw

i think you will be surprised with the functionality of the ease to write on the PDA and it is translated into text. If you want a keyboard though. i think i would recommend bluetooth. its gives you more functionality (at least in my mind it does)

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tmn72

With the x50v you will have a choice of 4 input options. Personally. I would wait, and try it first. But if you prefer keyboards, then you may want to get one ordered so that you won't have to wait.
I have found that l don't do enough entry away from my pc to necessitate the need for a keyboard.
Either way, congrats on the new purchase! You'll love it!

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J-D-Cronin

The 4 entry methods are:
Block Reconizer: It uses Palm's Graffiti.
Keyboard: Is an on-screen keyboard you tap on to enter text.
Letter Recognizer: Is where you write normal letters and numbers instead of Graffiti.
Transcriber: Where you write sentences anywhere on the screen using print, cursive, or mixed.

Option 5. Buy a ThinkOutside Blutooth Keyboard and type.
If you do buy it (I did, I also got their mouse) beware that the stand part of it could crack, but if it does (with normal use) Think Outside usually replaces the stand part for free (they know it is a problem.)

If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

miterb

I bought the Dell (ThinkOutside brand) Keyboard and the bluetooth is a very nice way to go. I want a keyboard as we are wont to take long bicycle tours and I like to send a daily journal to my friends. The stylus input would be unthinkable for more than a couple of sentences in a message.

Brad

Kool Breeze

As tmn72 recommends above, I would wait until your Axim arrives before deciding whether or not to purchase an external keyboard. You may, like me, be pleasantly surprised at the ease of entering data into the device.

I have owned several Palm OS devices and had gotten pretty good at entering text in Graffiti. Then, once I went to the Treos with their built in QWERTY thumb-boards, I swore I'd never go back to a device without one. However, with the great reviews that the Axims were getting and the fact that the prices were getting as low as they were, I broke down and ordered one. As they say: the rest is history. Out of all of the PDA’s that I’ve owned, I find entering text into my X50v to be the easiest.

My preferred methods are the transcriber and the letter recognizer. In these modes I can enter text faster than I ever could with the thumb-boards. And the great thing is that you don't have to learn Graffiti at all; you just write like you normally do. I don't have particularly good penmanship but the Axim recognizes just about everything that I write.

So, my suggestion would be to wait until you get the Axim, play with it awhile and then decide. IMHO, you will find that unless you’re doing some heavy duty word processing, you won’t really need the external keyboard. That being said, however; if I ever get to the point where my Axim can take the place of my laptop (and that is the goal), I will probably break down and get a BT keyboard since I’ll be entering longer documents and emails into the device.

Hope that helps.

PocketBrain

I use a microsoft "Optical desktop for Bluetooth" keyboard. It's the basic one, a couple of years old. With the keyboard stack installed, it's a breeze to use. Smaller than a standard keyboard, by just a little bit (it still has the numeric keypad on the righthand side), I use this KB as my primary (typing on it right now) with my PC. Switching between using it with my Ax is a little bit of a hassle, but if I want to travel, I can bring this comfortable, full-sized keyboard with me. It does not have a stand for the Axim, however. I may fashion one.
So, in summary, think about buying a full-sized BT keyboard with a dual-purpose in mind.

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J-D-Cronin

So it has ppc drivers for it?

axim_wannabe

Originally Posted by calguy99

Hi, My X50V is supposed to arrive on Tuesday. I was wondering if I need to get an external keyboard. I have had PDA's in the past and could never get the hang of using graffiti or the software keyboard. And what type of keyboard is best BT or infrared? Thanks

try a third party soft keyboard, like MessagEase or Fitaly

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scorpion9k

If you buy your thinkoutside keyboard from some other vendor, like i was going to get it on pricegrabber.com because its like 90 for shipping and tax, will they still replace the stand if it breaks?

J-D-Cronin

My guess is that, yes they will, but do not take my word for it, contact TO and say something like, "I'm considering buying your xyz keyboard from3rd part re-seller, and I'm concerned about the plastic stand part cracking because it seems to be a common issue, if it does break, will you be able to send me a free replacement?...

JM¢2

Albert Silver

I'll just add that there is an entry option not mentioned in the previous posts: voice recognition software. I don't know how efficient or not MS's Voice Command is, but I have had extensive experience working with Dragon Naturally Speaking and the accuracy is not to be underestimated. One can speak very fast (120 words a minute) and it will achieve over 99% accuracy. No doubt, Voice Command isn't that good, but it is bound to be a very efficient option when used with a small headset. With Dragon, I can speak instead of typing my MSN Messenger conversations (if I chose to), dictate texts into MS Word, etc. Any misses are easily fixed either by voice, or be the old mouse and keyboard.

Albert

Kool Breeze

Unfortunately, MS Voice