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(More customer reviews)I was excited when I got my Celluon CL-850 BT keyboard in the mail, and after a bit of setup, am very happy with it - with caveats. I run it on my Blackberry 8320 (curve), and it works great. I'm a college student and I take all my notes on my phone now. Just be aware that Blackberry devices by default are a bit tricky to get working with a keyboard - that's RIM's fault, not Celluon.
I don't like that this device requires its own software for handhelds, and the company has NO customer support (they ignore email). I was never able to get this running on my WM5 HP IPAQ pda (what i originally intended to use this with, so I could draw in hand-written notes) - whenever I select this as the input the software insta-crashes. If Celluon ever goes under, the device will no longer support new OS's, and since it's really meant for mobile devices that's a bad thing. It works with my latop, but there's no real reason to use this on a device with a better keyboard built in. Also, given that I paid $150 for this thing when I got it I'm pretty well tied down to my phone, since there's not many devices I KNOW this will work with.
Keyboard functions reasonably well. You may have to adjust to not having any tactile response to typing, as there are no actual keys being depressed. Also be aware that accuracy is important and calibrating the sensitivity for different surfaces/lighting conditions is required, but easy. Start tapping your fingers on the desk if you wanna know what it feels like typing on this thing. By the way, it's a laugh riot seeing first time users push down harder on the "keys" trying to get it to work. It reflects infrared light off your fingers to a sensor to identify keystrokes, therefore reflective/shiny surfaces (read: high gloss wood desks) have trouble with it sometimes, but a white sheet of paper fixes that. Also, given the way it works, you have to keep your fingers higher than you expect to and certain keystrokes are impossible, as you have an infrared shadow blocking the lower fingers. This also can cause issues when typing fast as one finger may not be out of the way of the next when moving quickly - overall it's more "hunt and peck" friendly as opposed to 150 wpm typing. I've also noticed that people with long fingernails have a lot of trouble getting it to work properly, since nails are glossy, but trying to use fingertips may set off the key above your intended target. Also note that since it uses infrared reflectivity, the laser guide is just that - a guide. If you place the device on top of a 4" book and the laser guide appears larger, it will NOT increase the size of the "actual" keyboard - you'll just have an invisible sensitive area floating 4" above the table with no finger stop. It has to be used on a flat surface, but it doesn't have to be level - I even had to get someone's password at work once and held it against a wall and had them type it in. Also, while I can silence the phone's keystroke sounds, I have not found a way to silence the clicking speaker on the device itself. It's very quiet (quieter than my laptop keyboard and some people writing with pencils), and I've asked neighbors if it bothered them and they said no, but I feel you should be aware in case absolute silence is required. I probably wouldn't turn it off even if I could, since the light sound is the only verification you have that it's seeing your fingers if you aren't watching your screen. The only other major warning is that it takes up a decent amount of desk space that must be absolutely flat, which can be trouble for college students trying to use this and a book at the same time.
While I don't like the fact that it REQUIRES its own software for handhelds (works on windows just fine w/o software or additional drivers if you have version with USB as well as bluetooth), the software has some nice features. It lets you adjust the brightness of the keys, whether or not keys repeat when held down, whether or not the device makes sounds (turn the sound off, people), sensitivity (you'll find that different surfaces/environments require you to adjust this - it's easy though) and standby/auto-off functions.
Overall, I'm very happy with this device. It works as advertised and is more than just a sci-fi gadget. That being said, make sure it will work with your device and don't expect it to be as quick as a tactile keyboard. Also, this thing will draw a crowd first time you use it somewhere new, as people flock to the sheer coolness of it (if you're in witness protection or something I'd say avoid this). I'm glad I have it and hope you find this review helpful.
Update - I forgot to mention that battery life is a problem. 90 minutes on the outside for me, which is an issue when using it for class. Since the CL 850 has a USB mini port on it(older models of the keyboard do not, and require a wall adapter), I plan on getting an external cell-phone charging battery. Most new phones use this same power supply and voltage, so that should be easy to find.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Celluon LaserKey CL850 Projection Keyboard
Amazingly small unit projects laser keyboard onto any non-reflective surface, and detects when the virtual keys are "touched". Provides both standard USB HID keyboard connectivity and non-standard Bluetooth SPP connectivity (requires Celluon driver on target platform to receive keystrokes). The CL850 can be powered by USB, with included AC adapter, or with built-in lithium ion battery power. Charge battery before use. Works via USB with any computer than can supply sufficient power (does not work with iPad for power reasons). Bluetooth compatible with Windows XP/Vista/Win7 using Microsoft Bluetooth stack, and some older mobile platforms. See celluon.com for list of compatible drivers.We recommend installing drivers on your phone or PC to confirm compatibility before purchase. Keyboard Project Specifications: 1. Light source - Red laser diode. 2. Keyboard Language - English 3. Keyboard layout - 19mm sized QWERTY layout. 4. Keyboard size - Approx. 304mm*105mm. 5. Keyboard position - Approx. 100mm from keyboard device. 6. Projection surface - Non-reflective, opaque flat surface. 7. Keystroke Sound - Built in buzzer (Mute on/off the sound). 8. Visibility - Visible in 1000-5000 lux ambient light. Keyboard Sensor Specifications: 1. Illumination - Visible in incandescent light of 1800 lux. 2. Detection rate - Over 400 characters per minute. 3. Effective key stroke - Approx. 2~5mm. 4. Operating surface - Any flat surface. Electrical Condition Specifications:1. Power source - The USB bus power. Lithium ion battery power. The DC input power. 2. Battery capacity - 830mAH(Max)@3.7V. Replaceable soft-pack type. 3. Adapter - Rating 1A @ 5V. 4. Interface - USB 1.1 and 2.0 for PC. Bluetooth(v1.1 class 2) for Mobile devices. 5. Touch Switch - Switch the active/Standby mode manually. 6. Power consumption - max. 3W@5V.
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