The solution to laptop keyboards problem?

Hi All

I have been experiancing someproblems with my Fujitsu Siemens Amilo keyboard, where keys somewhat stopped responding.
I googled "laptop keyboard problem" and was amazed to find over 26 million results - I was more amazed to read the problems of the HP paviliion here and others as well, to firstly find out I am not alone but that it seems like somany experience it.

One interesting solution I came by though is MOBBAL technology, it is a keyboard working not with any circuit board but rather infrared beams being blocked by the key which is pressed (or keys) - the great thing about this technology that it does not require a circuit board under the keys and it is 100% (they claim) water proof.

I have been writing to them and learning they are in negotiations with laptop companies, but would not tell who - but that they have proved under 5mm keyboard thickness working with their technology, which is to my understanding the thickness of your odd laptop keyboard.

I found my solution in the shape of a new USB keyboad, but I wish this MOBBAL technology will be replacing the older keyboards. Greatest thing is, LEDs don't cost all that much money, the keyboard should not cost much either - they would not discuss the cost and things like this.

Let's see when it comes out...

 

Any pictures? Their website doesn't have any.

http://www.mobbal.com

 

Well, I also asked this, the reply I got was that it is a technology, they do not produce the keyboards, but maybe the manufacturers will start use it.
They did promise soon there will be an update to the website with some images of how it works...

 

and what happens if dust and particles get inside the keyboard which block the light? Or a LED gets damaged?
Such a keyboard also can fail.

I don't know what you did with your keyboard, but I never had any troubles with any keyboard I ever used. Maybe the ribbon cable which connects the keyboard to the mainboard got loose? You could also try to remove the keyboard, open it, and search for the damaged circuit path, if one is damaged at all.

 

there are laser keyboards available. These things draw a flat keyboard on any surface and read where your fingers are hitting the images.

If you are really worried about your laptop keyboard, just get a bluetooth keyboard and tote that around. Use that one to destruction instead of the laptop keyboard.

 

Hell if I know what happened to my keyboard, it just started going bad after some 3-4 months. I did think I was alone in this business untill I started reading about and finding so many people experiance unexplained problems with their keyboards.
From what I understood about dust - unless it is a thick bit of dust, the beams are not blocked by it, and dust moves and there is some sort of solution for it, must be (i didn't ask but think there must be some sort of ventilation)
LEDs if you read about it in wikipedia for example, you would find it a very reliable technology, lasting approx 10 years...
I do think the LEDs could fail, but they use tiangulation of sorts so even if one LED goes broken it still works, I guess.
But point is, and with this I must agree and I was not really aware of - the mechanism of keyboards is the same for the past 100 years... it had not changed.
They compare it to the change of mechanical mouse to optical mouse where people argued the need, but today you will not find a mechanical mouse anymore, would you?
Of course it can fail, nothing will last forever and I am certain it is not in the manufacturers mind to build something that will last, but then again I thought it to be a better solution - I may be wrong just the same.