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View Full Version : Hardware keyboard modding! (?)

late666
12-05-2009, 08:38 AM
It seems like a lot of languages won't be supported on the n900, and while most of the software related issues can be remedied with the help of the community, there still remains the hardware keyboard.
From what i've read so far the bottuns can be remapped so that the hardware keyboard can function in a different langauge, but can i somehow physically print new letters on the keyboard? Is there any method that works well? Printing? Stickers?
shapeshifter
12-05-2009, 10:32 AM
The keys are backlit. If you put stickers on them, you lose that. And it will look bad. Possibly there will be aftermarket keyboards, but I doubt that. Generally I guess you could repain them black, and then "grind" out new key shapes of the paint, so that they can be backlist again. Would be quite a bit of work though.
R-R
12-05-2009, 11:02 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8

Maybe this video can show that replacing the keyboard isn't so hard...
(still risky but...)
The_Solutor
12-05-2009, 11:26 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8

Maybe this video can show that replacing the keyboard isn't so hard...
(still risky but...)

Indeed isn't hard at all.

The problem atm is how to get the spare part.

Any useful link will be very appreciated.
smage
12-05-2009, 11:33 AM
I have the same problem as I'm stuck with an Italian keyboard.

anyone has yet talked to the service for replacement with a qwerty?
christexaport
12-05-2009, 11:39 AM
Try the OSK pack on the repos. I have Arabic installed for a friend of mine. Good solution for him.
smage
12-05-2009, 11:55 AM
ok I've watched the full video, and I can do it myself(once I can acquire a qwerty keyboard), but is there a seal somewhere that will void the warranty if we open it up by ourselves?
The_Solutor
12-05-2009, 12:12 PM
ok I've watched the full video, and I can do it myself(once I can acquire a qwerty keyboard), but is there a seal somewhere that will void the warranty if we open it up by ourselves?

If you swap the keyboard membrane with one with a different layout you are doing a self-evident mod, no need to look at the warranty
seal(s) to understand that the device was opened.
smage
12-05-2009, 12:31 PM
If you swap the keyboard membrane with one with a different layout you are doing a self-evident mod, no need to look at the warranty
seal(s) to understand that the device was opened.

True, but if I need to use the warranty I ca always replace the original keyboard first :)
Not really ethical but it should work.
I'm all for the service replacement, but if they are problematic about it I'll do it myself in the end I guess