Filed under: iPod Family, Bluetooth, iPhone, Jailbreak/pwnage
BTstack Keyboard jailbreak app provides iPhone text entry
Due to hit the Cydia store momentarily, Matthias Ringwald's BTstack Keyboard app allows users to type text into any iPhone application using an external Bluetooth keyboard. Built on the open source BTstack project, BTstack Keyboard runs a daemon in the background of any jailbroken iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS or iPod touch with Bluetooth support. As you type text on the keyboard, the daemon generates synthetic keyboard tap events; the effect is the same as if you'd typed that text using the on-screen keyboard.
You will need to install BTstack and the BTstack Keyboard packages on a jailbroken 3G or later iPhone or 2nd generation or later iPod touch. The software has been tested with an Apple Bluetooth keyboard, a Think Outside Stowaway Universal keyboard, and a Palm Wireless keyboard. There's no reason to think it won't work with any standard Bluetooth keyboard, i.e. one that uses standard BT protocols.
With this small utility, users will be better able to take notes on the go using a standard keyboard in any text-based iPhone application. Yes, you'll have to haul around the physical keyboard, but the availability of folding on-the-go Bluetooth solutions makes this an exciting development for anyone who wants to expand their text entry possibiilities.
Expect to pay $5 for BTstack Keyboard when the software goes live. For more details, see Ringwald's Keyboard information page at his website. Ringwald is the same developer whose BTstack work brought iPhone-Wiimote integration into play recently.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
iGlad said 6:00PM on 12-23-2009
I just cannot se the point of this it's a bit like having broadband and wi-fi but using dial-up instead. It's a step backwards not forwards the onboard screen works well enough and no ones going to write a thesis on their iphone, the Totally pointless and I used to have a fold out keyboard for my palm and that wasn't used enough to warrant the price for the keyboard. This is another of those.
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chris yang said 10:47PM on 12-23-2009
clearly you aren't in the target demographic. However, many of us would love to have a full size keyboard sometimes i.e. like when traveling and you don't want to lug around the laptop.
Eric King said 12:40PM on 2-02-2010
I have to disagree.... i see your point and for most cases its dumb to have a big clunky keyboard.... but i see this as a great opportunity to use the iphone more as a laptop and be able to take notes on class lectures.... something definitely not practical with the little touchscreen keyboard. So it does have alot of cool uses that expand the iphone... between the iphone vga adapter, this keyboard BT module, and the sidekick mouse BT module it can literally almost replace my desktop for most basic and everyday things. Also makes command prompt much easier, especially if I am working on a server remotely... that touchscreen keyboard can be a pain with command strings
Danny B goode said 6:04PM on 12-23-2009
Very nice , but i don't need it but its great to know that it is available.
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camkevbell said 6:10PM on 12-23-2009
Apple needs to get this to the people. Do you have any idea how nice it would be to be able to leave my laptop at home? I could take my iPhone and a folding keyboard to class, and be good to go. This would be a dream come true for students.
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Ben Y said 7:56PM on 12-23-2009
I think it would cut too much into Apple's laptop (and future tablet) sales.
This is so obviously useful for customers, and trivial to implement, that the only reason it would not be available is the Marketing Department.
Matt Fryy said 6:23PM on 12-23-2009
I'm a HUGE fan of the iPhone's software keyboard, it's been absolutely incredible since day one. But the opportunity to write articles on-the-go without lugging round my laptop, perfection itself!
Apple catch on, I'll be the first to buy-in!
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raleedy said 6:26PM on 12-23-2009
What camkevbell said. "Totally pointless" means "I don't need it" in the self-absorbed world. But for lots of people, the only thing that makes the iPhone or iPod touch fall short as a portable computer is the keyboard input. And an Apple wireless keyboard is pretty portable.
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Ned Scott said 11:09AM on 12-24-2009
You can even use keyboards that are the size of the iphone itself! Imagine a case maker marketing this, with that front flap that covers the screen also having a keyboard with real tactile feedback. And when that isn't enough you can still use a full sized keyboard when you need. Oh the potential!
kugino said 6:29PM on 12-23-2009
i'm still amazed that apple doesn't allow keyboard pairing on the iphone...this is my biggest quibble with the iphone and how i use it. as an academic it would be great to not have to take my laptop everywhere...i would most certainly take notes and write short papers on my iphone if i could. just need that external keyboard...
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robertlam1818 said 7:08PM on 12-23-2009
I don't buy from cydia. Product quality is not as good as AppStore and price is not cheap.
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Duey Cheatham & Howe said 9:09PM on 12-23-2009
The apps in Cydia are far superior to the crap that gets submitted in the appstore. App for app, Cydia apps are far more useful. Plus upgrades to apps don't take months to get approved. If there is a bug it gets handled promptly. The developers of those apps have a great relationship with the community.
nickux said 7:23PM on 12-23-2009
The reasons for people to jailbreak, as far as I'm concerned, seem to be getting fewer and fewer as Apple keeps adding features. This seems to be one of the last remaining things that could be enough (only for some people) to jailbreak.
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Jack Chance said 9:50PM on 12-23-2009
tethering
cjschrissouth said 10:32PM on 12-23-2009
Yeah...
I unjailbroke my iPod yesterday and couldnt be happier.
Apart from the notible lack or certain features I now have double the battery life.
Nick said 3:55AM on 12-24-2009
Until SBSettings is built into the iPhone OS, I'm staying jailbroken.
robb said 10:24AM on 12-24-2009
One of the first things I did with my brand new first gen iPod Touch was jailbreak it, and it was night and day. My iPhone has actually never been jailbroken, because I haven't really found a killer jailbreak app (I live in Canada - we can tether). The ability to fool Skype into thinking it was on wifi came pretty close, but this bluetooth stack will probably push me over.
ejking89 said 12:41PM on 2-02-2010
multitasking gloriousness
fustanella said 10:05PM on 12-23-2009
It's going to hit the store momentarily? I better act quickly to get it, then, before it disappears shortly after appearing! :|
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Blake said 10:21PM on 12-23-2009
http://keyboard.ringwald.ch/Welcome.html
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