How about a decent bluetooth keyboard driver for Nokia N95?

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How about a decent bluetooth keyboard driver for Nokia N95?

...and other phones?

The embedded bluetooth keyboard driver that Nokia is providing on their latest phones is now QWERTY only (it used to offer the possibility to do AZERTY and other layouts on the N80 - not anymore. Go figure).

As it is integrated in the firmware it cannot be removed and replaced by an older version...

As the latest Apple Wireless Keyboard (aluminium) is the perfect accessory with a Nokia N Series or E Series, a good surprise would be for Apple to release a little Symbian driver to fully support this superb keyboard of theirs (and why not Windows Mobile pdas/phones as well).

Features like:
- international layouts
- configurable function keys
- turning volume up / down
- changing screen orientation
- remote controling video playback

would be very usefull and add tremendous value compared to the standard and very poor default driver provided by Nokia.

Indeed, with an N95 or N95 8GB connected to a TV and the Apple Bluetooth keyboard, you really have a good laptop replacement when on the go; provided that you can fully use the keyboard...

macbook black, Mac OS X (10.4.11), Nokia N95 8GB

Posted on Dec 11, 2007 5:40 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 14, 2007 10:18 AM in response to nblaisot

This one is wholly on Nokia's shoulders. Apple's keyboard fully complies with the Bluetooth Keyboard Profile Specification. The point of Bluetooth is that manufacturers shouldn't be responsible for having to provide a driver for their devices. Thus, as long as keyboards comply with the Keyboard Profile, and headsets comply with the Headset/Handsfree profiles, the manufacturer of the accessory device isn't responsible if the two devices won't speak.

A similar problem exists with Verizon Wireless telephones: Verizon's custom firmware blocks all Bluetooth communication except Headset/Handsfreee, A2DP/AVRCP (some phones), and address card transmissions (again, only on some phones). Does this mean that the manufacturer of every computer Bluetooth transciever is responsible for providing a hack around Verizon's software, so people can transfer files to/from the phone? Or what about Windows Mobile devices: are keyboard manufacturers responsible for providing a driver so their keyboards work with Windows Mobile?

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Answer 2

nblaisot Author

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Jan 3, 2008 6:38 AM in response to Kichigai Mentat

Good point, indeed.

It should be Nokia's job to provide good drivers on their devices; but as they seem to deliberatly limit the features of their phones (by removing features that were functional before), I was just making the point that there might be a (small) market for Apple to push their keyboards more actively to the smartphone / PDA community. They don't have to, it's just that it might be a smart move.

That is, if the iPhone would work with their bluetooth keyboards: let's hope the 3G iPhone will correct this, then I'll be able to get rid of my crippled N95!

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