[bb10adopter111]

I was just thinking that a small Bluetooth Keyboard modeled on the BlackBerry Bold or earlier legacy PKB would be great for everything from TV streaming to phone and tablet use. I know there are some small keyboards available, but it seems the BlackBerry designs would be better.

I used to use my Bold with my PlayBook that way and thought it was great.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[the_boon]

Awaiting the usual responses of:

"if it were a viable business, it would already have been done."

[conite]

Awaiting the usual responses of:

"if it were a viable business, it would already have been done."

Or "if companies and consumers only knew this could be possible, they wouldn't be able to keep them in stock".

[Chuck Finley69]

Awaiting the usual responses of:

"if it were a viable business, it would already have been done."

I believe that SES could offer some insight and some experience on this specific topic.

[anon(5597702)]

Bluetooth keyboards (attachments, standalone, or otherwise) are a viable business. Hell, I see them everywhere for iPads. It's keyboard phones that arguably aren't these days. But I agree with adopter...I've used a few questionable ones for our smart TV; a BB quality injection would be just the ticket!

Posted via CB10

[bb10adopter111]

My assumption is that BlackBerry simply has no interest in anything so mundane and backward looking, because it would be a retro-type product.

But this is an actual successful product category, and I'd love to see someone make a BlackBerry version of the Logitech K480 with 3 simultaneous pairings.

A premium one would be worth $100 bucks to me a probably a lot of other people. It would be a niche product worth a few million in profit.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

It is strange the number of wireless keyboard that are made for the iPad (can be used with iPhone as well). But then a tablet portability is different than a phones that you slip in a pocket. There are a few folding keyboard for the iPhone... but nothing along the lines of a TYPO or a simply filo keyboard case.

I have to assume that the products made in the past, lacked the sales thresholds to continue them.

If some here believe so strongly that their is a opportunity being missed here. Might contact the SES Mobility guy, see if he is interested in partners to fund his phone keyboard attachment.

[bb10adopter111]

It is strange the number of wireless keyboard that are made for the iPad (can be used with iPhone as well). But then a tablet portability is different than a phones that you slip in a pocket. There are a few folding keyboard for the iPhone... but nothing along the lines of a TYPO or a simply filo keyboard case.

I have to assume that the products made in the past, lacked the sales thresholds to continue them.

If some here believe so strongly that their is a opportunity being missed here. Might contact the SES Mobility guy, see if he is interested in partners to fund his phone keyboard attachment.

Just for clarity, I'm not talking about a keyboard just for phones. I'm talking about an all-purpose handheld BT keyboard using the legacy BlackBerry form factor for use with phones, tablets, TVs, video streaming devices, etc.

It would be so much better than this: https://www.kensington.com/p/product...held-keyboard/

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Just for clarity, I'm not talking about a keyboard just for phones. I'm talking about an all-purpose handheld BT keyboard using the legacy BlackBerry form factor for use with phones, tablets, TVs, video streaming devices, etc.

It would be so much better than this: https://www.kensington.com/p/product...held-keyboard/

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

I remember some wanted a way to use their BlackBerry with their desktop....

[idssteve]

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webst...ntent/39680932

Hit & miss but nice when it works.
Too much entry lag for my type rate but might prove ok for slower typing.

Bold's optical trackpad is as wonderful on huge screens as on tiny ones!

Bold-Playbook-hdmi is STILL my fave for roam about the room presentations.

[anon(5597702)]

I remember some wanted a way to use their BlackBerry with their desktop....

You can use your BB as a "remote control" type keyboard/touchpad with Blue Touchpad from BB World.

Posted via CB10

[jagrlover]

Awaiting the usual responses of:

"if it were a viable business, it would already have been done."

I know you're being sarcastic, but it was already done (Ryan Seacrest tried) and shut down by BlackBerry's legal department.

We all know that hindsight is 20/20, but what if BB let those keyboard attachments go to market? What if they were enough of a success to keep people interested in physical keyboards? Maybe there would still be a viable market out there?

[anon(10512033)]

I bet one of these people could do it, if they were so inclined:

https://twitter.com/arturo182/status/949366244645404673

https://hackaday.io/project/27520-pi...-manager-pager

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginn...ard-connector/

[bb10adopter111]

I know you're being sarcastic, but it was already done (Ryan Seacrest tried) and shut down by BlackBerry's legal department.

We all know that hindsight is 20/20, but what if BB let those keyboard attachments go to market? What if they were enough of a success to keep people interested in physical keyboards? Maybe there would still be a viable market out there?

I don't want to attach a keyboard to a phone. I want a small handheld BT keyboard for my TV, tablets, phone, and occasionally my PC, for when I'm taking notes away from my desk.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[the_boon]

I know you're being sarcastic, but it was already done (Ryan Seacrest tried) and shut down by BlackBerry's legal department.

We all know that hindsight is 20/20, but what if BB let those keyboard attachments go to market? What if they were enough of a success to keep people interested in physical keyboards? Maybe there would still be a viable market out there?

Well, I'll tell you this:

Typo's first case was for the iPhone 5S, and then after being under fire from BB, they went ahead and made a gen 2 case for both the 5S and the 6, so I guess the first gen sold well enough for them to bother making two more of them.

[conite]

Well, I'll tell you this:

Typo's first case was for the iPhone 5S, and then after being under fire from BB, they went ahead and made a gen 2 case for both the 5S and the 6, so I guess the first gen sold well enough for them to bother making two more of them.

Or they weren't happy with the first gen, and gave it one last shot.

[Bla1ze]

Oddly enough, BlackBerry had their own streaming box platform that they gave up on, and even then they never thought to use a BlackBerry keyboard for the remote. Personally, I think it comes down to BlackBerry not wanting to do anything with the keyboard. If someone came to them and said 'Hey we want to license the keyboard'... cool, they'd do it. But anything beyond that, they just don't have any interest as it's not their core business anymore.

[idssteve]

I've played around with countless loose 9900 KBs. Swapped new ones into my 99 about quarterly for these past 9 years. Our main facility break room table has boxes of new kb, torx drivers, screws, etc (also displays & batteries... Spare battery chargers, handset charging cradles,... Etc) on it. Next to creamer & sugar. Lol. IT procured hundreds of spares, years ago. Our tiny (<30 of us) corner of that huge "mother corp" has inherited them. Lol. We've toyed with quite a few re-purposing ideas.

Keyboards themselves, no matter how famously exquisite, are just part of a comprehensive system. Every KB must be supported by a chassis. Every key stroke must be reacted in equal & opposite ways by that chassis. AND, in turn,by the flexible flesh grasping that chassis.

9900's compact, well balanced and easily grasped chassis also deserves much credit for a great deal of that handset's famous kb performance. The kb itself has been dynamically, statically, and kinematically, fine tuned for interaction with that chassis, AND a range of chassis-flesh interactions. An impressive engineering accomplishment in itself. Imo, as an engineer myself. Lol.

It then took RIM quite a few years, and quite a few real world market experiments, to finally, ultimately, achieve 'the ultimate typing machine'... (To paraphrase a certain auto maker's sales line... Lol.) Ultimately coalescing as their ultimate flagship of BBOS. Dakota. Imo. Fwiw.

NOT an investment of effort that's likely to be repeated for PKB any time soon. If ever. Imo. Especially for a tv remote? Lol.

Easier to buy old Bolds & re-purpose? Old Bolds have proven fabulously durable. And repairable! How many 10s of M were produced? Many, many doomed to landfills as 3g fades. CDMA already.... My company has re-purposed a couple dozen 9930's as data entry spreadsheet editor appliances. My "smart guys" have hacked up apps to get Bold input into rooted Android via BT. Verrrrry clunky, so far. Imo. But promising! They haven't had spare time to make it work unrooted. Even less spare time since covid. Ug.

Just some spare time thoughts while minding "grave yard shift support lines" ... From home... Relatively quiet night, so far. Lol.

[anon(5597702)]

I don't want to attach a keyboard to a phone. I want a small handheld BT keyboard for my TV, tablets, phone, and occasionally my PC, for when I'm taking notes away from my desk.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

Have you tried Blue Touchpad? (Cited earlier.)

Posted via CB10

[the_boon]

Or they weren't happy with the first gen, and gave it one last shot.

In any case, they stopped because BB ltd forced them to, not because of crappy sales.
They were even being sold on Amazon.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

In any case, they stopped because BB ltd forced them to, not because of crappy sales.
They were even being sold on Amazon.

Sales weren't doing that great and with the changes to the iPhone 6 and 6+ design, it meant adding more SKUs which would increase their costs.

If there were easy money to be made.... they wouldn't have given up. They'd have spent money to do some research and redesign the keyboard to avoid BlackBerry and they'd have moved on.

[robnhl]

I was just thinking that a small Bluetooth Keyboard modeled on the BlackBerry Bold or earlier legacy PKB would be great for everything from TV streaming to phone and tablet use. I know there are some small keyboards available, but it seems the BlackBerry designs would be better.

I used to use my Bold with my PlayBook that way and thought it was great.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

There is one. Not BT but wireless.

https://forums.crackberry.com/genera...rd-pc-1179234/

[co4nd]

Man, I would love to have a bold like remote for my my Apple TV,

[idssteve]

There is one. Not BT but wireless.

https://forums.crackberry.com/genera...rd-pc-1179234/

Yep, it's not bluetooth, afaik. Works on PC with a supplied usb receiver. Not sure what RF tech it's using but seems to have pretty good range. It might make a great TV remote, etc.? but never took time to try it on a TV. One co-worker got one working his tv but sounded pretty involved. No IR, btw.

It's no Bold, but what is? lol Never got its trackpad "Bold smooth" but always intended to experiment more with mouse sensitivity, etc. no time, yet. Covid happened right after I got it & I got buried busy in other directions. Just haven't found time to play with it. Still on bucket list, tho.

Might prove suitable for OP's TV remote needs?

[bb10adopter111]

There is one. Not BT but wireless.

https://forums.crackberry.com/genera...rd-pc-1179234/

The form factor looks great. But I would need BT with multiple profiles like I have on the much larger Logitech K480 that I use. It can be paired with three devices simultaneously, with a dial to switch between them. I can use the same KB for my TV, Media PC and a phone/tablet.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android