The Best Portable Bluetooth Keyboards for Smartphones and Tablets

Entering text is the the biggest problem most of us have with a smartphone or tablet. Virtual keyboards are hard to use- even with all the word suggestion tools. Blackberry style QWERTY keyboards are easier and, if you are good with your thumbs. you can get up to impressive speeds.

Nothing can beat a full sized keyboard, though, for speed and ease of use.

This is why portable folding keyboards, flexible keyboards (that can be rolled up small) and shrunk down keyboards that can be gotten used to with some practice have all appeared.

This is users favorite portable bluetooth keyboard by a margin. Don't take my word for it- check out the reviews around the web and, if you are in New York, take at a look at one on display at the Museum of Modern Art. It doesn't lust look good, though. It feels great and it works just the way most people want.

The keys are full size and in use feel like any quality keyboard. There is the disadvantage that there are no number keys but you soon get used to pressing a function key and typing numbers from the letter array.

Freedom Pro Universal Bluetooth Keyboard

In terms of quality and ease of use this is the nearest rival to the iGo Stowaway above. It will cost you considerably less and, if budget is an issue, this is a worthwhile alternative.

It is specifically designed for use with Blackberry, any Symbian, Windows Mobile and Android based phones. It is gaining popularity with iPad users who are turning their tablets into full blown PCs.

It is bigger than than the Stowaway at 6.4" X 4.0" X 0.75" when closed and almost twice as heavy. The payoff is that it comes with all 75 keys so typing numbers is straight forward

It can use either HID or SPP bluetooth making it a good choice for any phones not geared to HID like Android.

Menotek Mini Bluetooth Keyboard : flexible and coffee proof

Some people are very happy with flexible keyboards, some are not. The keys react differently on any flexible and if your typing technique is not synced to the way the keys work. you need to do some relearning. Essentially you need to hit the keys square and true or you will get a long line of the character you hit!

Having said that, most people cope Ok and a full sized waterproof keyboard has advantages in many travel situations. This Menotek is also very reasonably priced.

It is especially desgned for use with Apple iPad 3G and Wifi models 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and iPhone 4/4G, Windows, Mac, Linux. There is a bluetooth adapter supplied to slip into Mac and Linux devices to give them bluetooth functionality.

This is never going to slip into a coat pocket but it is very slender, lightweight and if you packing for a time away it will take up very little room in your luggage.

This is not marketed as a portable keyboard but it is exceptionally slim, very tough (adonised aluminium) and can be used as a main keyboard at home or taken on a trip anywhere.

It will work with Macs or Windows equally well, and it will probably be the most beautiful thing in any hotel room you take it to!