Hacking thumb keyboard

Tred · 11-19-2004, 03:02 AM

Has anyone tried to hack one of the thumbkeyboard for PDAs and phones for our PCs? A usb or ps2 connection would be perfect. Heres a pics of a decently priced keyboard:

http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/Consumer+Electronics_381930/Handhelds_F1_PDAs_316816/Handheld_F1_PDA+Accessories_316819/1990717_ProdDetail?cm_ven=Befree&sourceid=00394918 716212107163&AFID=BEFREE01&cm_cat=Consumer&cm_pla= acc_feed&cm_ite=Snap_n'_Type_Mini-Key

mv2123 · 12-17-2004, 11:51 AM

somebody should definetly try and figure this one out

egeekial · 12-17-2004, 12:25 PM

Thumb keyboards suck. They're way too small.

IxTanGxI · 12-17-2004, 12:31 PM

I have a thumb keyboard on my cellphone (T-mobile Sidekick) and it is extremely easy to use. What sucks is having a big keyboard for my carputer.

RedGTiVR6 · 12-17-2004, 12:32 PM

yes yes yes yes yes!!!

I'm sure there's got to be a way to make that work!

and of course wireless would be even better!

and for what you would use it for in the car it's not too small....what are you typing? your term paper? lol

GTPDan · 12-17-2004, 01:53 PM

What about something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...351365217&rd=1

coupled with a little USB Bluetooth dongle?

levik · 12-17-2004, 02:00 PM

$100 for a keyboard, I just don't know.

Tred · 12-22-2004, 09:19 PM

for $20 this is not bad at all http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/Consumer+Electronics_381930/Handhelds_F1_PDAs_316816/Handheld_F1_PDA+Accessories_316819/1990717_ProdDetail?cm_ven=Befree&sourceid=00394918 716212107163&AFID=BEFREE01&cm_cat=Consumer&cm_pla= acc_feed&cm_ite=Snap_n'_Type_Mini-Key

this is definately hackable, ive seen someone hack a palm keyboard. These windows based ones should be just as easy. It just comes down to who has the time and the skills to wire it up.

JoezDog4 · 12-22-2004, 09:54 PM

This keyboard could definitely get worked into my Carputer project

zootjeff · 12-22-2004, 10:32 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Tred

for $20 this is not bad at all http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/Consumer+Electronics_381930/Handhelds_F1_PDAs_316816/Handheld_F1_PDA+Accessories_316819/1990717_ProdDetail?cm_ven=Befree&sourceid=00394918 716212107163&AFID=BEFREE01&cm_cat=Consumer&cm_pla= acc_feed&cm_ite=Snap_n'_Type_Mini-Key

this is definately hackable, ive seen someone hack a palm keyboard. These windows based ones should be just as easy. It just comes down to who has the time and the skills to wire it up.

You inspired me. I opened up mine and found the pinout for the connector on the interenet. It looks at this point like it is simple RS232. I'll look into it a little more to figure out the levels. I will hook up a DB9 connector to it and see what it puts out, but I will need someone to write a serial port driver for it.

Is there anyone on this thread who knows how to do that?

-Jeff

Tred · 12-22-2004, 10:57 PM

this may help:
http://wearables.blu.org/wear-hard-00/20003244.html

Yuriy · 12-22-2004, 11:37 PM

Windows CE based PDAs all have RS232 interfaces for all those external devices. I bet that if you could get hold of the WCE driver for that keyboard it would be fairly easy to port it to XP or 98SE.

RedGTiVR6 · 12-23-2004, 06:55 AM

damn......if it could only be wireless!!!!

Tred · 12-23-2004, 09:35 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

damn......if it could only be wireless!!!!

it can be, however it wouldnt really be cost efficient. unless you have lots of money then it doesnt really matter.

http://www.rfdigital.com/subcategory...smitter_Boards

http://www.rfdigital.com/subcategory...eceiver_Boards

like i said before, it comes down to who has the time money and skills to put it together. I think hooking up one of these to a PS/2 port would be the cheapest and easiest solution. This maybe the answer to our problems
http://www.tapspring.com/omniPPK.htm