Showing posts with label unifying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unifying. Show all posts

6/23/2011

Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 (Red) Review

Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 (Red)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this for my home theater PC in my living room to go with the keyboard that uses the same Unity receiver. I stuck the receiver into one free frontside USB port on the box and can run both the keyboard and mouse off the same nearly invisible dongle. Both the mouse and the keyboard work from 30 feet away as tested. It even worked from another room. After trying two Microsoft mice which wouldn't work from more than four feet from the dongle, having a mouse which works on anything from carpet to a velvet couch up to 30 feet away with zero lag or glitches, was gratifying. I did have to download a free utility to get the PC to pair the same keyboard dongle with the mouse, but it was stupidly easy to do. I'm probably going to buy several more of these, one to keep in my netbook, the other for my PS3. Rock on Logitech for making a mouse and keyboard which are superb for home theater PC use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 (Red)

Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 helps you get more done, more comfortably, in more places. Within 15 months of battery life and laser tracking, you've got the power and precision to be more productive. The tiny wireless receiver can stay in your notebook, so there's less worry of it being broken or lost.

Buy NowGet 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 (Red)

Read More...

5/08/2011

Logitech Wireless Keyboard K250 (Dark Fleur) Review

Logitech Wireless Keyboard K250 (Dark Fleur)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First of all, I'll deal with the K250 keyboard on its own.
Pros:
1.Set up is literally as easy as 1-2-3. Turn on machine, plug in unifying receiver, turn over keyboard and pull out the plastic tab for the batteries to make contact. That's it.
2.Compact in size, but with 14 functions accessible through the FN (Function) key, such as volume control, play and fast forward, internet home, launching e-mail application, internet searches and calculator.
3.Despite the girly "dark fleur" moniker, it has a rock star look to it.
4.Keys have a nice feel and not too noisy.
5.Tiny receiver is a one-time plug in and forget about deal
6.Adjustable height
Cons:
1.Takes some getting used to if you've been using a larger keyboard.
2.Being black, dust just can't keep away from it
EDIT: A big con I forgot to mention - there aren't any lights to indicate whether your Caps lock or Num lock buttons are on. This is a big pain when you have to use a lot of passwords on a daily basis, or enter a lot of data.
Notes:
1.Be sure to open the box from the front flap, or you may miss the USB receiver tucked away there.
2.Uses 2 AAA batteries (included)
Summary:
Idiot-proof keyboard for desk-top or lap-top computer, with all the functions you need, and a rocking exterior.
Now for the wireless M305 mouse on its own.
Pros:
1.Easy set up. Turn on machine, Insert battery (included), plug in receiver, turn on and go.
2.Comes with one AA battery, tiny USB receiver and instructions in English.
3.Slider on the bottom opens front casing to insert battery, similar to the V220, except that the battery direction is much more clearly marked.
4.Easy on/off slider also on bottom.
5.Handy storage space for receiver inside battery compartment.
6.Small and portable
7.Wicked cool pattern, matching K250 keyboard mentioned above.
8.Indicator light for low battery situations.
Cons:
1.May be a bit small for large hands
2.Pretty basic in functions (but has everything most people will ever need)
3.Receiver is NOT a unifying receiver.
4.Battery cover a little tricky to remove without practice.
Summary:
A compact, basic, portable, easy to set-up wireless mouse ideal for laptops. Combines the size and design of the V220 mouse and the USB storage compartment of the VX Nano Laser mouse.
Altogether now ....
I'm reviewing the K250 wireless keyboard and the M305 wireless mouse as a pair, because they came together as a matched twosome.
Pros:
1.They make a handsome couple
Cons:
1.They don't get along and are headed for divorce court, because they don't have a unifying receiver in common.
Notes:
After driving myself crazy for a few minutes, and downloading unnecessary software, I discovered that the M305 mouse does not have what it takes to work with the unifying receiver, and therefore you'll need to plug in BOTH receivers to make the mouse and keyboard work.
Apparently you'll need the M705, Performance Mouse MX or Anywhere Mouse MX if you prefer having only one receiver for both mouse and keyboard.Summary:
Two great looking gizmos in matching attire that function well on their own, but should forget the wedding plans.
Points off for Logitech for this mismatched match-up.Amanda Richards, July 17, 2010


Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech Wireless Keyboard K250 (Dark Fleur)

The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K250 delivers a no-hassle, plug-and-play setup and no-worries, reliable typing. The Dark Fleur pattern is part of the Fantasy Collection from Logitech. Fanciful patterns, dreamy colors: the style of imagination.

Buy NowGet 5% OFF

Click here for more information about Logitech Wireless Keyboard K250 (Dark Fleur)

Read More...

5/04/2011

Logitech Wireless Keyboard K320 Review

Logitech Wireless Keyboard K320
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this keyboard (and the Logitech Performance MX Mouse) as part of my home office remodeling / update, as I wanted a wireless keyboard and mouse that used Logitech's Unifying receiver.
Installation was a breeze, I launched the Unifying setup program from within SetPoint, and added my keyboard with minimal fuss. Both the mouse and keyboard work flawlessly through the single receiver (about time, Logitech!)
This keyboard is basically a Unifying wireless version of the Logitech Internet 350 and Logitech Deluxe 250 budget keyboards (which I also use and love). The keyboard layout and dimensions are very similar.
Pros:
- Simple setup
- Excellent key-feel. Uses the standard Logitech Budget keys and switches. Very familiar.
- Fantastic Unifying Wireless receiver (works with other Unifying devices). This receiver is TINY!
- Standard keyboard layout (a MUST. Who uses L shaped Enter keys, small backspace, or non-traditional insert delete rows?)
- A couple of nice multimedia keys. I like the volume keys (+, -, mute). I don't really use the rest.
- Includes number pad. Casual users may not use this, but as a professional programmer, I occasionally need one. Perfect for my needs.
Cons:
- OK battery life. It turns itself off when not in use, but the 3 year claim has got to be wishful thinking from Logitech.
- Packaging. Amazon sent this keyboard in a truly gigantic box. I appreciate the concern, but surely 1 inch of packing material on all sides is enough. This thing was cradled in 1 foot of Amazon's brown packing paper on all sides.
Final Notes:
- The included SetPoint software was woefully out of date. Get the one from Logitech's website instead.
- The whole point of the Unifying receiver is for multiple devices to work on the same nano-receiver. I suggest getting a mouse to match your fancy new keyboard.
- The K340 and K350 are also Unifying Wireless Keyboards, but the K350 uses the wave shape ("ergonomic") and the K340 uses a non-standard key-layout. I'm a keyboard purist, so the K320 was the only option for me

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech Wireless Keyboard K320

You can rely on the wireless freedom and comfort you get with the Logitech Wireless Keyboard K320. Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless means you get a powerful connection with virtually no delays or dropouts.

Buy NowGet 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Logitech Wireless Keyboard K320

Read More...

Logitech K350 2.4Ghz Wireless Keyboard Review

Logitech K350 2.4Ghz Wireless Keyboard
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
My K350 came yesterday and I'm quite pleased, in contrast to the other review. I've been using PCs since 1980, so I've typed on a bunch of keyboards, all the way back to the original IBM PC and a handful of DEC and other terminal boards. This is the first "wave" keyboard that I've used, but not the first with an attached palm rest.
GENERAL:
The feel of the entire unit is solid, and the keys seem to have a good response. (It's not as solid as my Northgate OmniKey, but nobody has made mainstream metal keyboards for over a decade.) The keys seemed to be spaced and sized much like any other keyboard, then I measured. The keys on my basic Dell keyboard are 3/4" square, nearly flat, and touch each other. These keys are separated, deeper like an older keyboard, and just about 5/8" square, though there is enough space between them that they are almost 3/4" from center to center. My conclusion is that these keys are, indeed, typical in size and spacing. The wave shape makes the positions a bit different fom what I'm accustomed to, but not enough to cause me problems.
The palm rest is lightly padded and I find it quite comfortable, though for me it is a wrist rest as I have small hands -- 6 1/2" from base to fingertip. There are two feet on the back for either a 4° or an 8° angle lift. BTW, when the keyboard is flat on the desk the front edge of the palm rest is 7/8" off the desktop in the middle where you wouldn't have your hands. Where your hands go, it is 5/8" off the desktop. I must also say that my wrists are beginning to feel a wee bit chaffed, but, since I don't do that much typing any more, my habits have become lax, and I know I'm moving my hands around when I should be leaving them in place. Looking at the bottom, I'd say that the palm rest could be removed and recovered with other material, but you would have to put it back on or the base of the keyboard would stick out.
DIMENSIONS: about 19" by 10 1/8" at the widest part of the wave.
POWER: 2 AA batteries, included; on/off switch on the underside; battery monitor when you press a function key, but the picture is misleading. The picture looks as if the battery light shows you the level of power, which it does not. However, there is a tab in the SetPoint software that will at least tell me that my brand new batteries are "good." Right now the battery light is green. When you first power up the keyboard, the battery light will turn green if the batteries are good. I tried putting in a couple used batteries to see if the light has another color to tell you the batteries are low, but I couldn't find a combo that gave me anything but green or no light.
PROGRAMMABILITY:
The black set of keys at the top center that control volume and pause/play/stop/ff/rev cannot be reprogrammed.
Ten of the 12 function keys (document, spreadsheet, calendar, 3 unassigned, browser, messaging, e-mail, search) can be reprogrammed using the SetPoint software; only F11 (battery light) and F12 (CD/DVD eject) cannot. You can program the keys to: launch a program; open a file, a folder or a web page; show a custom menu; perform a keystroke combination; do nothing (very useful if you don't want to perform the default action but haven't anything else to assign to the key); or perform another of the preprogrammed actions. When you launch a program with a function key, the name of the program flashes on the screen briefly to tell you what you just started. The original set up is that you have to press the "Fn" key at the bottom right with the function key to get the special, programmed function; however, you can change it so that you press a function key alone to get a special function and have to press Fn to get the normal function key.
Of the 8 silver specialty keys, only the zoom key on the left cannot be reprogrammed. The silver "PC" key on the top far right can be changed, but in a more limited fashion. It will sleep the PC, restart, shut down, log off, or do nothing. The other 6 can be programmed the same way as the 10 function keys. That gives you a total of 16 keys that can be very flexibly programmed. I find that quite useful.
You can choose to disable the caps lock, num lock, scroll lock, Windows start, and insert keys so that you can't accidentally press them. You can also choose to have a sound play when you do press any of them, and/or have a notice flash briefly on the screen to tell you what state they are now in. There are no num lock or caps lock lights on the keyboard itself to tell you when they are on.
RECEIVER EXTENDER CABLE: I wondered about that one and couldn't find info on Logitech's site. It's a 5' USB cable that you can use to extend the range of the receiver plug. Plug the receiver in this cable, then the cable into the PC, stretch out the cable and your PC is now that much closer to your keyboard. On the other hand, I walked to the end of my room, about 15', and reception was still fine without the extender cable. I presume it's intended for use with large screen TV setups in big rooms or projection/lecture setups, because by the time you get far enough away to need it you can't see a normal PC screen. Well, *I* can't, anyway.
"UNIFYING": If you actually read the info about the devices with "unifying" technology on either the Amazon pages or the Logitech site, you will quickly realize that Logitech's "unifying" technology is new and does not work with older mice and keyboards, and that there are only a few keyboards and mice out for it at the moment. Oh, well. I guess I wasn't surprised at all that because I already had two Logitech wireless mice and neither worked with the other's receiver. I thought that was dumb till I realized that if they did speak to each other's receivers and you had two PCs in the same room using those mice, might both mice be controlling the cursors on both machines? No doubt the new tech has a way of identifying the devices and linking them to a particular machine to prevent a problem like that. I have an Anywhere mouse on order, which is one of the ones that has "unifying," so I'm delighted with the idea. Not only fewer cords, but also fewer USB dongles. Life is good.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech K350 2.4Ghz Wireless Keyboard

With its distinctive Wave design and Constant Curve layout, Logitech Wireless Keyboard K350 guides your hands into just the right position. You\'ll type with ease and confidence, but without having to re-learn typing on an unfamiliar layout.

Buy NowGet 18% OFF

Click here for more information about Logitech K350 2.4Ghz Wireless Keyboard

Read More...