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Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard for Android Initial Impressions (Full Review to Come)

Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard for Android
So initially I was writing this on my Nexus 7 but lost everything I had written twice due to what seems like an issue with the Nexus 7's bluetooth. I'll go into more detail about that a bit later but for now here are my initial thoughts on the Logitech Bluetooth keyboard linked above. I picked one up on eBay for $29.99 (retail ~$69) and it arrived yesterday.
Layout & Form
Let me just say, this keyboard is stylish. From the moment you open the package (not that stylish) you can tell that much thought and effort was put in to the design of this product. It is very sleek (both the case and keyboard), and even matches the Nexus 7 down to the blue accent on the media/function keys.
Size-wise this keyboard is about as close to a full size keyboard as you can get while still being portable and comfortable to type on. It does not contain a NUM pad or Home/End/Page buttons, but it does have small arrow keys under the Enter/Shift buttons. Typing on this keyboard took absolutely no time to get used to. I was typing up documentation for work while playing Dota 2 on my desktop because I wanted to use this thing so much
It comes with an amazing case to protect your investment however, it also doubles as a stand for your tablet that allows your to adjust the viewing angle a bit. Great feature! Overall, the build quality of this keyboard/case feels top notch.
Function
Not only does the keyboard look and feel great, but it also works! It has a lot more functionality outside of just typing which I was quite surprised by. It connected quickly and easily the first time which was also a nice perk. It also did not seem to lag at all. When typing fast it didn't miss a keystroke. Features outside of typing worth noting:
Alt+Tab functionality to switch between recently used apps
Home key to bring you back to the home screen
Media keys
Calendar, Browser, Mail, Music function keys (the browser one doesn't seem to work for me)
Some typical hotkeys work (ie: Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) however some I had no luck with in the app I was using (ie: Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U)
Ability to navigate around home screen or app UI elements using TAB
Keyboard Specific Cons
There aren't many things that I don't like about this keyboard. There were only two things that I could find that bugged me a little bit but are by no means even close to being deal breakers (more personal preference I would say).
The case does not cover the entire keyboard, only the keys so a little bit at the top sticks out a bit.
There is no female micro-USB port for plugging the keyboard into a power source. It runs on (2) batteries so when they die you'll just have to replace them.
Nexus 7 Experience Pitfalls
One of the major downsides for me were connectivity issues with the Nexus 7. However, I believe this a problem on the tablet side and not an issue with the keyboard itself. I had several instances where they keyboard would hang and the last letter would be repeated until I turn the keyboard on and off and reconnected it. This would not be a major issue if it weren't for another issue that coincides with this, and this is a big one. When turning the keyboard on/off and connecting/disconnecting it from the Nexus 7, the Nexus 7 will refresh whatever screen you are viewing. If you are on your home screen, it will redraw your home screen, if you are browsing the web, it will refresh all your tabs. When using the keyboard in evernote this wasn't a huge issue however, when I was initially writing up this review it would refresh the browser and I lost everything I had written.
This seems to be an issue with the tablet because I had similar issues when tethering it to my phone for using the internet. Regardless, I figured it was major enough to mention. Another issue which may be on the tablet end as well (with the default browser switching to chrome) is the lack of functionality of the browser media key. This is not a deal breaker for me though.
Overall Impression
Overall, I love this keyboard however, I cannot use it due to the major bluetooth connectivity issue that exists with the Nexus 7. Hopefully this is just a software issue that can be fixed, but until then I will have to keep this amazing accessory on a shelf. It's a shame because I really love this keyboard. I actually use it on my laptop now instead of the laptops keyboard

Quick update on the bluetooth issue:
I have old speakers that I use at my office that are not shielded. This may be what's causing my bluetooth disconnect issues with both my phone and keyboard but I'll have to test to see if this is actually the case. I was having minor bluetooth issues at home as well which leads me to believe it's the tablet.

Will Share My Experience
I have yet to receive my N7 and an ordered Logitech keyboard. I'll share my experiences, too, when I get them. That way we might be able to see if the bluetooth problem you're having is specific to your device or more generic.

Thanks for the input. I have left my tablet on with the keyboard paired with it off to the side of my desk and it seems to be doing fine so I'm thinking my old crap speakers were causing the interference.
However, I have been able to repeat the problem connecting and disconnecting of bluetooth devices consistantly. It seems that when you connect or disconnect a paired device, whatever screen you are on gets refreshed or redrawn. Seems like it may be an easy fix on the software end, unfortunately I am no developer. Also not sure if it would be on the kernel level or the OS level.
EDIT: I also started a thread more specific to the bluetooth issue here.

No Chrome Support?
Got the keyboard today for my Nexus 7 and everything works except the key to launch the browser. Anybody having similar issues - figured out how to correct?

mattmanb said:
Got the keyboard today for my Nexus 7 and everything works except the key to launch the browser. Anybody having similar issues - figured out how to correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's probably looking for the ICS stock browser to open I guess... Could try changing the name of the Chrome APK in system apps to match the old stock browser and see whether that works...

My wife has the ipad version of this keyboard I should try it out on my nexus 7.

EDIT: Also wanted to correct your review that it takes 4 AAA batteries, not 2.
I just got my keyboard today and I'm loving it so far. Haven't had any connectivity issues or any other type of issue.
I was worried about the stand/keyboard dwarfing the 7 inch tablet, but it works pretty nicely. Since I could never find any pictures of landscape and/or portrait of the Nexus in use with this accessory, here are some shots:
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This reminded me to try my wifes iPad version of this out, and works pretty good. Weirdly at first, it wasn't.. Shift key was behaving really weird, sticking... then couldn't type again until I hit it a few times.
Now.. After reconnecting once, it's working good. Control, alt both work.. the cmd key paired with other keys do app shortcuts, like cmd-a is calculator, cmd-c is contacts etc.. Interesting.
Media keys work.. so cmd-p launches Google Music, then fn-7 8 9 0 - + control things. Cool. Fn-Delete puts the N7 to sleep..
Told the wife her keyboard might go missing. Heh. But in reality, I won't use it... Rare I'd need a keyboard like this that I'm not near a computer anyway, and I'm not carrying the keyboard around with me 24/7, so.. Maybe useful for some things though.

My only question about this keyboard is the weight. I've picked up the package in a few stores and it seems *heavy*. I've a small Apple (hush now, I'm using it to run my HTPC!) bluetooth keyboard at home which feels like a feather compared to the box. Is it just oddly heavy packaging, or is this keyboard, well, a bit porky?

RikF said:
My only question about this keyboard is the weight. I've picked up the package in a few stores and it seems *heavy*. I've a small Apple (hush now, I'm using it to run my HTPC!) bluetooth keyboard at home which feels like a feather compared to the box. Is it just oddly heavy packaging, or is this keyboard, well, a bit porky?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a bit. But a surprising amount of that weight is the case. According to my kitchen scale... the N7 = 335g. Keyboard with batteries = 400g. Keyboard in case = 620g! 220g for the case / stand. My N7 will soon have it's own case / stand, so I think I'll ditch the keyboard one.

rwb2073 said:
It is a bit. But a surprising amount of that weight is the case. According to my kitchen scale... the N7 = 335g. Keyboard with batteries = 400g. Keyboard in case = 620g! 220g for the case / stand. My N7 will soon have it's own case / stand, so I think I'll ditch the keyboard one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on the same boat, my Portenzo case arrives this week.
Update: After returning the first keyboard I got and receiving a replacement everything works fine. The screen still refreshes when I turn on the keyboard which is odd, but now it stays connected with no sticking key issues.
I LOVE THIS KEYBOARD. Sorry to be absent, work has been nuts. I'll flesh out the original post sometime soon with updates.

bernjc3 said:
I'm on the same boat, my Portenzo case arrives this week.
Update: After returning the first keyboard I got and receiving a replacement everything works fine. The screen still refreshes when I turn on the keyboard which is odd, but now it stays connected with no sticking key issues.
I LOVE THIS KEYBOARD. Sorry to be absent, work has been nuts. I'll flesh out the original post sometime soon with updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, it works great with the N7.
I get no refreshing when I disconnect / reconnect here though. While paired, input is fast, then when I power the keyboard off, there is a delay of about 15 seconds until the tablet realizes the connection has been lost and the software keyboard pops up. When I turn the hardware keyboard back on it connects almost instantly and the software keyboard goes away. No refresh or loss of work (in Catch Notes, for example). I wonder if this is related to the currently selected software keyboard? I'm using Ultra Keyboard, which has settings specifically to work with a hardware keyboard, when present. The tool bar and some of the features are still available while the Logitech keyboard is connected. Text zoom in / out is very helpful in particular, for example.
I've also found that when I connect to another device (laptop for example) the Logitech gets finicky about later being used with the N7. I think it likes to play with just one host device. The fix for me is a battery pull and all the connectivity issues go away (until I use it with the laptop again that is).

Yeah as far as weight goes you'll definitely notice it in your pack, but at least you knows its solid construction.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Hi,
I've had my Logitech Bluetooth keyboard for a week now. It works well in Evernote, flawless actually. But my problem is that when I do a search in Chrome or use Google Now (or whatever it is at the bottom) I will start typing and it'll hang up on a letter going "tttttttttttttt" until I turn the keyboard off.
I *feel* it has something to do with instant search, I'm not sure. Anyone else experiencing this problem and have a fix? Is it an app I have installed that is making it do this mess?

The logitech keyboard looks cool. Looks a bit bigger than the amazon bluetooth keyboard though. I may look into the amazon one at somepoint. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EOWBKE/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

I've been using this keyboard to take notes within evernote in lecture based classes and I Iove it! I have a few questions though, in keyboard settings I see auto correct spelling as well as auto capitalization for the keyboard but I cant seem to get the keyboard to do this.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Nook Color 350z Car Install

This is a small write up I did January of this year. It is a Nook Color install in my 350z. I'm copying my post from over on my350z forums. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of a stable CM10 build. The only thing that sucks for me is the need to rip my dash apart every time I need to flash it. I may be considering replacing it with a Nexus 7 tablet later this year, haven't decided yet.
The Nook has been working great for the last 10 months through below freezing temperatures and relatively high heat. The 2 amp charger keeps it up at all times and I just found about Tasker which I think will make battery power management even better. Any ideas to make this project even better will be well received. Thanks for viewing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, this is my Android based Nook Color build in my 350z.
The tablet is running CM7, tethering wifi from my android phone (Nexus One) for mobile internet. I can also tether GPS through my Galaxy Note for GPS. The nook does not come with the hardware for GPS so tethering or an external bluetooth adapter is the most common methods of making it GPS able. I have the OEM USB cable running along the side of the center console to the rear cigarette adapter. I opted for this option, as opposed to wiring it right into the cars power, because I wanted the option to plug it into a laptop easily. Transferring files this way is much easier. I also have the option of pulling into the driveway and wifi'ing files to my device. The nook has 8gb of internal memory plus a 16gb SD card so it has plenty of space.
I purchased the nook from B&N store on black friday for $120. I wanted to keep my stock bose system so I also bought the adapter to do AUX right into my OEM Bose system. The adapter also came with an Ipod cord.
Adapter is the USA SPEC PA11-NIS:
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My car was not equipped with factory navigation. The opening was the same size as the nook display. The opening should fit any 7" tablet.
I mounted the device with plastic weld and a reinforcing aluminum brace. Just used aluminum strips from home depot.
I relocated the power and home button the the small panel in front of the display using momentary push buttons from radioshack. I used random connectors I had to make taking off the small panel easier.
I had to cut out some of the plastic in the dash to get the charger cable and the cornered AUX cable to fit.
Final install
I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Looks factory and the lid makes the display very visible in high light. The audio quality I was concerned about but it's not bad at all. I'm using a OBDII bluetooth adapter paired with Torque to view all of my car sensors. Poweramp is really nice music player with a built in EQ.
Feel free to ask any questions.

that's awesome! at first I was like "wtf, nissan put an oven on the backside of the dashboard???" :silly:
---------- Post added at 09:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 AM ----------
I believe there are some offline maps/nav options if you can't/don't want to tether all the time. Another cool option might be like a vehicle maintenance scheduler app, or a compass if your car doesn't have one.

I really like the idea of the maintenance scheduler. The nook color doesn't have a GPS or compass so I have to tether those things anyway. Plus it would be incredibly difficult to give up Google Nav.
I'm trying to think of a way to do a reverse camera. I may have to wait until I upgrade to the Nexus 7 to do that though. I think the only option that will work for me would be to extend the flex connector for the camera included with the device. I don't want to have to wait 10 seconds in reverse while waiting for the bluetooth/wifi camera to sync up. Any ideas?

very nice.. very clean and I agree this looks factory.

Alternative Nexus 7 Install in a Car

Alright, so this is actual a tablet install I had done previously with a Huawei S7 tablet a year and a half ago. It's gone through a few stages from 'eh, it works but it's ugly' to 'well that looks alright', and after I got an additional N7 to install, I think it's about read to share (But it's not 100% done)
The clock in my WRX was dead, and I really loved the torque app, so previously I cut an extra clock pod to hold a tablet, running power from the cig lighter below. It got horrible battery time, and the screen was dull, but it worked. Hooray for 2.2 tablet crapiness.
Now, I have a metal frame secured to the AC vents below the pod, with med. gauge wire securing it to the tubes running below it since the vents would flex when the actuator moved the tablet.
The tablet raises via a switch on my center console. I have a Pulse Width Modulation generator in the clock pod area, which generates a signal to an actuator based on the resistance between 2 pins. With 2 resistors wired in parallel (2 pots actually) and a switch at one of the resistors, I can change the resistance and have 2 adjustable points the actuator raises to. This allows me to raise the tablet by clicking a button.
The power is tied into the clock pod via a 12v to 5v 3A switching converter. This allows switched power to the actuators, tablet, and an auxiliary port I have in my center console, as well as give plenty of juice. The N7 is set so it turns on when there is power to it, and shuts off when it has been sitting idle for a few hours.
I still need to cut my old clock pod to cover the gaps along the edges, and use cloth underneath the tablet and on the back so that the wires are hidden, and it's not readily apparent I have a tablet in the car (one of my goals was not to have to hide it to keep from getting stolen).
I still don't have my appropriate right angle USB cable, which is why I am using just a standard cable in the photo. A right angle will be hidden in the sides, so it won't be visable unlike the cable I have now. I also plan to imbed a magnet so I can utilize the N7's automatic sleeping when it's laying down flat.
Bear in mind I do NOT want the tablet to play music. It's there for the torque app and navigation.
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Pics here:
http://imgur.com/Nk2MV0H,KN4fUju#1

AWESOME!! I also have a WRX (03) and was thinking of doing nearly the exact same thing only with an old smartphone (droid incredible), mainly because I didn't think a 7 inch tablet would fit in there. I'd love to hear more about all the parts you used and how/where you mounted them exactly. I am especially interested in the actuator you used.
I looked a little bit but didn't find anything I thought would package well or was affordable enough. I had finally settled on trying to use a pneumatic actuator that would pull vacuum from the engine with a check valve (for when under boost) to raise the screen when the car starts, and a solenoid system that would bleed the vacuum off when the car shuts off to lower the screen. I can't be sure that the vacuum of the engine would be enough to pull the actuator though, so I kind of tabled the idea.
One idea I saw somewhere that you might be interested in was someone used the app Tasker to turn on and off the tablet when the car was switched on and off. This eliminates having the tablet wait for hours before switching off. You could also set it to turn airplane mode on after a set amount of time to save battery as well I'd imagine.
IMO this is much better than replacing my head unit and trying to get everything to work, with this I can stream music and navigation prompts via the head unit's bluetooth and still have my phone connected for calls through the handsfree setup. Thanks for the inspiration, I'm very likely going this route now!

NemesisXV6800 said:
AWESOME!! I also have a WRX (03) and was thinking of doing nearly the exact same thing only with an old smartphone (droid incredible), mainly because I didn't think a 7 inch tablet would fit in there. I'd love to hear more about all the parts you used and how/where you mounted them exactly. I am especially interested in the actuator you used.
I looked a little bit but didn't find anything I thought would package well or was affordable enough. I had finally settled on trying to use a pneumatic actuator that would pull vacuum from the engine with a check valve (for when under boost) to raise the screen when the car starts, and a solenoid system that would bleed the vacuum off when the car shuts off to lower the screen. I can't be sure that the vacuum of the engine would be enough to pull the actuator though, so I kind of tabled the idea.
One idea I saw somewhere that you might be interested in was someone used the app Tasker to turn on and off the tablet when the car was switched on and off. This eliminates having the tablet wait for hours before switching off. You could also set it to turn airplane mode on after a set amount of time to save battery as well I'd imagine.
IMO this is much better than replacing my head unit and trying to get everything to work, with this I can stream music and navigation prompts via the head unit's bluetooth and still have my phone connected for calls through the handsfree setup. Thanks for the inspiration, I'm very likely going this route now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The actuator I used is a Firgelli.
http://www.robotshop.com/firgelli-technologies-L12-100-210-06-P.html
I puttered around with servos for a while before deciding I was already committed with my time and spent the money for a good actuator. If you look on RC websites you can usually snag one for about 50-60 used. Because of the placement of the actuator, I needed somewhere around 6lbs of force static. I couldn't find a servo capable of it; so I got the low geared actuator which actually provides some decent speed to lift it.
I then used this to control it using the method described in my post.
http://www.hansenhobbies.com/products/rcelkits/sckit/
The frame and everything else was handmade (Hence it still needing some tightening up on being level, mainly because the vent is a curved surface). Mounting to the AC vent is a pain, but the only route if you go this way. I ran heavy wires from the mounting point on the vent to the tube running underneath them to keep the vents from flexing when the actuator moves. The only thing worth noting is that temperature slightly changes the resistance and sometimes it will vary by a few degrees at the top of the rotation if it's cold out. Not a huge deal.
The tablet sleeps most the time, and will automatically either wake up or start up when the car starts. It can sleep all night and not even lost 1% on the battery
Good luck!

Interesting about mounting to the vent, I was going to try to mount to the steel tube underneath there that holds the dash (using a clamp), but maybe there just isn't enough access to it to do that. I am going to fire up Solidworks later tonight and hopefully get started on a mount/tilt system that I thought up yesterday. I found a .stl file of the tablet to start with, but modeling up the dash isn't going to be extremely straightforward. Please keep us updated, I'd love to watch your progress. Thanks for the inspiration..

NemesisXV6800 said:
Interesting about mounting to the vent, I was going to try to mount to the steel tube underneath there that holds the dash (using a clamp), but maybe there just isn't enough access to it to do that. I am going to fire up Solidworks later tonight and hopefully get started on a mount/tilt system that I thought up yesterday. I found a .stl file of the tablet to start with, but modeling up the dash isn't going to be extremely straightforward. Please keep us updated, I'd love to watch your progress. Thanks for the inspiration..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There isn't a lot of room at all; I originally wanted to mount to something more secure but it's tight in there; the actuator itself is maybe .5" X .5" and it was tight getting it to mount to the tube underneath. I had to remove the glove box, and use a pipe clamp to finally get it secured.

Idea: Build a USB OTG keyboard slider for MOTO X/G or Droid Maxx/Ultra

So I have a crazy idea. I want to build my own QWERTY phone.
I'm not willing to give up on QWERTY phones and I really wish Motorola would build us a Droid 5 but it doesn't seem to be happening.
I recently got a Moto G but my idea should work on all devices that support USB OTG which includes Moto X/G and Droid Maxx/Ultra.
My vision:
Take an old Motorola Droid 3 and tear out the keyboard
Convert the Droid 3 keyboard into a usb keyboard
Connect the usb Droid 3 keyboard to the Moto G via USB otg
Reduce the size of the USB otg connection
Build a case/frame slider for the phone and keyboard
Extra crazy bonus would be to add a usb battery pack behind the keyboard and a switch to go between charging the phone and keyboard use.
The largest challenges will be step 2, 4, and 5.
Step 2 will require me to confirm if the Droid 3 keyboard can be reused and re-purposed into a USB keyboard. Understanding how the hardware works is also a challenge.
Step 4 will require me to convert the USB otg cable into a ribbon (probably not too hard)
Step 5 will require me to 3d print the casing and source a slider mechanism. I may be able to reuse the Droid 3 slider mechanism.
Now craziness aside, who thinks this is possible? Who also has experience/background in how USB keyboards work and can help me?

windraver said:
So I have a crazy idea. I want to build my own QWERTY phone.
I'm not willing to give up on QWERTY phones and I really wish Motorola would build us a Droid 5 but it doesn't seem to be happening.
I recently got a Moto G but my idea should work on all devices that support USB OTG which includes Moto X/G and Droid Maxx/Ultra.
My vision:
Take an old Motorola Droid 3 and tear out the keyboard
Convert the Droid 3 keyboard into a usb keyboard
Connect the usb Droid 3 keyboard to the Moto G via USB otg
Reduce the size of the USB otg connection
Build a case/frame slider for the phone and keyboard
Extra crazy bonus would be to add a usb battery pack behind the keyboard and a switch to go between charging the phone and keyboard use.
The largest challenges will be step 2, 4, and 5.
Step 2 will require me to confirm if the Droid 3 keyboard can be reused and re-purposed into a USB keyboard. Understanding how the hardware works is also a challenge.
Step 4 will require me to convert the USB otg cable into a ribbon (probably not too hard)
Step 5 will require me to 3d print the casing and source a slider mechanism. I may be able to reuse the Droid 3 slider mechanism.
Now craziness aside, who thinks this is possible? Who also has experience/background in how USB keyboards work and can help me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the key thing, before you head down this road, is to check the experience that you would get assuming you could get it to work.
What happens when you plug a keyboard in? Does it shut off the on-screen keyboard nicely? Does it put it into landscape mode? If not, then the act of "sliding" the keyboard isn't going to be much like it is on the Droid 3/4. As far as ripping the keyboard off the Droid 3, I'd be tempted to try the 4 instead - the Droid 3 keyboard is notorious for having de-bounce/response issues, especially as it gets older.
If you could get it all to work, it's certainly the sort of accessory that would interest me - I'm really surprised that the manufacturers haven't tried this sort of thing, and allowed the back of a phone to be replaced with a sliding mechanism that has contacts inside for a QWERTY keyboard. It would seem pretty straightforward, so I'm guessing they think there simply isn't the demand for it.

StevePritchard said:
I think the key thing, before you head down this road, is to check the experience that you would get assuming you could get it to work.
What happens when you plug a keyboard in? Does it shut off the on-screen keyboard nicely? Does it put it into landscape mode? If not, then the act of "sliding" the keyboard isn't going to be much like it is on the Droid 3/4. As far as ripping the keyboard off the Droid 3, I'd be tempted to try the 4 instead - the Droid 3 keyboard is notorious for having de-bounce/response issues, especially as it gets older.
If you could get it all to work, it's certainly the sort of accessory that would interest me - I'm really surprised that the manufacturers haven't tried this sort of thing, and allowed the back of a phone to be replaced with a sliding mechanism that has contacts inside for a QWERTY keyboard. It would seem pretty straightforward, so I'm guessing they think there simply isn't the demand for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate to see our Droid 4 die out and come to end. I wish phone companies would still keep alive the QWERTY keyboard with new the Samsung GS5 or LG G3. Still make sense to have a physical keyboard as most computers do. A simple add on would be awsome to add to these newer phones. Still have my fingers crossed about Droid 5 or something close to it. Nice to have dreams :fingers-crossed:

WickedWayz said:
I hate to see our Droid 4 die out and come to end. I wish phone companies would still keep alive the QWERTY keyboard with new the Samsung GS5 or LG G3. Still make sense to have a physical keyboard as most computers do. A simple add on would be awsome to add to these newer phones. Still have my fingers crossed about Droid 5 or something close to it. Nice to have dreams :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, I think phone companies are failing to recognize a niche market that has a tremendous amount of opportunity.
There is a market opportunity in the business sector and they just don't see it. That or they're afraid to risk it.
Personally, I miss the accuracy of QWERTY keyboard, the screen real estate lost when typing, remote desktop, SSH with my rasberry pi, the ease of work emails.

StevePritchard said:
As far as ripping the keyboard off the Droid 3, I'd be tempted to try the 4 instead - the Droid 3 keyboard is notorious for having de-bounce/response issues, especially as it gets older.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Keyboard from a Psion 5MX would be even better... ohhhh imagine a modern smart phone in a 5mx case! doh would have to be open when you answered a call...

I think this is a great idea. If they can produce a bluetooth case / keyboard slider for S3s and 4s then why cant you do this?!
Although maybe that might be easier thinking about it... changing a bluetooth slider case to usb? That way the tricky slider mechanism is done for you already...

I've been giving this some more thought...
Surely you (we) can take a bluetooth slide case keyboard, swap the bluetooth module for a usb output, add a usb splitter and then hardwire it to the phone?!
Evidently there's a battery and even some spare space in the slide out keyboard so it could even extend battery life too...

Sounds a bit like this project
This is a thread about a self builded qwerty other half (Jolla-Phone). Maybe you can get there some ideas.
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=1378929
100 pieces produced, 100 Dollar per piece.

No need to complicate your life with an USB keyboard
An Iphone sliding bt keyboard, the right sized android phone, some tasker rules and a bit of fantasy are more than enough to build your own qwerty phone, in half an hour or so.
This is what I did more than one year ago, when I had to use a dual sim phone.
For the record the phone was an Alcatel One Touch Star
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+
a NUU keyboard
=

The Solutor said:
No need to complicate your life with an USB keyboard
An Iphone sliding bt keyboard, the right sized android phone, some tasker rules and a bit of fantasy are more than enough to build your own qwerty phone, in half an hour or so.
This is what I did more than one year ago, when I had to use a dual sim phone.
For the record the phone was an Alcatel One Touch Star
+
a NUU keyboard
=
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But then you need to have BT on all the time and even with some extra battery power hidden away in the keyboard that'd be a power killer no?
Or am I looking at this all wrong? Should we just be taking a BT slider case and adding more battery life?! I mean it'd be pretty cool to have a phone where you could leave BT on at all times and still have power at the end of the day...

godneps said:
But then you need to have BT on all the time and even with some extra battery power hidden away in the keyboard that'd be a power killer no?
Or am I looking at this all wrong? Should we just be taking a BT slider case and adding more battery life?! I mean it'd be pretty cool to have a phone where you could leave BT on at all times and still have power at the end of the day...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odd - I do have BT on all the time, and have power at the end of the day. BT is never at the top of the usage list for me.

godneps said:
But then you need to have BT on all the time and even with some extra battery power hidden away in the keyboard that'd be a power killer no?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BT is almost unnoticeable on the battery economy of a big sized android phone.
A keyboard does way less traffic than a BT headset, so way less battery consumption.
Th BT keyboard goes automagically in sleep mode when it's closed.
And, if you are picky, you can turn OFF the BT on the phone with a simple Tasker rule. (tasker is needed anyway to automate the screen rotation, the screen unlock when the keyboard is slided out and so).
If the above is not enough for you, I must add that the keyboard backlight, unlike a native one, is powered by its own battery.
So, the short answer to the question is absolutely not.

The Solutor said:
A keyboard does way less traffic than a BT headset, so way less battery consumption.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that I did not know. Every day is a school day...

I modded iPhone 6 bluetooth keyboard case to Xiaomi Mi4C. It was pretty easy job. I am using that as a daily driver now. If you are interested take a look from here: Qwerty Keyboard Slider [DIY]

kzin42 said:
The Keyboard from a Psion 5MX would be even better... ohhhh imagine a modern smart phone in a 5mx case! doh would have to be open when you answered a call...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would buy it at once, honestly. I loved my Psion 5 MX.

Killing optimizer, and continous alerts on BT headset

I bought a P30 a week ago, and two things drive me nuts. First of all the optimizer, which is obviously not artificially intelligent, since I have said countless times that I don't mind if Snapchat is using power. Without that I'd never hear from my daughter... Is there a way to stopp Optimizer completely, or at least block the alerts?
And talking about alerts, there's the standard alert sound coming every few minutes as long as I have my BT plugs (I'm using Sony WF-1000XM3's) connected. But there's never anything in the alert panel. I wonder if it can be because of another useless piece of [email protected] information, in English I am guessing it's called "Device connection - Active audio device" or something like that. I can click a wheel to the right in that and get a box that lets me choose between audio from the plugs and the device, but why should I? I can turn of the plugs to get the tragically bad sound from the vibrating screen!
So can anybody give me a tip about this? On my previous Samsung I'd just use a root function to fix it, but that's not as easy on this phone since it seems just about unrootable without a lot of extra hassle.

Mastiff said:
I bought a P30 a week ago, and two things drive me nuts. First of all the optimizer, which is obviously not artificially intelligent, since I have said countless times that I don't mind if Snapchat is using power. Without that I'd never hear from my daughter... Is there a way to stopp Optimizer completely, or at least block the alerts?
And talking about alerts, there's the standard alert sound coming every few minutes as long as I have my BT plugs (I'm using Sony WF-1000XM3's) connected. But there's never anything in the alert panel. I wonder if it can be because of another useless piece of [email protected] information, in English I am guessing it's called "Device connection - Active audio device" or something like that. I can click a wheel to the right in that and get a box that lets me choose between audio from the plugs and the device, but why should I? I can turn of the plugs to get the tragically bad sound from the vibrating screen!
So can anybody give me a tip about this? On my previous Samsung I'd just use a root function to fix it, but that's not as easy on this phone since it seems just about unrootable without a lot of extra hassle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can kill the power management completely (Power Genie) so that all apps run as intended, you do lose per app usage stats but that's all
https://dontkillmyapp.com/huawei
Not sure about the 2nd issue

Thanks! PowerGenie out of my phone and back in the lamp !

Mastiff said:
Thanks! PowerGenie out of my phone and back in the lamp !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be gone evil genie

Yeah, all though to me this Genie is more like the one in "The Witcher" and less like Robin Williams...

Mastiff said:
Yeah, all though to me this Genie is more like the one in "The Witcher" and less like Robin Williams...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, and when I disabled it, it made 0 difference to battery life, similar issue to you except with WhatsApp, would not give me any messages until I opened the app regardless of power settings

Good! The battery is so good compared to my old S9 anyway, and the charging time is so short, that I'll never have any problems with it.

Mastiff said:
Good! The battery is so good compared to my old S9 anyway, and the charging time is so short, that I'll never have any problems with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Made the same move from S9 > P30, battery life is extremely good compared although I miss the Samsung experience so am looking at the S20 Ultra now

That one's far too expensive. Not that I can't afford it, just that I can't justify it. The cheaper models have worse cameras then the P30, that's why I bought that for about half the price of a S20 Ultra. I'd rather buy another pair of ceiling speakers for my Atmos system! And I see hat you came from Samsung in your sig. Btw the latest software to the S20 was apparently so buggy they couldn't reivew the S20 in Norway!

Mastiff said:
That one's far too expensive. Not that I can't afford it, just that I can't justify it. The cheaper models have worse cameras then the P30, that's why I bought that for about half the price of a S20 Ultra. I'd rather buy another pair of ceiling speakers for my Atmos system! And I see hat you came from Samsung in your sig. Btw the latest software to the S20 was apparently so buggy they couldn't reivew the S20 in Norway!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I have sigs disabled, I`ll have to remove it
The only reason I want the Ultra is the new 108MP sensor the others won't have, I have always gone for the standard model as the Pro/Plus models weren't worth the extra to me, bigger screen/battery and one extra lens wasn't enough for the extra cost, but I really enjoy photography which is also the reason I got this P30, few things missing vs the S9, like true 960fps slow mo, and I used to take a lot of shots of my dog running about, with the S9 they almost always came out sharp and clear, the P30 seems unable to take clear shots of moving objects, most pics come out blurred, also the RYYB sensor tinting everything yellow gets a bit tedious
It takes a great photo for scenery etc, low light is amazing so hopefully the Ultra can match / beat that

While EMUI doesn't give you the option to completely disable the persistent Device Connection Service notification when you have a Bluetooth audio device connected, I managed to create a workaround using Macrodroid:
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"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
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This macro will be triggered whenever the Device Connection Service notification appears and will immediately dismiss the notification without letting it re-appear after whatever time limits EMUI usually sets. The result is a clean notification centre without this persistent banner getting in the way. If this doesn't work, change the trigger to Connectivity > Bluetooth Event > Device Connected > [your headphones here].