Take advantage of wireless freedom at a great value. Get rid of desktop clutter with a wireless keyboard and mouse set that offers programmable Hot Keys, one-touch multimedia access, optical mouse accuracy, and faster wheel scrolling - all at an affordable price.
1 >> Microsoft might well be ashamed of this set <<
MOUSE
The mouse is not as idiotically shaped as MS's old Intellimouse Optical Explorer, but it's a far cry from the perfect shape of the old Intellimouse Pro. [I read somewhere that none of the newer MS mice uses that great old shape because MS wants to avoid paying royalties to the man who originated it -- don't know if the story is true or not, but it sounds plausible.] The mouse also works poorly on patterned surfaces like wood grain -- the pointer will unexpectedly take off at a skew angle to the direction it had been moving, then resume its proper motion. My other optical wireless mouse, not an MS product, has never done this in several months of daily use.
KEYBOARD
The keys have a nice feel and don't bind [yet]. But the multitude of pointless "extras" and alternates and function relocations [e.g. insert is only available as the alternate of numeric '0'], and the logic-defying, on-again-off-again operation of some features in the mouse and keyboard software, have given me a case of MS buyer's remorse in less than a week.
RECEIVER
This is a sore point. My other wireless mouse works reliably with its receiver anywhere on, under, or behind the desk. The MS set only works reliably with the receiver less than two feet from the wireless devices and away from the computer, monitor, and desk frame.
IN SUMMARY
Based on experience, I had expected better hardware from Microsoft. Times have changed.
<><><><><>
A FEW WEEKS LATER: The keyboard has started to skip characters randomly. I've tried fresh batteries several times, relocated the transceiver, and scanned the computer with antivirus and antispyware programs. It's virtually certain to be a hardware fault, so I called Microsoft tech support and described the fault in detail. After about an hour on the phone with a congenial Pakistani or Indian Micro$oft tech support person, and after performing many tests, I was told "it shouldn't be doing that. It will do no good for me to send you a new one if the problem is in your computer. Do you have another computer to try it on?"
I have received no offer of a replacement part yet. I've been pleased with Microsoft mice, keyboards, and speaker systems in the past, but I suspect this will be my last Microsoft hardware purchase. The decent quality and service of the past seem no longer to be there.
>>>> >>>>> THIS DESKTOP SET IS SOMETHING TO AVOID <<<<<<< <<<<
2 can't beat the 19.99
maybe this is not the greatest wireless keyboard/mouse, but for this price for the combo.... well i say this is pretty good.
3 Microsoft Basic Wireless Optical Desk Review
This is my favorite Keyboard/Mouse combination so far. If you use Microsoft Office, media player, IE, etc., then the changed function keys are very helpful. Pressing one extra button to get to the traditional function keys (a new function key-lock button) isn't much of a trade-off for having common functions like "print" and "spell check" always having the same dedicated key.
I became accustomed to having keys for music, web browser, email, etc, on a previous wired Microsoft keyboard. This keyboard has these, too. All the functions are configurable if you don't use the default MS programs. Like all the MS keyboards, the feel of the keys is the best that is out on the market. The mouse is also top-quality.
I've found battery life to be just fine. My batteries have lasted for months now.
4 Lots of issues
The entire thing is very microsoft-centric. Much of the functionality is lost on a non-msft platform, or if you are not using all microsoft applications (email, media-player, messanger, etc).
* Functions keys don't work normally. You have to press another special F-Lock key to get them to work. If you want to close a lot of windows, you can no longer hold the cntl key and hit F4-F4-F4. It's no longer that simple.
* They did away with the insert key. You can no longer do the shift-del and shift-ins to cut-and-paste.
* Eats up batteries, especially the mouse. Nothing will work correctly if the batteries get low. Once I had to pull the plug on my PC because the batteries got low, and I couldn't use my mouse or keyboard to shut it down.
* You have to be very careful about where you place your mouse and keyboard, they have to be able to make radio contact.
* It doesn't really eliminate any cables, because you have that "pod" thing.
5 could be better
While I love the fact that there are no cables and the freedom that comes with it, I dislike how the mouse and keyboard will spontaneous stop working. Or how the power supply has to be connected to the port replicator before it will work, and won't work if you plug in the power after starting the laptop.
