Features

In Keyboard and Mice Talkback, I talked about my need for a new keyboard and mouse pair because my keyboard died (R.I.P.). The Logitech set worked well for me and I would not have minded replacing it with another. However, I decided to open the door for your experiences as I like to keep an open mind. If I didn’t, I’d be working on outdated stuff and living in the dark ages.

I didn’t have to make a decision after all! woot! made it for me when it posted the Microsoft Wireless Optical Elite Keyboard and Mouse for sale. I’ve been using it for several weeks.

I love it! It’s not perfect, however. It has one flaw, but the keyboard and the wheels are so smooth, that I am learning to live with its flaw. It omits letters I type from time to time. Thank goodness for spell checker, but I don’t always remember to run it or proof my work as you know you can’t completely rely on it.

I’ve tried fresh batteries, resetting the keyboard, searching the Web and Microsoft’s Web site for answers and can’t get it to stop omitting letters. Yes, the receiver is close… so close, the keyboard and receiver can smell each other.

Other than that, it’s a comfortable keyboard and I actually make use of the shortcut buttons. It comes with five buttons you can program to go wherever you want… open a program, a Web site, email application. Music lovers will appreciate the media management section at the top-center of the keyboard. It has the typical play, stop, pause, louder, softer, mute, rewind, and fast forward buttons.

Since it is a Microsoft product, it comes with buttons for My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, and Messenger. Of course, you can changes these. In fact, I changed Messenger to open Trillian instead.

Right by the tilt wheel on the keyboard is the back and forward buttons. Instead of moving your mouse to the top left of your browser to go back and forward through Web pages, you can use these buttons. Those who prefer to minimally rely on mice would appreciate this keyboard.

Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, and Ctrl+V are commonly used keys for copy, cutting, and pasting. If you can’t remember that, the keyboard has *Cut on the front side of the X key. Same goes for C, V, B (bold), U (underline), I (italic), F (find), and A (all).

Most of the function (F) keys have a dual purpose. F1 is the standard for Help. It also has Help imprinted on the key. I frequently use Shift+F7 in word to use the thesaurus. When the F keys are turned off, hitting F7 means replying to an email. Other F keys have undo, redo, new, open, close, forward, send, spell, save, and print.

The set of keys between the main keys (the letters, numbers) and the numbers only key is where the Home, End, Delete, Insert, Page Up, and Page Down keys live. Microsoft did a smart thing and dumped the Insert key. I NEVER used it and yet, I hit it by accident all the time and had to do an Undo to get my letters back. My work computer has Insert and I still hit the darn thing.

The keyboard has two column instead of three. On the first is Home and Delete (taking up the space of two keys). The second column has End, Page Up, and Page Down. Logitech also has a keyboard with the same layout, so it’s not a Microsoft problem. I have not been able to get the hang of this set of keys. Maybe it doesn’t help that I’m using a different keyboard at the office (getting a replacement is not an option).

The wrist rest is soft and smooth. Logitech’s wrist rest (try saying that out loud five times and fast) was cheap plastic and cold. The mouse wheel moves like buttah and can be tilted left and right.

I’m delighted with the purchase especially for the price. Despite being called the Evil Empire and all that, I gotta give Microsoft credit for having a nice product whether it made it or bought it from another manufacturer and slapped its name on it.