Hakapes | # 1 | 2009-12-26, 22:35 | Report

Hi All,

Is it possible to remove and swap the Z and Y keys on a Nokia N900?

I want to convert a UK QWERTY keyboard into a QWERTZ keyboard.
I guess there is a way to change for all time-all apss in the software side, but would be nice, if I could remove the Z key and change it with the Y.

I had a look on the German and French QWERTZ keyboards, and the placement of the arrow keys is not very nice.

On an average PC keyboard, I can just "peel off" the hardware buttons, and swap them. I used to do this on my Psion S5, 5mx, S7 etc.

Now I use a Palm Treo 680 from Germany, so it has a QWERTZ keyboard, but otherwise I run it in English.

Any other ideas to convert from QWERTY to QWERTZ?

fuji_man | # 2 | 2009-12-26, 22:41 | Report

I wonder would it just work without swapping if you flash with North American firmware

Hakapes | # 3 | 2009-12-26, 22:59 | Report

Thanks for the tip.

What I want to do is that the keyboard physically looks like QWERTZ.

Like on the photo in this post.

Hakapes | # 4 | 2009-12-29, 08:18 | Report

So, does anybody know if the hardware keys can be take off and swapped?
Thanks!

reviver | # 5 | 2009-12-29, 10:15 | Report

There is the SW side and the HW side. SW side is pretty easy, I think this thread should help.

On the HW side, I would think that the keyboard layout is actually a single mat, so swapping keys isn't as easy as on a regular keyboard. I know that on some phones the service can pretty easily change the mat from one language to another. Maybe you could ask Nokia service for a price?

tekojo | # 6 | 2009-12-29, 10:23 | Report

Keymats can be changed, ask a Nokia service shop for price and availability. A different country keymat most likely is a back-order item, so prepare for some waiting.

Hakapes | # 7 | 2009-12-30, 14:23 | Report

OK I see, so it is singla mat, so individual keys cannot be swapped, just the full keyboard.

msa | # 8 | 2009-12-30, 14:30 | Report

i dont remember if this was a video or a pictured tutorial, but here or on youtube there was a guide on how to disassemble the n900.

i guess this is what you want to do in order to rearrange the buttons.

/edit:
it was a video.

take a look, maybe it helps:
tehkseven n900 disassembly-video on youtube

Hakapes | # 9 | 2010-01-02, 23:03 | Report

I watched the video, thanks for the tip!

Piotr | # 10 | 2010-09-22, 17:27 | Report

do you know if it is possible to replace the keymat without unscrewing the screen-part? that would make things much easier for me