Why Won’t Apple Let Me Use XSKN’s Bluetooth iKeyboard?

Oh, this is adorable: "F is for Faceook! G is for Google!".

And by "adorable", I of course mean "way too many damn colorful logos".

tomsomething

The hackers always have it up and running faster then the real development team. just like how sony doesn't release the original final Fantasy series on the psp even though hackers have it running. Trust me id rather pay sony just to release a REAL less problematic FF game.

@Yuppers: But really, can any phone keyboard compare to an actual keyboard?

Daveed

Sometimes the conspiracy theorist inside thinks they hold back things like MMS back so they have more things to include in updates later.

Be like, OMG we now have Push Email! Brand new! OMG now bluetooth keyboard!

Daveed

HA! So you admit that it's not all that easy to type on the iPhone.

Interesting..
;)

Not to mention for use with the touch tablet!

oliveboy

and I could use this with my new iTab at the end of the year...

So... they use an apple keyboard, made by apple...

they copied their stand directly from an iMac ...

and then they affix stickers, which have logos designed by their respective companies, to the keyboard.

... wonder whose drivers they copied to get the keyboard working...

How does this not suck?

@Danny Allen: I'd get this in a heartbeat.

@Danny Allen: This made me think of something, why doesn't Apple let you use the iPhone as a Multi-Touch trackpad for older MacBooks? ...oh ya, they want me to buy a new one....

TripZ

I would love to just be able to bring a keyboard to class and plug in my phone to take notes. It might tax the battery a bit, but if I could just use one device and not have worry about a laptop too, that would be great.

Also, it would be the one time I would actually be happy I couldn't multi-task- cut down on distractions.

bluetooth mouse for the iphone!

jkgiz

This could lead the way for bluetooth controllers for games as well.

pixelpushing

Palm Pilot devices had separate keyboards despite the Graffiti and pop-up keyboards. It's silly not to allow this. In many cases a person could go on a business trip or to a meeting with just the phone and the keyboard, leaving the heavier notebook behind. I understand Apple may want to make its own keyboard instead of leaving this to third parties, but then MAKE A KEYBOARD already. I'd buy one.

If apple included sensible, standard things like that in the beginning, they wouldn't be able to charge you over and over again for every little update. It would destroy their whole business model.

Les Mikesell

Funny pic... simply for the fact that my friend and I were talking about cloud computing the other day and I was theorizing that eventually we'd get what you're showing in that pic.

AlyssaSavoie

Great...now if we can just add a mouse to this whole setup, then we would be all set!

This would be great for travel. Back in 2002 when I went to Japan I had a similar setup - except it was a Palm III with a wireless infrared folding keyboard. I used it primarily for keeping a daily journal and it worked great. I definitely would prefer it to booting/resuming a laptop over and over when I'm traveling on a train or bus.

montjoy

Aside from the app icons, this is how I envision an Apple Tablet to work with a physical keyboard.

jimmyg

@ZerounKaplooyi: LOL - just get a laptop :)

@Danny Allen: Sure if i could have a nice fold up one that isn't very big i could see the use of it, as it sitll fits in my pocket.

But this one obviously isn't designed to do that, like you said seems more for a desk. Which to me just seems pointless.

@mtpflyers: Yeah if you're going to do this, just get a laptop. Why would you want to view things on a tiny screen when it could be 13" or larger?

ellemnop

@Tank: it would be more than basic, most netbooks can do basically everything... hell, buy a dell mini 10 and hack the hell out of it! then it's still OS X and portable.

@Danny Allen: I guess if there's a market for the device, it should be available.

Segador

@Danny Allen: If you don't have an iPhone you're gonna have a normal phone and a real laptop anyway. The iPhone CANNOT replace the notebook. At least not yet.

it doesn't seem to have a windows key

subbeh

@mtpflyers: Sure, why not?

I don't see the need for this with the phone... If you need a keyboard that big get a laptop... What next a larger screen to plug your iphone into when traveling?

mtpflyers

Usage fail

orangeclocker

Not including Bluetooth keyboard support or multitasking is Apple's way of upselling its iPhone/iPod Touch customers to a more expensive computer IMO.

Think of how many people only need to check email, visit a web page, and maybe enjoy a little audio or video.

Maybe the larger percentage of Giz require the power of a full computer, but millions of "tourists" could satisfy their computing needs with a portable device.

Akibake-

@robotonist: This one is clearly designed for a desk. But users of other smartphones get access to a range of fold up/roll up Bluetooth keyboards that can fit in your pocket.

In my opinion, this would be useful if the keyboard packed up smaller, like the Stowaway. At this size and non-folding, it seems pointless. If it was compact, it could be good for taking notes in places my laptop is too big or inconvenient to carry. I've done the same with an iPaq PDA in the past, but now I have a Pre, which, sadly, does not have bluetooth keyboard drivers either.

jdale

@Danny Allen: you would still have to carry the keyboard around. doesn't make much sense to me.

@Danny Allen: Do I really need a keyboard that I can haul around, plug my phone into, and then hit the facebook key so I can continue to use my finger to access menus and messages?

I don't love my iPhone enough to fool myself into thinking it's a full computer, and it would seem that someone who would need this device (large amounts of email, for example) will probably have a better way to fill that need.

Holy crap I want this.......

ZerounKaplooyi

Thinking back on SJ's iPhone introduction... "Apple has revolutionized the use of the common index finger"...

$160?? It'd be way better to spend a few more dollars and buy a basic netbook.

Tank

Because they understand that people would want this... thus when they've released their tablets they will have "solved a problem".

@Spoony: But should you be forced to carry both, or given the choice?

This is SO stupid!

colormedavid

Am i missing the point of this device?

I mean by the time i dig into a bag for this keyboard i might as well just grab my laptop and boot it up as then i'd have a real screen.

The smartphone is awesome because its a computer in my pocket. The moment it isn't fitting in my pocket it's just a terrible laptop.

This keyboard still doesn't have enough buttons to have a dedicated button for each of my fart apps? What's the point?

lookslike the future of computers

doublesizzle

I just don't see the appeal.

This has got to be the silliest looking setup I've seen in a while. Like a little tiny hybrid towing a monster truck.

Jestermeister

Buy a laptop already. Seriously.

Segador

Will their be some sort of holster to carry this in. I'm pretty sure my front shirt pocket won't work anymore...

PaddyDugan

This peripheral "replicates existing functions on the iPhone and may confuse consumers."

Consider it denied.

@AlfredPrice: Amen, amen, A-MEN! This is ultimately the way I see smartphones going. :-) It would absolutely rock until someone steals your phone though.

Montythemooch

@jkgiz: Not in even your dreams.

I really hope something like the redfly will come out.

I would like it if I could dock the iPhone and it would drive a full size monitor, mouse and keyboard so I could work anywhere on our corporate network. We use thin clients anyway, so it would be just serving up Citrix or VMware to the screen.

AlfredPrice

This idea seems to never go away. I'm still intrigued, but the truth is, I've bought wireless keyboards for use with various phones - Palm, Nokia. And I can't ever recall using them more than once or twice and then throwing them into my sock drawer.
At least the ones I bought could fold-up and be stashed easily. This implementation seems to be inconvenient for travel.

John Lin

Its the same way I feel about an Apple Netbook. I have a Dell Mini9 Hackintosh.

If Apple would have had that form factor with FULL ON OSX back in May, i;d have bought two of them. Even at $800, I'd have bought two. As it were, I bought two Dell Mini9 with 2GB and 64GB SSD and the webcam and all the extra fixin's and paid right about $635 each including the two OSX retail DVDs.

Everything works.

MargueriteCreon

@TripZ: You could get one of the many cheap apps that allow you to do that.

Eulatos

Technically You can use a bluetooth keyboard or one that plugs into the iphone directly. You just have to make an app that supports it. The api's are there for all varieties of attached devices.

What you are talking about is springboard support for keyboards.

Eulatos

Apple will not give you the option, because, like with application support, it departs from Steve Jobs' golden vision.

You want Bluetooth keyboards on your iPhone? Jailbreak it and DIY. Maybe His Steveness will finally give in once everybody else has already decided to hack around his "vision", like he did with apps.

HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.

@Daveed: I wish they would simply make a iPod adapter for the current USB keyboard. It's super thin & would work just fine.

unique172

@kickingvegas: sorry for the double-post; didn't see my first comment come through so reposted...

kickingvegas

I just want a USB keyboard interface so I can connect my AlphaSmart to it. That way I can write without worrying about battery life.

[www.neo-direct.com]

kickingvegas

I just want a USB interface so that I can connect an AlphaSmart (or somthing else like it) to it so I can write without worrying about battery life.

[www.neo-direct.com]

Disclaimer: I'm not on their payroll, but I do own an AlphaSmart.

kickingvegas

Apple probably realizes the iPhone actually has enough power and features to replace laptops for a lot of people.

If you really open it up it's easy to conceive of a cheap keyboard and video screen setup. Your iPhone would be the "you" part of the computer, just wirelessly attaching to a keyboard/screen that you (or a friend, or your office) happen to have handy. There's no need to carry such a keyboard and/or video around...they'll just be everywhere, ready for you to connect wirelessly to when you get there.

A great many could get away without a laptop at that point. Now...if it's any kind of open spec, what type of phone connects starts becoming irrelevant as well. *Poof*, not only have you killed a good chunk of the business laptop market...you've also killed the iPhone market (well, diluted it with other smart phones).

IBM research had a plan very similar to this not that long ago. A small portable "CPU" block (CPU, memory, disk) that docked into a variety of stations (a laptop form, a poweruser desktop dock, and...a PDA touch screen slip cover).

The disk and largely the CPU has moved into the clouds, and the docks have been replaced with Bluetooth, but the concept is still very sound.

Byron Brummer

I think they should stick with a custom skin to overlay on the keyboard, instead of marring up the keyboard itself. Part of the elegance of Apple products are their clean design. Plastering it with ads for applications make it look like a keyboard for a PC.

jedimaster0103

Wow that is super cool is this the future of computers - crazy wild!!

Chris Voss
The Twitter/Social Media Expert, other experts call on for help.
[thechrisvossshow.com]

CHRISVOSS

@kickingvegas: look how you thought differently the second time

bagseed