Wireless Optical Desktop Pro 2.0 lets you work your own way in comfort and style. You get wireless technology, ergonomic design, one-touch features, programmable keys, and Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse® Explorer with Tilt Wheel Technology.
FeaturesTilt Wheel TechnologyNew wheel functionality and intuitive software give you enhanced, accelerated scrolling through documents and Web pages.
Includes Wireless Optical Mouse and KeyboardEnjoy desktop harmonythis set includes a wireless optical mouse that accents the updated design of the keyboard.
Smart receiver Go wireless with confidencesmart technology sends a message when interference or low battery life is detected, reducing the likelihood of interruption.
Longer battery lifeFinally, a solution to the wireless hasslenow you can work longer without interruption. Many users experience a half year of battery life!
Keyboard navigation with Tilt WheelScroll in every direction with one hand on the mouse and the other on the keyboard, for effortless control and flexibility.
Add wireless freedom, stylish looks, and one-touch features to your desktop with the Wireless Optical Desktop Pro keyboard and mouse combination. This desktop package features customizable keys, optical mouse technology, and a comfortable, ergonomic design. The Wireless MultiMedia keyboard's split, gently sloped shape encourages a natural hand, wrist, and forearm position for maximum comfort. Also, your digital media activities are within easy reach--start, play, and navigate music and video clips with the touch of a button. Customizable hot keys let you quickly start Messenger, Mail, Internet, and Calculator programs. And get one-touch access to files stored in the My Documents, My Pictures, and My Music folders in Windows. Perform common tasks right from your keyboard--press a button to open, close, and save documents, send and forward e-mails, put the computer to sleep, log off, and more. Press the F LOCK key to toggle between standard and enhanced function key commands.
The mouse's wider, clear scroll wheel allows you to comfortably move through documents and Web pages quickly without clicking the scroll bar. Accelerated scrolling reacts to how quickly you roll the wheel, saving you time and effort. And the optical sensor replaces your mouse ball, for accuracy and precision--no mouse pad needed. It's ambidextrous, too--whether you control it with your right or left hand, the wireless optical mouse is shaped for comfort.
Both the keyboard and mouse work within six feet of the included receiver, even if your computer is out of sight. The pair comes with a three-year warranty.
1 Great!!!
10 Stars!! I loved the combo!! The natural keyboard is my favorite keyboard and this one is even nicer with all the extra buttons for shortcuts. I'm pretty saavy with the computer so I don't use the buttons but they are neat! If you are not very computer knowledgeable this keyboard will make using the computer a breeze! Loved it!
2 Cap Lock Light Actually There
The lack of a cap lock light on the keyboard isn't quite as bad as others have made it sound. It would be nice to have a cap lock light on the keyboard but it would drain the battery. However it still has a cap lock light. It is on the transmitter. So I adjusted the transmitter so I can see it easily. When I need to know if the cap lock light is on, I look up at the transmitter to see if the light is on. Oh, there is also a little pop-up window in the corner of the screen telling you for a few seconds telling you of caps on or off.
The key feel is great but the keys themselves are dark see-through plastic. I'm sure many will say it looks high tech but to me it looks dirty.
I only gave it 4 stars because I still miss the little fold down legs on the front of the keyboard. MS has not installed them since the first version of the split keyboard. Pity because I really need the keys tilted down, not up. when I type. But you can't find any keyboards with that feature now.
3 Great idea, but so-so execution
I have had this set up for about a month. This is actually the second set -- the first keyboard failed my initial test -- all the keys were great except for the spacebar which produced clanking noises when pressed on the right side. I find it annoying being reminded every time I type a space. So I immediately returned it. I ordered the second one, thinking that the problem was particular to the set I got. However, I then saw this setup at a local store and the display model showed exactly the same behavior (clanking on the right side of spacebar). So I was surprised when the second keyboard came in with no such defects (in fact all the keys felt great). The keyboard is light -- although it creaks when torqued or even when you rest your hands on the palm rest. The media buttons are nice too -- although they only work with winamp if it is minimized... weird -- if anybody has found a workaround let me know. I haven't been bothered that much by the F key (although I haven't been doing much work in the MS Office recently). The signal strength is pretty good -- I have had only a couple of dropouts. The mouse feels very nice, especially the wheel. Unfortunately, the wheel has become rather sensitive with use, so I had to retrain myself not to rest my finger on it. The side buttons are a tad high compared to the corded intellimouse explorer 3.0 that I had before (but wireless freedom is great). So overall a great product, but why do I only give it 3 stars: the clanking noise in the spacebar came back, so as I am typing this, it is: clanking [clank] noise [clank] in [clank] the [clank] spacebar [clank}... You get the idea. It is AnNoyiNg. I am contemplating opening this baby up and servicing it myself... If anybody has any idea, let me know. Thanks.
4 Even works with chicken soup!
I bought this keyboard and mouse set-up and began using it on October 25, 2004 after reading many product reviews. It was one of the only things that worked right out of the box after setting up my new computer. I've waited to write this review because I wanted to see if anything went wrong during/after six months of usage. I am pleased to say that this keyboard has exceeded my expectations, especially with it being a Microsoft product. It's well designed, very functional and super dependable with regular usage.
In November I even accidentally subjected it to a test: I spilled Chicken Soup in it. After having a quick nervous breakdown, I took the keyboard apart and cleaned up the area under the keys. It didn't work for a day or two and then just as I thought I was going to have to get another keyboard, voila!, it began working again and has been working normal ever since. Now I don't recommend spilling soup in it, but for my needs this keyboard except for the soup spilling incident has worked flawlessly. I have had to change the batteries in the mouse once in six months and the keyboard is still going strong. For those of you who are looking for a nicely designed, functional, ergonomic keyboard, look no further!
5 I really want to like this set
There are a couple of issues with this combo -
First the good:
*The keys are quiet and have great feedback.
*The wireless setup is good, and there is no lag.
*Function keys are nice in theory
*Split keys have saved my wrists. I use the computer 8-10 hours a day, much of it typing. With a regular keyboard, my hands ache and go numb. With the Natural series, I feel much, much better.
The bad:
*The f-lock problem as described below. This one is really bad.
*The click wheel cannot function as a "middle button" when the driver software is installed. When the driver software is not installed, the click wheel works, but it cannot scroll sideways. The wheel click is very useful in Firefox to open links in a new tab, and close tabs.
*I can get used to the key placements, but when using photoshop a common shortcut is to hold space down to move your selection. I am a graphic designer and use this trick all day long. With this keyboard, it is like it sends a series of spaces instead of one keypress and so photoshop looses the selection. It is so annoying I unfortunately cannot keep it.
*Lastly, the media keys only work in WMP, not itunes or winamp. This is just an annoyance really, but come on Microsoft, please play nice for once!
6 Decent Performer, Nothing To Rave About.
What I love best about this:
-Smooooooooth scroll wheel, it feels soooo good! You have to try it!
-Optical tracking is excellent!
-Keys are quiet and have good tactile feedback
What I don't like:
-Price is a little steep for what little it does.
-Signal strength is horrible! I bought this to use for my Home Theater PC and line of sight range was a paltry ~4ft!! That's why I returned it.
-Very few customization features at all for a wireless combo set of this price. You can program website URL shortcuts on the custom keys and that's about it. A set of this price should let you customize program launching, keystroke combo macros (like CTRL-C), and alot more (the LX700 does).
-Extra media player buttons seem to only work with Windows Media Player (what a surprise?), I've tested it with the latest version of WinAmp v5.08. Not an issue for non-WinAmp users.
-Bland styling.
-Does not come with a docking charger for the mouse. So, you have to replace batteries for both keyboard and mouse. A combo this much should come with at least a charger & rechargeable batteries for the mouse. (yep, you guessed it! the LX700 does come with these)
I've used 3 different combo sets (2 from M$ and 1 from Logitech) for about a month each. Get the Logitech LX700, it's $20 cheaper, does ALOT more, and is the BEST!!!
7 Almost Perfect
This keyboard and mouse have replaced my Natural Keyboard Pro and Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer 1.0.
Keyboard: Except for the F-Lock "problem" the keyboard is perfect. Keys are quieter, have a nice rough texture, and smoother stroke. Media buttons are better positioned (and more useful). No wireless lag. Line-of-sight range 6 ft, through desk 3 ft. All keys except F and media keys are semi-translucent for some reason.
Mouse: I have big hands so I liked the much larger 1.0, but the 2.0 is probably perfect for the average user. Tracking is lagless compared to the move-and-wait 1.0. Tilt function is sweet, but the wheel button is too stiff (the 1.0 needs 1/4 lb, while the 2.0 needs 1 lb to click). Wheel doesn't rotate-click but has a nice viscous feel to it. (Though it could suck for gaming if you don't get used to it). Line-of-sight range 12 ft, through desk 6 ft
The only better mouse I found was the Logitech MX 1000 but it's worthless once the internal battery dies. Overall this keyboard and mouse are the best looking setup I've seen, and for the price it's a great deal.
8 Great Combo, But Gets Interference
I have used this keyboard/mouse combo for about 6 months now. I run a small business in web design and media development, so I use it everyday for about 10 hours. It's a great design works well, the mouse, although slightly heavy, is accurate.
It got 3 starts from me because the range of the board and mouse varies. Basic things like a cordless phone and a portable hard drive interfere with the signal, causing a jerky motion in the mouse and missed letter in the keyboard. I have the wireless signal device VERY close to the keyboard (2 feet away), so it's not a matter of distance. I have tested this up to about 10 feet away. It sight, it works fine.
So if you don't have many items on your desk that may interfere with the signal, you will enjoy this keyboard a lot.
9 Great ergonimics but need a little more signal...
I had this keyboard+mouse for about a month. I previously had a terrible wrist pains from typing with my laptop keyboard and a little travel mouse. It costs me thousands in occupational therapies - which doesn't do much, really. I got this set and my pains subsides, dramatically! Worth every penny! The mouse and the keyboard has just the right feel.
My only problem is that it doesn't like my lexmark laser printer (placed 2 ft away). Every time I order a print, I'll get a brief signal loss. I had to play around with the placement of the tramsmitter to avoid this interference (or you could move a printer farther away if you have the space). However, it doesn't seem to have the same problem with my scanner or inkjet printer. I'll say this is a minor thing - once you find the right spot for the transmitter, you won't have any problems.
Also I think the keyboard is a little bulky which eats up the desk space. I don't really use that much of the media and internet keys on the top. I think they should make them a little smaller to make the whole thing more compact. The horizontal scrolling using the tilting wheel on the mouse only works for few microsoft programs (Excel, for example). Doesn't work on Photoshop.
Overall, I am pleased with this purchase - mainly for the ergonomic of the mouse and keyboard. The problems I had doesn't bother me too much.
10 So far so good
I have been running this keyboard for about a week and I love it! The installation is easy, just run the CD, restart your computer and plug in the reciever to your old mouse/keyboard ports, then "link" your wireless mouse/keyboard to the reciever (just follow the diagram on the reciever) and voila! you have a slick looking, smooth typing new keyboard.
As for the supposed six foot range of the keyboard and mouse, BAH!I am typing this from about ten feet away from my receiver, and the only reason I can not go further is because my room is too small. I also have the receiver behind some stuff on my desk. The ergonomically designed Natural layout of the keys is nice, it is in fact the major reason I finally bought a wireless system, other than the obvious reduction in cord clutter on my desk. I have always loved the natural keyboards (and yes, they take some getting used to if you are only used to the cramped original styles).
How about this! Batteries INcluded. Nice touch on with that one. As for playing games, there isn't really any lag whatsoever.
Now for the bad stuff... As others have said, the F-lock is slightly annoying, but I do not have many instances where it really is a problem. My only other complaint is the mouse. . . it fits my hand well, but two things could have been better: #1, move the "forward/backward" buttons (the buttons on the side of the mouse) back down to where they were on the MS Optical Pro. Where they are they are just a bit too high to use comfortably in games and such. #2, the new mouse wheel. It is extremely smooth when scrolling through web pages, documents etc, and the new side scrolling function is interesting, if not innovative, but the fact that the wheel can "wobble" (used to scroll to the sides of wide documents) makes it hard sometimes to use the middle mouse button as the normal "clicker" that I used to. Still, this new keyboard is nice. Both the mouse and the keyboard have quite a nice heft to them; you won't feel like you purchased anything cheap. The black color is nice too (fits my computer case and desk lamp nicely).
So, if you are looking for a slick-looking wireless keyboard and mouse that feels good on your hands and sets up easily, this is a pretty good buy.
true rating would be 4.58 stars.
11 Cluttered, clanky keyboard, awful mouse
Yow! What a disappointment! The keyboard is badly layed out and full of mostly useless (for me) keys, and it's clattery-noisy besides. And the mouse is an abomination--it lags, and its motion is sluuuuggish. Even set to its highest speed, moving the cursor around is an exercise in frustration and impatience. It made my hand so anxious I had to stop and shake it very few minutes to get it relaxed again. Logitech mice are MUCH better--they're quick and accurate, and you can set them to go TOO fast if you want to.(Although Logitech's ergo keyboards suck too, they think a little more about their customers.) I tossed this whole Microsoft combo in the trash after diligently trying it for two long days. In the last couple of years I've had from Microsoft five mice, four keyboards, and one wireless network system, and none has worked worth a darn--all were a complete waste of money and time, and I ended up either giving away or chucking them all. Now I hope I've finally learned my lesson and will refrain forever from falling for the hype and buying any more hardware made by Microsoft.
12 Best wireless keyboard/mouse combo
I purchased the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Pro K48-00019 from Amazon.com about a month ago. It arrived very quickly. Setup was a complete snap.
In the Box/Setup/Software
Basically you will get an Installation CD-ROM that will very easily guide you through the setup process, batteries, the mouse and the keyboard. After a quick reboot you plug in the wireless receiver in either a USB or PS2 port in the back of your computer and you are ready to go! The software allows you to tweak all kinds of settings on the keyboard and mouse, just like you normally would. But you can also assign various programs to be controlled.
Keyboard
I bought this keyboard to replace a Microsoft Natural keyboard, (the split kind). I was concerned mostly about the way the keys would feel. The very nice thing about this keyboard is that the keys have a really good feel - they don't stick if I don't hit them just right like my old keyboard did. They are easy to push and have just the right amount of resistance. Also, across the top of the keyboard is a dual set of function keys. You can use them to copy, paste, reply, forward, etc. OR you can simply press the "F Lock" key and use them normally, F1-F12. The keyboard looks great, is fairly lightweight and doesn't feel cheap at all. Plus there are a number of handy buttons across the top that allow you to open My Documents, My Music, Messenger, and more. These can be programmed to other programs. So for the Media Player button, for example,I assigned it to Winamp. The volume control works great as well as the play/pause, stop and fwd/rev buttons in Winamp.
Mouse
I like a mouse that fits my hand. I have a rather large hand because I am tall and the ergonomic shape of this mouse is very comfortable. I thought it might be heavy because of the batteries but it is actually fairly lightweight. Like the keyboard it doesn't feel cheap at all. The scroll is improved, in my opinion, because it doesn't have the "click-click" feel of the older scroll - it is very smooth. The left-right scroll functionality is nice to use also, especially when I want to keep windows small. The buttons are totally programmable but I use them according to their default settings. There are two thumb buttons on the left side that are default programmed to take you forward and back in windows or web pages. I like these buttons a lot because it speeds up my internet browsing experience.
Interference?
I haven't experienced any signal interference since I bought the product. I use a Linksys router, cell phones, cordless phones and bluetooth equipment in my house and I haven't had any hassles. Plus, the product is suppossed to work up to six feet away from the receiver and I can go as far as 10-12 feet all the way across the room. It's fun to lie on my bed and browse the internet, write e-mails, write papers, etc.
Overall recommendation
I give this product five stars because it works well, was easy to setup, has a lot of customizable options, long range functionality and is cheap through Amazon.
13 A few dumb design decisions short of excellent
This is a great product that worked with no problems out of the box.
Benefits:
- Great range even with my keyboard tray being under the table and the receiver on the far side of the table.
- Both, keyboard and mouse are a great ergonomic fit and perform well.
- Touchtyping is very smooth, keys feel just right and are quiet.
- Many useful multimedia and application shortcuts save you from switching to mouse for many tasks.
- Easteatically pleasing combo.
Detriments:
- Nonstandard keyboard layour with home/end/delete buttons being the most problematic for those who touch type. I keep hitting delete button when I want End.
- Function keys have dual functions, application shortcuts and function keys. Problem is that function keys are not keyboard default. This is wrong since most applications use function keys. No way to configure this behavior.
- Caps Lock, Num Lock don't have LED indicators. You don't know if they are on until you type something. Another bad user interface decision.
The few issues I mentioned will not affect causual users and those who do not touch type. However, mainly those people who spend a lot of time behind a keyboard will purchase split layout for ergonomic purposes and those are people who don't like non-standard layouts.
Microsoft engineers came close to delivering excellent product but fell short, probably due to lack of user testing during prototyping. Given the functional shortcomings I'm rating it average.
14 Wow, what a product!!
This product was wonderful. I had an natural keyborad and intellimouse explorer 3.0. The mouse was bad and need to be replaced. I came across this item at Best Buy and they were asking too much for it. I found it here and it was cheap and exactly what I wanted. I really didn't know what to expect of the product before I purchased it. Once I got it, the product was great. The thing was easy to set up. I could place the receive any where on my desk, below my desk and just about everywhere else the cord could reach and still has perfect reception for the mouse. The keyboard is great, just like the old natural keyboard, however it is lighter and feels a bit cheaper than the old one. The keyboard has little texture on it and it is transparent black. The functions on it were great. The mouse takes a while to get use to because it is higher than the old mouse which I had been using for a long time. I got use it in 4 days. I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a great combo.
15 Mouse keys are not programmable
The keyboard and mouse are overall quite nice but the mouse has one glaring flaw - the two side buttons and the wheel are not truly programmable and customizable as is noted on Amazon's and Microsoft's sites. You are only given a limited choice of commands that they will execute.
16 As many bugs as new 'useful' keys
I'm on my second try of this product. Amazon's great customer services change the other because 5 or 6 keys was wrong, my numerical pad doen't works, when I press 7 1 6 9 or 3, the keyboards sends tons of diferent orders, even to send my computer to stanBy.
The second keyboard was best, but it still have to many bugs, my left hand CTRL, SHIFT, and ALT keys doesn't respond sometimes, and others respond but doesn't hold the signal to make multiple selections.
Final words... Try later when the bugs are corrected. now try another manufacturer
17 Good functionality, requires line-of-sight connectivity
The functionality of this product is good...when it connects. It seems to use infared wirelss, which requires near line-of-sight capability to work, instead of RF, which works better around objects. When I tried to place the keyboard and mouse in my sliding keyboard tray under my desk, I had to have the receiver under my desk as well and the mouse had to have an unobstructed path to the receiver to work. This required me to place a U-nail underneath my desk to keep the receiver in line between it and the mouse. I couldn't just have it anywhere under my desk, even though there are no objects under there that would obstruct receiving the signal.
With my old Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse I could place the receiver above or below my desk and it worked if other objects blocked it's view.
At first I also had trouble getting it to work through my Belkin KVM. The receiver has a USB cord for the mouse and a PS/2 cord for the keyboard, so I had to install the USB-to-PS/2 converter to fit it into my PS/2 KVM. After installing the IntelliType keyboard and IntelliMouse mouse drivers on every computer connected to the KVM I got it to work through the KVM fine. However, the drivers that came with the box didn't work through the KVM though, only the ones I downloaded from MSFT's website worked.
18 Wireless is definitely the way to go!
With the sale price being the absolute best anywhere, I couldn't pass up this wireless natural keyboard and mouse combo. It is very simple to install, simply plug into the rear of the computer. You can use either the PS/2 ports (both), OR just one USB port! Everything functions just as expected on both pieces.
The new scrolling wheel on the mouse is a non-clicking smooth-rolling wheel, which is much nicer than the previous clicking type. I had been using the natural keyboard at the office, and needed to have one at home, as the regular style started feeling "unnatural."
This keyboard has a set of one-touch buttons for us lazy folks who don't like that extra clicking to get to My Pictures, My Documents, My Music, etc. The buttons are working as expected, as I am one of those lazy ones who enjoys using the keyboard "shortcuts" as they are called. :-)
This is a great set, I recommend the investment for the wireless convenience.
19 Very nice design
I just went through Carpel Tunnel surgery and the doc recommended an ergonomic keyboard for my daily computer using. That's how I found out this product. Although it's a bit heavy than I expected (even before the batteries were put in), all in all, it's a very nice design. It's easy to install and operate. Not to mention my both wrists can relax quite a bit while surfing the nets. I would recommend this to all my friends.
20 Great Buy
This has been unreal, the added mouse side button and the tilt wheel make browsing and game playing much easier. Plus the ergo keyboard is very good on the hands. Great battery life and freedom from cords. Much nicer once I brought it home than the logitech set I tried at the store. Only issue I had was getting the function keys to work correctly, but found how in help.
21 Problems....Problems...Problems
First: I buy it.
Second: Works fine (1 day).
Next Day: Mouse offline, batteries out, works for 2 hours.
Keyboard GOOD, MOUSE ALWAYS BREAKS DOWN. And the batteries do not stay in the designated area. It always comes out and makes your life a living h**l.
22 Great but F-lock key is dreadful
I purchased this keyboard and mouse combination off Amazon a couple of weeks and love them except for one glaring issue...the F-lock key. If you're use to function key shortcuts (ie - Alt-F4 to close a window, F7 to spell check, etc.) please be aware that Microsoft has disabled them by default and changed the keys to perform these various functions directly. Of course, spell check is now where F10 use to be, and "close" is F6, and so on. You can turn off this "advanced" functionality but you have to do this manually every time you turn on the computer!!! By the way there is a "hack" (registry edit) that is suppose to fix this but it hasn't worked on my XP machine with this keyboard. Other than the F-lock key (and a few other key re-arrangements - home, end, page up are moved around) I love this mouse and keyboard...the mouse is sensitive, keyboard very responsive and I like the upper row of keys (above the function keys) that launch email, media player, etc. directly.
23 Very good set, in spite of a few annoyances.
I agree with the other reviewers that the F-Lock feature is quite a hassle. If the keyboard didn't boot to the mapped mode by default, I wouldn't have minded it. It would've been another useless feature for total newbies. But you have to REMEMBER to turn the mapping off every time you reboot!
Notice that I emphasized "remember", because I don't mind clicking an extra key every time I reboot. The problem is, many times I forget to turn the mapping off and end up with totally unexpected results.
For example, I'm used to pressing the F6 key when using IE or FireFox to move the cursor focus to the browser's address bar. I do this many times while browsing because I configured IE with PowerToys and use FireFox's bookmark keywords to write something like "imdb pulp fiction" or "amazon effective java" in the address bar to have IMDb search for the movie or Amazon lookup the book. Now if I forget to press the F-Lock key after I turned the computer on or restarted it, the browser's window will vanish away. The F-Lock feature remaps the F6 key to mean "Close" by default. Very annoying, especially if you don't remember exactly how you got to the webpage you were browsing.
What makes the F-Lock feature even worse is that you don't have a clue if it's ON or OFF by just looking at the keyboard, which takes me to the next annoying feature.
Instead of putting the CAPS-Lock, Num-Lock, and F-Lock (no pun intended) indicator lights on the keyboard, they put them on the wireless unit attached to the computer. I understand they made this decision to prolong battery life, but unless you have the wireless unit in sight, you won't see the indicators.
Finally, sometimes it does act funny, as some reviewers mentioned, and I'm sure it has to do with oversensitivity to EMI or radio interference. For example, many times pressing Ctrl-V (to paste) using the left Ctrl button doesn't seem to work and just sends a barrage of letter "V" to the computer. But that doesn't happen so often.
Having said that, I still give this keyboard four stars for the following reasons.
1) The mouse is much lighter than other wireless mice, and therefore puts less stress on the wrist.
2) The buttons are quiet, yet have clicky feel.
3) Smaller footprint than the previous MS Natural Keyboards, which means once you get used to it, your fingers travel less distance and type faster.
4) The new non-standard placement of the Insert, Delete, Home, Page Up, and Page Down keys, while needs some getting used to, is way better than the standard layout because it emphasizes usability. For example, on standard layouts, many times I unintentionally press the Insert key, and find myself overwriting text. In this new layout, Home and End are placed horizontally to emphasize their meaning (beginning and end of a line in a text editor); the Delete key is much bigger because it's the one you're most likely to use when editing text; and the Insert key has been moved way up because it's seldom used. But this will make using Shift-Insert (to paste) harder, so you'll have to use Ctrl-V instead (and hope there's no interference).
5) Longer battery life, though at the expense of moving the indicators off the keyboard.
6) Looks pretty nice, especially if you have a black monitor.
24 Fantastic set
This is the best keyboard/mouse set I've ever had (and I've had a lot). The keyboard have a great feel, and the new layout of those keys between the main board and the numberpad is indeed better, even if it takes a while to get used to. The mouse is the best from Microsoft, the smooth scrool is a very nice feature. The battery life is incredible.
25 No Doubt--This will be my next "new"......
There is "no doubt" in my mind that this wireless combo from Microsoft will by my next "new" keyboard. I already use one of Microsoft's "Hot Key", "Wave", split keyboards and I will "never" go back to a standard keyboard setup ever again. I have arthritic hands & wrists, and since I have begun using this type of keyboard, my hands and wrists no longer hurt while I am working on my computer. The built in "slope-down" feature for a hand rest is ideal for people like me as well.
However, it did take me a good 2 weeks to become familiar with the new way the keys and function buttons are positioned where they are, but I urge folks who are considering this kind of setup, not to be discouraged. It's a dream not have all the keys srunched up and jammed together like a "typical" keyboard is setup. I for one, will "never" go back to the "old" kind of keyboard ever again.
26 Breaker Breaker
Hello Everyone,
So, I took the advice of my good friend and purchased this combo set. I'm glad I did BUT there are a couple of things you should know. First off, if you live in an area with a LOT of CB buddies you may find that the keyboard and mouse act funny at times. This is because they run on the 27 MHz band and if you're close enough to a CBer running some wattage, you can get inference. Also, note that NOT ALL BACK-UP SOFTWARE WILL SUPPORT WIRELESS USB MICE. I'm running Acronics True Image myself which supports such devices but, if you run Norton Ghost, Watch out!
All this being said, I find the keyboard and mouse work very well and would purchase them again. Hey, give them a try for yourself, if you don't like them I'm sure Amazon will take it back and set ya straight.....they're good like that.
Ciao!
27 Wonderful Product
I have always been a fan of the Microsoft Natural Keyboard but I had always wanted a wireless one. This combo works very well and I think the price is very reasonable. Overall, I think this is an excellent product and so far I'm very pleased with my purchase.
I've seen many people complain about the function keys and while I can see this as a potential problem, I personally don't mind the change. All of the functions are there for me and it saves me a keystroke (e.g. Press the Close(F6) button instead of Alt+F4) The mouse is a nice change though it takes a bit getting used to for the smooth scrolling as opposed to the clicking of the past.
28 Great product for almost anyone
This wireless desktop set has a few things going that make it the best I've tried. First of all, the "natural" or "split" design of the keyboard makes it a pleasure to type. The extra buttons along the top of the keyboard (which I honestly did not think I'd use) actually come in very handy and are completely customizable. The mouse is shaped VERY nicely, assuming that you use your right hand for the mouse. The forward and back buttons on the side of the mouse are very useful when surfing the Web, without being in the way and getting pressed accidentally like other models I've tried. The smooth scroll whell is very nice to have--you really have to try it to appreciate how much of an improvement this is. The scroll whell also tilts side to side, which is very handy for navigating spreadsheets.
29 Lot of issues...
What I don't like:
#1
Sometimes it seemed to register me pressing a key longer than I actually has, sporadic and usually on the number pad.
#2
Function Lock: one of the dumbest things I've seen.
#3
Mouse was too inaccurate. Might not be an issue for people who don't adjust sensitivity on mouse. I'm one of those people who crank it way up and demand extreme responsiveness and accuracy. If you need this as well this product is probably not for you.
#4
Non-standard layout of those keys between main board and numberpad. I hate that.
#5
All those big buttons and shortcuts you put on top of your "high-end" keyboards... Maybe someone wants them but I don't. Don't make a wireless keyboard so huge I don't want to move around with it....
What I like:
#1
Pretty quiet keys overall.
#2
New scroll wheel is nice. Hope to see this in future products. Smooth and responds faster than old tick tick tick.
#3
Broke Function keys into 4 groupings of 3 vs. 3 groupings of 4. Thank you! Once I got used to it I was more accurate/faster at finding my functions and not looking.
30 This is a Great Set
I purchased this set recently and just love it. The software is easy to install..anyone can do it. It works very well. One of the greatest items I have purchased in a long time.
31 Frustrating - you should avoid
When I first got this cool bluetooth keyboard/mouse installed I thought I had finally found the perfect set-up. Bluetooth tech is so much better than RF in terms of coverage. Unfortunately my PC lost track of the keyboard after about a week. To get them talking again took about 30 minutes. This has continued to happen on nearly a weekly basis. I am having the same problem with the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Pro I had installed at work. Close, but too many bugs. Wait for the second version.
32 Get the function keys right, and it won't get returned!
OK - I bought one of these after returning a Logitech. Unfortunately, the thing that screwed up the Logitech is also a problem with this keyboard. As another reviewer noted, this keyboard is an FLOCK keyboard. What this means is that your function keys have been remapped to some "new and improved" settings. I've been using computers for 25 years, and I want the dang function keys to be function keys. I think it's actually much worse than the other reviewer said.
Here's the situation: If you want your function keys to work, you have to hit the FLOCK key. You have to do it every time you boot, as it won't remember your setting, and you can't toggle it permanently. So, if you want to hit F2 to get into your BIOS, you better hit that FLOCK key in the 1/2 second window and then the F2 key. The same applies if you want to get into Safe Mode (F8). In addition, if you forget to hit the stupid thing each time you boot, you'll find yourself doing something stupid, like cutting text or sending mail or whatever instead of what you wanted to do.
If it wasn't BIOS based (in the keyboard BIOS), you could probably easily toggle it with the driver, but they made it the default behavior for the keyboard. I'm extremely frustrated with Microsoft AND Logitech. If the leader of the herd jumps off a cliff, you don't have to follow!
This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen two companies do. This is an otherwise fine keyboard, but it's going back too. I tried to live with the Logitech for a week, but I'm not giving this one that long. I can pick up a Memorex keyboard for 1/4 the price. I'll do that instead, and I won't bother buying another Microsoft keyboard until they stop doing this. (I own 3 already between home and work).
33 Avoid if you use a KVM switch or function keys regularly
This is a great desktop set for at least 90% of users, but I must add a few caveats over the incredibly frustrating feature Microsoft calls F-Lock that will make this or any similarly equipped MS keyboard a poor solution for users that depend on their function keys or utilize a KVM switch that requires a double-press of scroll lock to switch between PCs. You see, on this keyboard and others in the line, MS has changed the PRIMARY functionality of the Function (F1-F12) keys, insert, and scroll lock to other functions that are primarily used in Microsoft Office. The result is that you MUST press f-lock before using any of these keys in order to restore them to their regular functions; while they function normally in your computer's boot-up screens, as soon as windows starts, you have to use f-lock to use these keys. Worse yet, this is a "feature" that is locked in the keyboard's hardware, which means it cannot be disabled. I use a KVM switch, and F-lock creates constant headaches for me. On traditional keyboads, pressing scroll lock twice switches to the other pc connected. However, thanks to F-lock, not only do I have to press f-lock before switching pcs using scroll lock, but for some reason if I want to switch computers again, I have to re-engage F-lock, hit scroll lock, and then disengage it again before normal functionality is restored. This is a problem that will only affect a few users, but for those that are hit by it, it's extraordinarily irritating.
Another gripe I have with this set is that the mouse is fairly paltry compared to the MX700 mouse included in comparably priced Logitech wireless sets, and does not include forward/backward buttons (I suppose to help left-handed users who may wish to use this mouse ambidextrously).
This is the only way to get a wireless MS natural keyboard, so for those who want it, this is really your only choice. But beware of F-lock and be aware that much more bang for your buck can be found in wireless sets without a split-style keyboard.
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Edit: It seems like this is a different set than the one I purchased; the keyboard is the same, but this one includes a better mouse (judging by the picture).
34 I Love This Setup
The mouse and keyboard work great! I think that the best part of the combo is how comfterable the mouse is. Although I bought this product elsewhere for a little cheaper, it was a great purchase.
35 Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop
Have you ever had to stop and reposition your mouse? Have you had to tug on the cord to be able to move it where you wanted? Have you ever wanted to move your keyboard a little so you could get more comfortable - but that cord just won't let it go?
The Microsoft Wireless Desktop is the perfect solution.
I got my Wireless Desktop the day before Christmas. With everything else going on, I thought that it might be a good idea to wait until after Christmas to try to hook it up. But I am not a patient person. I opened the box and pulled out the keyboard and mouse.
It looked easy enough. Just turn off your computer, unhook the existing keyboard and mouse, hook the new ones in, turn the computer back on and install the software. Five minutes later, I was using my new Wireless Desktop.
The keyboard is very comfortable. The extra buttons (My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Mute, Media, Mail, Web Home and Messenger) provide one touch access to your most used folders/apps. These buttons can be reprogrammed. But these weren't what impressed me the most.
The F keys have taken on a new life. Most people that I know simply remember that F1 takes you to the Help menu - but they don't bother to learn what the other F keys can do. On the Wireless Desktop, the F Keys function as normal while the F Lock is on. But, turn the F Lock key off, and you can use the keys to do a lot of other tasks such as undo, redo, open a new document, and close a document. You can reply to, forward and send e-mail. Use spellchecker, save and print any document or web page.
Don't think that you can remember all the keys? They are marked! And the software allows you to reprogram the keys to do other tasks.
One other nice feature with the keyboard is printing on the front side of keys used in combination with the Ctrl key. For instance, the "B" key says BOLD, the "C" key says COPY, the "V" key says PASTE....
The mouse isn't quite as cool as they keyboard. But it does have some very good features. It is a scroll mouse with 2 buttons. "Tilt Wheel" technology, gives you the ability to scroll not only up-and-down, but side-to-side as well.
Microsoft's latest Wireless Desktop is a great desktop combination which enables anyone to have useful wireless functions at an affordable price. This new design gives the user more control, more desk space and more freedom. It is a great addition to any desktop!
36 Bad speed, bad receiver
Keyboard repeating rate is either too fast or too slow. The sroll wheel on the mouse is too fast even though I adjusted it to as slow as possbile. Mouse speed is too slow even though I adjust it to be fastest. Mouse's shape is comfortable. One thing I really suprise is, you just need to use one AA battery on the mouse even though the mouse has two slots for AA.
Sensity of the wireless is bad. I have to place the receiver one feet away from the keyboard and mouse. Don't know why they say it work in 6 feet.
37 wylie
Easy set up and works like a charm, so glad to get rid of the cables. Did not like the rearrangement of the home, end, delete, page up/down keys but can live with them. Found programming the programmable functions a breeze. No crashing.
38 AAA Seller
Although Amazon show my package has not yet been delivered, it arrived 2 days ago. Fast and efficient seller. Thank you.
39 I don't know why the home,end,delete keys were rearranged.
I like the keyboard a lot, unfortunately I keep hitting the delete key a lot, Microsoft Engeneers decided that the old arrangement does not make sense anymore and changed the location of the keys. VERY SMART FROM THEIR PART. Also I don't like the fact that it does not have a Windows Key at the right side.
I'm a keyboard freek so I type a lot, having keys moved around does not help when you've been typing for a long time. If you don't use the keyboard much and use the mouse a lot, then this might be the keyboard for you.
40 Does not work as advertised
The Intellipoint and Intellitype 5.0 software that comes with this set does not function as promised. The SW crashes constantly and more than half of the programmable functions won't program. This is a return item for me.
41 Software crashes and unresponsive keyboard/mouse
Just got this combo as a present yesterday, and already encountered a slew of problems.
IntelliPoint and IntelliType Pro software constantly crash. Keyboard is often unresponsive, along with the mouse. This set is a dog. I have a regular Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro and MS Optical mouse, and love the split keyboard, but this wireless set is going back to Amazon, and I am getting Logitech.
42 Function Keys Don't Work
This keyboard tries to give new "enhanced" functionality to the function keys (F1, F2... F10 etc.) As a result F2 has become "Undo". F4 has become the "New" command. If you are used to the old functionality -- using F2 to mean "Edit", Alt-F4 to close a window -- they will no longer work. The function keys have been effectively hijaaked and there's no permanent way to put them back.
There is an F Lock key that toggles back and forth between the old normal behavior and the new "enhanced" behavior. Unfortunately if you like the old behavior, you must push this F Lock key every time you restart your computer. If you search on Google for "F Lock" you'll encounter a slew of people complaining about this and the fact that there's no way to fix it.
If you like the way your keyboard keys used to work, buy a Logitech.
43 Easy Setup, Extremely Comfortable!
Over the last 2-3 few years, I've used no less than 4 different keyboards and more than 8 different mice. As a programmer, I spend hours (10+) each day typing on the computer and then even more time after hours playing computer games. As such, the quest for a comfortable keyboard/mouse has been a long one; it has become my quest for the "Holy Grail" of comfort.
I have to say that I am impressed with thie setup. The mouse is one of the most comfortable ones that I've EVER used. The keyboard is soft, tactile, and well laid out (spacing + key size). Both components operate without the slightest hint of lag, which is one big turn off I had in my previous experiences with wireless input devices. As far as the materials quality, both components feel top notch. While the keyboard squeaks a bit when you torque it, the plastics are certainly of high quality and the design is clean and functional (lots of handy quick launch buttons, all well laid out and labeled).
Setup was a breeze. I was somewhat concerned as it appeared that I would have to use PS/2 to connect the keyboard while my laptop does not have a PS/2 board. However, the base station only needs to be connected via one USB port for both keyboard and mouse. And if you are using the USB interface with a newer O/S, this setup is completely plug and play with no need for any driver installation (for basic features). Some of the advanced features (like the horizontal scroll) require driver installation.
So far as battery life is concerned, I can't comment at this time. But hopefully will be on par with similar models (Logitech at work has been on same battery for 3+ months now).
So give this keyboard a shot if you've been waiting on the technology to catch up with the concept, if you've been having pain with other keyboard/mouse setups, or if you just want a cool looking wireless setup.
------UPDATE-------
Since I've gotten this set in October (mid March now), I've been on the same set of batteries for the keyboard and I've changed batteries once for the mouse. Keep in mind that this is with regular 10+ hours of use a day.
I've had some issues with the signal intering with other wireless devices (it's either my cell phone, cordless phone, or the router). This will cause the keyboard and mouse (mostly mouse) to act quirky. However, this can be resolved by 1) creating more space between your workspace and the suspect interering item and 2) hit the connect button on the base station and then on the mouse (usually the mouse goes quirky) a few times and it'll usually correct itself.
Other than that, I have to say that I am still extremely satisfied with my purchase. Extremely comfortable! Cramping and pain in my hands have been reduced drastically since using this set. It's hard to believe that, before I got this set, I was feeling numbness and twitching in my right hand...still some pain now (you can't help it with 10+ hours on the computer), but it's much, much better.
44 Microsoft Wirless Optical Desktop Pro Set
Awesome set!!! I have had a Microsoft Natural keyboard for years, and loved it. When I saw they came out with a wireless desk top version I was delighted. And in colors that match todays computers. It was extremely easy to install and set up. I love the fact that the receiver doesn't have to even be on my desk. I also love the fact that there are no wires getting in the way of my work space. The ergonomic design is terrific. If you have had microsofts previous natural keyboards you're gonna love this set. The features are basically the same. A few minor changes have been made to the keyboard, but nothing big. The keyboard and mouse function wonderfully within a six foot range. Which is more than adaquate. Microsoft warrants the set for five years too. That is a fabulous warranty. (Be sure and save your receipts, make an extra copy so you don't lose it should you need to obtain service.) The set takes 2 AA batteries for the Keyboard, and 2 for the mouse. The batteries are said to last up to six months, but for those of us that are always on the computer we'll have to change them more frequently. If you find your set isn't fuctioning properly follow their reconnecting instructions first, try a different channel(all this is described in the manual), if none of those work, it's most likely your batteries. They take regular AA batteries like Energizer or Duracell Ultra. So they are fairly cheap. If your looking for a great wireless keyboard & mouse set this is it! It's so simple to use, try it. I sure enjoy mine.**** Please Note; I don't have the Pro 2 I have the Microsoft Wireless Optical Pro(looks identical with the exception of the mouse, mine is silver on top).
45 Good while it lasts
I enjoyed this keyboard for about 2 months, then it worked intermittently, then it stopped working. It's going in the trashcan now. It was good while it lasted, but it didn't last long.
46 The Best Keyboard & Mouse yet!
This keyboard/mouse set is truly awesome, definately worth every penny!
