Our old friend IOGEAR keeps churning out peripherals coated in its Nano Shield antimicrobial technology. It seems a surefire way to gain market share among germophobes and health-care professionals. But today's keyboard and mouse combo seems aimed more at the home PC multimedia market.
This keyboard and mouse bundle pairs a svelte, sexy multimedia keyboard with a matching silver and black mouse. Both are capable and work well, but next to the sexy slimness of the keyboard, the mouse looks a little chunky. A nice touch though, is IOGEAR's decision to incorporate both the keyboard and mouse RF receivers into the mouse's charging dock. This saves on those always-occupied USB ports that I never seem to have enough of. And without the tiny USB dongle, there's one less little thing to lose or break.
I'll talk about the keyboard first, because, while it is small, there's a lot to love. The keys are the flat laptop-type, which helps keep the keyboard to a slim three-fourths of an inch at its thickest point. The now-ubiquitous multimedia buttons along the top are simple, but clearly labeled with icons. I really dig the dedicated Calc and My Computer buttons. The alphanumeric keys don't feel really squishy or clacky but seem to manage a happy medium between the two. I wouldn't have a problem using this board for all my typing and, as you might guess, I do a lot of typing. The only thing I don't like is sticking the two plain old AAA batteries in the back; I'd prefer rechargables. But there isn't much to be done about that, because no one wants to dock their keyboards.
Thankfully though, IOGEAR includes rechargables in the accompanying mouse, which charge when the mouse is placed in the dock. That's pretty standard, but a good solution. While the mouse matches the keyboard in color, a nice black-and-silver color scheme, it looks kind of stocky next to its keyboard partner. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the slim Logitech MX Air. But IOGEAR's mouse is comfortable, and it's a far cry from Microsoft's recent beachball ergonomic mice. There's not a whole lot else to say about the mouse. It works, has dedicated forward and back buttons, and feels solid.
This keyboard and mouse set would work well and look good in any home or office setting. The mouse is a little plain, but comfortably functional. The keyboard is above average, both in looks and comfort. And its thin profile and light weight make it a good choice if you frequently find yourself typing on your couch with the board in your lap.
This set would also work well for presentations. IOGEAR claims a range of about 33 feet. And from what I can tell, that seems about right. The suggested retail price of $99.95 is pretty steep, but a quick search of price comparison sites turned up hits at about half that. And if you don't need your input devices to be more than five or six feet from your PC, IOGEAR makes a very similar wireless set that can be had for even less. Both are available now, but shop around as prices vary widely.
Post by Matt Safford
Mixx It
Digg It
Stumble
More...
