| So who spends almost $200 on a keyboard that doesn't even have a number pad? Well, I do...
If you are in the market for a good utilitarian cordless keyboard to use, this might not be the best choice. But if you like unique, stylish computer gear, that still works well, then this makes a nice addition to your desktop. Even if you don't get a chance to show it off to your friends, you'll enjoy looking at it sitting in its charging stand, or on your desk. It must hold a pretty good charge, because I've only charged it once in the month that I've had it. So if you're thinking the charger is too cumbersome to take with you on a trip, you don't have to worry about it; you won't need it. And at about 1/2" thick, it won't take up much space in your bag.
You could hook it up using the built-in bluetooth in your computer, but unless you're starved for USB ports, the receiver is about the size of a small flash drive (unlike the previous DiNovo Desktop). It connects instantly too, so you won't spend ages trying to figure out why it's not connected.
The trackpad is a small circlular affair, positioned off to the right, so you won't be constantly hitting it like the pads on most laptops. Only southpaw mousers will suffer from this layout. And scrolling with the pad works surprisingly well.
A few drawbacks are the lack of a number pad. You don't even get the typical fn + keys to enter numbers, which could have been easily included, but wasn't. And the fn key is to the right of the spacebar, which is opposite from what most people are used to using. Other than that you get a full set of keys (except the number pad). Plus nicely placed zoom buttons, volume control, and media keys, and a nice oversized delete key.
Keystrokes are short, but give reasonable tactile feedback. I'm not a very good typist, but I don't think those who are will find much to complain about.
And depending on your computer you can lay it right on top of laptop keyboard. Or use it from across the room.
I was worried that I would be sacrificing usability for style and looks, but it turned out not ot be the case.
I give the diNovo top marks in all respects. This is one of Logitech's success stories, unlike some of their products.
I'm very pleased with this purchase.
update 03/01/07 Since I just got a MacBook I thought I would update my review with some new info. Logitech does not support this keyboard for use with Macs (when you open Logitech Control Center, similar to Setpoint but for Macs), it won't recognize the keyboard. But that doesn't mean it won't work. Mac's bluetooth recognizes and pairs the kb instantly, and almost all functions work. What doesn't work is the set of buttons on the left (which I don't use anyway). And the fn+function keys don't work either as far as I can tell (the function keys themselves do work, and F12 works as an eject button for the DVD drive). But the mousepad works the same, as does the volume control, and the 'windows' key functions as the 'apple' key.
In addition, if you flip up the legs, the DiNovo will fit perfectly over a 17" MackBook Pro. So if you have a Mac and this keyboard, you won't have to put it aside till Logitach decides to support it.
I would also assume that third parties will come out with drivers or whatever might be needed to fill the void.
| | Pretty, feels good, far from perfect, overpriced |
| I feel like the Grinch after reading all the gushing reviews of this thing, but it's only a good keyboard, not a religious experience.
Yes, it's thin, nicely styled, and most of all has a wonderful feel--keys are silent, have a short throw, and have no play or sloppy feel. Every stroke feels sure and positive. It has the feel of a laptop keyboard on a desktop computer--best of both worlds.
But the layout is distinctly nonstandard, even whimsical. There is no 10-key number pad, which others have noted rather casually. I've never done a spreadsheet in my life, but I miss it even for entering phone numbers, addresses, charge card numbers, every number in everyday use is amazingly awkward without it. "Delete" has grown to double size, and the whole Home/End/Page up/Page down cluster is configured to guarantee some unwelcome surprises, for no reason that I can imagine. "Page up" is not at the top of the cluster; that space is given to the perky, promoted "End" key. Don't bother to look for the "right-click" context menu key to the right of the space bar as on every other keyboard I've ever seen in the world. It's not there or anywhere else. Its place is taken by an "Fn" key, also in a nonstandard location, which serves to reveal extra functions for F1-F12 keys, some programmable, most not, and "Scroll lock" and "Pause/B" keys, hidden secondary functions of "Insert" and "Print screen" respectively.
The software is disappointing: First it froze on installation, and required a second installation. Then its help file (the only documentation that exists--printed material is SO 20th century) turned out to be not specific to this product, but generic to Logitech products. One has to plow through all manner of irrelevant material to pick out what's relevant for this product. Sort of shabby for a flagship product with a flagship price.
Worse, it just doesn't do what it says it will. The "Media" hot key can be set to do one of various things, including popping up a mini-menu of media applications. So I created the menu, and assigned it to the key, but pressing the key doesn't display the menu. Instead, it starts the first program listed on the menu. That's a very different, less impressive function.
Having started the (wrong) media program, the keyboard's dedicated media control keys for Play/pause, Stop, Back, and Forward didn't work at all in it. By dedicated, I mean non-programmable; they are hidden functions of F5 through F8, entirely unmarked until pressing the "Fn" key reveals them as lit icons showing through the sleek black surface of the keyboard. Having revealed them, I have yet to make them actually work.
Both Logitech and (especially) Kensington have produced vastly superior programmable-key/button functions fifteen years ago for their mice. This isn't cutting-edge stuff, and still it doesn't work.
Oooh, almost forgot the amazing super-duper touch-disk! Why? Because it's nothing new or remarkable at all. It's a touch pad that's round instead of square, again to no obvious advantage. Its action is adjustable, both in mouse mode and in scroll speed. I've got touchpads from ten years ago with more impressive features, like an adjustable size for the scrolling part (outer margin of the surface), an option for a tap to be a double-click in one area, etc.
For a desktop computer, the wireless bluetooth feature is useless for me.
If this were a $50 keyboard, I'd recommend it for its touch, with a warning about all the nonstandard placements, and lack of number keypad, and defective software. For a list of $200, its failings become less tolerable.
| | A good professional's keyboard |
| (At the time of writing this review, I've owned this keyboard for about a month now.)
This is definitely a professional's keyboard. It's got a soft enough touch not to cause strain when you're typing for hours, but enough resistance, travel, and sudden reduction of resistance (I forget the proper term for how the key's resistance goes away once you've registered a keystroke) to allow you to type accurately. Being only 11mm tall, you don't need one of those cumbersome wrist rests -- your hands are barely above the table that you're typing on, so your posture is just naturally good. The keys are also a very good size -- I'm a touch typist (not trained; everyone becomes a touch typist if they type enough) and the keys are spaced very well to allow you to touch type without mistakes.
That the keyboard is pretty doesn't need further comment; it's also very solid. The first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box was that the keyboard was really solid. It may not be a cheap keyboard, but it's not made cheaply, either.
Thankfully the included receiver does bluetooth-to-usb conversion, so using the keyboard is simple plug-and-play, at least in Linux. (All of the keys work fine in Linux, there's still a bug in the mouse driver which disables the touch pad, but there will be a fix in USB mouse driver which fixes that, I believe -- a cursory google reveals at least one patch floating around.) I've never tried it in windows (I do embedded development in a Linux environment).
The battery life isn't an issue. Supposedly it can go a whole month on a single charge, but I can't fathom letting it go that long. As other commenters have noted, it looks good so good in its stand that when you finish for the day, you might as well put it there so that you have something pleasing to see when you start the next morning. Even so, I have gone close to a week without recharging it and didn't notice the slightest difference, so I believe the month-on-a-charge claim.
The bluetooth links is very reliable -- I've never missed a single keystroke. The touch-based volume control is really cool, and works quite well.
Oh, one other thing about it I love: instead of using an LED for caps lock, it beeps at you in one tone for turning caps lock on, and in another tone for turning caps lock off. I can't figure out who would use caps lock (and not a number pad) in the modern world, but as long as this mis-feature persists on keyboards, the beeping is extremely helpful for touch-typists who get a little sloppy with the left shift key.
In summary, I highly recommend this keyboard to any professional who can afford good tools. I'm very glad that I bought this keyboard.
| | Good keyboard - but not up to the pricetag |
| I recently picked up this keyboard as an attempted replacement for my Adesso wireless keyboard with touchpad I've been using for control of my HTPC from the couch. This keyboard is good - but not good enough to justify the price premium, so it's going back to the retailer until I can find something better.
The good:
- Looks - it's beautiful (as you already know, and why you are interested).
- The keys are nice - very similar look, feel and layout to my Thinkpad - which is a good thing.
- The media launch buttons and zoom buttons are great for a HTPC
- Setup was a breeze - no configuration required to get the basic functionality working. And no missed keystrokes so far.
The not so good:
- The touchpad. It's ok - but at this price point it should be great. This was my main beef with the Adesso, and as this one is only incrementally better, it's not worth it. The scrolling features, which are, imo, one of the most important features of a touchpad, are difficult to use consistently.
- The size. The Adesso has it all over logitech on this one. This keyboard pretty much requires two hands, and the thing is huge (for a remote replacement). If you're using it on a desk, it probably won't be an issue. In the livingroom, however, I'd prefer if they were a little more thoughtful about the size.
- The media controls. As opposed to the Adesso, which has none, the few that Logitech gives you are nice, but there aren't enough of them! There is tons of extra space on this keyboard, so why are the bulk of these keys paired with the F keys which requires two hands to operate?? How about some dedicated keys?
- No backlight! Why on earth isn't the main keyboard backlit? I knew this going in to the purchase, but this keyboard is supposed to be cutting edge and top of the line. Backlighting should be mandatory for a keyboard marketed to HTPC users.
- The charging stand. I know it's a good looking piece of equipment, but please. I don't really care to show it off, and finding a permanent location that fits the keyboard in the cradle in my living room isn't easy. I'd prefer at least the option of just connecting via a cable.
| | I bought this on a lark. It's expensive, but its design is more reminiscent of Bang & Olufsen's super-duper-pretty audio gear than normal PC equipment.
The keyboard itself is quite nice. I'm typing on it now, and the feel is as good as any I've used. (And I've used a lot -- starting with ASR 33 teletypes, through dumb terminals, PCs, workstations, etc.)
Yes, the charging station might not fit well in some desk environments. It works really well in mine, and you only have to charge the Li-Ion battery every month or two. If it runs out, a five minute charge will last a day.
The "ultimately cool" application for this keyboard would be a home theater. You'd be able to work on documents without compromising ergonomics, and then use the same keyboard as a pretty handy MCE remote. And if you're willing to pay more than $150 bucks for a keyboard, then you're just the right candidate for a 50" 1080p flat panel. That's the ticket!
The built-in trackpad works as well as the one on notebooks, although the area is a little smaller. I use the keyboard in conjunction with a Wacom tablet, and the combination is just about right.
Vista support: I've been using Vista for a few months now (yeah, I'm in the computer biz), and Vista more or less has support for the keyboard built in. I expect Logitech will eventually release a version of their setpoint software to get at the little extras (like remapping the function keys). Or maybe Vista has this buried in some menu!
The vertical/horizontal scroll wheel is just a little bit frustrating in Vista; you have to pay careful attention in order to be able to use it.
One of the other reviewers complained about the Bluetooth not working smoothly. Vista just ate the thing up; I was up and running ten seconds after opening the box. I just plugged in their dongle and turned the keyboard on (it came charged). Voila!
There is absolutely no way to justify a $150 keyboard quantitatively -- you really just have to decide that you need something this sleek. Bottom line: if you like the looks, and are willing to pay for them, you won't be disappointed.
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