Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

my Sym key (the blue arrow) is loosing it's "blue". I was surprised when that happened because i had a N73 before and used to text heavily - 3 years using it until N900 and the keyboard isn't as bad as the N900 is right now.

The L key has a little brightening dot too, and the space key looks a bit bad too.

It's Matte and i'll check later where it was built, i ordered it from Portugal (i'm interested in US keyboard layout, does someone knows where to find good-quality ones? Because Portuguese layout sucks a bit bad on the arrows :| Have to use Sym to use arrow up and down!)

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Same here. See photo.http://share.lancealan.com/N900-keyboard.JPG
Sometimes it looks like it's peeling from below.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Cut your Nails Before you press the Keys People :)

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

mine's wearing off too. do yourself a favour and buy a spare keypad. they don't cost much. mine started wearing off after about 3 or 4 months of ownership. i now have this issue on a, s, shift, c, d, e. i am keeping the spare keypad until this one gets unbearable.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

It may not apply to the N900 but this was a common problem with the N810. The sliding mechanism would rub against the keys and scratch them, particularly the space bar. Both of mine have it and many of the photos I've seen of heavily used N810s display the marking. http://www.mail-archive.com/maemo-us.../msg11717.html various posts and photos on this forum confirm but I can't find them ATM

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Are you sure there's not a piece of sand or something stuck inside causing the abrasion on the keys?

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

This is kind of scary... it should not be happening on a flagship device.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Is not nor ever was a flagship device.
for flagship device, read N97.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

You do if your not using a pick/plectrum.
Ever heard of finger picking?

Wouldn't advise this.

The top coat/clear coat/laquer will build up between the keys and probably stick them together.

Plus after a top coat you need to flat the laquer as it'll have an orange peel effect. To do this you need ~2500 grit wet and dry.
you'll then need to cut it back using some fast cut compound (3M "perfect it" is my favourite).

This is a hard job to do well on large areas, so on small things like the keys, it'd be a nightmare!

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Nokia doesn't have "flagships". They make low, middle, and high -end phones that fit a certain use case. The N900's niche is too small for it to be a flagship. It is a very high-end device, but it is not a "flagship" representing the peak of the entire Nokia lineup.

- Edit: The above paragraph is wrong. Ignore -

Anyway, I am not happy with the eyboard wearing, but it's not a big deal. Though I'll probably buy an extra keypad eventually just in case though. Meanwhile: I've avoided the worst off the keyboard wearing. My blue paint is wearing off on the FN parts - the FN arrow is almost fully white, and the asterisk is on the way. Shift key and O look like they are wearing down - the initial dim white color is getting replaced by a more clear white the LEDs shine through easier. But so far every symbol character is perfect and clear, so I don't mind too much.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

http://conversations.nokia.com/2009/...eat-and-tears/

The first line reads:
"The story behind the making of the Nokia N97 is a fascinating one that gives a real insight of what goes into to forging a flagship device"

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

How about "it should not be happening on a bl**dy expensive device."?

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

I completely agree!

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

My Phone, made in korea, used extensicely, following me almost everywhere, doesnt have any keyboard problems. Its not a shiny keyboard i think.
My Screen Frame got a few scratches. Happened when it fell to the ground from about 1m. Its the only damage it took.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

I got my N900 back in May 2010. I started noticing wear on the keys about 4 or 5 months ago. Now the black has rubbed off of all 4 arrow keys and the black is gone from at least 7 other keys. I am still under warranty. So I am going to try to get it replaced. But I consider this to be pretty shoddy for such an expensive device. The N810 and N800 are more durable in my opinion.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

I'm no fanboy, but it's not beyond dispute at all - mine does none of those things, I've had it for a little over a year and I've sent about 6000 messages in that time - also spent many hours at the keypad doing other stuff. I'm guessing that what you call normal every day use, I'd refer to as abuse. Are you using your fingernails to type? Are you dropping your N900 regularly - with the power lead in...

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

This is happening to mine as well. This is a replacement N900. The first one I had did not have this issue and I had it almost a year. My typing habits have not changed.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

I purchased the Nokia N900 from Dell back in September 2010. Around the end of November the keypad started rubbing off. I called Dell and Dell said I needed to call Nokia. I called Nokia and they told me to send it in for repair. Before I could send it in I had to purchase a new phone and with the holidays I finally sent it in on January 22. For three weeks Nokia said they were working on the repair. I called and e-mailed several times but the repair was still in the process.

Finally, Nokia shipped it back without reparing it. I called Nokia and they told me it was a cosmetic problem that is not covered under warranty. I asked to speak to a supervisor. Finally the supervisor, Michael, called me back. He basically said the same thing. Sorry not covered. It's cosmetic. I asked to speak to his supervisor. He said he is the only supervisor that I can talk to. He said it doesn't matter if I call corporate in New York that everybody is going to tell me the same thing. .

How could this be? I paid over $400. for a phone that after 2 months I can't see the letters. It's like a keyboard without any markings. The space, t m,n,c,w,a,h s,d and arrow are rubbed off. I love the phone but it is incredibly frustrating.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

My 7 month old keyboard/phone is still in good condition (at this point of posting).

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

9 of my keys are barely readable now. does anybody know if a new key board is easy to fit? seen some for 3 quid on ebay.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

mine looks like doodo too..

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Mine is already 1 year and 2 months old and still no wearouts. But a month ago concerned of it wearing out this popped out of my head.

Link

And after a day of miticulous work on my device & waiting. Seems fine and safe now :p

at least with zagg also :p

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Mine is starting to show the first hints of wear now, but overall it still looks pretty good.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

The keyboard wearing depends on the hardware revision. After extreme usage for over a year, my keyboard is like new (rev 2204).

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Mine is a rev 2204 as well. But less than 2 months after getting it the shift key has started to peel, now there is an approx 1mm diameter hole. And this is with, I would say, moderate use.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Mine was also 2204 and so far after 1 year also of usage still no signs of wear out.

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Hey all,

I have been looking for QWERTY keyboard replacements and I found this:
http://www.dinodirect.com/nokia-n900...=GBP#mycarttip

Currently only $4.99 / £3.33 with free shipping, apparently! :eek:

Has anyone used this site? Are they reputable?

For $5 I think I might try it...


These videos look to be useful too :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1kpi3vj42k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8


Alternatively there are others available, from what I can find:

http://www.gogotoshop.com/product_in...oducts_id=1415

http://www.ecaseshop.com/replacement...ck-p-3671.html (they also sell white replacement N900 body panels!)

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Just get an iphone. it works

Re: Keyboard wearing badly?
 

Yes, I bought two of these replacement keyboards from them. I've had it for about 6 months now and I haven't had any numbers or letters flake off.

My only criticisms are:

- the blue characters are painted on, not translucent, so you cant see numbers, etc, in the dark (white characters are translucent).

- The characters are bigger and not as elegant looking as the stock keyboard's (not a biggie and a matter of taste, admittedly).

- I bought two in case one was messed up defective and cuz they were cheap. Of course, one had a backwards "D" on it. You get what you pay for with bootlegs.

Worth buying if you need to replace the keyboard IMO, but I really wouldn't mind paying extra for a stock keyboard if I could find one.