New Folding Bluetooth Keyboard Coming for iPAQs

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given a company permission to release in the U.S. a portable Bluetooth Keyboard for the iPAQ line of Pocket PCs.

This has been developed by a Taiwanese company named Darfon Electronics Corp., but it is clearly intended to be sold by HP. The keyboard bears the HP logo and the word "iPAQ" is printed on it as well.

Rather than requiring a physical connection, this device will communicate with the Pocket PC over Bluetooth short-range wireless networking. This will allow the handheld to be used in both portrait and landscape modes.

When closed, this keyboard will be 5.9 inches wide, 4.1 inches high, and 0.78 inches thick (15.0 cm by 10.5 cm by 1.97 cm). It will open to be 11.8 inches wide (30.0 cm). It will weigh 6.2 ounces (175 g).

It will include a built-in stand and this keyboard will be usable while on a person's lap.

It is not known when HP's Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard will be available, or what it will cost.

All the documents filed with FCC on this device can be found on that government agency's web site.

One of Several

An increasing number of handhelds and smartphones include Bluetooth, and more peripherals are hitting the market that make use of this short-range wireless networking standard.

This includes several Bluetooth keyboards that should hit the market in the coming months.

Think Outside is already taking pre-orders for its Stowaway Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, which works with both Pocket PCs and Symbian smartphones.

Just last week Nokia announced that it will release later this year a Bluetooth Keyboard for smartphones running its Series 60 platform.

Thanks to Duncan from FirstLoox.org for the tip.

Related Links

• Brighthand Reviews the Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard
• Bluetooth Keyboard Coming from Nokia
• Bluetooth Kicking into High Speed