Monday, April 7, 2014

Sony CLIE PEGA-KB100 Compact Keyboard

Sony CLIE PEGA-KB100 Compact Keyboard
  • Foldable, full-size keyboard for portability
  • Built-in DC input jack to supply power and/or charge CLIÉ Handheld
  • Touch-typeable keys and QWERTY layout for faster and easier typing
  • Sturdy built-in docking station
  • Compatible with PEG-NX series, NR series, T series, SJ series, and SL10

As a user of the KB-11 keyboard I looked forward to using the KB-100. I was very pleased with the contruction and the size but less so with the decreased functionality. Where I could use keyboard commands almost exclusively on the KB-11 I now have to use the stylus for "OK", "Done", "Cancel", and almost every other command. I am sure that Sony will eventually offer an updated driver that will permit combination keys to activate these commends but in the meantime I am forced to keep a stylus in hand.

The other negative factor is the location of the shift key but we humans will adapt to that.

Buy Sony CLIE PEGA-KB100 Compact Keyboard Now

The clie keyboard with my nx60 (or my nx70 and my sj22) really rounds out the product. The keyboard is of excellent quality and feel. With the keyboard I truly have a top notch laptop replacement. Clies are great but such accessories put them over the top!!

Read Best Reviews of Sony CLIE PEGA-KB100 Compact Keyboard Here

Previously, I used the Palm portable keyboard for the Palm III and V handhelds. I really liked the feel of those keyboards, but I moved on when I outgrew my older PDA. I travel a lot, and I avoid carrying a laptop whenever possible; so, a portable PDA keyboard is essential for my journeys. After upgrading to a Sony Clie TG-50 handheld, I bought the KB-100 keyboard to compliment it. So, you ask, how did the two keyboards stack up? Well, I have to give the nod to the Palm keyboard for keyboard size. The Palm's size is equivalent to a laptop keyboard, while the Sony's, in spite of being advertised as "full size," is in fact a bit smaller. I suspect for most folks that wouldn't be a major concern, but I have large hands, and I've found that my typing speed has slowed somewhat as compared to the Palm unit. In terms of deploying the keyboard, the Sony wins hands down--it's simpler and faster, with fewer moving parts. Another plus is that the Sony keyboard will also charge your handheld while docked. One more minus: the shift key on the right side of the Sony is quite small, and slowed down my typing speed until I grew used to it. To sum up, the Sony is a well-designed portable keyboard that makes some compromises in keyboard layout, but is nonetheless quite a useful product. My recommendation is that if you have big hands and plan to write the great American novel on your PDA, you'll likely be happier with a Palm PDA/keyboard setup. If, however, you mainly plan to work on shorter documents, the Sony should get the nod.

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The keyboard works with my Clié as I expected. The system is not state of the art, but remains eminently useful on the road.

This keyboard is a joy to type, to look, to work with and to carry in its soft dedicated pouch. Every single piece that comprises it, screams about the great quality with which it was made. Takes you back to a time when Sony used to design and produce desirable products, not unlike those Apple makes these days.

Functionally speaking, this keyboard doubles as charging station (not able to hotsync, thou) and a stand for your Clié. Getting said device seated onto the keyboard is a bit tricky but once it is there, everything works pretty smoothly. The Clie turns on automatically and you can choose whether to charge or not the device simultaneously.

I've been typing a lot on it lately, and it is quite comfortable to work with provided its resting on a hard surface. If you put this onto your lap or on an unstable surface, the keyboard tends to ply itself since there's no locking mechanism. Other than that, it is pretty nice to work for long periods of time.

Palm devices and, more specifically Cliés, are a thing of the past nowadays. Many of them are already dead and will probably never see the light of day again. Others just might be on their last legs regarding battery life. But if you've got one of these great devices laying around, and would like to give them a second life, I strongly suggest you to buy accessories like this one in order to use them as media players, dedicated gaming devices, or as note taking devices for the kitchen -hence the use for the keyboard. You can find this accesories for next to nothing here on Amazon. They look good, work great and perform many of the tasks a current smartphone those, and then some more.

Hey, who knows, maybe one of these days they'll become collectible items!

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