Re: Media Centre Keyboard

[lee.taylor@xxxxxxxxxx]

Mark,

> Anyone got a recommendation for a keyboard for VMC? Watched Ian Dixons
> video last night ( http://tinyurl.com/2dtud7 ) and he
doesn't rate the
mouse
> function of the proper MS one.

I've got the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 which I am very
pleased with, and use on my Media Centre.

http://tinyurl.com/3cvb96

> Prefer RF to IR and a trackball or touchpad.

It is RF (Bluetooth) and comes with a touchpad which isn't obvious from the
picture. Look for number 6 in the feature list. It looks like a button in
the middle, surrounded by a square rocker - and it is, but if you flick the
slide switch which is just visible above it, then the whole pad becomes a
touchpad that you glide over with your finger/thumb without clicking the
buttons down. You can left-click with either a single light tap, or use the
2 mouse buttons on the opposite side of the keyboard in the same position.
Hope I've explained that OK. It's a bit fiddly to start with but you soon
get used to it. I find that I hardly ever use the separate laser mouse
(supplied) at all during general use.

Battery life is excellent. It takes 4xAA (supplied) which I haven't needed
to change yet in the 6 months I've had it. And there is no on/off switch to
worry about either, which is a major plus if you're worried someone might
leave it on and flatten the batteries.

The only slight criticism I would have is that the top row 'F' keys are
touch sensitive rather than actual keys, so doing things like Alt-F4 just
doesn't feel right.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Lee

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