Adesso 2.4 Ghz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard with Optical Trackball

Comment:
The track ball works good and the cursor is stable and smooth enough it is not going crazy like some people say, fun to use would buy it again.

Comment:
I really love the layout of this keyboard, which I think is about as perfect as one can get. I just wish they had made some better design decision regarding its construction.For example, the mouse ball needs to be heavier. Something similar to what Logitech uses in their trackballs would be perfect. The ball sits in a trio of tiny ball-bearings, which are situated within three plastic posts. They get gummed up quickly and are nearly impossible to clean without taking the entire keyboard apart, the screws for which are easily stripped if you're not careful. The ball tries to roll out of it's socket if not cleaned regularly, and this is what I find the most annoying. A redesign would definitely be welcome in this particular area.Another would be the antenna, which is just a small F-shaped piece of metal soldered to the underside of the internal circuit board. Because of this, transmission is easily blocked when the keyboard is in ones lap. I modded mine by attaching a short wire and running it to the top of the keyboard, a simple fix that mostly solves this problem. The transmission strength needs to be stronger too though, especially when it will be used in environments where other RF equipment is located. I've found 2.4 GHz phones, microwaves, and wireless networks have the biggest impact interference-wise. Performance improved a lot when I moved from an apartment to a house. I also found that DECT 6.0 phones don't interfere either due to their use of a lower frequency (around 1.85 GHz I think).One odd behavior I find annoying is that the mouse cursor will occasionally spaz-out. This is a receiver problem, as removing the batteries while it is happening doesn't stop it. It can be stopped by simply moving the mouse ball however, and is only annoying when it happens frequently (which is rare).Admittedly these are all minor issues. Battery life is excellent, especially seeing as I use mine constantly. In fact I'm writing this review with one on a 52" LCD TV from my nice comfy recliner. It falls asleep pretty quick, but that isn't a big deal as I'm used to always hitting the left Ctrl key prior to typing anything, a good way to wake it up. I've looked at a LOT of keyboards over the years, and am surprised no other company has tried to do something similar. Other than the problems listed, this is about as good as it gets. The ball, mouse keys, and scroll wheel are perfectly placed for HTPC use. I would definitely buy it again (and did, the nMedia version which also comes with a remote).

Comment:
***NOTE*** I would give this product 1 star but then NCIX will NOT post up my review. I say again, this product deserves 1 star or less. I gave it 3 stars just to bypass NCIX's filter.This item worked fine for about 2 months and then just crapped out one day. All the usual troubleshooting to correct the issue were unsuccessful. When you try to get in contact with the Adesso tech support all you get is a run around with phone numbers that do not work or websites which fail to help your problem but instead offer to sell you more of their products.When I discovered a tech support forum for Adesso, there were many other customers describing the same issues I was having but of course not a single post from any Adesso techs. I almost suspect this company has 100% salesmen and 0% technicians.Of course because I did not keep the original packaging I cannot claim the warranty they supposedly offer on this product.Buyers beware of this company!!!Note: Just as I am about to submit this review I see that in the "terms of use" for this review, I must accept that the company(Adesso) has the right to delete  this review if they wish. Perhaps this is why you don't see any negative reviews of this product on NCIX... This review was modfied by poster @ 03-23-10 11:22 AM

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Im very happy with this purchase so far. I have had no problems with the product at all. I haven't tried to adjust the trackball sensitivity and acceleration settings yet so Im sure I can improve this function.

Comment:
Compact and sleek design. Good ergonomics and fits well within my HTPC setup. Although not a weakness, using the track ball requires getting a little used to. Range is excellent.

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First off, don't get me wrong, this is a great keyboard and I wouldn't trade it for the world. With a home media center PC, you can't be without a mouse/keyboard combo. There's a few niggles, though: First, it's supposed to be an R/F keyboard and indeed it is, but when you put the keyboard on your lap and the folds of your cloths block the receiver, or when you put your knees up and you block the receiver of the keyboard, sometimes the keyboard loses signal. All you have to do is move the keyboard, but this is not supposed to happen with R/F. Secondly, the optical mouse is quite finicky at times and is sometimes unresponsive. You just have to hold it firmly, but it does get annoying.Overall though, this keyboard saves my life...and the little problems are easy to deal with most of the time.

Comment:
This is a great keyboard, and probably the best you can get with a trackball/mouse integrated. The keys are nicely set up, the size factor is interesting and the sides of the keyboard are nicely shaped so as to better fit in your hand.The mouse buttons are well positionned on the keyboard so that basic tasks aren't too hard to achieve (browsing the web, etc...).The downside though is that there's no power off button, I'm a bit concerned with battery usage over time (pooling mechanism), and there's no backlit, which can be annoying when using it in a home theater setup.Also Adesso won't disclose and even answer questions about the security mechanism of the keyboard (Regarding distant key logging) so beware before entering your root password.

Comment:
The combination of wireless keyboard and trackball in a perfectly-sized package at a reasonable price makes this perfect for use with a Media PC.Batteries last for months with moderate usage.Includes dedicated page up/down/home/edit keys and multimedia keys (play, next, volume, etc.)The "left mouse button" is perfectly situated so that the mouse cursor can be controlled with the thumb, while the index finger is used for selection, and the other fingers rest/grip the keyboard. In addition, a scroll wheel can be controlled at the time with the left hand, and the select/menu buttons can be activated with the left thumb. I got used to this arrangement very quickly, and it's amazingly efficient. The wheel can even be "clicked" like a normal mouse wheel.The receiver uses a single USB port and is very small and slim, though it does stick out a bit far when plugged into the front of the PC. When plugged into the back, range is severely compromised due to the occlusion of the PC case. It would have been nicer if some sort of extension cord were provided to allow the receiver to be plugged into a rear USB port, then brought around the case to the front.Overall I have to regrets with this product, and there is pretty much nothing else on the market that combines wireless keyboard and mouse control in a single unit at this price point.