For on the go typing (Targus Wireless IR Keyboard)

Member Name: Zack131

Product:	Targus Wireless IR Keyboard
Date:	16/10/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Full sized keys mostly, stand to dock device, lightweight, foldable

Disadvantages: Small backspace, annoying battery choice

No on-screen keyboard is a valid substitute for a physical one. I find typing on devices such as a PlayStation Portable, your mobile phone or PDA quite tedious, tiring and full of errors. What you really want to do is use a portable keyboard with it to speed up your messages. By using the Targus wireless IR keyboard you can connect via infra-red to your device and save yourself a lot of hassle.

Upon opening the annoying plastic wrapping that takes high powered scissors to open, you will find a few things such as manuals, and technical guides. But what you are really interested is this mysterious black plastic cuboid with the word 'Targus' printed on the silver coloured top. It looks nothing like a keyboard and could fit into a pair of jeans pocket at ease. It is lightweight, possibly the weight of a couple of apples. Upon unclipping the safety lock keeping it in place; you can lift the lid back and fold it out horizontally. This is your keyboard and the keys are full sized apart from the backspace key which is the size of 1 key. The arrow keys have become a concave button that you can push the sides of to use the function of the arrows. There is an odd looking stand with a long plastic piece that can be moved around, this is where your device will sit. There is also a safety lock on the inside so that you can clip the folded out keyboard together so that it doesn't try to fold itself. It isn't one of those rubbery keyboards, it is plastic and feels similar to that of a laptop keyboard. Overall the Targus is quite stylish and simply unfolding it seems to be fun.

The plastic rod is used to send the IR signal to your device, this must point towards the device's IR port while it is docked on the Targus stand. Typing is flawless apart from one of my personal irritations. The smaller than usual backspace key really takes some time to adjust to, it can become very frustrating. The keyboard is battery powered and uses the batteries that are rare within a house, those large circular ones. It takes 2 of them. When I received my Targus the batteries were included so it might have had an effect on the battery life I got. The keyboard's battery died a couple of weeks after using the keyboard each day for general MSN on my PSP whilst I was on my PlayStation 3. I haven't had any new batteries yet so I can't comment much on the battery life. Another big plus was that you can use it with the PSP. Although to do this you must have a PSP running custom firmware. The Targus keyboard was compatible with pretty much everything, from games, browsing the internet to using AFKIM for MSN conversations which is ideal. You have to be careful that you unclip the safety clip before folding it back. Otherwise the clip WILL snap. The keyboard is also quite thin so you must be careful that you don't damage it.

Summary: A great purchase which is a perfect substitute for on-screen keyboards.

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