[PolloLoco]

OK - after a day of using the Freedom Bluetooth Keyboard I have mixed results, but overall I'm content. Connecting to the Touch Pro was not as easy as others had reported. Just using the Windows mobile drivers - I could not get my phone to accept "0000" as the password for connection. Some people have been able to - many more were unable to do so. That was disappointing. So I used the CD included, connected my phone via activesync and installed the driver program. Then the keyboard connected easily - and I was able to use it for test e-mails and word documents.

However - I bought this keyboard because of it's "universal" HID drivers, so I figured I'd test connecting it to my Windows XP PC. I'm using an Anycom bluetooth adapter. At first I failed. When connecting the keyboard, it kept failing when I was asked to input a password generated by my pc. I was about to give up when I moved the keyboard 6 inches closer to the adapter - and was then able to connect. I repeated the process at this distance. This suggests to me that bluetooth signal clarity is critical to the initial connection - and perhaps my Touch Pro's bluetooth isn't powerful enough to connect via the raw force HID drivers? Regardless, once connected - I tested that the connection worked up to 30 feet away.

In comparison to my old Stowaway Keyboard there are some pro's and con's. The Stowaway supposedly gives users warning messages when disconnecting but otherwise seems to work well with the Touch Pro. I'll summarize Pro's and Con's below:

Cons:
1. The Right Shift button and Question Mark keys are swapped. WTF? Who thought this was a good idea?
2. The space button is split into two keys - making use awkward at first.
3. The bifold shape makes for a bigger profile than the Stowaway Sierra. It fits in my Khaki pockets, but barely. The Sierra was a trifold.
4. It can be used on a lap in a pinch, but really needs support since the "locking" latch is not very strong. The Stowaway Sierra was much better in this regard.

Pros
1. The HID drivers. Connected to my PC with no additional software needed.
2. Case Outside Surface - Doesn't attract finger prints and scratches like the Sierra chrome.
3. Carrying Case - Much sturdier and easier to access than the Stowaway case.

The key to this keyboard will be how truly "Universal" the drivers are. I hope for relatively painless connections to devices I'll own in the future. My PC's connection gives me hope - but the PPC initial failure gives me cause for concern. If this keyboard connects to the linux netbook I hope to purchase, then it will have been worth the $84 (including shipping).

Knowing what I know - I might have considered the cheaper $50 MSI folding bluetooth keyboard which can be found using froogle and on ebay. It doesn't have HID drivers, but the included CD drivers appear to work as well on our Touch Pro's as the stowaway drivers - they work but with warning messages.