How to Do It Yourself! October 21, 2006

Larry’s Hermes Will Never Be So BLUE!

Larry at Palm Is Life is my hero!

Evidently I wasn’t the only one that wasn’t thrilled with the blue backlights in the Hermes keyboard. But instead of just mentioning it in a review, Larry did something about it!

Once again he has cracked his Hermes’ hood and tinkered until things were exactly as he wanted; Once again, he has worked magic.

Take a look…

Here is the Hermes with it’s blue backlight. It’s pretty, but not so easy on the eyes.

Gear Diary Larrys Hermes Will Never Be So BLUE! photo

There’s lots more photos of the cracked Hermes in Larry’s article, but here’s a taste…

And here is a closeup of him working with the two different colored LEDs.

This final picture shows the result of his work, and will you just look at what’s on the left side screen? A shout-out to Gear Diary readers! Holla!

click thumbnail to enlarge

Be sure to read all of the details of Larry’s latest modification at Palm Is Life; he never ceases to amaze me with his mad modding skills. Now I have to wonder what he will do to top this!

**Larry has asked that I state for the record that he is no relation to Leisure Suit Larry of Amiga gaming fame. ha!

Tags: Microsoft Windows Phone Devices, Mobile Phones

Doug’s Dream Device

Unboxing the Universal — O2 Exec Version

About Judie Lipsett Stanford

View all posts by Judie Lipsett Stanford

I have had a fascination with all types of gadgets and gizmos since I was a child, beginning with the toy robot that my grandmother gave my brother - which I promptly "relieved him of" in 1973. I have long been captivated by devices that did anything interesting or served a unique purpose - however silly. I can't tell you how everything works – but I am known world-wide for using a product until I have a full understanding of what it does, what its limitations are, and if it excels in any given area...or not.

dougom

Yeah, my Universal (an O2 Exec; unboxing experiencing Coming Soon to Gear Diary, right Judie?) has the same blue backlighting. But I’m telling ya, I’m not pulling it apart and getting out a soldering gun to make mods of that level. Software, I can do. Installing new lightbulbs, yes. Soldering teeny tiny device leads? Nuh uh.
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

Doug – I didn’t realize that the O2 Exec backlight was blue! The i-mate is a cross between red and white. Isn’t it wild how the different brands will change up the same device to add their own “personal touch”?

Yes, I need to format your unboxing photos – they are pretty awesome!
MitchellO

Yeah that kind of mod is pretty extreme, but very well done. Makes you wonder why they didn’t use the white LEDs in the first place.
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

If I am not mistaken, white LEDs are more costly.
dougom

At $1000 per Universal retail, I think they can spring for white LEDs, don’t you think, Judy? [laughter]
http://www.geardiary.com Judie

Yah, I think so…but it is amazing the corners some of these companies will think to cut to save $0.10.
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http://www.gadgetvenue.com Matthew

Blue looks fuzzy to me and it’s good to see someone with the guts to take one of these devices apart I have a good friend who is tecky that way and when I pick one of these up for my self, I think I will hand him it and ask for the conversion
http://www.palmislife.com Larry@PIL

It is confirmed that O2 Exec comes with a blue-backlighted keyboard… link below FYI..
http://f.hatena.ne.jp/masaboo0911/20051118104347
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http://www.geardiary.com Judie

The blue backlights on the O2 Exec really are pretty…too bad they are so hard on the eyes.
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