Play along - create a PinePhone keyboard

[Luke]

Please start by reading this blog post.
In this thread you are welcome to discuss and submit your PinePhone keyboard designs. I am well aware that myBB (the software running this forum) isn't particularly permissive of hosting various document types (e.g. it will not permit you to upload a .stl), so some portion of your idea(s) and design(s) will have to uploaded externally. You are also welcome to use our Wiki for the purpose of uploading project-related files.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

[tophneal]

Please start by reading this blog post.

Lol you forgot the link, bud! there it is!

[Luke]

Please start by reading this blog post.

Lol you forgot the link, bud!

heh, posted before the blog went live

[evilbunny]

I think it's this one: https://www.pine64.org/2020/07/29/invita...lay-along/

[Luke]

I think it's this one: https://www.pine64.org/2020/07/29/invita...lay-along/

Edited in

[multi.flexi]

Would it be possible for the keyboad add-on to integrate NFC as well? And wireless charging?

[Lister]

I only have two thoughts about the keyboard:

I read a few complaints about fxtec pro 1 and one of those Chinese gaming pocket pcs (gpd win 2?) that people couldn't reach keys in the middle of the keyboard with their thumbs. So maybe a split keyboard would be in order? So that thumbs need not reach towards the middle?

And one from the days when I had a HTC phone with flip out keyboard. Index fingers rest on the other side of the keyboard and do nothing productive. What if we got them to be productive members of society and placed something like a trackpad on the other side of the keyboard? So you can type and use a mouse making the phone closer to an actual computer? Some shoulder buttons should take care of clicking?

[bkos]

There was some discussion before, for me these are the options how a keyboard could look like on the pinephone with an add-on.

1. Psion-like keyboard with real key travel in a clamshell form factor, like cosmo communicator.
2. Regular buttons with non-linear keyboard access, screen at an angle to keyboard. Like Nokia E7, Nokia N950 and fxtec Pro1.
3. Regular buttons with sliding keyboard, screen is parallel to keyboard, like Nokia N900.

The best compromise would be option 2, what fxtec did with the pro1, full keyboard, device is usable on a table and the phone can be used without the keyboard like a regular smartphone.
Please try to implement the tilting mechanis. And also, backlit keys is a must.

[DrYak]

For the keyboard:

- Somebody should definitely ping Dirk Van Leersum and Kimmo Lindhol, the genuises behind Jolla1's TOHKBD (The Other Half - Keyboard).
- There was also the Keyboard Mod for the Moto Z, by Liangchen Chen and Livermorium Ltd (but they are probably now busy with the FxTec(1) keyboard phone)



For the GamePad:

- Razer Kishi (basically "Switch Joycon" clones for either USB-C android or Lightning port iOS) is definitely a good inspiration.

(I was thinking about buying one second hand eventually, but if Pine produce official ones...)

[kuro]

As @Lister said trigger buttons would be extremely useful, especially to have modifier functions (ctrl, alt, mod, fn, shift, etc). If these are not a viable option, I would suggest that at least these modifier keys should be as close to the center of the keyboard as possible (i.e. switch "~" and "{" with ctrl and fn), otherwise common key combinations like ctrl+z become extremely difficult to do.

Personal request: Do not forget to include SysRq even if unlabeled and under a complex key combination. It's rarely used but can save your life some times.