Microsoft Office Keyboard

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Title : Microsoft Office Keyboard
Author : Microsoft
Release Date : 20010823
Binding : Electronics
Regular Price : $39.99
Amazon.com Price : $49.99 (-25 %)
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Editorial Reviews :
Most people silently suffer with the cheap keyboards that came with their PCs, never even considering there might be a better option out there. With its Office Keyboard, Microsoft offers an innovative, well-designed alternative. Its extra buttons, customizable control software, and tight integration with Windows and Office applications simplify many common tasks. Bottom line, this clever keyboard lets you get more done easier and faster.
To install the keyboard, we simply ran the setup program on the included CD-ROM. We then plugged the keyboard into the USB port, and Windows instantly recognized it. The keyboard also comes with a PS/2 adapter for connecting to the PC's traditional keyboard port; either option works just as well.

What sets the Office Keyboard apart isn't the physical design. It has a standard shape and layout, as opposed to Microsoft's Natural Keyboard with its sloped shape. Instead, the Office Keyboard makes its mark with highly programmable extra keys. Above the function keys you'll find a row of 13 gray buttons with labels like Word, Excel, Mail, Volume, and Sleep. Press them to launch or switch between applications, control volume, etc. A gray plastic hand-rest skirts around the bottom and left of the keyboard. On the left you'll find seven more buttons, handling functions like cut, copy, and paste, as well as a scroll wheel that turns easily, letting you page through documents and Web pages.

Typing away, we found that these extra buttons came in handy almost immediately. It's a real pleasure just pressing one key to undo an action or copy some text instead of having to reach for the mouse or to remember a complicated keyboard shortcut. The long scroll wheel is very handy and much easier to use than the tiny wheels found on many mice. And, since we always keep Microsoft's Web browser, word processor, and e-mail client open at once, we especially enjoyed the ease of switching between applications. The keys themselves have a solid, slightly spongy feel, and the hand-rest makes it comfortable to type for long periods of time.

Though the default settings work well, it's the customizability that gives this keyboard its true power. The keys can be remapped to launch any application or open any Web page. So, for instance, using the included software, you could map the calculator key to bring up your brokerage account on the Web or the calendar key to launch your non-Microsoft contact manager.

Our only quibble with the keyboard is that it doesn't act as a hub for connecting other USB peripherals. That aside, it's an outstanding keyboard that's sure to make your work go more quickly and smoothly. --Ken Feinstein

Buyer Reviews :
When one takes into account Microsoft's success with what I consider to be the best mouse in the market out there--the Intelimouse Explorer (and its Wireless cousin)--and then take into account this keyboard, its hard not to get the impression that someone *really* knows what they're doing at Microsoft. This keyboard truly is a wonderfuly keyboard, in my opinion.

First, addressing its status as a Microsoft Office keyboard--You don't really need office to make it useful. Only two permanent buttons deal with office programs, Word and Excel. All the others are general ones (Web, Mail, Calendar, Files, Calc, etc.). Of course, Office benefits quite a bit from this keyboard.

Pros: As another reviewer pointed out, this keyboard is mechanically great. When you type with it the keys hit gently and you don't end up with a typewriter style sound from your keyboard. The wrist rest at the bottom of the keyboard may bother some at first, but I got used to it and think its quite nice, and helps your hands position when typing. The sidepanel is where this keyboard truly shines: an inch scroll wheel added with cut, copy, paste, back, forward, and application buttons (having the same function as ALT-TAB, causing you to switch between programs). All of these can be useful depending on your habits, but personally, I use the scroll and application switching buttons the most, and use the others less frequently.

Cons: OK, there are some downsides to this keyboard, but none of them are too bothersome, and were significant enough to give it a 4 (if only Amazon allowed 4.5... =). First, theres this function thing they have going on with the Function keys. The function keys (F1 - F12) have their normal function, and also have an 'enhanced mode', with special Windows functions such as help, new, open, close, reply, fwd, send, spell, save, print, etc. I'm sure that these are useful to some people, but for the past 5 years I've trained myself to use all the shortcuts. And, unfortunately, the keyboard defaults to enhanced mode and when you restart it goes back to enhanced mode as well. What irks me even more is that they didn't have the brains to put at least some of these enhanced keys to correspond to their normal function. Everyone knows what Alt+F4 does, right? Well, do that in enhanced mode and it opens a new window--and add to that that the close button is only two keys down from it. Why not have Close be on the F4 key? The enhanced key thing is a serious problem that Microsoft has to take care of--its not too inconvienet, but I expect better from them.

Two more comments on key placement: there is only one windows key, and its on the left side. This is just me personally, but I've grown quite accustomed to using it on my right hand. Second, and even more of a pain if you switch between computers (and thus keyboards) often. The delete key is huge. Basically, they took the normal 6-key group of Insert, Home, Page Up, Delete, etc, and made it 2x3 instead of 3x2, and then they took out the insert key and made the delete key 2 keys long vertically. It takes getting used to, and its a pain when you switch keyboards.

I don't want to stress too much the problems--they really are few, and I'm nitpicking here. It truly is a good keyboard.. Microsoft just needs to fix a few things though.

(by Richard Bessler)

Features/Technical Specs :
* Left-side single touch pad enhances your computing experience with new functonality
* Keys reinvented to perform common tasks such as new, open, and save
* Includes 12 hot keys for one-touch e-mail, multimedia, and Internet operation
* Shaped wrist rest for added comfort
* Included IntelliType Pro software allows customization of hot keys

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