If there’s one thing I’ve never enjoyed about owning a TV, it’s using the remote for anything beyond pressing play. I put up with it for years, mostly because I never thought there was a better way other than using my phone as a remote in between. Then I hooked up an old portable keyboard I had lying around to my TV’s USB 2.0 port, and it fixed my biggest complaint with my TV.
My TV remote was making simple tasks unnecessarily difficult
No, voice typing is not the answer
Smart TV remotes are intentionally simple and boring, and that’s mostly a choice. A remote is something everyone in the house ends up using, so it has to work for all of them, which also means it has to be dead simple. There’s also so much space to work with, so cramming in more buttons is never really an option. Too many buttons can actually make things worse, so I get why TV makers stick to just enough buttons.
The problem is that simplicity also gets in the way. Typing is the obvious pain point. Things like logins, passwords, and even searching for something means using the D-pad. The remote is basically forced to do a keyboard’s job, and you can feel it every single time. Sure, voice typing helps, but it’s not always reliable nor something you actually want to use all the time. And, of course, you can’t use it for logins and passwords.
Navigation isn’t much better, either. Scrolling through a grid of apps or a long list of shows with directional buttons just doesn’t feel as fluid as swiping on a phone or clicking around with a mouse on a PC.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. All you really need is a portable wireless keyboard and you’re sorted. I had one lying in a drawer, and once I plugged it into my TV’s USB 2.0 port, it’s stayed there ever since. Everything from searching for movies to navigation feels way faster, and it’s also not as weird as I thought it would be. I also don’t have to choose between a remote and the keyboard. I can use them as and when I feel like it.
Browsing on my TV has never been this fun
My TV doubles as a PC now
I used to avoid opening a browser on my TV altogether, and it was mainly down to how annoying searching for websites was. Connecting a wireless keyboard changed that too. Now I can type a web address as I would on a laptop, and it feels so convenient. Viewing your favorite sites on a 55-inch screen has a different feel, and it’s something I’ve gotten addicted to.
Whenever I don’t have anything good to watch, I simply use the TV to read and browse. So yes, connecting a keyboard has kind of unlocked a use case I never thought was there.
And when I’m in the mood for anything more than browsing, I connect Samsung DeX to my TV. My Galaxy S26 can do it wirelessly, and there isn’t much setup involved either. It gives my TV a proper PC-like feel. I can use my favorite mobile apps on a large screen and do some light multitasking. The best part here is that my phone is still free, so I can use it for other things while using DeX.
The keyboard I’m using also has a built-in trackpad, which helps a lot. I’m not just relying on arrow keys and keyboard shortcuts to move around. Any keyboard works, really, but the more compact, the better. And if it folds like mine, even better.
- Brand
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Samsers
- Wireless
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Yes
- Backlight
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No
- Battery
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2 x AAA, up to 40 hours life
Should you want to slip your wireless keyboard into a back pocket while on the go, you’re going to need a foldable model. The Samsers Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard does just that, all the while remaining thin. It’s compatible with just about every device and comes with a complimentary phone holder. Additionally, the automatic power-on and quick start features ensure you can get typing quickly.
My TV’s USB 3.0 ports are reserved for other things
They all have different jobs
My TV’s USB 2.0 port finally has a purpose, but that doesn’t mean the faster USB 3.0 ports are useless. I’ve kept them reserved for other things.
One of them is permanently occupied by an Ethernet dongle. Yes, my TV already has a dedicated Ethernet port, but it’s capped at 100Mbps, which is the case for most TVs. That means I actually get less speed on a wired connection than a wireless one. A USB-to-Ethernet dongle fixes this. It lets me enjoy a stable connection and faster speeds without relying on Wi-Fi at all.
Another USB port gets used to charge stuff. It’s not the fastest way to charge things, but it helps with powering up a smartwatch, earbuds, and other small gadgets overnight. And, of course, that same port also comes in handy for powering my Fire TV Stick any time I need to plug it back in for one of my articles.