Add a keyboard to a phone with the Freedom i-Connex Mini Keypad

Even though phones now come with full keyboards, either physical or on-screen ones, they tend to be smaller than normal and usually feel like a compromise.

That's especially the case if you are typing long emails or essays, or even a text message if you don't get on with whatever predictive text feature the phone uses.

The Freedom i-Connex Mini is a wireless Bluetooth keyboard designed for mobile devices, though a device must be compatible with the 'HID' standard in order to work.

Such devices include the iPhone 4 and 3GS, newer iPod Touch models, the iPad, Windows Mobile 6.1 and 6.5, the Playstation 3 and Bluetooth-compatible Windows computers.

However, not all Blackberry, Android or Nokia phones will work and we couldn't get it working with a Windows Phone 7 model (the HTC Mozart).

The keyboard is one of the better small models we have used. The keys have a matte finish and clicked nicely when pressed. The space key felt the hardest to press but that could be because it is in the middle of the keyboard, where it was hardest to put pressure on it. While the size of the keyboard meant that reaching all the keys required stretching the thumbs, it is also possible to type faster and more accurately than on a phone keyboard or touchscreen.

It charges using a USB connection to a computer, a short cable for which is included. The keyboard took about three hours to charge fully and should last for several weeks – at any rate, longer than the phone to which it's connected. There is also a power switch to help preserve battery levels too.

The iConnex mini costs £30 which is great value if you do a lot messaging on mobile devices and want a portable keyboard to make things easier.