Rii mini 4 keyboard and touchpad work over Bluetooth

[Peter Gamma]

Why to be smart if Bluetooth works?

I thought that the Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would be the ultimate solution to solve the Pinephone keyboard problem. After a sleepless night in which I tested 6 cheap Aliexpress docks in all configuration with usb keyboard and mouse, none of the worked. Some time ago, one of them worked with usb keyboard and mouse, but I could not reproduce it.  I thought a Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would eventually the solution for the Pinephone keyboard problem together with the docking sation:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=19350

But in the morning I decided not to buy any further Pinephone accessoires for a Pinephone I never use and put on the screed and take it down again for some tests. 

In the afternoon, I thought,  why not to try the Rii 4 over Bluetooth? Reports of Zebulon Walton about a Bluetooth mini keyboard where horrible:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=2

Now i paired the Rii 4 mini over Bluetooth to my Pinephone with postmarketOS. There where no disconnection issues during 3 min tests as where reported with other Bluetooth keyboards:


https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=13835

Keys, touchpad and scrollweel worked. One user reported to have issues with connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse at the same time. Only one device worked, either keyboard and mouse.  Other reported that Bluetooth keyboard and mouse work with Logitech devices:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=3

But Logitech has not mini keyboards. The Rii mini 4 is a mini keyboard with dual mode BLE and 2.4 Ghz dongle. I did not get to work the 2.4 Ghz dongle, but the keyboard with touchpad.

The Rii 4 over Bluetooth is the best experience for a Pinephone keyboard for me personally to this date. It is available and worked for 3 min. reliably. And it has also a layout with many keys, similar to the Pinephone keyboard which makes it  a great device. The keyboard is not much bigger than the Pinephone, and fit’s in a pocket.

   

[elinkser]

There is also the EASYTONE Mini Wireless Keyboard which I found worked with the USB connection on my Mobian Bookworm 3GB pinephone.

But I think I may get the Rii if it is narrower - I need a keyboard less than 75mm wide to try to stuff it in my Gamesir Nova Lite Phone holder (maybe with some added foam padding), so I can type while walking around!

[elinkser]

OK here is a keyboard -  phone holder combination that allows you to clamp the keyboard in the custom bracket meant for the game controller, while the Pinephone is securely clamped in the spring-loaded bracket:

- 8Bitdo Mobile Clip for SN30 Pro Bluetooth Controller

-  Rii Mini Keyboard,Wireless Keyboard with Touhpad,Keyboard Remote for Smart TV,Android TV Box,PC,Laptop,Windows,Mac

Note the keyboard has to be fitted in at an angle - it will snap securely into place, as long as the phone bracket is swivelled and locked in at the right angle.

The weight balance is a little phone heavy, but it does turn your pinephone into a pda with attached keyboard!

[Flymoon]

Why to be smart if Bluetooth works?

I thought that the Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would be the ultimate solution to solve the Pinephone keyboard problem. After a sleepless night in which I tested 6 cheap Aliexpress docks in all configuration with usb keyboard and mouse, none of the worked. Some time ago, one of them worked with usb keyboard and mouse, but I could not reproduce it.  I thought a Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would eventually the solution for the Pinephone keyboard problem together with the docking sation:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=19350

But in the morning I decided not to buy any further Pinephone accessoires for a Pinephone I never use and put on the screed and take it down again for some tests. 

In the afternoon, I thought,  why not to try the Rii 4 over Bluetooth? Reports of Zebulon Walton about a Bluetooth mini keyboard where horrible:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=2

Now i paired the Rii 4 mini over Bluetooth to my Pinephone with postmarketOS. There where no disconnection issues during 3 min tests as where reported with other Bluetooth keyboards:


https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=13835

Keys, touchpad and scrollweel worked. One user reported to have issues with connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse at the same time. Only one device worked, either keyboard and mouse.  Other reported that Bluetooth keyboard and mouse work with Logitech devices:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=3

But Logitech has not mini keyboards. The Rii mini 4 is a mini keyboard with dual mode BLE and 2.4 Ghz dongle. I did not get to work the 2.4 Ghz dongle, but the keyboard with touchpad.

The Rii 4 over Bluetooth is the best experience for a Pinephone keyboard for me personally to this date. It is available and worked for 3 min. reliably. And it has also a layout with many keys, similar to the Pinephone keyboard which makes it  a great device. The keyboard is not much bigger than the Pinephone, and fit’s in a pocket.

It’s great that Bluetooth worked better than the USB docks you tried. Sometimes the simplest solution turns out to be the best one. The Rii mini 4 sounds like a good option for the PinePhone, especially because it’s small and easy to carry around. I’d be interested to know if it continues to work reliably after longer use.