Hey all,
I recently acquired the Motorola Bluetooth Keyboard and Trackpad on Amazon, and it works wonderfully as an input device for my phone - an HTC One X running CyanogenMod 10.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006291K7A/ref=mp_s_a_1?pi=SL75&qid=1348778343&sr=8-1
However, not all of the features work exactly as billed, and the keyboard says they are exclusive to Motorola phones - such as two-finger scrolling on the trackpad, and pinch-to-zoom in images. Also, weirdly, the menu button on the keyboard doesn't work, and there's no way to turn off tap to click.
Despite this laundry list the keyboard is serving me quite well, but I'm still curious - is there any app or flashable zip that I can use to restore the missing features to this keyboard? Surely there's no inherent reason why these things are Motorola-exclusive.
Any comments? Thanks in advance guys.
I've just bought something similar, the motorola bluetooth keyboard and mouse set for motorola Atrix. My keyboard is like yours, apart for the trackpad of course. I use it on my HTC One S and works pretty well but, as you noticed too, the menu key (the 3 horizontal parallel lines key) doesn't work, nor the mute key for me.
At first I thought those keys were nothing but a combination of search button plus a letter (like the other shortcut keys) but I've tried with every combination to no avail...
Maybe the non working features are not natively supported by android and were specifically implemented by motorola in their software?
nor-ric said:
I've just bought something similar, the motorola bluetooth keyboard and mouse set for motorola Atrix. My keyboard is like yours, apart for the trackpad of course. I use it on my HTC One S and works pretty well but, as you noticed too, the menu key (the 3 horizontal parallel lines key) doesn't work, nor the mute key for me.
At first I thought those keys were nothing but a combination of search button plus a letter (like the other shortcut keys) but I've tried with every combination to no avail...
Maybe the non working features are not natively supported by android and were specifically implemented by motorola in their software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dunno. I wonder if any developers of Motorola ROMs can help us out...
Related
I just tried MagiKB on the Pro2, a program which translates held keys and quick double-taps into shifted and caps-ed equivalents (eg. hold down "a" for a fraction of a second to create "A"), and it sadly doesn't seem to work. After a spell with the HD, where on the soft keyboard you could hold down keys to get alternative characters, I'm a bit surprised HTC didn't implement something similar on the Pro2's hard keyboard. Anyone have a workaround or suggestion?
When I press and hold the keys with alternate characters, it will give me the alternate character. but no double click ...
Did you try with the Touch Pro overlay?
I was hoping this would work myself. Haven't installed it yet though.
Has anyone gotten Magikb to work on Tilt2?
Thanks!
Looking for this too.
Just wondering if anyone has tried the Xoom BT keyboard on any of the AOSP ROMs? Specifically, do all or any of the Android shortcut keys work? Or would I be better off spending less money on a generic Windows BT Keyboard?
Here is the KB I am referring to...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/MOTOROLA-89451N/15779800
I guess I'll answer my own question, more to provide information for others. I went to Fry's today and picked up one of these keyboards and was very happy to see it working with Decks Gingerbread ROM. There are some hotkeys not working right, but for the most part this this is awesome. A co-worker went with me and bought one for his Xoom and it works great on that as well! Here is a list of things that aren't working (so far).
- Menu button does not bring up the menu (but fn + F1 does).
- Things get weird in landscape mode:
-- Left/Right arrows perform Up/Down operation and Up/Down arrows perform Left/Right operations.
- Hot key for launching Google Music App (when it's set as default) fc's every time (but app does launch manually).
- When in the browser, you have to use the Search button to type in a URL (there is no way to navigate or arrow to the URL entry box).
- Seems to work much better in portrait mode.
- Have to use arrows to navigate from text box to text box, the tab key does not tab like it does in Windows.
I would love to see an app that would allow you to remap the keys, but haven't found anything in the market for this. If you know of something that would help in this regard, please post a reply.
I previously connected a Dell BT Mouse and got that working perfectly, so I can't wait to get home and use the mouse and the KB together. I am also going to try out the HDMI mirroring and see how well this will preform as a stand alone console. If any one is interested in the outcome, reply to this thread. Otherwise I'll just let it die off slowly...
I'm coming from a phone with a trackball... a MyTouch 3G that I had kept current thanks to CyanogenMod. This is much better lol.
I used that trackball though, all the time, mostly for selecting text that I'd screwed up... or to move the cursor between words where I wanted to add a sentence. But sometimes was nice too, for moving to the next form field, or scrolling focus to the "submit" button, etc.
I'm pretty happy with my Swiftkey X keyboard - it's got an option to enable arrow keys. I'm surprised Swype doesn't? I'm used to Swype and really would like to use that.
So my question is twofold:
Any other good keyboards with either a simulated trackpad or arrow keys?
and/or...
How do you live without it? I can adapt if I know the tricks.
geolemon said:
I'm coming from a phone with a trackball... a MyTouch 3G that I had kept current thanks to CyanogenMod. This is much better lol.
I used that trackball though, all the time, mostly for selecting text that I'd screwed up... or to move the cursor between words where I wanted to add a sentence. But sometimes was nice too, for moving to the next form field, or scrolling focus to the "submit" button, etc.
I'm pretty happy with my Swiftkey X keyboard - it's got an option to enable arrow keys. I'm surprised Swype doesn't? I'm used to Swype and really would like to use that.
So my question is twofold:
Any other good keyboards with either a simulated trackpad or arrow keys?
and/or...
How do you live without it? I can adapt if I know the tricks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hackers keyboard is nice. Has the four arrows and a number row. Plus you can enlarge or reduce the keys.
The best solution I have found so far is an app called GameKeyboard. The dpad simulates the repeated keypress of a held down arrow key, or joystick (which is essential for many games).
However, it has bugs, and the qwerty mode is slow (you swipe horizontally across the keyboard to switch between gamepad mode and keyboard mode). I enable it specifically for games, and then switch back to my main keyboard (i.e. swype) for everything else.
Here's a link:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.locnet.gamekeyboard
in swype there is an arrow option. swype from the swype/option button to the sym/123 button and a arrow keypad comes up. also from sym/123 button to "f" brings up a number pad.
thumb keyboard has arrows
Ok something that we are recently finding out, which is a cause for some xperia play owners to have issues with "O" button on their game pad. It seems Stock or so maps the button as "BACK ALT" while some other roms map it as "BUTTON_B"
The "X" button is mapped as "Dpad_center" which also acts as a confirm, or open app button. Again some roms remap this as "Button_A"
Now when its mapped as Center and Back Alt, it means those buttons will be used as another way to open, click or esc/back out of things. Which some games and apps would close out or act up. (Not all apps tho, since alot of devs allow mapping to be different for XP)
While if its mapped as Button_A and B then its a truly separate button for use that doesnt interfere with normal android or app use unless its mapped to use that exact button.
So the question to everyone here. Which do you feel should be the standard for roms and apps? The generic use of confirm and back for X and O or would you rather those buttons not be used for anything other then what you want it for in your app and game.
Cause devs who make their apps have to tell their app to assume that "O" and "X" are "x mapping in the keypad_zeus.kl file" If its not correct then we wind up with people saying "gamepad buttons dont work!"
So XDA, which should be the standard?
Standard mapping for X and O is:
X - Alternate Center Key
O - Alternate Back Key
Altough these buttons have different IDs so they are recognized as totally different buttons - O ≠ normal back key, but acts the same.
No android-related mapping for another keys such as ▲ and ■ BUT L and R are mapped in Timescape app to switch between windows ;-)
Personally I like this mapping. I was a little bit surprised when I realized that X was center and O was back. I thought that it will be different buttons such as A and B (because ■ and ▲ are recognized as X and Y) and I was wrong. But it's always good to operate through android with our dedicated gamepad but I think it should be supported better. F.e. bringing status bar down when you swipe on touchpad down and bringimg it back up when you swipe up. It would be cool ;-)
Sent from my beautiful Xperia PLAY using xda premium
Yea which seems diff roms have been changing this standard. Since those buttons even as "alt" act the same as normal ones. Seems to be an issue in some apps. While I dont mind keeping it as the official way, it still brings up the questions. =)
Mysticales said:
Yea which seems diff roms have been changing this standard. Since those buttons even as "alt" act the same as normal ones. Seems to be an issue in some apps. While I dont mind keeping it as the official way, it still brings up the questions. =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another thing, Mysticales, there are like... 16 different KL files in CM keylayout. There are maybe 5 or 6 in the other ROMS I looked through. There are also three different 304 and 305 entries in the CM keylayout, while only one in the others that I looked at.
So confusing eh?
I like keeping the X button as keypad center, but having the O button as button B. Woo 3rd option
It seems to me that since Sony is the one who created the SEXP, they would know what mapping is correct for it. From everything I can see, BACK ALT and DPAD_CENTER are the mappings they chose, and therefore the right mappings. Why do I say this? Games dev'd for the xperia play are going to be dev'd using those mappings, and not button_a or button_b.
jacklebott said:
I like keeping the X button as keypad center, but having the O button as button B. Woo 3rd option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im with you on this one. =p Too bad I didnt put that as an option. What we need is a rom that has an option to toggle which modes we want.
Got my Gemini on Saturday and just working my way around it.
Was looking at shortcuts for the Gemini Keyboard and found the documentation, however all shortcuts are a combination of a key labelled ? (magnifying glass) plus another key.
For the life of me I cannot find the key that is supposed to be the magnifying glass.
Anyone know which key this is supposed to be
Thanks in advance
larah said:
Got my Gemini on Saturday and just working my way around it.
Was looking at shortcuts for the Gemini Keyboard and found the documentation, however all shortcuts are a combination of a key labelled (magnifying glass) plus another key.
For the life of me I cannot find the key that is supposed to be the magnifying glass.
Anyone know which key this is supposed to be
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think those docs are for generic android with a keyboard; google has been pushing putting a "search" key directly onto keyboards.
The gemini shortcuts are mostly the "Fn" key plus another, which should be labelled. e.g. on mine (UK kbd):
ESC: "back" key, or hold down for "Power"
Fn+ESC: "power"
Fn+D: Android "home" key (desktop, not to be confused with traditional editing "home" key)
Fn+A: Android "recent" key (App switcher)
Alt+Tab: App switcher (standard android binding)
Fn+C: Volume down
Fn+V: Volume up
Fn+B: Brightness down
Fn+N: Brightness up
Fn+Alt: Phone app
Fn+Del: Settings
Fn+T: Mute microphone
Fn+R: Screenshot
etc.
Hope I am not hijacking this thread, but continued question about Fn usage
How does one get all the "strange" characters from the keyboard?
By strange, I mean stuff like "{}[]`/" and similar ones.
From the keyboard looks (symbols imprinted at the bottom of the key) I assumed its a combo of Fn+symbol, but it doesn't work.
I am using US keyboard layout and set to use Gemini keyboard as input method.
matrix200200 said:
How does one get all the "strange" characters from the keyboard?
By strange, I mean stuff like "{}[]`/" and similar ones.
From the keyboard looks (symbols imprinted at the bottom of the key) I assumed its a combo of Fn+symbol, but it doesn't work.
I am using US keyboard layout and set to use Gemini keyboard as input method.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you figure this out? I'm trying to find that out now too.
It is [Fn] +'/ ' to bring up the symbols keyboard and you can select them from there. {}[]℅™®©¥¢√π∆~ etc...
Function key
Veritas06 said:
Did you figure this out? I'm trying to find that out now too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you use the Gemini Keyboard app to configure the Gemini US English layout there is actually one more step it seems. Once you've gone through the setup you should receive a notification to configure your keyboard. Select this and select the Gemini keyboard and you will be good to go. I ignored the notification for a while, believing it was prompting me to go through the setup process again but that was not the case.
Hope this helps.