Yes, ideally if people don't have a large set of small precision screwdrivers [like we do] an eyeglass screwdriver works best. Most people have those around the house.

The "slot" where the screwdriver inserts is actually very small width wise.

This is great - a learning thread, with outstanding instructions and photos, and no one has called anyone Blue Balls yet. Outstanding.

Sorry couldn't help it. Gotta spice the forum this weekend.

And take note, it might even work on the 8800, too! What color makes Frankenstein keys?

Just colored the leds under the keys. Fairly simple process. If you decide to do this, wear gloves! If you don't, there will likely be some ugly fingerprints on your screen. Follow the instructions on the disassembly faq and then just color the leds the same way as the one under the pearl. Works great. I would post pictures, but the only camera I have is my pearl. It turns the keys a slight blue. I almost want to say it's not as noticeably blue as the pearl is.
Anyway if your going to do this, be careful, go slow, keep everything in order, and wear gloves. Also, if u don't have a T6 screwdriver, then you might be able to use a small eyeglass screwdriver to fit in the screws. or, you can go buy a torx screwdriver for about $10 at Home Depot or similar. (a torx screwdriver has 6 points on it as opposed to a philips head which has 4. hope that makes sense.)
If you're up to it, it's well worth it.

When i go home for spring break i am going to perform this procedure. Until then i am gonna have a blue green pearl and white keys :oops:

haha. So yeah, it took me about 10-15 minutes to do this mod, and saw GrayPengiun's post about the full disassembly. Figured, what the hey. So, I took my phone apart, and now all of my white LED's are now Magenta. (I work for T-mobile and thought it'd be funny.) Looks pretty sweet. In about a week or so, I may clean 'em out and go red. . . why? Because red and black just look sweet together. ;-)

Thanks San Fran for the fine docs to do this mod. I'm the proud owner of a nice deep blue Pearl, and I cleaned the rollers and pearl while I was at it. Just to mention to those of you unhappy that your pearl isn't sparkling white, coloring the led seems to mask some of the discoloration of the pearl itself. Mine was never snowy white to begin with for some reason, and it had an ugly shade of off-white before I colored the LED. Now, it's a really nice deep-cool blue which I really like.

I must say, though, that I sweated my way through the procedure wondering it I'd still be able to use the trackball after I screwed with it - but all is okey dokey.

Stac

http://www.heartinsanfrancisco.com/aniupdate-m.gif

My blue LED trackball has faded to a light blue tint.:-o Not to worry, simply disassembled the trackball and applied another coating of Sharpie.

On close inspection the LED looks like it might not be an LED but is rather some type of other bulb, that possibly generates heat.

I say this because the light does not look like traditional LED bulbs and for the size of the part that actually glows [about the size of a small pinhead] it does not seem that an LED could glow that brightly.

Moreover, the Sharpie ink looked like it had fried due to a heat source, which could only have been the bulb. And to my knowledge, LED bulbs normally don't get that hot, certainly not enough to fry the Sharpie ink.

I could otherwise be off on everything because if you look at the Sharpie on the LED it looks like part of it broke off? Coincidentally in the area where the LED glows? So that is why the ball became a light blue tint?

Anyone know if those trackball lights are actually LEDs or something else?

http://www.heartinsanfrancisco.com/bpledclose.jpg

http://www.heartinsanfrancisco.com/bpledinkfried.jpg

Caution
 

Just my luck. Hardly used any preasure and ring cracked. It did not come out just cracked at the insertion point.

Anyone have an extra? Probably not...

Anyway for those of you who are planning to attempt this be prepared that there is a possibility something may go wrong. I work with electronics everyday and small fragile components so the skills are there but Sh*t happens.

Great mod instrunctions though and congrats to those who succesfully completed...I am jelous:(

has anyone made the keypad another color yet? I would love to see pics and see how it turned out.. I am thinking about doing it.

One member did it, but he does not want to post pics on how it looks. Says he has no time to do that. It's been a few weeks now.:razz:

I had considered doing it but I passed because it looks like a more daunting task, at least in terms of making sure not to break anything. [Mostly the side rail clips and the LCD area].

My keypad had been blue for about a week now. It is harder to notice than the pearl though. You can really only tell in a dark room or at night. I would still recommend doing it since it gives a really nice look at night.

If you decide to do it, be careful and wear gloves. Just follow the disassembly steps and color the keyboard leds the same way as the Pearl led.

I would post pictures, but the only camera I have is my Pearl...

In terms of getting the Pearl apart, I found that it was easiest to get the bottom cover off by first lifting up the battery side with a small screwdriver, and then gently, but firmly, pushing downwards. It will wrap around toward the front and then pop off. Also, putting your fingernail between the sides and the Pearl and slowly moving down will pop them right off without breaking the little piece that holds them in. Once again, be sure to wear gloves because fingerprints on the inside of the screen are very ugly.

I just changed the color of my keypad and the track ball. Its looks GREAT (I will post pics later today when I get home and are able to use my digital cam to take pics).
I do agree that the only time you can really see the color is when its dark, but why would you need to have the light unless its dark anyways?
Also one tip for someone that is thinking about taking your phone apart. I learned this from some of our repair people (I work for Alltel wireless) and they told me to use tape (just any kind with low tack) and tape up your screen and tape up the plastic cover when you take it apart so that lint and other things donxxx8217;t damage the inside screen. This will also prevent finger prints. But mainly its to save from a hour of lint removal.

take a look here today I took my 8100 apart and put colored tape over the lights.. take a look! I didn't see any other pics of the key pad and track ball. (and I know I know its blue, but thats really the only color I liked, wanted red but it comes out pink :-( )

I originally mentioned using some type of film but opted for the Sharpie because I did not have any blue film, nor any color, around the house.

What kind of film did you use? One of those thin 8 1/2 x 11 acetate sheets?

Can you do me a favor and keep a check on the film in a few days. I am curious what kind of heat is coming from the LED because like I said, my Sharpie ink appears to be "frying." I am wondering if the film will melt.

Anyone else experiencing the heat and fading issue, with the Sharpie ink?

If no one is, then maybe I am putting it on too thick to where it breaks off? See pic in my other post.

Back to the film: how did you adhere it to the LED?

I like the way it turned out.(y)

oh I just used tape and colored it blue.. I had it on the trackball for about a week to test it and it didn't melt or anything so I think that tape is probably a good solution. its sticky and it can really be any color you want it to be, just depending on what color marker you use.

I too am having the fried sharpie ink problem... It started as a nice blue but now, as you have described, it is a faded light blue... It's the second time I've colored over the bulb but i'm not sure i'm going to do it again just in case something goes wrong... I also don't like the idea of popping the ring off every few days to color the bulb.

Nice work, I did this mod in under 7 minutes.

dlane, does the tape any affect on key sensitivity or anything?
Thanks and nice work!

Mine is fading too, I did it about a week ago, I actually was hunting for this thread to see if it was just my imagination that I see my pearl faded blue, as not as blue as the first days, do I have to clean it, I did break the chrome part too, although I was very careful and use the screwdriver for the wife lens, afraid to ask Telcel for replacement or something since their customer service sucks. what would be the next step on the sharpie colored LED?