Author: Mikhail Ivanenkov Date: December 14, 2007 Manufacturer: Microsoft Provider: Geeks

A Closer Look » Page 1: Introduction, Product Details

---

With new processors and video cards being released in what seems like a weekly cycle, it's easy to forget the other important parts of a computer, namely the peripherals. I've been guilty of using a 5 year old keyboard with a PC that would have been cutting edge just a few months back. Of course there's nothing wrong with that, but there comes a point where an upgrade wouldn't hurt. Today we'll be looking at Microsoft's Wireless Optical Desktop 5000, a keyboard & mouse combo that aims to please.


The "kit" arrived in the box shown above in typical Microsoft presentation style.


Inside the box you'll find the keyboard, mouse, receiver, 4 AA batteries, driver software, Microsoft's own digital image editing software, and the corresponding manual. Let's take a closer look at the individual parts.


Quite a few things can be said about the keyboard at first glance. First and foremost you'll notice the ergonomic design. The keys near the center are larger while those on the outskirts are smaller. The individual keys are rounded near the bottom to allow for a smoother transition between them while typing. They require just the right amount of force to register - not too much, not to little. The space bar is also huge. All the keys curve. This allows for your hands to rest in a more natural position and having used the Microsoft Natural Elite keyboard (a similar design released many years ago - in fact it was the first of its kind) until it simply got too nasty-looking, I can say that it is significantly more comfortable than a traditional keyboard. Of course to each his own.

You'll notice a few other things as well. On the far left we have a set of hotkeys and a Zoom slider. Above the function keys we have another row of hotkeys. Probably one of the best yet most inconspicuous additions is the large Delete key. For anyone who has a thing against the Recycle Bin, you know that Shift + Delete can be a long reach; this is no longer the case. The Insert key has also been moved as a subkey of Print Screen and requires the F Lock to be activated. Since few ever use the Insert key, it prevents its accidental activation while trying to delete something.


On the left side we have the Photo Center, essentially a bunch of hotkeys for doing basic tasks wirelessly. You can edit, print, and send images as well as browsing through a library. By default these don't work unless you install the image editing software, however you can assign them any tasks you want. As for the Zoom slider, we'll see its capabilities shortly.


The top row of hotkeys is one of the few integrations that's actually useful. Here you can increase/decrease overall volume, launch and control Windows Media Player, and instantly access your Favorites. Setting your Favorites is easy: simply browse to a web page or a folder or open a program, then hold down your button of choice (1-5) until a dialog box comes up prompting you to save your selection. It's just like making presets on a car radio. At any point you can add/edit/remove these Favorites by hitting the Star button which then brings up a dialog box of all your assigned Favorites.

---

A Closer Look » Page 1: Introduction, Product Details Page 2: A Closer Look Page 3: Software, Testing, Conclusion