[SoCalRedbird]

I received my OEM keyboard yesterday, so my BlackBerry trifecta is complete: BB 7.1 9900, 16 gb Playbook, and Mini-Keyboard. I must say, the keyboard was worth the wait. It packs quite a punch.

As a ridiculously obsessed fan of BlackBerry, I'll (try to) give my honest opinion of the BB mini keyboard. (FYI: I'm not a developer, RIM employee, or an IT guy--I'm a teacher in Southern California and the only person I know who owns these products.)

Pairing: Easy. You literally pair the keyboard the same way you do a phone or another device. Takes seconds.

Trackpad: The trackpad in and of itself is almost worth the price of the keyboard. As all PB owners know, clicking certain links on a 7-inch tablet can sometimes be frustrating. The trackpad on this device makes it a breeze. Scrolling with the trackpad is a tad iffy. It either goes really fast or really slow depending on which app you are running. Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the speed or consistency either.

Keyboard: Having a physical keyboard simply provides an ergonomically superior experience to the on-screen keyboard. The tactile response time is superior to all other bluetooth keyboards I've owned. There is zero to minimal lag between typing and letters appearing on the screen. The buttons are somewhat cramped, but that's to be expected on a 7-inch tablet. It's not a problem for me considering that I didn't expect to type 110 WPS like I do on a full-size keyboard. The bottom line: You'll type faster and more accurately than the on-screen keyboard.

Overall: There are times when users want the portability of a tablet, but the feel and usability of a Netbook or a laptop. The mini keyboard sufficiently meets those needs. Even though the price is high, you'll find yourself using your Playbook in new and more productive ways.

[jafobabe]

I very much agree with your review.. I found a bit of learning curve with the key placements, but that is with ANY keyboard.
When the mini is packaged with the PB, it does add some weight, but the PROS out weigh the cons from what I have experienced.

All in one package and out the door I go.. can't beat that!

[hpjrt]

I too agree with the review. I've been very impressed with the mini keyboard and how it expands the functionality of my PB. I'd love to find a case that accommodates the twosome with less weight but that's just a minor point.

[JVRudnick]

Got my own mini-keyboard up here in Canada just a few days ago...and I LOVE it too! What the OP said is spot on! Only thing is i wish that my chubby fingers were just a bit skinnier! ;-)

[DJ Reyes]

Nice mini review. Thanks. I'm hoping to get my hands on a mini keyboard soon. I'd definitely like to be able to just bring my PlayBook with me on some trips instead of also having to bring my Macbook.

I currently have a bluetooth keyboard that I use with my PlayBook but would really like to get the mini keyboard due to it having the trackpad.

[Vorkosigan]

I too love having the mini keyboard.

Couple of tips with it.

1. Don't turn it off. For some reason if you turn it off and on all the time the charge only lasts a few days. Leave it turned on and the charge lasts for about a month.

2. If you use the included case be careful when removing the playbook and start from the bottom. There have been a couple of people complaining that removing it by starting at the top has caused damage to their volume buttons.


Other than that - enjoy! It has been the greatest thing for me next to the pb itself.

[piman02]

I love my keyboard and use it all the time. The only thing that I have not mastered is how to get the playbook screen to go left or right like when I am in the App store, I always end up using my finger to swipe. I have also noticed that Smart Office 2 is not compatible with the BB keyboard. Has anyone else noticed this with Smart Office 2?

[velociraptor89]

What is the physical texture of the keys? Is it rubbery? Can someone describe how the keys like? Thanks!

[tinker2000]

What is the physical texture of the keys? Is it rubbery? Can someone describe how the keys like? Thanks!

The keys are a hard matt plastic. They are a similar material to typical laptop keys. The overall body off the keyboard is the same soft feel plastic as the back of the playbook itself.

One other observation I have found is that over time the trackpad seems to slow down. This can easily be resolved by deleting and re-pairing the keyboard

Thanks

[FF22]

Ha - I just discovered that rotating the keyboard does not change the orientation (portrait/landscape) of the pb! Well, reading the TEXTURE question above I grabbed the keyboard and started typing - password screen came on in portrait but the pb was oriented the other way since last night. As a goof I tried rotating the keyboard - dang it - no response. Well, I thought someone might be interested!

[ajst222]

If I could, I would love to get a keyboard for the PB. I think it would help a lot since I do a lot of typing.

[BBBlake]

I was disappointed with the mini keyboard. The elastic straps are pretty cheesy for a keyboard costing this amount and I also found the PB frame difficult to work with. Finally, while the track pad was welcomed, for me, nothing beats a mouse. So, I purchased the eWonder Bluetooth Keyboard/Case and am very impressed with its build and performance, especially for the price. For the mouse, I chose the Dell 5-Button BT Travel Mouse. Superb! So, for about $50+ for the pair I think I have a more user-friendly set-up. Love pulling it out of my backpack during a flight and setting it up on the tray in coach. It's been a while since I could do that even with a netbook!

[apengue1]

I agree on pretty much all points. It IS small at first, but I am so over that. Took me a week to get used to and now its a non-issue. Yes, the trackpad/mouse has very inconsistent scrolling in the browser. Its usually too fast and I dont use it for that, although I wish we could have.

[CrackberryPB]

The two-finger drag up and down to scroll in a browser is crazy fast. I wish there were sensitivity controls like touchpads on laptops. I was really surprised that there was not a control set in the OS that becomes accessible in setup when the keyboard is paired.

Two-finger left and right swipe sometimes works for me but is inconsistent.

[apengue1]

The two-finger drag up and down to scroll in a browser is crazy fast. I wish there were sensitivity controls like touchpads on laptops. I was really surprised that there was not a control set in the OS that becomes accessible in setup when the keyboard is paired.

Two-finger left and right swipe sometimes works for me but is inconsistent.

Yeah I'm wondering if they can include this in a future OS update. Would be really cool.

[Jimmy9900]

Track pad far too erratic for the price. For some reason the keyboard affected my wifi and made it drop continuously with the Playbook until I turned 'n' off in the BT infinity router. Not sure what's going on with the battery seems to last one or two days. On off switch is fouled by strap and charger port on Playbook is positioned so you have to have the case flat open or on its end and 190deg open which is annoying. Love it but could be better.

Sent from my WT19i using Tapatalk 2

[jafobabe]

I don't have those issues that you have Jimmy9900. The mini works great and the battery lasts for me. I also use the Rapid Charger with the magnetic end and can close it.. it sticks open about 5% or so, but works for me!

[bkupris]

Great little keyboard but yes the track pad scrolling is too fast for me, a software adjustment would make it almost perfect.

[BBplaybookJS]

Great review, great keyboard. Like jafobabe I have had none of the problems you mention, perhaps because I seldom remember the touch pad. I'm suprised no one has complained about the loss of predictive text, this is not a big problem for me as I come from a generation that remembers how to spell.

[Sergeant HCR]

I didn't like the case it came with so I use the kb now in my HipStreet case. The only problem I have with the kb is that is occasionally drops the BT connection while surfing the web.

I hate the case. Especially the bezel as it is short and I can't adjust the angle of the PB.

[hpjrt]

I too haven't had the problems of some of the posters above. I find the trackpad works very well ... not too fast ... not too slow.

I would rather have a lighter case but since I don't have to use the PB and keyboard in the case unless I want to, it isn't a big deal. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a lighter case.

Otherwise, I love my BB mini keyboard!

[FF22]

The keyboard should have been available without the case. As I wrote somewhere, I used the neoprene case the pb shipped with (when I flew to LA recently) as suggested by another user. I did turn off the keyboard for the trip since I realized that while packing things, the pb would turn on if the keys were pressed accidentally.

Someone should come up with a way to add a friction hinge so the angle can be changed and held in a desired position.

[BBplaybookJS]

When I bought my second one, they actually asked me at The Source if I wanted the case or just the keyboard

[menaknow]

I was disappointed with the mini keyboard. The elastic straps are pretty cheesy for a keyboard costing this amount and I also found the PB frame difficult to work with. Finally, while the track pad was welcomed, for me, nothing beats a mouse. So, I purchased the eWonder Bluetooth Keyboard/Case and am very impressed with its build and performance, especially for the price. For the mouse, I chose the Dell 5-Button BT Travel Mouse. Superb! So, for about $50+ for the pair I think I have a more user-friendly set-up. Love pulling it out of my backpack during a flight and setting it up on the tray in coach. It's been a while since I could do that even with a netbook!

Wow!

I might return my OEM keyboard/case for the "eWonder Bluetooth Keyboard/Case".

Overall, I am liking the OEM keyboard and case. I've always been a fan of the convertible case, so I don't mind the provided case with the keyboard. It is a bit heavy but it is still managable.

My only issue is the layout of the keys, which are not standard compared to a typical keyboard. The eWonder looks a bit more standard. The layout of the OEM keyboard strains your wrist I find after long use, (but I am using a keyboard during the 9-5 and then after with the playbook).

[Sergeant HCR]

Wow!

I might return my OEM keyboard/case for the "eWonder Bluetooth Keyboard/Case".

The bezel looks just like the one on the RIM case, ie, makes it non-adjustable. My HipStreet case has a bezel that is flush to the bottom of the case when folded in. This design allows me to adjust the angle of the case when upright.

I was debating on ordering it myself until I saw that.