Nokia SU-8W Bluetooth QWERTY KeyBoard

The Nokia Bluetooth qwerty keyboard allows you to enter text quickly and accurately without using the keypad that is on your phone. This is a foldable keyboard, something Nokia has some experience with, just take a look at the Nokia 6820 for example. With the very sexy model number SU-8W I'm not sure how anyone could resist buying one!

Meet the SU-8W

The SU-8W is less than a full size keyboard but has full sized keys. It sits flat on the surface. There is no numeric keypad to the side. The key action is a bit thin. It is a putty or light gray color. The keys have a light texture to them. When folded it exhibits a very attractive appearance looking more like an stylish power amp than a sophisticated and functional electronic accessory. There is a pull out and adjustable bracket that is meant to hold your phone. Unless you are have a feathery touch I'd suggest placing your phone next to the keyboard. My Nokia 6290 did not sit well there. It is a much better experience for typing text messages and editing documents than the phone's keypad.

 It comes in the typical clamshell plastic container into which Nokia likes to put its accesories. If you've ever purchased a BH-600 you'll recognize it immediately. Apart from the keyboard, which arrives in a tough plastic bag that is taped shut, you'll find the Owner's Guide, the two shrinkwrapped AAA batteries you'll need to power it up, the warranty guide and a small plastic container with a media card in it.  I suggest giving the owner's guide a quick read before taking the keyboard out of the bag. It's not a lot of information but what is has is useful.

The keyboard is very simple to set up. Unwrap the batteries, remove the battery compartment cover, install the batteries, re-install the compartment cover, open the keyboard and press the on button for two seconds. It's ready to go.

Pairing the keyboard to the phone is simple. If you've not downloaded the keyboard application from Nokia that is a good place to start. Or, you can put the media card in your phone, if it supports that format. Nowhere in the documentation does it state that the keyboard program is on the media card. I'm guessing that is what is on it. My phone doesn't support the card so I'l never know. As I said earlier, there isn't a lot of information in the Owner's Guide. If you've got the keyboard program you open it, go to options and select "Find A Keyboard". It will search for a few seconds and locate the SU-8W. You'll enter a PIN on the keypad and then again on the keyboard and you'll be paired.

So Many Symbols, So Few Keys!

There are black symbols and green symbols on the keys. The green symbols are accessed by depressing the function key. Sometimes you have to depress the function key and the shift key to get the right symbol. For example, the ! requires you depress the function key, the shift key and the Q at the same time. All numeral symbols are function key items. It takes a moment to get used to it. Now you know why I'll suggest using the phone to enter the recipient's number.

Messaging

At this point you might want to press the key with the envelope icon on it on the SU-8W. Your phone's messaging system will open up. A tap of the enter key will take you to the selection of what type of message menu. Scroll up and down that using the arrow keys and then tap enter again when you've highlighted the proper type of message.  Use the blue keys to select an already entered message recipient. If you are manualy entering the number the phone is a better bet. Then use the SU-8W arrow key to move to the text portion and type away! If you were planning on using numbers, or an exclamation point you'll get your first taste of the idiosyncratic nature of this device. Another unusual feature, which I like, is the split space key.

Editing or Creating Documents

My experience with the SU-8W is with the Nokia 6290, an S60 driven device, using both the messaging interface and QuickOffice 5.0.  With QuickOffice 5.0 this keyboard really shines in the word processing application. I can type quickly and accurately. With the phone sitting next to the keyboard I can keep an eye on my progress to ensure that it is continuing to type and that I am continuing to maintain some level of accuracy. I haven't tried it with the spreadsheet function. I can only imagine what a nightmare it would be to try to run a long list of numbers while having to hold down the function key.

Knocking Off For The Day

When you are done you hold the power button for two seconds and it turns off. Refold the keyboard, place it gently in your briefcase and you are on your way. I get the impression that this is a fragile object that will not tolerate a lot of bumping around. The cover that hides the flex cable popped off almost right away. It went right back on and hasn't come off since so that may have been a manufacturing issue or transit issue. Still, it didn't build my confidence in the ruggedness of the unit.

If I Were King!

There are several things I'd change about this item if I were in charge of it. I'd make a customised retail container for it. It was bouncing around inside the plastic clamshell. I'd install feet to allow it to have a bit of incline. I'd do away with the adjustable phone bracket, or give it a velcro strap to ensure the phone stayed put when I was using it. I'd have numerals on separate keys either as a keypad or as smaller keys where they usually appear on a keyboard. I'd add a power port so I could use the typical AC-4U charger to power it along with the batteries. I'd add more information to the Owner's Guide. The software would come on a microSD card with an adapter for MiniSD since that would fit the majority of Nokia's products that could make use of this. I'd have it built somewhere other than China. It's apparent from the pet food and toy debacle that quality is only a word they use in many factories there.

There are several things I wouldn't change at all. I like the texture on the keys. It's a good size, it's light, it pairs very easily with the phone. I like the exterior styling. The batteries are cheap to replace. The latch for keeping it closed is solid feeling. It's a fairly quiet keyboard. It's not going to terribly annoy your neighbor in the airport waiting room. The notification lights are easy to see but not obtrusive. This seems to be a Nokia hallmark. Their other Bluetooth products also have fairly discreet lights. The full sized keys are wonderful. It shuts down after a short period of inactivity but not so short that you couldn't get up, get a drink of water, give your spouse a quick shoulder rub and then go right back to work.

I've had the SU-8W for over a year and have found it to work quite well. I'm on my second set of batteries now. It continues to function flawlessly. I've had no further incidents with the flex cable cover. I give it full marks for dependability and now that I've switched to a bar phone the fold out holder makes a lot more sense to me.