The Official PLAYSTATION 3 Wireless Bluetooth Keypad

[vladittude0583]

The Wireless Keypad for PLAYSTATION 3 delivers the freedom of easy-to-use texting and mouse input capabilities seamlessly integrated with the PS3 system's wireless controller. This compact device attaches to any DUALSHOCK 3 or SIXAXIS wireless controller, allowing users to navigate and communicate with other gamers more rapidly while maintaining gameplay functionality.

The QWERTY keypad is designed for fast, thumbs-only typing and can be quickly transformed into a unique touch pad that enables convenient scrolling and mouse input on the PS3 system's on-screen display. In addition, dedicated short cut keys provide gamers with instant access to “Message Box” and other online communication applications on PlayStation Network.

With this simple and easy-to-hold Bluetooth device, Internet browsing and messaging are literally at your fingertips, whether you want to invite a friend to jump into a multiplayer game or communicate with others in PlayStation Home, the ground-breaking 3D social gaming community on the PS3 system.

KEY FEATURES

• Lightweight design (weight 2.12 oz.) integrates seamlessly onto the popular DUALSHOCK 3 or SIXAXIS wireless controllers
• QWERTY keypad designed for fast, thumbs-only typing
• Touch pad mode turns the main key area into a touch pad; in this mode, a user can slide his/her finger on the Wireless Keypad to move the cursor on the screen
• Dedicated short cut keys provide instant access to text-based communication applications on PlayStation Network and PlayStation Home
• Automatic pairing with PS3 system via a USB cable
• Charges by connecting it directly to the PS3 system using a USB cable

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Bluetooth® 2.0
• Up to 33 feet (10 meters) operating range
• USB 2.0 full speed (for battery charging and Bluetooth® pairing only)
• Rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer battery (Capacity – 610mAh)

AUTOMATIC USB PAIRING WITH PS3

To use the wireless keypad, the PS3 system software must be version 2.50 or later.

1. Turn on the PS3 system.
2. Slide the power switch of the keypad to "ON".
3. Connect the keypad to the PS3 system using a USB cable.

The keypad is now paired with the PS3 system.

CALIBRATION FOR USING TOUCH PAD MODE

Before using touch pad mode for the first time, you must perform the calibration.

1. Switch the wireless keypad to touch pad mode (finger pointing button).
2. Hold the blue and orange shoulder buttons together for more than two seconds.
3. The calibration will complete after the touch pad indicator flashes once.

Do not touch the touch pad area or turn off the wireless keypad during calibration.

BLUETOOTH PAIRING MODE FOR USE WITH OTHER DEVICES

You can pair and use the wireless keypad with other Bluetooth-compatible products. For details on pairing with another product, refer to the instructions supplied with the product.

1. Slide the power switch to "ON" while holding the blue shoulder button.
2. Keep holding the blue shoulder button until all the keypad indicator lights flash alternately.
3. If a pass key is requested, enter the numbers on the keypad, specified by the other device.

Enter "0000" or numbers of your choice (four digits or more) if the other device doesn't specify a pass key.

[darkpoet25]

This will be good for in game chatting and looking up websites. I only wonder how well it will work though.

[CptGreedle]

Something tells me it will get in the way of gameplay for a number of games. I am not sure I would want to play MGS4/MGO with that thing attached.
Besides, my USB keyboard works great. I'll wait to see what these look like and how well they work and the reviews.
I think I saw something like that already in some stores, but it was a 3rd party thing.

[Bageara]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

Something tells me it will get in the way of gameplay for a number of games. I am not sure I would want to play MGS4/MGO with that thing attached.
Besides, my USB keyboard works great. I'll wait to see what these look like and how well they work and the reviews.
I think I saw something like that already in some stores, but it was a 3rd party thing.

It just snaps on and off as you need it

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by jinzo1975

It just snaps on and off as you need it

I hope so. It would not fit with my recharger. I wonder if it will drain battery use, but i doubt it.

It would likely change the feel of the weight distribution on the controller too, since it looks like it will make it front heavy.
What price are they looking at for this?

[PAGATRON™]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I think I saw something like that already in some stores, but it was a 3rd party thing.

You maybe referring to this:
Alpha Grips

Anyway as I have said in another thread this may be to small for my big hands , but it does look cool.

[chnandler_bong]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

Something tells me it will get in the way of gameplay for a number of games. I am not sure I would want to play MGS4/MGO with that thing attached.
Besides, my USB keyboard works great. I'll wait to see what these look like and how well they work and the reviews.
I think I saw something like that already in some stores, but it was a 3rd party thing.

GS has had a version of this device out for a while, but it looks nowhere near as good as this, and the keys are soft so it's hard to get a typing groove going. Plus it's USB and has a nasty thing sticking out of the front of my PS3.

[ps3andlovinit]

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/...in-real-hands/

[jswilli1]

For those of you who cannot view at work...........

How The PS3 Keypad Fits In Real Hands
Posted by Stephen Totilo on 10/1/08 at 2:30 pm.

Since August I’ve been wondering how Sony’s announced keypad add-on for the PlayStation 3 would fit into the average gamers’ hands. The Xbox 360 keypad add-on nestles between the two prongs of that system’s controller, allowing people to thumb-text below the controller’s thumbstick as if they were using a Sidekick.
The PS3 version, however, connects above the sticks. I’m sure I’m not the only PS3 owner who has been wondering if that would force people to make an uncomfortable stretch.
At a meeting I had with Sony executives today in Manhattan, I saw a PS3 controller with the keypad attached. I asked to pick it up, to try it and to snap photos.
What you see above is the controller in my (very Italian) hands.
I snapped a few more photos of the device in my hands and those of Jack Buser, lead developer of the PS3’s upcoming Home service. Jack is a bigger guy, with bigger hands. He’s over six feet tall. I’m 5′6″.
This is what it looked like when we started reaching for buttons to type on:
First, I asked Buser, who has used the add-on a lot and says he can blaze through typing with it, to reach for the hardest-to-reach keys, which he did here…

Here’s me reaching for the keys without losing my grip…

…and these are Buser’s hands again, for one more comparison.

I pretend-typed some messages using the device, but I did not have time to input anything into the PS3. Like the 360 keypad, the PS3 add-on is designed to ease console user’s efforts to input messages and passwords. The add-on was light, adding no significant weight to the PS3 controller.
The device is scheduled to ship in November and is listed at online retailers for between $40 and $50.

[Proteus]

I'm excited for this.

I can't count how many times I've wished I had it already over the past few months since the rumors started.

Keeping a full sized keyboard around and charged up is a major PITA that I just gave up on. Just not enough room on my TV table!

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by darkpoet25

This will be good for in game chatting and looking up websites. I only wonder how well it will work though.

Website addressing and form filling is my main interest for this...chat not so much.

[vladittude0583]

http://gameplasma.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&id=1085

[Psx0005]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

http://gameplasma.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&id=1085

Blah, some of us at work cannot view this

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by Psx0005

Blah, some of us at work cannot view this

[partridge]

I'll get one, looks weird, but it will be so useful.

[DaMexiRican]

If it's plug and play that's great. I agree it probably wouldn't be good to have it connected all the time, but if you could plug it in, type away, and detach that would be awesome

Nevermind. jinzo1975 just said it is.

[silversnake]

that thing actually looks pretty slick. if it works as well as it looks i'll definitely pick this up

[ps3andlovinit]

Looks like it comes with it's own re-chargeable battery built-in as well .. so no draining the game controller battery.

[Shin-Ra]

Has its own built-in battery so there's no drain on your DUALSHOCK 3 (edit: too late ) and it can be used with other bluetooth keyboard compatible devices, computers. I'm interested to know how they turned the keyboard surface into a trackpad.

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

http://gameplasma.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&id=1085

That looks really interesting. I am not sure how much space they allow for the shoulder buttons, but some of the features are nice.

EDIT: On closer look, it appears the keys are above the shoulder buttons. I still would like to test it out and see reviews before buying it, but it does look intriguing.