The Freedom Pro Keyboard is a mobile keyboard that connects using Bluetooth to your mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet and allows the freedom of typing on a full sized keyboard without the wired hassles.
Ease of Use, Performance: 4/5
Look & Feel: 5/5
Features 5/5
How much I enjoy 5/5
Recommendation: 5/5 Stars
The Freedom Pro Keyboard allows users to type using a full sized QWERTY keyboard that connects using Bluetooth wireless to your mobile device or laptop but does require a couple of AAA batteries. The Freedom Pro Keyboard is manufactured by Freedom Input which has been focused on the mobile phone market for over five years.
The Freedom Pro folds in half and locks open with a sliding button on the top and a latch with a push button to hold it closed when not in use. There are four rubber feet on the ends and the center plastic end doubles as the center support for the keyboard that holds up the middle of the keyboard while open.
The Freedom Pro Keyboard comes with the keyboard itself, smartphone stand, a carry case, a shortcut keys chart for four devices and a quick start guide for using the keyboard that includes pairing instructions. The keyboard does not require drivers for any of the devices I tried it with and paired well with my home desktop computer, Samsung smartphone and Blackberry tablet.
The carry case is a magnetic snap close case with elastic sides and a leather like material for a handy case when you’re not using the keyboard. On the top of the right hand side of the keyboard you have a pullout stand to prop up a smartphone but this stand is small so tablets may be a bit too large for it.
The two AAA batteries are inserted into the battery compartment on the left had side where your power, pairing and indicator lights are located as well. The keyboard pairs with most mobile phones, tablets and other devices using Bluetooth and is very easy to use with a simply on off switch and pairing button.
The Freedom Pro keyboard has a variety of shortcut keys and media keys using function and a row of six special keys along the left hand side of the keyboard. You can use the red and green phone buttons to start or end calls and the usual mail, calendar, inbox and other quick buttons for often used features but the other shortcut keys require the FN keys use.
The keyboard has red and green keys for use with the function key for media, the function keys themselves and other specialty keys that really make it handy when using a mobile device. The keyboard is designed to carry with you for using mobile devices like phones and tablets and really came in handy at a local craft show I went to with my wife to sell crafts.
The smartphone we recently purchased can use the Square Up credit card app and we also have the credit card scanner to accept credit and debit cards but the app requires you to quickly add in a description for items. You can store those items for repeated sales but it is much more convenient to be able to type on a regular keyboard instead of using your finger or a stylus on the onscreen keyboard of the smaller smart phone screen.
The pop out smartphone stand made it easy to set the phone right where we could see it that shows the company is thinking as a real world user instead of just a manufacturer. It’s these little touches that make products so much more user friendly and the Freedom Pro Keyboard does make it using with a smartphone for all its potential.
I have also used the keyboard on numerous occasions with my tablet but not for anything other than playing around to test the keyboard but it had no problems other than a bit of a finicky pairing at times. The pairing process when moving from one device like my smartphone to my BlackBerry tablet was not always flawless but like many other Bluetooth devices I have used it can sometimes take a second or third try to pair successfully.
The button for pairing is indented in the front of the keyboard so you will need a pen or other pointy device like a stylus but this is a feature so you don’t accidentally press the pairing button. I found the Freedom Pro worked exceptionally well both when using it for a handy sized keyboard and for traveling like to the craft show.
The Freedom Pro Keyboard costs about $100 and is available at the Freedom website, Amazon and other websites that sell smart phone accessories. I highly recommend the Freedom Pro Keyboard for personal use and business, if you have ever done any amount of work on a smartphone onscreen keyboard you will quickly see the need for a better input device.
