Bluetooth keyboard with status LEDs?

December 18, 2005 4:30 PM

Are there any Bluetooth keyboards with on-keyboard status lights like caps lock, num lock, and scroll lock?

I'm looking to mod a Bluetooth keyboard for a project because it seems to be cheaper than buying a development kit, and it's exactly what I need *if* I can use the status lights.

posted by adamwolf to computers & internet (8 comments total)

How about something like this? Logitech® Cordless Desktop® MX™ 5000 Laser
posted by onalark at 4:34 PM on December 18, 2005

That is really cool, but what I'm really looking for is a more traditional set of status LEDs.
posted by adamwolf at 4:44 PM on December 18, 2005

Googling for wireless keyboard turns up this.
posted by onalark at 5:01 PM on December 18, 2005

The Apple Wireless Keyboard has a caps lock status light, but not a num lock or scroll lock light.
posted by rajbot at 5:05 PM on December 18, 2005

Almost every keyboard I've found that's both Bluetooth based and has LEDs uses them for connection status or battery level—not something easily/at all manipulated through client-based software.

Meanwhile, Logitech also has a mouse that has email and IM notification lights—something that could much easily be conceivably manipulated, I would think. (A connection status/power level LED is likely to deal little with software on the client and not exactly listen for what to display. It does it based on its own firmware.)

Caveat: It's a mouse. And it's not bluetooth, but Logitech's 2.4 GHz radio.
posted by disillusioned at 5:12 PM on December 18, 2005

[fixed onalark's link]
posted by jessamyn at 5:51 PM on December 18, 2005

Not what you asked for, but since you mention you're looking for this so you can hack out the bluetooth piece, you should check whether any of these products are useful to you. (Haven't used them myself, so I can't recommend in detail.)
posted by hattifattener at 12:03 AM on December 19, 2005

I'd like to build a one-handed, chorded keyboard for my Nokia 770. Preferably, it'd have email and other status lights as well, which would be easy to do with a bluetooth keyboard, dropping a PIC in between the buttons and the keyboard matrix.
posted by adamwolf at 1:01 PM on December 19, 2005