Possible Solution to Tiny, Slippery Center Action Button

FrinkTL · 01-26-07, 08:33 AM

Ever since I got my X51v, I've disliked the tiny buttons, especially the center action button. It is so small and slippery, 60% of the time my fingernail (what little of one I have) slips off the button and hits the navigation button instead. I can't press it with anything else other than a fingernail because the button is so small. Very annoying for a device that I otherwise like very much (except the battery door quality).

I applied myself and came up with a work-around solution that I thought I'd share:
Supplies Needed:

Tweezers
Scissors or exacto knife
Black electrical tape
Ruler (unless you want to guess at the size to cut)

Cut a piece of black electrical tape into an ellipse that is 1/16 of an inch by 1/8 of an inch. You'll need tweezers to hold the tape while you're cutting it. Then simply place the tiny piece of tape on the center action button. That's it!

The Results: I have found after a few days of usage this way that as thin as electrical tape is, the center button still sticks out enough to select it with just my fingertip. It gives the button some tack/stick and raises its profile just enough so that my ordinary fingertip can use the button. It almost feels like the red foam pointer between the G & H keys on a new IBM Thinkpad laptop. Anyway, try it and see if you like it too. (Too remove it, simply use the tweezers to pull it off.)

01-27-07, 03:34 PM

Nice solution! :approve:
Perhaps PocketBrain will add this to the Trenches.
mm

01-27-07, 03:54 PM

I'm all for the "low-tech" solutions! This is indeed one of them!

I've refrained from using that button for this very reason! (mine is an X50v)

mynameisDrNo · 01-27-07, 10:40 PM

I always wonderd why no one put a small dimple in the center of those things for your stylus to push with. You poke every thing with your stylus and then theres that darn center button. Have to change everything you do for one push. How productive is that.

01-28-07, 03:13 AM

Originally Posted by mynameisDrNo

I always wonderd why no one put a small dimple in the center of those things for your stylus to push with. You poke every thing with your stylus and then theres that darn center button. Have to change everything you do for one push. How productive is that.

Again, another wonderful "low-tech" idea!!

I think I may break out the dremel tool tomorrow and some of the smaller/finer bits. See if I can drill a small dimple in ALL front-panel buttons!

I use the stylus to even move the D-Pad.

davidtm · 01-28-07, 10:59 AM

Actually, I've found that the app buttons already have "dimples" as part of the icon design on them, so I've not had any problem using the stylus. However, the center button IS a problem that way.

mynameisDrNo · 01-31-07, 12:20 AM

Any luck with the dremel mod?

Pocketbrain · 02-01-07, 11:21 PM

Great! You're entrenched, FrinkTL!

.

02-02-07, 02:00 PM

The dremel mod worked PERFECTLY!!

I am not sure the size of the drillbit I used (I use it for drilling/cleaning the center holes of certain larger gears inside watches) --

But it worked like a champ!

I used no clamps or anything, other than a fine drill bit, a steady hand, a 4x loupe, and some light compressed air.

Again, HORRAY for low-tech solutions!!

arb1701 · 02-02-07, 02:48 PM

Just turn the stylus around and use the flat end...works like a champ.

02-02-07, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by arb1701

Just turn the stylus around and use the flat end...works like a champ.

heh, this is mentioned AFTER I drilled little dimples in the center of all of my buttons (including the D-pad and the center 'action' button [with black tape on it!])

Ahh, well...

VulcanTourist · 11-08-07, 11:37 AM

A better solution than this (disclaimer, I have an hx4700 so I have a different worry altogether) would be to go to Ace Hardware or Home Depot and get a can of Plasti-Dip, in a color of your choosing, and then dab just a wee smidge onto the center button. You can add extra layers to beef it up, and it should be more durable when it cures than mere electrical tape. But, OMG, it's a few bucks more!