EFO rolls out credit card-sized iPazzPort mini Bluetooth keyboard
By Donald Melanson 
posted August 12th 2010 11:17PM
posted August 12th 2010 11:17PM
EFO may not have quite reached Brando levels low-cost gadget fame, but it did manage to catch our attention recently with its HTPC-friendly iPazzPort keyboard, and it's now back with another interesting little device: the iPazzPort mini Bluetooth keyboard. As you can see, this one is simply a tiny Bluetooth keyboard, which EFO says is "tailor-made for handheld devices" and, of course, perfect for use with the iPhone or iPad. It's also reasonably cheap -- just $32 -- and it would seemingly be a good starting point for DIY-minded individuals looking to build, say, an iPhone case with a built-in keyboard. Head on past the break for a quick a video, and another shot of the keyboard sized up against an iPhone.
They should drop the first 'P' and the name would be more fitting...
^_^
@Stormstrike
iazzport?
@Tubamajuba
Hahaha...come on, does this thing look like ass or what ?
^_^
@Stormstrike
Well at least it has a "BS" key!
@Stormstrike
I always taught it would be cool if someone made a case for the iphone which has a slide out keyboard, would make the iphone that much better.
@the bandit
It's actually a PU key, then a PD key for page up and page down.
is that a keyboard, or are u happy to see me!
@MattsZ It's a keyboard.
@MattsZ
Why would anybody be happy to see you?
@MattsZ If anyone can mistake a credit card sized keyboard in your pants for your penis, go see a doctor. Also, a credit card is about three inches long so...
@androidfan1 FAIL again
Perfect for use with the iPhone or iPad...? How about "perfect for use with Bluetooth enabled smartphones and tablets"...
@EightBitHeroics This is Engadget, did you expect different?
@EightBitHeroics Really?...
@frosty the snowman Not all devices have fucking Bluetooth keyboard support, think before you blindly insult engadgets "bias" towards apple, I had this idea for the iPhone months ago, and I'm sure companies did, which is why they are making this for the iPhone, you guys are the worst
@That guy 2 That's why he said "Bluetooth enabled smartphones and tablets"...
@CreepinJesus
No, he means that not every device that has Bluetooth has the HID profile and also has support for Bluetooth keyboards in the OS. iOS devices such as the iPod and iPad do. And I believe bringing them up was EFO's marketing technique, and had nothing to do with Engadget's supposed Apple bias.
@kenny goo Ah yes - I forgot about profiles. That can be really annoying when looking for gadgets and it just says "Bluetooth enabled" - but for what!?
@EightBitHeroics
Probably because the iPhone is the one product that don't have a physical keyboard and people are always bitching about.
If I want an Android, Palm OS or Windows mobile device with a physical keyboard I can do that easily without a this gadget.
So has anyone tried this with Android yet? Nexus One or equivalent?
Don't want to stir up more i vs a wars, but Android had lagged getting decent bluetooth support - not sure how it is now with Froyo as I don't want to buy something that "might" work.
@EightBitHeroics How about "Perfect for use with US smartphones"?
No € Euro or £ Pound sign, so useless for the whole of Europe.
@kenny goo, CreepinJesus That's why you should buy a device that's 'hackable' i.e. that can have its OS replaced without too much fuss or a silly arms race with the producer.
A new Bluetooth profile is just a driver and some twiddlybits in a config file (at least that's it on Android) fercrissake. Not a divine privilege for which one has to prostrate in front of the altar of the Holy Dollar and sacrifice 3 newborn lambs every full moon for the next 5 years.
When they make this thing transparent (like the photo seems to suggest), with the actual thickness and weight of a credit card, I'll be interested.
@miki4242
Hooray for improbability!!!
@phife What improbability? Now give them Chinese some time will ya?
Here's a start: http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/tychohk/product-detailteRnpAFcsfko/China-Touch-Screen-Transparent-Calculator.html
Just scale down a bit, maybe remove LCD (or maybe not, heck make it dot matrix for all I care), add more keys, add bluetooth thingie (should fit in ~1/8", have a look at dealextreme&co) and you're set.
Estimated ETA (guesstimate including Murphy-factors and bulk container shipping across the great blub-blub): about 3 months from now.
It's funny they are making and iPhone case with a keybored but I love my digital keybored but there might be others who want it. So it's a good thing.
@BallastatuzX Yup, choice is better, even though I don't think people should even need to choose between the iPhones amazing virtual keyboard, and an extra money peripheral, I personally don't give a shit about "choice" but this will score with ignorant people who are about to switch to android because of "choice"
@That guy 2 I switched to Android because of "choice." 8MP camera "choice." Dual LED flash "choice." Optical joystick "choice." MicroSDHC card "choice." Verizon "choice." 3500mAH battery "choice." 3G mobile hotspot and USB tethering "choice." I can defend it all day, so think before you insult people.
@win7fan well thats cool for you but ive been an at&t customer for 10 years now. I love the touchc screen on the iphone its perfect the keybored is perfect. I have 16gs of space i only used 4 so far i love it. I dont have to pay extra 150 for a better sd card. I dont need a trackball cause the touch is so smooth. My camera takes better pics then the 8mp douel led flash its been proven also tethering has been wiht iphone since 3.0 Also if i wanted to get a hotspot id just go into cydia and download it.
hi
I had this idea months ago
@That guy 2
Shit...you should tell all the companies that have been making similar products for years now.
There should be an keyboard attachment that fits on to the back of the iphone and slides down, uses bluetooth
This is the physical equivalent to the virtual keyboard the iPhone already has., why would I buy this? Doesn't make sense.
There's no other gimmick to it other than it being able to type from a distance...I just don't get it.
If your making something for the iPhone or other portable devices I would expect to see some buttons and capabilities that the current keyboard does NOT have. Not just a physical manifestation of what I already have virtually. Just my 2 cents. Who's with me?
@angelnilo06
Some people like to have a physical keyboard to type on, but like iOS. Is that hard to understand? Why do you think there are plenty of smartphones with physical keyboards AND virtual keyboards?
@angelnilo06
Just because you're happy with the onscreen keyboard doesn't mean everybody else is. I happen to know a bunch of girls that complain that it's hard to type because they have long nails.
@NCase If people like iOS then they like virtual. If people complain then that puts them in a category of being people that like to complain about sh!t :-D
@rimeone If you happen to know alot of girls with ridiculously long nails then you my friend need to go out and get to know some other type of girls that are more professional and less ghetto.
@angelnilo06 The advantage of a physical keyboard over a virtual one is that it gives tactile feedback, which also allows touch-typing.
Looks like a blackberry keyboard.
Make the back a touch pd and I will buy 2.
Cool concept, but there's no need to go for a portrait style keyboard as opposed to a landscape style one. There's no real point to that.
@kenny goo
How is it portrait if it's wider than it is tall....
@Teerim
I said "portrait style". As in, it looks like a Blackberry keyboard with the spacing and the curvature, which is completely unnecessary IMO.
What ever happened to the LG QWERTY Card? That thing was sick. Apple should make something like this.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/06/lgs-lba-c300-bluetooth-qwerty-card-is-the-best-calculator-loo/
I like it, though if the keys were more raised and beveled like the blackberry keyboard it would be better.
Eh, there's a few cheap bluetooth mini keyboards about.
Just browse eBay and you'll find them.
The one I have is useful on those rare occasions you need to type a bit of text into your PS3.
This could make me choose a different Android phone as opposed to the next Droid iteration.
You can get it for 20 on ebay
A keyboard is nothing without a mouse.. oh wait iOS doesn't have Bluetooth HID profile for mouse connections, unlike this one:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/nokia-n8-meets-bluetooth-mouse-and-keyboard-has-a-good-time-vi/
Cy5.-