International / Japanese Keyboard Layout

[pierceit]

I have windows XP installed on a Sony Vaio PCG-U101. This is one of those ultra-small laptops, and is only made in Japan. My boss really wanted it, so I got it, however, it has a non-US Standard keyboard (i.e. - the SHIFT of the number 2 is not @ but is ", etc.).

My boss was on the road and had some difficulty with his language settings. Rather than switching the regional settings from East Asian (Japanese) to English, he decided to completely remove East Asian Language support.

Now, he has a stand US keyboard layout, with one problem: The labelling on the keyboard does not match what he sees when he types. I tried re-installing East Asian language support and switching to the US-International keyboard, but that didn't help. Ideas? Anyone know how to type in English using the keyboard layout the Japanese use?

 

[bcastner]

Several possibilities, (assuming I understand the issue correctly):

1. Ask Sony for a different keyboard. I know for Dell, IBM and other brands they have them as replaceable parts. I suspect so does Sony.

2. Remap the keyboard. It is very flexible from a software perspective:

http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/

3. You can purchase stick-on replacements for the keytops themselves after doing step #2 above: The ones I know of:

Inclusive Technologies
Granada Learning SEMERC
High Vision – Dolphin
Technovision
Pulsedata

See:

http://www.abilitynet.co.uk/content/alt_tech/keyboard/keyboard.htm