Gemini keyboard self-destruction

[Radovan Garabík]

I have been quite a content (with some exceptions) owner of Gemini for about 2.5 years, but I am afraid this period is coming to an end.
Keys on my Gemini suddenly started to fall out. First, unexpectedly, the letter M (I lost the keycap first, but I found it). Small experimentation shows that just slight upward pressure with a fingernail is enough to pop other keys out. I am not aware of any (recent) mistreatment - the only unusual activity was that I cleaned the keyboard (only the surface of the keycaps, without dismantling them) with isopropylalcohol (and some of that got inside. Did that cause keyboard matrix swelling or keycaps shrinking? But the keyboard looks great, typing is still easy.

To make a point, I decided to write this message on the Gemini itself - first, G and H fell out, then B and the spacebar (this was still held in place by the metal clips). After a hiatus week or so, some keycaps fall out when opening the lid.

Now, what can be done? Probably nothing. While typing is possible, it is no longer comfortable. Especially in these temperatures, the keycaps have the tendency to stick to slightly sweaty fingertips. I am afraid I will lose a keycap or two and that will be the end of it. I tried to pry open (with a screwdriver) the notch that holds the keycap, but the plastic seems to be too tough and I am afraid to break it
If the margins around the keyboards were wider, I might try to glue some webbing (bugscreen? piece of a curtain?). Or I might try to superglue the keycaps to the keyboard assembly. Purely as a temporary measure while I am waiting for the Astroslide (though I started to worry the keyboard is going to have similar problems - OTOH, I haven’t seen any report about anything similar).
 Or is it possible to get a replacement keyboard and keycaps? (not just the mat). I am not afraid of some disassembly, especially if otherwise the Gemini won’t be much usable anyway.

[ArchiMark]

Sorry to hear about your keyboard troubles......

Seems very likely the isopropylalcohol did something to the keys underneath them...Assume it was the vapors from it evaporating.....

While you could use superglue, I would probably try some other glue first, maybe a bit of rubber cement? or some other glue that would hold the key on, but allow you to pop off a key if you needed to in future.

Would assume that superglue would be a very permanent solution such that trying to remove a key that was glued would likely break the plastic.

Maybe worth an email to Planet to hear what they recommend?

Let us know how it goes......

[MonkeyControl]

I think most of the smarts in the Gemini and Cosmo are in the top half, with the bottom half being basically just the keyboard and battery. 
It might be worth a chat to Planet to see if they will replace the keyboard (and a new battery while they're at it) to get you up and running comfortably again. 
I don't know how fiddly it would be to do it yourself if you had the parts shipped to you, I think there's a couple of posts about stripping down either the Gemini or the Cosmo on here somewhere, but I can't find them right now.