So I finally acquired a very low-mileage HP Jornada external keyboard.
Put that with Softmaker Textmaker for the Jornada 720, and you've a very useful Word Processor... about the level somewhere between old Word 6 and Word in Orifice 2003. And without my clumsy key-ing on the small Jornada keyboard.
The Softmaker Word Processor and the Keyboard provide just about enough advantage to use the Jornada as a comfortable nearly-portable writing tool. And that's more than I can say about it's stream of successors... keyboards and pocket versions of Word... down the years.
I'd personally hate to try and produce even a short piece on one of our Ameos, using the accompanying keyboard and the Win Mobile 6 version of Word. And on the Tytn II... well, thats never going to happen.
The external keyboard driver program
(s
) are still available on HP
(US, I think it was
) as a cab file.
While the installation was easy, the implementation foxed me for a while.
After all, I am a good deal older than even Mr CE Geek. ;-
)
)
Eventually the seller and I... between his faulty memory and my ignorance... sorted it out.
The driver is a TSR
(for the younger viewers, that used to mean a Terminate and Stay Resident program
) and unless you put it in your startup, it doesn't run. You have to go and run it.
It doesn't appear in the Control Panel... except under the uninstall list.
But it does appear in the HP Utilities.
When you run it you get a screen which informs you that "This application only works with the HP Jornada external keyboard
(
F1275A)" with a box to tick so it will "Don't Remind Me Again.".
The icon then appears in your system tray. You can enable or disable it by simply clicking on the icon.
Now I don't know about you, but the keyboard was another thing I had to concede to the Mobile Pro 900C, along with the screen, the USB, CE 4.2, etc.
I thought that the Jornada 728 was going to be relegated to the store room, until I tried this combination. I can’t comment on the other element in Softmaker Office, Planmaker, because I’ve had no real job for it just yet. But if Planmaker provides the equivalent functionality to Textmaker, then it completes the very best Office Software requirement that you could expect from the Jornada 72x systems.
And very well worth paying UsedHandHelds for that CD.
Physically the only things to add perhaps are that it has a couple of feet to raise it at the back. One key, tucked out of the way in the top right, which switches the keyboard on and off. Can't imagine why I'd need that, but there you are. The keyboard quick-launch keys are in completely different locations, as are the FN key and there's a Tilde next to the left hand end of the Spacebar. But the really important keys... such as backspace-delete, and Shift... are all where they should be. And even I can get up to a speed with this keyboard.
The soft-padded embossed glove is light and easy to get the keyboard in and out of, but I doubt that it would afford much protection if dropped or sat upon.
Thats about it, except to say that I wish that I'd got one years ago.
I realise that these are rare to find. If you're interested then Googling is probably the way. Mine came from eBay and was
(I thought
) expensive... for something which only works with something else, and which is itself an anachronism, and years out of date... but not quite old enough for antique status. Then of course I tried it out with TextMaker, and have no more complaints.
I did notice one ad which might help at least one of you, and which came up from a Google using "hp external Jornada 720 keyboard" as the seed. It's in UsedHandHeld's shop on this link...
http://www.usedhandhelds.com/hp-jornada-external-keyboard-for-hp-ha...
for $99.
Which is not much different, after exchange rates, to the price that finally I paid.
And I quote from UsedHandHelds online shop...
Product Description
HP Jornada external keyboard for HP Jornada 420/428/680/680e, HP 300LX, HP 320LX, HP 340LX, HP 360LX, HP 620LX, HP 660LX. Does not work with non HP products. This item is used and in perfect condition. Drivers and leather case included.
Unquote.
The Keyboard must have been offered for sale on Amazon
(UK
) at some time, and I reproduce here, two of their customer reviews which are still extant... although there are no keyboards alas. And as if to underline the inevitably approaching antique status of the Jornada line... note the dates on these reviews below...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00000J51Z
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth its weight in gold!, 31 Mar 2001
By
LW "lizziewhippet" - See all my reviews
This review is from: HP Jornada 600 Series External Keyboard
(Office Product
)
A bold claim? If you've struggled along with the on screen keyboard on either of the Jornada palm size units
(420/430
) this keyboard will make writing a pleasure. Customisable shortcuts
(or macros
) using the function button take the strain out of adding your address or indeed any oft written lengthy verbage to documents. The build quality of the keyboard is high and it comes complete with a soft leather look-a-like case for protection on the move. Note that with the jornada 430 the driver is already loaded on to your machine and so you can forget the floppy installation disc included in the box. All in all I heartily recommend this item and at amazon's low price, its an essential bargain.
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Comment Comment
5.0 out of 5 stars Jordanda Keyboard, 18 Mar 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: HP Jornada 600 Series External Keyboard
(Office Product
)
This keyboard is an example of excellent workmanship. I have had mine for over a year now and I use it all the time; it still hasn't given in! If you find the character recognition difficult to master, then get this keyboard. It may be on the expensive side, but believe me, it is definitely worth it!
If you're ever inclined to think of the Jornada 720 or 728
(or indeed I suppose the 820
) badly for their age and inadequacy over modern units, then you only need a week or two working with the original Psion Organiser IIs to cure it.
Solid state prom storage,
(as opposed to CF cards
) requiring a UV eraser to clear them, is bad enough, but when you discover that most of the ram storage cartridges that you can lay hands on now only work in the Organiser... because the CR2032 batteries inside them have long since died... you begin to appreciate the Jornada more and more.
These cartridges have a CR2032 battery soldered directly to the crcuit board. I've even resorted to trying to solder a CR2032 socket inside the case and fitting a new battery. Out of two I tried, one worked... and even then I had to cut the socket about a lot. Next up was to be soldering one of the smaller AG13 button batteries instead, but I got sidetracked, and interested in something else... you know how it is... at least the retired older ones among you will.
With only four mono lines to the screen
(and thats on the LZ64, the highest level unit
), and a really different way of doing things, the only thing you can envy them is the built-in language, called OPL.
Now that would have been a real asset to the J72x line... or indeed any other line.
Actually when I think of it, some time ago there was a project to port OPL to the PC.
In fact, dredging even deeper among the dendrites, I recall that it did make an appearance, but only a poor subset of OPL resulted.
I'm sure I've still got it installed on the only units that we have which will still talk to Psion's serial links, an arthritic pair of Toshiba 4010CDTs running Win98SE.
If this fires a neuron or two among the older members, then they may well know more.
QF 22-12-12