One of the reasons for getting my Ameo instead of a normal mobile phone was so I could write my journal whilst on the coach to work. But the keyboard that comes with it turned out to be inadequate. So I got a replacement:
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The HTC website for the Ameo has a link to a list of suggested accessories which includes the “Freedom Universal Bluetooth Keyboard for HTC (QWERTY)” |
To get the “Freedom Universal Keyboard” working with the Ameo, follow these steps:
- Download a file called “WM05SP.exe” from
www.freedominput.com (The page is titled “Windows Mobile Smartphone 05”) – Sorry this website is no longer online (noticed Nov/10). - Make sure your Ameo is attached to your Windows PC and that ActiveSync is running. When you double-click “WM05SP.exe” it will install a progrm in C:\Program Files\Freedom Universal Keyboard. The install.bat file in this program didn’t work for me so I manually moved “bthkeyb.ARM.CAB” (a file that was included in the install) onto the Ameo via ActiveSync and installed the CAB directly from the Ameo.
- After installation, a new icon will have appeared in “Programs” called “Bthkeyb”. The first time you click it, you will be given a “Device Code” and asked for a passcode.
- To get the passcode, go to www.freedominput/unlock.html and fill in the form including the “Device code” and a 7 digit number on a sticker from the back of the instruction book that came with the keyboard. The form asked whether I was sure before continuing – Press the “Confirm” button to get a passcode which you enter using the Ameo onscreen keyboard.
- The keyboard program shows a almost blank info screen except the bottom-right corner has a button labled “Main”. Select “Main”, then choose “General”.
- On the keyboard, move the switch to “HID mode” so the LED flashes green, then press and hold the “B” button. On the Ameo, click the “Bluetooth keyboard” checkbox.
- The connection is automatically made in a few seconds and a message “Keyboard was connected” pops up – it’s then safe to release the “B” button. Test the keyboard works in MS Word Mobile.
Problems:
- The connection isn’t permanent – You have to reconnect the keyboard every time you want to use it.
- The backspace key doesn’t seem to work (delete does though). The home and end keys don’t seem to work either.
- You can’t seem to hold down shift and then use the arrow keys to create a text selection area (vital for cut&paste).
- The keyboard doesn’t work in every program. It works in Word and Text Messages though.
