Cow. Chicken. Bell.

I recently got a Nokia N800, and let me tell you, it is one of the coolest (and most useful) gadgets I have ever come across. Not only does it run a Debian based Linux OS, has a beautiful 800x480 screen, ample storage, Bluetooth, VOIP, and WiFi, but it also is completely hackable. Full command line access, huge catalog of packages (ssh, vncviewer, rdesktop, etc), and Internet connectivity anywhere via Bluetooth and my cell phone...the perfect sysadmin tool. Server trouble at work while you're out and about? No more two hour phone call trying to guide someone through all the commands trying to troubleshoot. Pull over, fire up the N800, ssh into the machine and go to work. Want a desktop? Set up a ssh tunnel and forward your VNC session. Windows machine? Use rdesktop or use rdesktop out of your VNC session. Problem solved in 5 minutes. Awesome.

I had come across the i Tech Laser Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard (VKB) before, and thought it would be a neat little toy, but that's about it. Now with the N800 I was looking for a Bluetooth keyboard. Ssh-ing into it is fine and dandy when you're at your desk, but on the road I don't want to spend forever trying to type out commands with the stylus. I found a VKB on eBay for a decent price, and decided to pick it up. Once I held it in my hands I knew that this is one of the most bad ass gadgets you could own (the geek factor alone is through the roof!!). It's small size (a bit smaller than my Leatherman Wave) makes it easy to take a long on trips. Now with just a cell phone, N800 and VKB I have a complete remote admin solution that is a whole lot more portable than a laptop.

Pairing it with the N800 is fairly simple:

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Pairing a Nokia N800 with a i Tech Laser Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard (VKB)

First you have to make sure to put the VKB into pairing mode. As the manual (Page 25) states, turn the keyboard on, push a paper clip into the reset slot, wait for the beep, turn off the keyboard (lift it up), and turn it back on. The VKB will now be in pairing mode.

Now let's do the same for the N800:
Open the Control panel and select Bluetooth.

Turn Bluetooth on and click Devices.

If you put the VKB into pairing mode correctly, it will show up in the list of detected devices:

Select a Passcode and click OK:

Now, type in the Passcode on the VKB and press Enter. The N800 and the VKB are now paired:

You only have to do this pairing operation one time. The next time you turn your VKB on, the N800 will automatically recognize it.

Here is a picture of it in action: (click on image for larger version)

Typing on the VKB takes a bit getting used to, as not having a physical key to push feels quite different, and leaving the finger lingering around too long can lead to some funky key presses. But once you got the hang of it it is a very handy tool.

I for one welcome my new Laser Overlord.