So, the touchscreen functionality on your N810 has broken, but you'd still like to try and use the thing until the replacement main flex arrives. But then you discover that there don't seem to be any keyboard shortcuts to reach the task launcher, or control panel, or much else. You cant believe it, so you post about it on talk.maemo.org and the clever people there suggest ... ?

I don't have my N810 now, so I can only give you general advice: It is possible to set some keyboard shortcut to open the application menu. If you have ssh server installed, you can set it up, so you can start applications.

Start looking for details here:

http://www.spinics.net/lists/maemo-users/msg08758.html

Trouble is, you can't install the ssh server without a BT keyboard running first, and you can't activate that without access to the control panel ...

But thanks anyway for the suggestion.

If you have telescope running it allows you to define actions that certain key-combinations will execute for you. See the Telescope thread for more details.

And Telescope would also get you to your application menu - and execute any program there using just the h/w keys on the side of your tablet.

Oh I have Telescope installed, but since the Telescope thread is approximately infinitely long, could you maybe what key combination will get me to the application menu?

Hit the home button twice to get into the application menu if you have telescope installed

And then move around within those applications using escape.

What I do is the following:
(this assumes you have the Internet search widget enabled)
1.) press the right arrow key
a flashing text cursor is shown
2.) type anything and enter
MicroB pops up
if it didn't autoconnect to a saved network already then it will ask to connect to a wifi network. Connect or cancel (use left and right arrows and enter)
3.) press the home button (two squares)
the quick taskbar will pop-up.
4.) press left arrow key
the taskbar icon will be selected
5.) press up arrow key twice to select Applications menu
6.) right arrow key, now open something like terminal.
7.) to open another application simply repeat steps 3-6.
8.) ctrl+q to close a window


Alternatively if you didn't leave the search widget enabled you can try the following:
Requires:
* wired keyboard (or a wireless one that has a usb dongle; non-bt dongle)
* USB OTG adapter

Plug the OTG adapter into the N810. Plug the keyboard (or dongle) into the adapter. Press Alt+Tab to reach the quick taskbar menu and follow steps 4-6.

Now would be a good time to install openssh-server (from terminal with apt-get install), VNC server, fanoush's bootmenu w/ emergency ssh boot enabled.

Nope. Pressing the home button twice on my freshly booted N810 just has me staring at the home screen. No application menu access.

Nope. The pressing the escape key after 2x the home key still has me staring at the home screen. No application menu access.