I recently purchased a Logitech diNovo Edge Bluetooth Keyboard, which they bill as “World’s Most Advanced Keyboard”. It’s the most expensive keyboard I’ve owned, but so far, I have to say it’s the nicest keyboard as well. If you’re considering a new keyboard, here’s a bit of what you can expect with this beauty.
The packaging is very nice, as elegant as you’d expect for this level of money. The unit retails for $199, but Amazon has it for $168 as I write this, and if you hurry, there’s a $50 mail-in rebate. Included are the keyboard itself, the charging stand and power cord, USB Bluetooth mini-receiver, a cleaning cloth, installation CD, and instruction booklet. Note that this keyboard is ‘Certified for Windows Vista’, as well as ‘Designed for Windows XP’.
For some background on my purchase, my needs are for a wireless keyboard that does not work by line-of-sight (can’t be IR) since my computer is hidden away in a closet in my living room. I have a Monitor mounted to my recliner chair, with a trackball on the arm rest, so technically I don’t need cursor control on the keyboard, though it was a desired option so I can interact with my big screen without being tied to the trackball. For reference, in the past I’ve used the SMK-Link VP6210 VersaPoint RF Wireless Keyboard, and the Adesso 2.4ghz Wireless Slimtouch Touchpad Mini-Keyboard, each being decent, but also having certain annoyances.
So why buy this keyboard? Well, for one, it’s gorgeous! I use this in my living room with my PC/HTPC, so it is out in the open when people come over. This keyboard is very nice to look at, and has proven to be a conversation starter. Beyond looks, I’ve had mixed luck with radio frequency based keyboards, so I was wanting to see if Bluetooth proved to be more reliable. My signal has to travel roughly 15′ through a door, and is surrounded by lots of various electronics. I had also seen in other reviews that the feedback on the keyboard was very good, with good key travel, and an overall good feeling, despite it’s thin profile. Finally, battery life and management had been an issue with previous keyboards, where this one has a built in Li-ion battery with it’s own charging stand, and can last for weeks between charges.
Some random notes:
- There is a sliding power switch on the right side that ‘turns off’ the keyboard, though I just leave mine on all the time unless I’m cleaning it
- The black part of the top of the keyboard is a high-gloss finished plastic, which is what the elegant cleaning cloth is provided to shine up
- The silver palm rest is aluminum, and is thick enough to hold a little bit of hot/cold, so it can be a bit cold when first using it if it’s in a cold room
- The keyboard is only 11mm thick, the thinnest keyboard I’ve owned, yet has a very solid feel without being overly heavy
- Battery life has been excellent so far, I’ve used it for weeks without any charging
- The included software is not required for typical use (I hadn’t installed it until I decided to do this review, touchpad, volume controls, etc all worked fine), but can allow you to program some of the optional multimedia keys, and give feedback on your computer about battery life
- The touchpad works great, but is a bit small if you’ll be doing a lot of mouse control
- Pressing the ‘fn’ key lights up the optional features that the function keys can control
Here’s a quick video so you can see the orange lights at work. It’s definitely only eye-candy, but if you’re looking for something that will look nice in your living room, it does a good job.
The Logitech diNovo Edge keyboard is well worth the money. Typing is comfortable, with excellent touch response on the keys, and no lag due to the wireless connection. The battery life is excellent and charging is painless. Though the touchpad is small, it is very functional, and the built in scrolling is a nice touch. Unlike the 2.4ghz RF keyboards I’ve used, the Bluetooth connection has been flawless from a closet 15′ away, despite the number of other electronic devices I have. Finally, the unit is solid and comfortable, and looks great. Though it’s a bit pricey, in the end, I feel it’s money well spent, and I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone needing a dependable, comfortable, Vista certified wireless keyboard.
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Logitech diNovo Edge Bluetooth Keyboard
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