Microsoft Entertainment Desktop 7000As some of you may recall I picked this desktop set up the other day, due in part to the frustration in the wireless signal pushed out by my previous desktop combo. I use these wireless devices for the living room where a low profile simple keyboard is a must to prevent unsightly evidence of nerding out whenever guests come over.
First off, the Bluetooth range is worth the extra money. I can comfortably sit in my chair 7-10 feet away and use my entertainment center PC without any lags or drops. Unlike the PS3 controller which actually has issues maintaining connectivity :p The keyboard comes with the usual KEYS you may expect, but the numpad was axed for the sake of media specific controlls as well as an extremely responsive and subtle touchpad along the right edge of the keyboard. That's right, you dont REALLY need the mouse. The left and right click buttons are located on the opposite side of the keyboard. I was sorta miffed it lacked a 'window scroll' specific feature but they page up and page down keys are conveniently close to the touch pad, and that honestly does the job just fine. A mouse wheel would have looked pretty ghetto.
The entire F-Row set of keys was replaced with asssigned touch pads along the top of the keyboard. This cuts down on size considerably, but its really easy to forget they are there and hit them by accident. The escape key being the biggest culprit. Thank fully MOST programs dont respond to the escape key anymore. The media keys include pause/play, forward step, back step, record, mute, volume controls and a channel up/down key. Round it all out with glossy Media Center and Start Menu buttons and you have one sexy keyboard. The keyboard IS bent (yes yes Viz) but much like the Ergo keyboards offered up in the past its easy to learn and switch between standard keyboards. HOWEVER, during the first few weeks its very easy to accidently hit those F-Row keys, which could mean anything in different programs.
The mouse that comes with the desktop is a standard Microsoft Laser (not optical) Mouse design with one primary difference, one of the buttons from the left side ran over to the right. Meaning the two side buttons your thumb could hit for forward and back during browsing have been split up. Who knows why. I havent used the mouse a whole lot but I cant imagine that change being a good one. However, the inclusion of a mouse with this keyboard makes it a very flexible package, in that someone who ISNT using it as a media center desktop interface can take advantage of its small size and insane range with their laptop while on location in a prehistoric park gone made.
The keyboard runs off four standard AA batteries that fit into these awesome locking flaps along the top of the keyboard. The mouse uses rechargable batteries and a charging cradle. NMHi batteries have actually come a long way since way back when, the 'memory issue' is a non-issue and I think most wireless mice on two AAs have a lifespan of 1.5-3 months ANYWAY.
In short i'd probably give this desktop combination an
A-. While there are quirks to the new design the Microsoft Entertainment Desktop 7000 clearly does what it sound out to do and looks as stylish as an Apple Product to boot. This is also and excellent option for anyone who had previously been looking at the Media Center specific Keyboard but didn't have media center or the required Media Center remote module.
