As a writer I've used external keyboards with PDAs for years. Availability of the bluetooth keyboard was a factor in my purchase of an N810. I selected the Nokia SU-8W because I assumed it would be better integrated operationally than 3rd party choices.

Mechanically the keyboard is great but learning how how to type with 55 keys when we're used to 104 or more takes time. Six of the SU-8W keys serve purposes on cell phones but do nothing on the N810. These now useless keys aught to be assigned to N810 function keys like "full screen" and "menu". Pairing took a number of tries. In part because the written instructions that came with the keyboard differed from pairing on the N810. The Internet Tablet School came to the rescue -- Tablet School. Once paired the N810 knows to act as if the sliding keyboard was in use.

Lastly the keyboard repeat isn't configurable. I get unexpected extra repeat characters entered. As a rule I have to extend the delay before automatic key repeat starts on all systems I use. Keyboard operation needs to be improved in software by providing a way to adjust the repeat function and by utilizing the ignored special function keys on the SU-8W. I have no doubt that the Linux open source community is up to the challenge and will make those improvements over time. For my part I need to at least post a development request in the proper place.

You may be able to get your dead keys working using xmodmap. As this tutorial suggests, you need to use xev to find the codes for your dead keys, then you make an .xmodmap file in your /user/home directory that maps these keys to useful functions.

You will need to find xmodmap and xev for the tablets. I know they're out there. I even think xev is in the repositories somewhere. Can someone point to them?

As for "useful functions", I'll just tweak another post I made:

gronmayer.com suggests mg.pov.lt (Diablo):

I just tested the downloads, and successfully installed both apps. Have not tested them yet.

Why does this keyboard cost like 80 USD? I find that a lot of money for a BlueTooth keyboard...

I would imagine that the Nokia folding keyboard costs a lot because it is a niche product, and isn't being manufactured in sufficient quantities.

There are more expensive keyboards...

Best price found by Price Grabber was $107 shipped in the US. Pricing strategies are very complicated. A manufacturer targets an overall margin % and the margin % of individual products varies. The margin on the N810 will be lower to attract buyers and the accessory margin will be higher to on average bring the average up. Someone that only manufactures accessories may well have a lower margin because they aren't making up for lower margins on some of their products. Cost to manufacture is a factor but the market's willingness to pay determines price. The Nokia brand has an image that makes that willingness price higher. I purchased the SU-8W for the perceived quality and assumption that it would work well with N810. If your buying priority is price 1st you would make different decision than I did.

Mmmm, I don't think so in this particular case, people buying the N810 aren't also going to buy the SU-8W keyboard. The keyboard was designed for Nokia's mobile phones (i.e. the mobile phone specific menu keys), so Nokia wouldn't have put higher margins on the keyboard to offset the lower margin on the N810.

BTW, are people aware that the N810 does have a bluetooth keyboard driver setting for the Nokia SU-8W keyboard? - mind I don't know what it does.

The main observable difference is that the SU-8W setting has ' and such as deadkeys; the 105-key PC doesn't. That's how I know when it's accidentally set for SU-8W, and then I switch it back so things work right, but I don't know what other differences there might be.

I bought the Apple keyboard (see http://www.apple.com/keyboard/) and there's even tips on using it with an N800 at http://cs.gmu.edu/~sean/stuff/n800/keyboard/

At US$80, it's a lot better than anything Nokia can put out.

...except that it is not exactly tiny, and it doesn't fold up.