Comments on: Bluetooth keyboard with status LEDs?

Question: Bluetooth keyboard with status LEDs?

adamwolf — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:30:07 -0800

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.

By: onalark

onalark — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:34:38 -0800

How about something like this? Logitech® Cordless Desktop® MX™ 5000 Laser

By: adamwolf

adamwolf — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:44:36 -0800

That is really cool, but what I'm really looking for is a more traditional set of status LEDs.

By: onalark

onalark — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 17:01:09 -0800

Googling for wireless keyboard turns up this.

By: rajbot

rajbot — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 17:05:18 -0800

The Apple Wireless Keyboard has a caps lock status light, but not a num lock or scroll lock light.

By: disillusioned

disillusioned — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 17:12:07 -0800

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.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 17:51:31 -0800

[fixed onalark's link]

By: hattifattener

hattifattener — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:03:27 -0800

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.)

By: adamwolf

adamwolf — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 13:01:14 -0800

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.