Slice
07-26-2004, 10:09 PM
My review:
Well to start off let me just say I was weary about switching to wireless because I thought there would be some kind of delay or lack of preciseness. I have to admit I was completely wrong. The Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Executive Edition exceeded my expectations for this combo wireless keyboard and mouse kit.
As I was driving home with my new hardware I happen to glimpse down at the box and read that it needed batteries. Well yeah duh it is wireless, so being a half a mile away from home I was hoping I had the batteries it takes because I didn’t want to have to drive back to town. Once I got home I opened the box and to my surprise, not only did it come with batteries but they were Energizer no less! (Normally the included batteries are some weird Japanese brand you’ve never heard of and are lighter than those balsa wood rubber band powered gliders that you bought at the convenient store as a kid.)
I took out all of the pieces and inserted the batteries in to the keyboard and the mouse. Upon first inspection of the keyboard I must say that it is probably one of the most durable, well constructed and nicely laid out keyboards that I have ever owned. I immediately loved the one piece built in padded wrist wrest as apposed to those flimsy ones that you have to snap in which end up snapping or popping off during intense gamming moments. The mouse was also just as impressive with its leather padded top grip and sleek and comfortable design.
On to the features! Let’s start out with the keyboard. It has your typical multimedia keyboard functions such as volume control, play, stop, forward, reverse, mute, pause and media player. It also has your typical quick buttons for My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Mail, Web/Home, Messenger, Calculator, Log Off and Sleep. Those buttons are pretty standard on most keyboards and are generally located across the top of the keyboard. Two nice features which are not commonly found are the tilt scroll wheel and 5 my favorites extra buttons with a show favorites menu button.
The tilt scroll wheel enables you to scroll your screen in any environment vertically or horizontally directly from your keyboard. Just above the scroll wheel it has a Back and Forward button which function the same as the back and forward clickable buttons on your web browser. I can really see myself using this feature quite a bit while doing everyday stuff like checking emails, visiting forums and typing documents.
The 5 totally customizable favorite buttons are a nice added touch as I can rapidly load web sites, programs or just about anything with a standard file or html path to it. In case you forget which button loads what feature you programmed it to, there is a show favorites button which when depressed displays an on screen menu revealing what each one does. In that same menu you also have the option to change the button feature.
The mouse has a sophisticated but subtle look to it and is very comfortable. The mouse also has the tilt technology which allows you to scroll horizontal like the keyboard wheel. It has the standard left and right click buttons and 2 thumb buttons which are elevated up just enough above the thumb area as not to accidentally hit them. The scroll wheel I admit will take some getting use to as well as being wireless it is a bit heavier than a wired mouse but I have almost forgot what my wired mouse feels like now.
I picked up this combo at Office Depot on sale this week for $89. It also came with a $20 rebate which I wasn’t aware of until check out when the sales woman said, “wait it comes with a rebate”. That was an added bonus even though I feel that the combo is worth the $89, rebate or not. To anyone looking in to getting a new keyboard and mouse I highly recommend this combo and would give it a 9.5 out of 10.
Well to start off let me just say I was weary about switching to wireless because I thought there would be some kind of delay or lack of preciseness. I have to admit I was completely wrong. The Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Executive Edition exceeded my expectations for this combo wireless keyboard and mouse kit.
As I was driving home with my new hardware I happen to glimpse down at the box and read that it needed batteries. Well yeah duh it is wireless, so being a half a mile away from home I was hoping I had the batteries it takes because I didn’t want to have to drive back to town. Once I got home I opened the box and to my surprise, not only did it come with batteries but they were Energizer no less! (Normally the included batteries are some weird Japanese brand you’ve never heard of and are lighter than those balsa wood rubber band powered gliders that you bought at the convenient store as a kid.)
I took out all of the pieces and inserted the batteries in to the keyboard and the mouse. Upon first inspection of the keyboard I must say that it is probably one of the most durable, well constructed and nicely laid out keyboards that I have ever owned. I immediately loved the one piece built in padded wrist wrest as apposed to those flimsy ones that you have to snap in which end up snapping or popping off during intense gamming moments. The mouse was also just as impressive with its leather padded top grip and sleek and comfortable design.
On to the features! Let’s start out with the keyboard. It has your typical multimedia keyboard functions such as volume control, play, stop, forward, reverse, mute, pause and media player. It also has your typical quick buttons for My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Mail, Web/Home, Messenger, Calculator, Log Off and Sleep. Those buttons are pretty standard on most keyboards and are generally located across the top of the keyboard. Two nice features which are not commonly found are the tilt scroll wheel and 5 my favorites extra buttons with a show favorites menu button.
The tilt scroll wheel enables you to scroll your screen in any environment vertically or horizontally directly from your keyboard. Just above the scroll wheel it has a Back and Forward button which function the same as the back and forward clickable buttons on your web browser. I can really see myself using this feature quite a bit while doing everyday stuff like checking emails, visiting forums and typing documents.
The 5 totally customizable favorite buttons are a nice added touch as I can rapidly load web sites, programs or just about anything with a standard file or html path to it. In case you forget which button loads what feature you programmed it to, there is a show favorites button which when depressed displays an on screen menu revealing what each one does. In that same menu you also have the option to change the button feature.
The mouse has a sophisticated but subtle look to it and is very comfortable. The mouse also has the tilt technology which allows you to scroll horizontal like the keyboard wheel. It has the standard left and right click buttons and 2 thumb buttons which are elevated up just enough above the thumb area as not to accidentally hit them. The scroll wheel I admit will take some getting use to as well as being wireless it is a bit heavier than a wired mouse but I have almost forgot what my wired mouse feels like now.
I picked up this combo at Office Depot on sale this week for $89. It also came with a $20 rebate which I wasn’t aware of until check out when the sales woman said, “wait it comes with a rebate”. That was an added bonus even though I feel that the combo is worth the $89, rebate or not. To anyone looking in to getting a new keyboard and mouse I highly recommend this combo and would give it a 9.5 out of 10.