Linking a Bluetooth Keyboard to Rooted Nook Color

I must say, this is pretty cool. I just paired my Nook Color, rooted with CyanogenMod 7, with my Logitech DiNovo Edge Bluetooth keyboard. That's actually how I'm typing this blog post. I downloaded the Blue Input Demo app in order to successfully pair my keyboard and Android tablet. It isn't perfect, however -- the connection is a bit weak, so some letters are left out as I type, and because it's a demo, every so often the name of the app will ins[blueinput demo]er[blueinput demo]t itself into my text. See what I mean? Looks like I'll have to either wait for Barnes & Noble to add Bluetooth functionality to the stoc[blueinput demo]k Android, or I'll have to pay for the full version of Blue Input.

If it was more error-free, I'd consider [blueinput demo]buying a small Bluetooth keyboard (like Apple's) and leaving my netbook at home more often. Lifehacker had a couple good articles [blueinput demo]recently about increasing productivity, and they talked about how using a tablet can help you focus on one task at a time. I'll believe it. This is[blueinput demo] actually a pretty good way to avoid the distraction of a full-featured computer when all you need is to get some writing done.

I like where Asus is going with their line of tablets. One model has a built-in sliding physical keyboard, and another can be docked in a keyboard shell, turning it into a laptop of sorts. The Nook Color is nice to play with, but not built as a productivity tool. I'd be interested in picking up a full-featured tablet once the iPad eventually gets some real competition.

Nook Color Book Case

If I told you ten years ago that I'd built a book case that could hold tens of thousands of books, you would've either looked at me in disbelief or questioned my ability to count. But that's exactly what I did over the past week, only it was less of a system of shelving to store paper books, and more of a case for my e-reader built out of a paper book. Book case, get it? I guess "Nook case" would be more appropriate. Either way, I turned an old hardcover book into a camouflage case to store and display my Nook Color. I destroyed an analogue book to protect a digital book... the whole project stinks of irony. Or something. Maybe it's just the glue.

I didn't think to take any pictures of the process, but it was fairly straight forward. I got the basic instructions from the How To Do Stuff blog, but made a few small modifications to accommodate my Nook Color.



They did a pretty good job of providing detailed instructions on the blog, so I'll just summarize. I painted a water/glue mixture onto the edges of the book, allowing it to soak in and dry. Once it had completely dried, I measured my Nook and drew guidelines on the top page of the pages I wanted to cut, and then used a metal straightedge and a box cutter to cut down through all the pages, removing the cut-out paper as I went. Once I had reached the end, I applied the glue mixture to the inside edges of the hollow and clamped the book shut while drying. When it was dry, I put my Nook in to make sure it fit, made a few adjustments, and eventually had a perfect snug fit.

I used the case for a few days to transport my Nook safely, and then decided I wanted to be able to use the book case as a stand for my Nook as well. The meant repeating the glue process on the remaining pages in the front of the book, and cutting out a notch the width and length of the edge of my Nook so that it could stand on its own. If I was going to do this all over again, I would've taken this into account at the start and tried to incorporate a vertical stand as well as horizontal.





All in all, I'm happy with how it turned out, and might even make a few more to sell online. Anyone interested?