2021-09-15 - pi 400 as a keyboard

i'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but i'll write down some thoughts anyways. i have a raspberry pi 400 and i really like the way that the keyboard is designed. the keyboard is compact and just plain feels good. what if it was a keyboard though? as i'm typing these thoughts, i have the pi 400 connected to my laptop draining power to see what kind of power consumption it would take if i were to use it as a keyboard in a mobile setting.

if it was a keyboard, i'd probably make it a bluetooth keyboard because that's easier and it's less coords. i will already need a coord connecting to an ac outlet or my computer to get power. i don't want to have two coords if i do this. the problems i'll need to figure out with bluetooth though are a way to auto connect once the pi gets power (plugged into the computer). also being able to ssh into the pi would be nice too. i'd probably disable internet connection by default on the pi, since it's meant to just give me keystrokes in a mobile setting.

some links to things that can help out this idea:

ssh over bluetooth

connecting 2 computers with an ethernet cable (i tried it and it works)

pi emulates as a bluetooth keyboard

if i do go through with this idea, i could have my keyboard layout on the pi instead of on my computer (i use dvorak, not qwerty). it could be kind of like those cool customizable mechanical keyboards some people have. i could also integrate my hatel layout into the pi. so i would just connect a usb midi coord into the pi 400, then i could type with either the keyboard or the piano. it also means i could use the same keyboard for both work and home.