# Freedom Bluetooth keyboard and Mac OS X



## computer_pet (Jun 22, 2003)

Hi,

So I bought a freedom bluetooth keyboard (model: bk600) hoping to use it with my MacBook. But it does not seem to be as easy as pairing the device like I thought it to be.
In system preferences it has the device listed, paired but under services it has 'None'. I am unable to connect to it.
The keyboard was designed for use with blackberry's I think. The cd it came with has an install for blackberry's and palm's.

Any ideas on how I can get the keyboard to work with leopard?

I need a keyboard for my macbook because when I installed leopard one row of keys on the internal keyboard stopped working, for those wondering why...

Thanks

Peter


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## jfm429 (Jun 8, 2007)

I don't know if a keyboard like that will work without special drivers - I know my folding keyboard won't work because of all the special keys and the different layout.

As for the keyboard problem, did you try a Repair Permissions? Do that, reboot, and see if it helps. Also, try creating another user account and see if that fixes it. If not, try doing a backup and reinstalling Leopard. This sounds a lot like an upgrade issue if the keys stopped working right after you installed Leopard. Unless you spilled something on the keyboard...


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## computer_pet (Jun 22, 2003)

I found a program goSerial (http://www.furrysoft.de/?page=goserial, no longer in development) that is able to receive the characters from the serial keyboard, by connecting to the virtual bluetooth com port. However all the characters are mucked up (ie when I press w on the keyboard the following is received ".G" the dot when the key is depressed and the capital G when the key is released.)

Can anyone think of a way I can fix the keys up? But I first have to work out how I can transfer the received data from the goSerial program to a script (or something) to give the correct keystrokes. Sounds like a lot of work. I really only want A to Z keys functional, I don't care about any special function keys or even shift/caps etc..



IMAntiSym1 said:


> As for the keyboard problem, did you try a Repair Permissions? Do that, reboot, and see if it helps. Also, try creating another user account and see if that fixes it. If not, try doing a backup and reinstalling Leopard. This sounds a lot like an upgrade issue if the keys stopped working right after you installed Leopard. Unless you spilled something on the keyboard...


I have tried Repair Permissions and tried creating a new account, and a lot of other things. The z to m row of keys and the left command key on my macbook just randomly stop working (all at the same time). It started after I installed leopard back in December, and has been getting worse since. Is apparently a software issue.


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## jfm429 (Jun 8, 2007)

Like I said, if it's a software issue you may want to reinstall Leopard completely. (Back up data, do a full archive and install, and then restore your data and reinstall programs one by one.) Something may have gone wrong during the install, or a program may be causing a glitch. There's no reason for Leopard to mess up the keys unless it's just a freak glitch.


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