# Is there any way to connect a bluetooth keyboard to any e-ink Kindle?



## RealAnise (May 21, 2018)

Hey all, 
So here's what I'm trying to do. 
I desperately need some way to write that does not involve staring at an LCD screen. I have genetic vision issues, and it is just not good for me. I need to save that amount of time for apps that can't be done any other way, like graphic design and video editing. I don't want to spend $500 on a Freewrite-- it just doesn't seem worth it, or $800 on an Onyx. It just seems like there has to be some way, somehow, to get an e-ink Kindle to do this. The Fire definitely has this feature, but... it's obviously not e-ink. 

What I'm thinking is this: if I can just pair a bluetooth keyboard with an e-ink Kindle that has the ability to go online, then I can use Google docs (or some kind of similar workaround). So that's what I'm trying to find. Is there ANY kind of e-ink Kindle that can do this and also go online?? All help greatly appreciated!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Have you thought about an AlphaSmart? There are several models available on ebay and Amazon. These are used, but many of us have bought them and love the portability and a screen that's easy on the eyes. They are really inexpensive.

I've got the Neo and I love it. Easy transfer via printer cable to Word on your computer.


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## RealAnise (May 21, 2018)

I think the screen is just too small, and I need to have some way of switching between docs-- thanks for the suggestion, though. It just seems like there HAS to be some way to connect a bluetooth keyboard to some kind of e-ink Kindle, because it IS possible on the Fire.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

As far as I know, the answer to your question is NO. Fires are tablets. Kindles are dedicated eReaders. My understanding is that the operating systems are completely different.

Kindles are not designed for complex input nor can you really compose on them . . . the only software is for displaying text, not creating it, except for short notes. The older kindles don't even have bluetooth; newer ones do, but, again, it's for output -- specifically, audio -- vs input of any sort.


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## patrickt (Aug 28, 2010)

No. Kindles have no Bluetooth.


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## GirlFriday (Jul 15, 2013)

No. They don't have bluetooth and they are e-readers, not work processors. Buy a laptop or a tablet.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

GirlFriday said:


> No. They don't have bluetooth and they are e-readers, not work processors. Buy a laptop or a tablet.


The OP specifically said s/he is looking for something without a backlit screen due to eye issues . . . . and was hoping a kindle with it's eInk screen would work. 

Though I do wonder -- there are filter apps that you can get for tablets and, I presume, laptops that will filter out specific light colors. The popular ones are the blue blocker type, but if there's some other color that causes trouble I would think there would be a way to adjust it out. I don't, of course, have any idea what your specific eye issues are.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

patrickt said:


> No. Kindles have no Bluetooth.


Actually not quite true, though true enough for the keyboard the OP is asking about.

As Ann said earlier, newer eInk Kindles have Bluetooth audio capability. On my first-gen Oasis, you can go into Settings > Wi-Fi & Bluetooth and enable Bluetooth. At which point you have the ability to "pair a Bluetooth audio device." This capability seems to be available on all current models, not sure how far back it goes.



GirlFriday said:


> No. They don't have bluetooth and they are e-readers, not work processors. Buy a laptop or a tablet.


I know from the early days of Kindle, we have had members who have used their Kindles with their homework, taking notes and such. EInk Kindles are relatively inexpensive, light and have great battery life. And screens that are easy on the eyes. Nothing wrong with asking.


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## RealAnise (May 21, 2018)

Hey all-- yep, what made me think of a bluetooth keyboard with an e ink reader is that the Kindle Fire does indeed work with that. I've written on it, saved docs, etc etc etc. It doesn't make sense to me that there wouldn't be any new e-ink readers that could do the same thing. I mean, it doesn't make sense in a starting-a-rant way... obviously, it's a thing!  I have idiopathic macular degeneration. The way it works is similar to the much more common age-related form, but this can strike at any age. I have actually seen babies at Casey Retinal Institute when I've been there.  It is very rare. Eight doctors in a row said that they did not know the cause (including the head of Casey OHSU.) And it's in remission now. But it would be so much better to be able to spend part of my computer time NOT staring at an LCD screen. I really think that at some point, Amazon is going to have to get with the program here and offer the keyboard option with e-ink readers too. There aren't many people who need e-ink monitors for the same reason I do, BUT the over 65 population is huge and rapidly growing. Not to mention that it would be better for everybody to not be using an LCD screen all the time. Because they do already have that with the Kindle Fires, I just don't see any logical reason why it wouldn't work with e-ink. Onyx does have this, but for $800... it's hard to justify. So that's why I'm trying to find other options.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Maybe Dragon Naturally Speaking would work for you. You don't have to look at the screen while you're dictating although you would have to go back and edit. At least that would cut down on your screen time.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

And, by the way, RealAnise--

Welcome to KBoards!


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

If you Google "eink laptops" you'll get a number of responses. Maybe one of these would work.


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## Gary_Berg (Sep 8, 2012)

Some of the non-Amazon e-ink readers are full Android devices. I think the one Good-E-Reader makes, for example. Some of these are bigger too. Basically they are e-ink Android tablets.

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk


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## northofdivision (Sep 7, 2010)

If you really want to do it on e-ink with a reader, you can do it with an older Nook (rooted) as it's based on android and you can load apps after root. I've played with it and it works fine.

What it sounds like though is you really wanting a long form writer. Why not use a Pomera by KingJim. Those things are incredible. Alpha Smart (the ferrari of keyboards) mentioned, yes, but way too big for most practical purposes. If you have the money, this is going to be the new Pomera coming out and from owning the previous two iterations (I use the DM100 as a daily writer and it appears to have the same keyboard), it's incredible and the screen you want, the battery life and the portability. The QR code feature of transporting short text is phenomenal. i write letters to my friends on my older Pomera and send the QR image so they get a little letter inside:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2132003782/pomera-pocket-typewriter-with-e-ink


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## airbus (Aug 12, 2018)

I hit upon this combination by accident recently. I bought a used Icarus Illumina HD, e-ink 300dpi 7.8 inch screen 4x3 aspect ratio, Android 4.2.2 via E-bay. fwiw the Icarus and the Boyue t-80 are essentially the same device.
Sadly Android 4.2.2 is not compatible with current Google Docs and it's not good with most Bluetooth version 4.0. I did find some workarounds though.

I also happened to get a very good price on a Brydge Mini keyboard, an aluminum bluetooth keyboard with backlight, built expressly for the Apple Ipad mini 4.
The Ipad Mini4 slides into a pair of clips on the back of the keyboard and allows continuous tilt of the keybo.ard to 180 degrees.
It turns out that the Boyue/Icarus e-reader and the Ipad Mini have very similar dimensions. The Icarus is slightly wider, a little shorter (a couple millimeters), and more or less the same thickness. It's not a perfect match, but it's good enough to allow me to close the Icarus over the Brydge keyboard when I'm not working. If you're OCD about everything ining up just right, you won't be happy, but if you're flexible and just want something that works, it's a surprisingly functional match.

The bluetooth paired pretty easily though some of the keys are IOS only. Still the ones most of us type with map just fine, including the volume up and down keys and the backlight. Together the devices weigh about 19 ounces.

I found that Jotter Pad will synch with Google Drive, but it does limit you to working with .txt files on the E-reader. Kingsoft Office also works, but synching is a little tricky, because it tries to save files locally instead of on the cloud. On my desktop (Linux), I edit the files through Google Docs, export as a txt file, and put the exported file back in google cloud to replace the original txt file for jotter pad (not exactly fun). On my chromebook, Calmly Writer works very well for reading and editing the same txt file from google cloud. I use a screen rotation app to keep it in landscape and bluetooth always on.

I can take the device outside and write in full sunlight, use the bluetooth for spotify (surprisingly it works on the Icarus) for background music, and type surprisingly comfortably. fwiw an 8 inch keyboard is pretty cramped, but Brydge did a really great job with layout and feel. IT's also quite fast going from keystroke to android. Unfortunately, e-ink carta simply doesn't do screen writes all that fast, but it's definitely good enough. It also helps to have a non-folding keyboard. I find that it's easy to find places to sit outdoors, but it's not always easy to find a flat surface to type on. The Brydge works very well in my lap.

There's a similarly sized e-reader, the Inkbook Explore, that's coming out soon that runs Android 4.4.2, which means that it should work with google docs natively. It's supposed to be about $195 U.S. You can get a used Brydge Mini keyboard for under $20. AS a device, the screen's better than most dedicated e-ink typewriters and it's also more flexible. I can do Pocket, google calendar, overdrive audio books, spotify, Kindle, etc. on the device in addition to writing. While the fact that I wouldn't keep attaching and detaching the reader from the keyboard (I don't completely trust the clips) is a drawback, the right arrow key happens to work as a page turning button when I use it as a reader and the keyboard serves as a stand when I use it for reading. One other caution, when you use an e-ink device as a table instead of as a reader, the battery life becomes dramatically more tablet like, it may even be a bit worse than a comparable LCD tablet. You won't get alpha smart or kindle paper white life out of the thing.










https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BLgDOHu8oJcWrejHZr66kTkCTQVyOiPt/view


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## northofdivision (Sep 7, 2010)

airbus,

haha. nice workaround. those Brydge keyboards are amazing. guessing this is gonna get moved but post some pics of your set up if you can. sounds pretty cool.


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## airbus (Aug 12, 2018)

I posted a link to a photo on the original post.  

The Brydge keyboard is great, though there are limits to how fast one can type on a 7.5 inch wide keyboard.  If your hands stay in the right position, you're fine, but a little shift and your a key or two over.

I prefer the logitech k380 for longer typing sessions.  I do think the Icarus Illumina/Boyue Likebook Plus works quite well as an e-ink word processor.  I'd like to be able to use Google Docs, but it's a much more reasonable option than some of the dedicated e-ink typewriters.  The larger screen and higher resolution also help.


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