Full Size keyboard for Droid??

[Zero Cool]

It sure would be nice to be able to plug in a full size USB keyboard into my Droid for those On the road quick emails. the slide out Kb is too small for my big hands to use. the onscreen KB works much better for me, but it still would be nice for those nights im sitting in my Hotel room to be able to type on a bigger KB. I wouldn't need to drag a laptop around with me for the most part.


anyone know if this is possible???



Zc

 

[gardobus]

via USB I don't think its possible. It COULD be possible via Bluetooth but I don't know. Check this out:

[video=youtube;Rt6xo2LZeLc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt6xo2LZeLc[/video]

That tablet is running Android and he setup a mouse and keyboard on it, but I don't know if that would work on our phones since they aren't "tablets" per say.

 

[Zero Cool]

I did see a guy use his droid as a remote for his laptop. but I want to go the otherway. a BT Keyboard would be fine too!

 

[Trip]

I haven't tried one yet (I have one at the office, I'll have to give it a shot next week), but I don't think the Droid will work with a bluetooth keyboard. I think the bluetooth keyboards work off of the HID (Human Interface Device) protocol in bluetooth, and from what I can find on the Motorola website this is the Droid protocols:

This device supports Bluetooth A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, PBAP, OPP profiles.

So... A2DP is stereo music, AVRCP is remot control (This is the only hope, but I doubt it), HSP is Hand set, HFP is Hands Free, PBAP is Phone Book Access, and OPP is Push.

Edit follows:

With all that said, it would be possible with the AVRCP protocol for someone to make an app that allows you to control your droid through your desktop computer via bluetooth, you would then, possibly, be able to use the keyboard on your computer and have it go to your Droid.

 

[gardobus]

yeah i doubt it will work also

 

[Trip]

Yeah, but how cool would it be to set up one of these things to work with your Droid...people would stare and stare lol :icon_eek:

ThinkGeek :: Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboardhttp://www.droidforums.net/computing/keyboards-mice/8193/zoom/

 

[Zero Cool]

Yeah, but how cool would it be to set up one of these things to work with your Droid...people would stare and stare lol :icon_eek:

ThinkGeek :: Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard

YEESSSSSS!!!!! come on now! someone needs to get on this!

 

[Trip]

Unfortunatly the only hope would be a rooted phone with a custom ROM with the HID or SPP bluetooth profile. :icon_ nono2::r_c:

 

[knightshade]

This is something that I was looking for as well..
It looks like there are some beta drivers available:
Beta Testers Wanted for Android Bluetooth Keyboard Driver - My Mobile Gear - Mobile Community

Looking forward to getting my Droid and a BT Keyboard to play with

 

[Trip]

Hmmm...that does look promising, I hope it works, and I hope it works with the Droid and Android 2.0...:icon_ banana:

 

[samredman]

This has to be a priority project for software developers... bluetooth (or usb if that's possible). It needs to be functional true keyboard (doesn't have to be full size... just one you can actually type on with both hands, not just thumbs; maybe about the size you find on the hp mini computer... that's usable) which I could just carry along in my jacket pocket. That setup would enable me to do a good bit of the work for which I now need a laptop. The screen size is not the problem for doing real work... it's the keyboard. I go back to the days of the Model 100 (first true laptop, came out in 1983) which had a screen about this same size, but a full size keyboard. Reporters everywhere used it to file news stories over the built in dialup modem.

A workable (two hand accessible) keyboard attached to the Droid would turn this into the ultimate tool... I would leave my laptop at home.

 

[Zero Cool]

This has to be a priority project for software developers... A workable (two hand accessible) keyboard attached to the Droid would turn this into the ultimate tool... I would leave my laptop at home.

Exactly, I could leave my laptop at home on short trips and do everything with the driod. from what i have seen it has all the power to be able to do everything if we can just get a keyboard interface worked out.

 

[Sam]

right now, the droid (i think all android devices actually) does not support USB hosting. so no. maybe bluetooth though? i haven't seen one though..

 

[ZeRo_C0oL]

I'm going to be following the bluetooth idea because I think that's got a lot of potential!

 

[samredman]

Well, I think I found what I need (except it only supports Blackberry and Windows Mobile smartphones now)... It is called RedFly. It looks like a netbook, but its sole function is to connect to your phone and give you a bigger screen and keyboard for reading and controlling every aspect of your phone. You can also use it to charge your phone and do projections to a tv. It's only 9 in x 6in and weighs 1.5 lbs (souped up projector model weighs 2 lbs). But, has an 8 in screen and a fully operable keyboard. They say they are working to achieve compatibility with other smart phone operating systems now... you know they won't leave the Droid unsupported (we can hope, hope, hope).

REDFLY - by Celio Corp

This contains no operating system connects with either usb or bluetooth. They really tout its ability to use GotomyPc and Logmein so you can use it to also access your desktop machine and transfer files to your smartphone... which, with the Redfly, you can work on no matter where you are .Sells for as little as $200. I want one right now for the Droid.

See.. that would fit right in my sport coat pocket. Cool.