The N900-size keyboard would never cover the camera. With extended keyboard the camera is always free.

I don't understand what you mean.

(what I can say is that from an engineering standpoint, a sliding keyboard is a lot harder to make with the flex cable connection between the pieces!)

I'm sorry, my bad - I was half way through drawing a sketch to illustrate what I mean, when I realized that my understanding of the Desire Z's keyboard was wrong You're right, it doesn't make any difference as far as camera is concerned.

Regarding the open/closed position, I think that sacrificing camera for better keyboard would be alright if you could take pictures with the keyboard open.

I don't personally mind the N900's size, as I'm used to it, but I'm not sure how it would feel on such a big phone.
I prefer slider, but it's not a deal breaker.

I wonder why are you so afraid of a hole on the keyboard. For example, if you used this kind of keyboard layout (but with less empty space at its left and right ends), there could be a hole in the same place as the Esc and Paddlelock key - or on their left side (where you have the speaker grid in the picture). If the Esc would be removed, and is still needed, it can be moved elsewhere on the keyboard. Please note that I mean a straight sliding keyboard, like N900 has, unlike the keyboard accessory of the picture. Thanks to the hole, the keyboard could slide out more than 60% of the shorter dimension of the Jolla phone.

I find the layout of this Qwerty accessory quite acceptable:
- enough space for localizable keys (the - = and Backspace keys can be localized for language variants), The Backpace key can be moved to where you have a "magnifier glass" symbol.
- enough modifier keys on the bottom row of keys
- spacebar in the middle
- four arrow keys, which have not replaced essential keys, such as , and .
But I don't like the "mail envelope", "magnifier glass" and "paddlelock" keys, because they have not much to do with text entry. And the Caps key could be replaced by the Shift key.

Sorry if I'm wrong with the place of where the hole for the camera should be when the Qwerty keyboard is closed (inserted) - lately I've not followed actively this thread.

What we need is a keyboard that splits as the other half is closed leaving a hole for the camera. Ie. sort of like how the Thinkpad butterfly keyboard worked with cams.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_T...erfly_keyboard

In my ideal other half keyboard you'd have a 5 row keyboard that splits as you close it with two rows moving above the lens and three rows below it.

Thanks for the link, I did not know such a thing even existed and I am a longtime Thinkpad fan
However I am a bit sceptical on the mechanical construction of that type, either it is going to be really flimsy flipper or else it will cost you 3-figure number to make (and the first number will be >> 2)

Damn it. Why did you hide this thread from me all my life?

This is the latest design:

scandic layout


qwerty


russian


physical (material will change)

Would it be possible to add € £$ | to free buttons to all layouts?.

B == | in the middle?

LOVE the D-pad! and Separated top row!
I want dat thing!

The BEST part: You will get it.

If you pay for it