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ViewSonic ViewMate KP102 Keyboard & MC201 Optical Mouse |
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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
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Page 1 of 2
Thanks to eWaggle for the product sample.
Much like mice, keyboards are a vital, yet often overlooked part of a computer. Enthusiasts will upgrade their machines at least twice a year, getting the latest processors, video cards, et cetera, but few care to spend money on a decent keyboard. That's because keyboards are more or less standardized with minute differences between brands. I myself have grown accustomed to my now hideous looking Microsoft Elite. For a while I also used Microsoft's IntelliMouse, but then my eyes were opened to the wonderful world of Logitech's MX510.
I must admit, I felt a little close-minded about my obsession with the split-down-the-middle keyboard, and just in time a ViewSonic combo pack arrived at my doorstep. Specifically, the ViewMate KP102 office keyboard and MC201 optical mouse. In a world dominated by Microsoft and Logitech peripherals (not to forget Dell for the mainstream market), ViewSonic's now-discontinued duo got me excited. Most of us know ViewSonic for their monitors, but they have a decent lineup of accessories as well.
I chose to review these items together because that's how eWaggle sells them; you can purchase each one individually for $17.99, or both for $18. Now, $18 is a pretty good price for a feature packed keyboard and a less arousing optical mouse. The keyboard uses a PS/2 connector, which is ok for most of us, but quite a few enthusiasts have legacy free boards so a USB connection with a PS/2 adapter would have been preferable (this is how the mouse is). Also included in the bundle is a floppy disk with mouse drivers and a CD for the keyboard drivers.
The MC201 optical mouse is very basic. Left click, wheel/button, right click. It doesn't curve in any particular direction, so you can use it with either hand. It actually looks like two mice in one; the upper clear shell surrounds the inner black shell. The back side has four feet which although slick, don't glide as well as Logitech's. As for the drivers on the floppy, since this is a basic optical mouse in every sense of the word you're better off letting Windows detect it as a generic device.
The keyboard on the other hand, is a lot more exciting. The top row is filled with hotkeys. On the far left is the largest one labeled "F". This is the Office Lock key, which enables different functions for the F1-F12 (and also Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause) keys. These buttons are all labeled accordingly. From left to right, the extra functions on these keys are: Help, New, Open, Save, Replace, Bold, Spell, Bullets, Reply, Forward, Send, Task pane, Print, Undo, and Redo. While some are well planned, I'm accustomed to using Control + [key] for most of my commands. Pressing this Office Lock button toggles the extra functions on and off.
The top row, from left to right, has the following key designations (which can't be redefined): Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Calendar, My Computer, Calculator, Log Off, Back, Forward, Stop, Internet, Email, Favorites, Refresh, and Search. Most of these buttons will work without the included driver (Windows will recognize it as an enhanced keyboard), but some functions (like the program launchers) won't work unless you use said driver.
On the left side are more useful buttons. Up top are the Forward and Back keys. Below that is a multidirectional pointer, used for scrolling and moving through documents. Unfortunately it doesn't act like a mouse, but it's still a nice addition. Below that are Cut, Paste, Copy, and Mark keys. The Mark button I don't understand; it doesn't seem to have any particular purpose and makes some applications act strange. At the very bottom are the Application (same function as Alt + Tab) and Close (same function as Alt + F4) keys. This arrangement is incredibly helpful if you're 1337 and use your keyboard more than your mouse.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 13 July 2007 )
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