Wanted: inexpensive small or folding keyboard for iPhone

By Clare Page, 7 May, 2012

Forum
Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories
Hi! For some time now, I have been considering getting a bluetooth keyboard for my iPhone 4S, preferably one which is either small or will fold to a relatively small size so that I can travel with it. The rare shops near where I live which sell such keyboards tend to have rather high prices, for example the cheapest one locally is around 60 euros, which is much more in dollars: I would like to pay less than that if I can, but still get a decent-quality bluetooth keyboard which is either small or folding and is usable by a blind person, and, given the high prices in the local shops as mentioned above, I hope to buy such a keyboard online. I would also rather have a separate keyboard than one in an iPhone case, partly because I already have a case for my iPhone, partly because I won't need to use such a keyboard all the time so I would prefer to have one which can be switched off and put away somewhere when not in use. Any suggestions of not-too-expensive small or folding bluetooth keyboards which will work with an iPhone 4S are welcome: thanks in advance.

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By Shersey on Saturday, May 5, 2012 - 23:53

It's the 97537. I'm not sure, but I think that may be the only one they made, as doing a search for "Verbatim bluetooth folding keyboard" on Google only pulled up that one. I didn't like it, primarily because it folded and to accomplish this, the keys had to be placed a little oddly or some made smaller. I believe the G and H keys, along with the B and N or V and B keys had this done to them. Also, their were two space bar keys which your thumbs rested on. It was also split into two parts so the keyboard could fold. I understand why they had to make it this way, but I found it pretty annoying. Also, one of the shift keys--I think it was the right one--was tiny. The keyboard runs on two AAA batteries, and there is a slider bar you can move to prevent the keyboard from folding while in use. There is also a physical switch to turn the keyboard on/off. The only hard thing was paring the keyboard. I think there's a button you have to press, but I'm not sure for how long. It's something you'll probably want to do with a stylus--I seem to remember that working all right. Locating the button is also somewhat of a challenge, since there's recesses along the side that look like they could be it--but once ou have the location memorized, it's all right. Then, you enter in the code the iDevice gives you on the keyboard. The numbers are, if I remember correctly, the row of smaller keys at the top; if I remember correctly, the number one is the third in from the left. Here's the link to the keyboard on amazon.com. This is the regular site--but I don't imagine they wouldn't ship to the UK. http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-97537-Wireless-Bluetooth-Keyboard/dp/B004L9LT2E I was unsuccessful in digging up detailed paring instructions for the keyboard, but it comes with printed instructions that you can either scan or ask someone to read to you. I found these instructions once, but for the life of me, I couldn't find them a second time. Perhaps there's instructions on Verbatim's website. I hope this helps. Shersey

I completely forgot to mention, in my first post on this thread, that I am in France. So, to buy a keyboard online, I will have to use an international site, obviously one which ships to mainland Europe. With any luck, products on the American Amazon site will also be on the French one, but I'm waiting for more replies from anyone who reads this forum topic before I make up my mind which keyboard to get.

I totally forgot you live in France! I'm following you on Twitter--and before that makes me sound like a stalker--I'm HPFANFICTION on there. Good luck with the keyboard hunt. I'm also planning on selling my Apple bluetooth keyboard when I replace the eight key--it fell off while typing. I'm selling because the keyboard has a button to turn it on, rather than a switch and the way it's designed, and the way I carry it around, it's gotten pressed on several occasions, and my batteries have drained as a result. I'm looking for one with a switch. And while I would like it to run on AA batteries, as I have rechargeable ones already, I could live with it running on AAA's. My other feature it must have is a switch. And I would like to be able to use it on Windows, so Windows keys and escape keys are crutial. I'd reall love to be able to have the equivelent of the shift-F10 function, or an applications key. I know, I'm super picky. I've thought about getting a bluetooth keyboard specifically designed to work on Windows, so I can be sure it will perform to my satisfaction. I'm not sure how portable it will be, though. Maybe the Windows 8 tablets that are coming out will spawn such a keyboard and I can get lucky on that front. Good luck, Shersey