Want to connect your iPhone and Bluetooth keyboard? There's a (jailbroken) app for that (Update: video!)

The wait has been long, but now there's finally a means by which to connect your dear, yet almost buttonless, iPhone or iPod touch to a Bluetooth keyboard for some more intense finger tapping action. The project that delivered us this teasing video back in February has at long last reached the application stage, where simple commoners like us can use it to synergize our gear -- provided we've had the wherewithal to free it from Cupertino's overbearing clutches first. The BTstack Keyboard app is now available in exchange for $5 at the Cydia store, so if you want to be the first to write a bestseller on his or her iDevice, there's no time like the present.

Update: We've done the inevitable and had a quick play with the app ourselves. Pairing our iPhone and keyboard was a veritable cinch, and we were met by delightfully rapid responsiveness throughout, whether using it in Safari, composing text missives, or jotting those novella notes down. You should note that command, cut, copy, paste, and highlighting functions are not yet active, and then hurry along past the break to see a video demo.

See more video at our hub!

[Jouva Posted Dec 26th 2009 2:10PM]

@Phoenix303 I can see people feeling they want to use this, but it still has me scratching my head: Why would you want to use a device that's designed to be HELD. One that is best SEEN by being held.

If you want to, go ahead, but it still seems less productive than having a laptop or even netbook.

[surgex Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:14PM]

Wow, this is killer.
Too bad you have to JB your phone just to use a bluetooth keyboard...
Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian, (insert every other mobile OS in existance in the history of mobile OS's here) have been able to do this since day one.

But this is coming from a company that took years to implement copy and paste...so I guess it's only natural for them to not allow an external keyboard. People could use it to take down cell towers, don't ya know!

But I guess that's the point of an iphone...most people who buy an iphone don't even know that BT keyboards exist...it's a phone for people who really don't care about gadgetry and just want a quick and shiny new device with a simpleton interface. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not something I would ever want :).

I'm perfectly fine with my WM device that supports the entire BT stack including FTP, PAN, and DUN, and also has USB Host drivers :)

[Soheil Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:07PM]

I see you "Installous" - naughty naughty ;-)

[MeisterDon Posted Dec 25th 2009 11:30PM]

@Soheil

You should try Install0us ;]

[Affe Posted Dec 25th 2009 9:56PM]

It would be cool if you could link up your laptop with your phone. It would much more piratical than just a random bluetooth keyboard.

[qrius Posted Dec 26th 2009 3:41AM]

I will patiently wait for this to somehow get working on android. that mac keyboard is a beauty.

[Chewy1993 Posted Dec 26th 2009 4:32PM]

I've been able to connect a kb AND mouse to my phone for a while now. Yay WinMo!

Always seems like any bit of Apple news comes out, Engadget gets it. They hardly ever have Windows news anymore D:

[SParklingCYaNide Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:47PM]

BOring! Apple does nothing but generally FAIL as always. Its ridiculous what they put their consumers through in their iCrappy ideas and "innovations" that rarely ever work correctly. Don't even get me started on their software lockdown. They bought your product and its the consumers' property, they can do whatever the hell they want on it. Most apps in Apples store are lame anyways, there's just multiple copies of the same old apps which is the reason for the number of apps. Now the number of practical and "useful" apps is much lower than their much touted number to be sure.

Good thing we have options and those of us who don't want to deal with such a terrible company as Apple we have much higher quality companies who build better phones with REAL OS's on them and not some stupid rudimentary program launcher such as on the iPhone.

Ta!

[benr Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:02AM]

Man i wish they would add this feature in the non jailbroken OS!

[readlater Posted Jan 29th 2010 11:16PM]

So now we know why Apple has not enabled a bluetooth keyboard to pair with the iPhone. It's called the iPad, and they would not want the iPhone to encroach on its market positioning. But that's OK, since those of us who want to pair a BT keyboard with our iPhones have a solution, as the article above describes. I am glad Apple makes the iPhone, and they often make business decisions that place limits on users in order to make lots of money and keep themselves in business to create more products people like me will like. But I am also glad that there a people like BTstack that enable us to circumvent those limitations. For those of you that dislike Apple and iPhone, knock yourself out with whatever other products you like. That is why the market exists: choice for everyone! So be happy and stop being whiners.