Hello!
The German computer hardware shop Arlt had the Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110 for 30 € during their happy hours and I bought it wanting to replace my wired HP / Compaq keyboard. While I didn't really care about the mouse since I already have a wireless optical mouse from Microsoft, I wanted the keyboard to be reliable. However, after installing the device, I had nothing but problems. Windows XP didn't want to boot and kept hanging at the black screen with the Windows flag and the blue progress bar when the receiver was connected via USB. When connected via PS/2, the mouse was really terrible. Not only it took almost a second to notice that it's being moved again, the movement was also quite turbulent and I had the impression that the pointer was actually jumping all over the screen. But the mouse was not the only problem. The keyboard had problems with CTRL+C or CTRL+X so I had to copy or cut a string three or four times before I was able to paste it somewhere. Beside that, the multimedia keys didn't work although I had the SetPoint software installed. With the drivers shiped on CD, play / pause, stop, next and previous worked with WMP, iTunes and fb2k, but the Internet key didn't open Firefox and the back key on the left side of the keyboard also didn't do anything. Being annoyed by this, I had a look on the Logitech site and downloaded the newest software version, rebooted and played again with the extra keys. This time, Internet really opened Firefox, back also worked, but the multimedia keys didn't do anything. I was also somewhat annoyed by this new layout which got adopted by both Logitech and Microsoft: the edit block does not have 3x2 keys, but 2x3 with the Del key being as high as two keys. The main problem is that the new position of the End key is at the same spot where Home was on the old layout, so whenever I wanted to jump to the beginning of a line, I was actually jumping at the end. Insert is now somewhere where Print was, Print replaces Scroll Lock and the rest is pretty much the same. I also had my problems with the blank key that required you to hit it almost in the middle. If you hit it with your thumb somewhere on the right or left, chances are good that the key "hangs" and doesn't get pressed way down.
Anyways, enough bitching. What I am looking for now is a decent wireless keyboard that doesn't cost more than ~30 € and has the old key layout with a 3x2 keys edit block. Also, some extra keys for opening the browser, playing the next song etc. would be very welcome. After this bad experience with Logitech (and not being the only one!), I would like to have a keyboard made by another brand. I am very happy with my MS mouse, so maybe a MS keyboard? While at it - do you have any idea if I can use a MS keyboard with the same receiver as I have for my mouse?
Regards,
Sebastian
Anyways, enough bitching. What I am looking for now is a decent wireless keyboard that doesn't cost more than ~30 € and has the old key layout with a 3x2 keys edit block.
Regards,
Sebastian
Sebastian,
My keyboard recently quit on me (well, I spilled coffee on it, and I guess it was offended ), so off I went looking for a new one. As a heavy typist, and a programmer (I use Boxer Text Editor), the type of keyboard you are looking for (3x2 edit keys) is an absolute requirement. To be honest, it has been so long since I bought a keyboard, I didn't realize that most have changed.
After a very looong search, I gave up. I could not find one. So I simply went with a wired keyboard. Not what I wanted, but I got the key layout I needed .
Regards!
I got a MS keyboard now which has the new layout. I hope to get used to it within a week.
I got a MS keyboard now which has the new layout. I hope to get used to it within a week.
Good luck.
I also thought I would be able to get used to the new layout, but after a few weeks and numerous files/emails/etc deleted by accident, I gave up and swore never to use a keyboard with such a layout again. I cannot understand why they had to change the edit block layout... This is just so stupid: the DEL and INS keys are located where you would normally press END and PAGEDN, which means if you are a touch typist, you end up deleting lots of stuff by mistake. Grrrr....
Yeah my MS wireless keyboard that I've had since November or December of last year still catches me out all these months later due to the optional functions being on by default, which I always seem to forget to disable with F.LOCK once Windows starts. Forgetting to disable the optional functions annoys the hell out of me instantly because I end up constantly undoing file renaming, deleting, etc. I would've never bought the damned wireless keyboard and mouse had I known they'd be pissing me off everytime I use the PC.
Another thing I just noticed that annoys me (but hope to get used to it) - the F-key groups have 3 keys instead of 4 now. Older layouts had F1, F2, F3, F4 - gap - F5, F6, F7, F8 - gap - F9, F10, F11, F12. The MS keyboard has F1, F2, F3 - gap - F4, F5, F6 - gap - ... Everytime I want to press F5 to refresh the file list in Windows Explorer or to reload a page in Firefox, I actually press F4 (since I am used to press the key right to the gap).
The F key layout takes some getting used to on my ergonomic/split MS wireless natural multimedia keyboard, they're grouped like this:
F1 through F5, Gap, F6 through F12
I'm so used to an ergonomic/split Microsoft keyboard (been using them for years) that it's impossible for me to type fast without tons of typos using a regularly shaped keyboard anymore.
Think I got used to the new edit block layout. Now I only have to get used to the F keys.
Sebastian and wireless keyboards don't want to become friends. I just brought back the MS keyboard since it stopped working because of flat batteries after only 5 days. The batteries were brand new Energizers which should expire in 2012. Having bought a 4-pack, I tested the other two and can confirm that they really are full. I am going to see how long they last in my MP3 player. The MS keyboard also started to act up when pressing two keys at the same time (ALT+TAB, CTRL+C, etc.) - just like the Logitech keyboard, some key combinations didn't reach Windows. Another thing which really annoyed me was that while seelcting a lot of files and keeping CTRL pressed, the PC sometimes thought I released the CTRL key and my previous selection was gone. Guess I have to stick to my Compaq keyboard. It has 8 programmable keys, but I can't seem to find any drivers for it.