ThinkPad Compact Bluetooth Keyboard with TrackPoint Teardown *PICS*

[Cookie Guru]

I bought this on eBay advertised as "new open box". Instead, I got an obviously-used intermittently-working keyboard. Seller refunded and this left me with a spare keyboard and an excuse to pry it open.

The keyboard is straightforward to open. There are no screws; the top half of the case (trim ring) snaps on to the bottom half.



The keyboard itself is glued to the bottom case. With a bit of prying it comes off. Note the steel reinforcement plates on both sides.



On the far left is the 3.7V 500mAh battery; the board on the far right controls the power.



The part number for the keyboard is nothing like the T430/T440 keyboard.

Finally a close-up of the board below the arrow keys:




This keyboard does work if you can get the power switch to make contact. And if you're willing to pay the postage, it's yours.

[RealBlackStuff]

PM sent

[rkawakami]

Nice views! I've got two of these off of eBay (0B47189); one two years ago and the other early this month. I have to agree that the power switch is the most likely source of trouble but otherwise they seem to be working quite well.

[Cookie Guru]

PM sent

Congrats to the new owner of a broken keyboard

[RealBlackStuff]

He who laughs last, laughs best!

Received the package already today around 2PM.

I opened up the keyboard, immediately noticed missing connectors.
The clamp for the trackpoint-cable slot was stuck to the bottom of the keyboard. (Left-bottom on picture)
Removed it and put it in its proper slot. (Upper middle)
Another cable was also stuck to the back of the keyboard (RH side of picture).
Removed that cable from the KB-back, put it in its proper slot along the RH-side of the base, then connected it to the connector of the Power Button (RH-top of picture).
Then I reconnected KB-cable and the trackpoint cable, put it all back together, and SWITCHED IT ON.
After installing the tpkeyboard driver from Lenovo, the KB immediately worked.

http://imgur.com/HHHKLRw

By 2:15 I had it up and running!
It took me longer to mark the "mishaps" on the above picture.

BIG THANKS to the unknowing previous owner, who didn't realize what he "donated" for shipping cost!

[Cookie Guru]

Glad you got it working
I disconnected the cables for the photos. I have one each of the Bluetooth and the wired versions. I acquired the wired one after the BT keyboard repeatedly dropped its connection. Hope this one works out better for you.