The most recent articles from Personal Computer World

E-Pens Mobile Notes

Paul Lester — 2009-07-01T16:22:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Personal Computer World, Wednesday 1 July 2009 at 16:22:00

A quick and easy way to transcribe handwritten notes

Anyone who has attempted to convert a series of handwritten notes to text on a computer knows that transcription can often be a painstaking and time-consuming process, so automating this with a device such as E-pens Mobile Notes could save a lot of hassle.

The package consists of a digital stylus that acts as a regular pen, a receiver unit and conversion software. It can either be used on the move or as a mouse for tablet PCs, or for handwritten text entry into various applications.

Setup is straightforward and, once charged, the receiver can be clipped to the top of a pad of paper, picking up pen strokes to store as one of up to 50 virtual pages.

Once connected to a computer, these can be imported using the supplied software and converted to digital text using optical character recognition, with a range of settings available to denote language, writing style and end-format.

In addition to this, switching to mouse mode means that pen movements control the pointer on screen, with a tap on the page or click of the control button on the pen, activating left and right click.

We were very impressed by the responsiveness of the stylus and receiver and, though you have to write quite neatly to achieve 100 per cent accuracy, it does an admirable job of converting scrawl into text.

If you are unable or unwilling to write neatly, there is a recognition trainer provided to help the software interpret your style of writing, although you will need to proofread and alter text after writing to correct inevitable mistakes.

A bigger issue is that the pen doesn’t feel solid or well-built and is prone to slipping in the hand slightly after extended use. For normal writing, a premium fountain or ballpoint pen is much more satisfying.

However, the Mobile Notes package is still an effective product for saving time when transferring handwritten notes onto a PC.

Review: Gyration Air Mouse

Clive Akass — 2008-10-27T10:00:00.000Z

Clive Akass, Personal Computer World, Monday 27 October 2008 at 10:00:00

Motion-sensing mouse provides control with a wave of the hand

The US company Gyration pioneered the gyroscope-based motion-sensing technology that has been the basis of several products, including a prototype of Nintendo’s Wii sensor.

The Air Mouse is the first Gyration product to launch in the UK since the company was taken over by French device maker Movea.

The device’s main function is that it lets you control a cursor on screen simply by waving the mouse in the air. This is clearly useful for presentations, but it does take a bit of getting used to; you have to learn to flick your wrist for fine control rather than swinging your arm.

You can also use it as a standard mouse on the desktop. It is comfortable to hold, small and slightly humpbacked, with a little compartment holding a USB wireless dongle that you plug into your

notebook or desktop.

On the underside sits a power switch and a button that you press for mid-air control. There are two ways in which this button can be used. If you hold it down the cursor moves with your hand until you release the button, allowing you to locate the cursor correctly before left- or right-clicking.

Double-clicking the button, however, locks the mouse into mid-air mode, but this can make it harder to click the right spot.

The upper side of the mouse has the usual left and right mouse buttons along with a scroll wheel; in addition there are three other buttons that you can program for different tasks in different applications with the aid of the simple software utility.

This is a lot of buttons for a small device, so you need nimble fingers to take full advantage of it, but the whole thing packs into a neat little bag, making it suitable for travelling. If you’re willing to invest some time learning how to use it, the Air Mouse has some practical uses.

Review: Logitech V550 Nano USB mouse

Will Stapley — 2008-10-15T10:50:00.000Z

Will Stapley, Personal Computer World, Wednesday 15 October 2008 at 10:50:00

Unfussy mouse with impressive performance and battery life

The design is uncomplicated and will suit both left- and right-handed users, although its small size means it doesn’t fit quite as well as a standard-sized mouse.

Logitech includes a small hook to attach to your notebook’s chassis. The mouse clips onto this, making it easier to carry around – until you bash it on a door, of course. Logitech even includes an alcohol wipe to clean the area you plan to attach it to.

A real bonus is the tiny wireless USB receiver, which virtually disappears into a spare USB port on your notebook, and the 18-month battery life is impressive.

Review: Logitech MX 5500 Revolution wireless keyboard

Will Stapley — 2008-06-23T14:00:00.000Z

Will Stapley, Personal Computer World, Monday 23 June 2008 at 14:00:00

A Bluetooth keyboard that's good to type on

With a smooth key action and sturdy design, this keyboard is a joy to type on.

Both the keyboard and mouse connect via Bluetooth – Logitech includes a Bluetooth dongle with a quick setup button so you don’t need to mess around with passcodes.

A special Logitech function key sits in place of the usual context key (which mimics right-button mouse clicks), but is disappointing.

A small LCD provides information including time, date, email and even the current temperature, but it’s a pretty pointless addition.

Also included is Logitech’s impressive, but right-hand only, MX Revolution mouse.

Review: Logitech Dinovo Mini keyboard

Paul Lester — 2008-04-24T00:00:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Personal Computer World, Thursday 24 April 2008 at 00:00:00

A compact keyboard with a stylish design

The Dinovo Mini from Logitech joins a growing number of compact keyboards designed to free you from the constraints of a remote control when using a home theatre PC.

It’s also compatible with the Sony Playstation 3. The keyboard connects to your chosen device via Bluetooth. Logitech includes a custom USB Bluetooth dongle in the box, which will help you connect instantly and avoid the irritating scanning and pairing procedure.

Once you’ve tweaked the responsiveness of the touchpad and customised the shortcut key settings via the supplied Setpoint software, you’re ready to go. The keyboard offers a full Qwerty layout and dedicated media keys, such as volume, play/pause, track skip and more.

When enabling the Media Mode (a simple flick switch above the keyboard), these keys are highlighted above the rest to offer easy access when you’re viewing media or using applications such as Windows Media Center. In regular mode, the keys are backlit with an orange glow, making it easier to see what you’re doing in dark conditions.

However, we had a few problems with usability that threaten to undermine the otherwise effective design. The touchpad is too small to operate comfortably and the circular clickpad can hardly be described as touch-sensitive, since it requires a firm press to activate single- or double-clicks. Likewise, the keys are small and too close together for speedy, error-free typing.

The Dinovo Mini has a good dose of style and is well-built, but in practice it’s not as nice to use as we’d hoped. Although it’s a slightly more convenient way to access media functions, it’s unlikely to speed things up in terms of general text entry.

Review: Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse

Will Stapley — 2008-04-14T00:00:00.000Z

Will Stapley, Personal Computer World, Monday 14 April 2008 at 00:00:00

A stylish affair that sits comfortably in the hand

Microsoft’s Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 glides smoothly across the desk.

A small docking station recharges the battery, but we found you need to be very precise when placing the mouse on the dock. The wireless connection is provided by a small 2.4GHz USB stick.

The two traditional buttons are joined by a smooth-scrolling wheel, which itself has three button actions, and two thumb-operated buttons – Microsoft says they’re for one-touch magnification and Vista’s Flip 3D tool, but the included software lets you reassign them. The extra buttons are well positioned, so you’re unlikely to press them by accident.

Review: Logitech MX Air wireless laser mouse

Anthony Dhanendran — 2007-07-13T00:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Personal Computer World, Friday 13 July 2007 at 00:00:00

The latest mouse takes to the skies - we take an EXCLUSIVE look

Although there has been much innovation in mouse design, particularly over the last few years, there have been few fundamental changes in the design of the devices.

The biggest change has been the addition of a scroll wheel – everything else (extra side buttons, laser tracking, and so on) has either fallen by the wayside or hasn't taken off across the market.

While we were very impressed with Logitech's MX Revolution, it wasn't as much of a innovation as the company's MX Air appears to be. Put simply, it's a mouse designed to be used in the air as well as on a desk.

The mouse includes similar tracking technology to what's included in Nintendo's Wii controllers, so it can pick up its own orientation and movement when away from a surface. That means it can be used like a remote control, so it could be a handy tool for both home-theatre PC users and business Powerpoint types alike.

Installation was a piece of cake, and the Logitech RF receiver is a small, inconspicuous USB dongle. The mouse also comes with its own mains-connected charging cradle. As a conventional mouse, it's useable, although anyone used to recent ergonomic mice, including the MX Revolution, will find it quite small and oddly shaped.

Instead of a scroll wheel, there is a kind of vertical trackpad, running your fingers along which produces scrolling. It's clever, but it neither adds to, nor detracts from a conventional scroll wheel's function. In addition, there are a few customisable buttons.

The button names light up in orange when the mouse is being used, which makes it look good, but the glossy black plastic is especially susceptible to fingerprints and smudges.

Once you pick it up off a desk, it continues to work, which is disconcerting at first. The best way to use it in this mode, though, is to hold it like a remote control, from which point it makes a lot more sense.

While you won't be doing any painting in the air (we weren't able to get more than a few unrecognisable squiggles), it's surprisingly accurate. It does take a fair amount of practice to be able to use it quickly, but it works very well as a remote control, particularly for Windows Media Center.

The extra buttons come into play here, too – hold down the Vol button and swing the mouse from side to side to change the volume.

The MX Air is a very neat idea that will appeal to owners of TV-connected computers, but users who are tied to their desks will be better off with a more conventional device.

Review: Cherry Evolution Marlin Wireless Laser Multimedia Desktop

Emil Larsen — 2007-04-03T00:00:00.000Z

Emil Larsen, Personal Computer World, Tuesday 3 April 2007 at 00:00:00

Cherry makes a slim comeback with its mouse and keyboard after years of taking a back seat

After over three years of inactivity in the consumer space Cherry has released a new keyboard line-up, with the Evolution Marlin the flagship offering.

It's a wireless mouse and keyboard package with a 10m range. A USB dongle is provided and must be plugged in at all times, which is a shame since some competitors, such as the Logitech's Dinovo Edge, offer Bluetooth-based keyboards.

Pictures of the keyboard give the impression it has a metallic finish and blue backlit media keys. This is not the case though. The silver material is actually matt plastic and media buttons just have a blue-coloured outline. However, it's certainly not bland.

The keyboard is a slim-line device with keys that only have 2.5mm travel and use a scissor-action similar to that of a notebook. While we found it easy and quiet to use, some may prefer the deeper and clunkier feel keys found on conventional keyboards.

There are the obligatory 10 media and program buttons, as well as drop-down legs to give the keyboard a small amount of tilt.

The keyboard works well and, thanks to a five-year guarantee, the Evolution Marlin represents good value for money.

The mouse is made of plastic and rubber, and features a high arch making it very comfortable to use for prolonged periods of time. Thanks to a laser diode, as opposed to a less accurate infra-red sensor, it has sharp and accurate movement. Seven programmable keys are placed strategically around the mouse and it comes with two rechargeable AA batteries along with a USB lead for charging.

A word of warning to those considering buying a cheaper Cherry keyboard though: We've also had our hands on a Cherry Stingray that didn't perform quite as well.

Although the keyboard is identical, it uses a cheaper mouse and a different transmission type for wireless operation. In our office, it was completely unusable due to interference. Although the keyboard worked in a noise free environment, the response was slow and it is a very poor product in comparison.

The Marlin suffers none of these problems because it uses pre-defined, encoded wireless channels to avoid interference.

Review: Mousetrapper Advance

Paul Lester — 2007-02-23T00:00:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Personal Computer World, Friday 23 February 2007 at 00:00:00

An all-new ergonomic way to use your PC

Concerns over the dangers of extensive computer usage, specifically relating to conditions such as RSI, have calmed in recent years.

Wrist rests and supportive mouse pads seem to have reassured the health and safety departments, at least for the time being.

However, there are still plenty of alternatives to the traditional mouse, with the Mousetrapper Advance being the latest.

The ergonomically designed wrist rest incorporates a mouse replacement, most accurately described as a mobile pressure pad, and series of control buttons. The Mousetrapper sits in front of your keyboard with a rubber pad slotting underneath to prevent it sliding around the desk.

It connects instantly via USB and, while there is no software required (or indeed supplied), you can download a key configuration tool from the manufacturer website to customise the controls. By default, these cover left-click and right-click mouse operation, along with a centre button that acts as an autoscroll wheel and an automatic double-click.

It’s very simple to get up and running but, rather strangely, the mouse controls are situated on the left of the device, actively encouraging left-handed use. This isn’t a ‘left-handed’ version, simply a choice of placement decided upon during design, but we were rather confused as to why.

If you’re right-handed, you’ll find yourself altering your body shape and arm positions far more than you would when using a regular mouse, which considering the focus on ergonomics seems a little strange.

In addition, if your keyboard already has a built-in wrist rest that can’t be removed, it’s not nearly as effective. We tried it with one and found it seemed to increase strain because of the position and distance you have to move your hands. In terms of accuracy and performance though, the design works well.

The pad is smooth and responsive, and as well as performing standard mouse functioins, it also provides scrollwheel and back/forward page control for web browsing by applying pressure on a certain position. Since there are controls both above and below the main pad, you can choose which are most comfortable to use as your additional mouse buttons.

It does take some getting used to, but we’d expect as much from such a new way of operating your PC. Whether or not it will reduce RSI or general comfort when operating a PC is a tricky question to answer, but we can say that, certainly to begin with, it takes a lot more additional effort. Watch a video of the Mousetrapper Advance in action.

Considering the price of the product, we were hoping for some dramatic and ultra-comfortable way to operate our PC. We didn’t get this, but after a bit of practice, operation does come more naturally. Perhaps over time regular users will feel some small benefit, but considering the initial outlay we were expecting a little more short-term appeal.

Also consider:

Logitech 3D Connexion Space Navigator

Ingenious controller for CAD and other types of 3D software

Gizoo Flexible Keyboard

A portable, roll-up keyboard

Logitech Dinovo Edge

The ‘world’s most advanced keyboard’ finally hits our shores

All keyboard and mice reviews

Review: Logitech 3D Connexion Space Navigator mouse

Cliff Joseph — 2007-02-05T00:00:00.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Personal Computer World, Monday 5 February 2007 at 00:00:00

Ingenious controller for CAD and other types of 3D software

Logitech is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mice, and it recently bought up a company called 3D Connexion, which makes a kind of 3D mouse called the Space Navigator.

The Space Navigator is primarily designed for use with 3D modelling programs such as Maya, or the free Sketchup program that you can download from Google. However, it can also be used with more recreational programs such as the aerial maps on Google Earth.

Unlike a conventional mouse, which is essentially limited to two-dimensional movement, Space Navigator allows you to navigate through 3D space on your computer screen.

However, rather than replacing your ordinary mouse, the Space Navigator is actually meant to be used in conjunction with a mouse. So, if you’re a Maya designer, you’ll use the Space Navigator with one hand to control your movement within the 3D workspace, while also using the buttons on your ordinary mouse to select menu commands and manipulate the 3D objects that you’re working on.

In some ways, though, the Space Navigator is actually more like a joystick than a mouse. It looks fairly straightforward – essentially a big stick with a metal base to hold it steady. However, the stick part works very much like a joystick – albeit with a little more precision and control.

Press straight down on the stick when you’re using Google Earth and you’ll plunge straight down to the ground below. Pull upwards and you’ll rise straight up again. An ordinary joystick only allows you to tilt forwards and backwards, or side-to-side, but the Space Navigator is more versatile than that. As well as tilting, you can also skim forwards and backwards, or pan (strafe) from side to side just by nudging the stick in the appropriate direction.

There are two buttons on the base of the unit. The right-hand button simply opens the Control Panel for the 3D Connexion software; this allows you to adjust the way the Space Navigator works, adjusting settings such as the device’s sensitivity, and direction for pan and zoom controls.

By default, the left button simply resets your view to whatever corresponds to north within the program that you’re currently using. However, it can also be set to perform other tasks, such as saving the current document or pressing the Alt or Space keys.

The Space Navigator works well, and we soon found ourselves skimming merrily around the world in Google Earth. The only real problem with it is the virtually non-existent documentation. The printed manual does little more than tell you to plug the device into a USB port, while the online Help files aren’t much better - we wasted about 20 minutes trying to get it to work until we realised that we were actually using it back to front.

The manual doesn’t mention details such as this, nor does it explain that some programs require you to specifically activate the Space Navigator by selecting the Start Driver option from the 3D Connexion entry in the main Windows Start Menu.

We also couldn’t get the Space Navigator to work with Sketchup until we stumbled across that option almost by accident (that’s what happens when you let engineers write your manuals for you).

Still, those niggles aside, the Space Navigator is an ingenious way of providing 3D navigational tools for your flat 2D computer screen. It’s obviously a niche tool for specialised 3D designers, but will earn its keep if you do a lot of work with 3D software.

Also consider:

Gizoo Flexible Keyboard

A portable, roll-up keyboard

Logitech Dinovo Edge

The ‘world’s most advanced keyboard’ finally hits our shores

Steel Series Steelkeys 6G

Great build quality, but the Steelkeys 6G is expensive for the features it offers

All keyboard and mice reviews

Review: Gizoo Flexible Keyboard

Terry Relph-Knight — 2007-01-29T00:00:00.000Z

Terry Relph-Knight, Personal Computer World, Monday 29 January 2007 at 00:00:00

A full-size keyboard that can be rolled up when in transit

If you need a portable, but full-size PC keyboard, then this roll-up model could be just the thing. Imported from China by online gadget vendor Gizoo, this flexible, 101-key, USB keyboard can be rolled into a cylinder roughly 85mm in diameter.

The vast majority of PC keyboards on the market use a rubber sheet with moulded dimples (these provide the key return spring action) laid over a sheet of simple, plastic membrane switches. On a conventional keyboard these two elements are enclosed in a rigid plastic case and fitted with plastic keycaps.

This Flexible Keyboard from Gizoo does away with these inessential parts by enlarging the tops of the dimples in the rubber sheet and printing the key legends directly onto the rubber surface. This top sheet is laminated onto a lower rubber sheet to form a thin flexible keyboard.

Despite already having a wireless keyboard and mouse system installed we simply set the wireless keyboard to one side and plugged this rubber keyboard into a spare port on our test system's USB hub.

Windows XP recognised and auto-installed the keyboard and it worked flawlessly straight away. At first it feels a little odd under the fingers because, of necessity, the typing surface isn’t inclined like a normal keyboard. Also, without the mechanical guidance of a plastic keycap, the rubber keys tend to tilt a little about their central contact point.

The key legends are clearly printed in white, making them very visible against the matte black rubber background. On most conventional keyboards printed key legends frequently wear off. However, the manufacturer says that a wear-resistant process has been used to print the legends on this keyboard.

One advantage is that this keyboard is quieter than most, so it would certainly lend itself to use in public environments like libraries. Being completely sealed it’s also very resistant to dirt and moisture and can be easily cleaned.

Also consider:

Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser

A decent desktop mouse and keyboard set for the masses

Steel Series Steelkeys 6G gaming keyboard

Great build quality, but the Steelkeys 6G is expensive for the features it offers

Logitech Dinovo Edge

The ‘world’s most advanced keyboard’ finally hits our shores

All keyboard and mice reviews

Review: Logitech Dinovo Edge keyboard

Paul Lester — 2007-01-18T00:00:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Personal Computer World, Thursday 18 January 2007 at 00:00:00

The ‘world’s most advanced keyboard’ finally hits our shores

Logitech’s new Edge, the self-professed ‘world’s most advanced keyboard’, is certainly one for those who have style in mind. It’s a very slim device finished in black plexiglass and brushed aluminium, boasting an array of technology that defines its claim.

Most notable is the Perfect Stroke key system, which evenly distributes the amount of pressure you place on each key to reduce typing errors. After a bit of getting used to it we were impressed.

The flat nature of the Edge and perfectly balanced key pressure sped up our typing, helped by the ergonomics of the base, which acts as a handy wrist-rest.

In addition to this you’ll find a circular touch-sensitive pad to control the mouse and another touch-sensitive volume control. It works well, but in the case of the volume slider we question the practicality of this design over a more conventional button control.

All these ‘special’ keys are managed effectively through Logitech’s Setpoint software, which makes it easy to redefine any of their functionality to custom actions.

The device connects instantly with the help of the Bluetooth dongle supplied and is charged by mounting it in a stylish docking stand; you can expect about two months of use from a full charge, and Logitech claims a range of 30 feet, which in our tests wasn’t far off.

Logitech’s aim with the Edge was to produce something stylish and minimalist for aesthetics-driven punters, and in this they have succeeded.

But sacrifices have been made. There’s no numeric keypad and to access the additional shortcut keys for web access, multimedia and custom controls, you have to press and hold the ‘Fn’ button to light up the controls above the function keys.

The Edge is expensive but the market Logitech has targeted it at will be impressed. While it’s not necessarily practical for the casual user, it appears worthy of its position as world’s most advanced.

Build quality is superb and in terms of general operation, it’s one of the most impressive keyboards we’ve used.

Also consider:

Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser

A decent desktop mouse and keyboard set for the masses

Steel Series Steelkeys 6G gaming keyboard

Great build quality, but the Steelkeys 6G is expensive for the features it offers

Celluon Laserkey CL800BT laser keyboard

The Celluon Laserkey CL80 is a well-featured and well-designed laser keyboard, but Bluetooth installation can be fiddly and it requires a change in typing style

All keyboard and mice reviews

Review: Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser

Emil Larsen — 2006-12-19T00:00:00.000Z

Emil Larsen, Personal Computer World, Tuesday 19 December 2006 at 00:00:00

A decent desktop mouse and keyboard set for the masses

The Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser is a wireless keyboard and mouse combination for the masses.

It's an ergonomic keyboard with the main keys split in two groups. Love or hate them, ergonomic keyboards are supposed to prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSI) such as Carpal tunnel syndrome (CRS) by raising the wrist a little and effecting more natural hand movements.

The keyboard is substantially raised even at its lowest setting; at its highest setting the keyboard positively dominates the desk.

The rubber wrist-rest that attaches to the bottom of the keyboard is comfortable and adds to the overall bulk of the unit. During testing we found it constantly picked up unpleasant finger marks and other dirt, although this was easy to remove with a damp cloth.

The grey and black colour scheme gives it a professional look, but some will no doubt find it bland. The usual splattering of media controls lie above the keyboard along with some extra user-definable preset buttons.

We found the keyboard a little noisier than most and nowhere near as quiet as the Saitek Eclipse II we recently reviewed. The right side of the spacebar made a painful crunch every time it was hit, which soon began to irritate.

The MX 600 mouse is a laser-driven model and therefore more accurate than standard optical mice. Despite containing two AA batteries the mouse is perfectly weighted and comfortable to use.

As well as a standard scroll wheel, the mouse has zoom in and out buttons and a 100 per cent zoom selector. These functions, along with a battery indicator, lie on the top of the mouse but are discreetly placed and easy to ignore if you don’t want to use them.

Overall, this is a well-designed desktop set from Logitech. The suggested retail price is a little high for our liking at £49.99. But, after shopping around online, we found it for under £38 - at this price, it is good value.

Also consider:

Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard

A funky yet purposeful design

Steel Series Steelkeys 6G gaming keyboard

Great build quality, but the Steelkeys 6G is expensive for the features it offers

All keyboard reviews

Review: Saitek Obsidian Wireless Mouse

Emil Larsen — 2006-11-28T00:00:00.000Z

Emil Larsen, Personal Computer World, Tuesday 28 November 2006 at 00:00:00

A large and high-resolution optical solution

The Obsidian Wireless Mouse is Saitek's latest foray into the premium input devices market.

Unlike other manufacturers that employ a range of metallic alloys to create high-end equipment, Saitek makes flashy peripherals from cheap materials. To differentiate its products it uses striking design and colourful lights.

The Obsidian has a high optical 1,000dpi resolution and it shows; cursor movements are sharp and accurate. The rails on which the mouse moves are a little rough causing some friction. Another gripe we have is that it occasionally falls into a low-power mode and you must click to wake it up, which frustratingly can take a second or two.

This ambidextrous mouse sports a touch-sensitive scroll-wheel which took some to get used to. The advantages of this type of scroll-wheel quickly become clear: it produces no noise and if you hold a finger on one end of the scroll area it will scroll continuously.

Other features include side buttons, a spare battery and a dock to charge the batteries and place the mouse when not in use.

The mouse has a sleek, low-lying design. It is one of the widest we've ever used. The result is that it is too big for our hands and not entirely comfortable for prolonged periods of time. We lusted for some form of the arched back design found on more standard Microsoft and Logitech mice.

The virtual scroll wheel steals the show by working so excellently. The mouse is stylish, but at £40 should at least be as comfortable as a £10 Dell mouse.

Also consider:

Logitech V450 cordless notebook mouse

The Logitech V450 is a well-designed travel mouse that's ideal for notebook users fed up with their touchpad

Mogo Mouse travel mouse

Small and light with an inventive design that would be a good option for anyone who travels regularly with their notebook if they have Bluetooth built in

Logitech MX Revolution laser mouse

For serious mouse users, there aren't many devices that fit as well as the Logitech MX Revolution and have as many features

All mice reviews

Review: Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard

Emil Larsen — 2006-11-21T00:00:00.000Z

Emil Larsen, Personal Computer World, Tuesday 21 November 2006 at 00:00:00

A funky yet purposeful design

This is Saitek's second foray into keyboards with funky lighting, following some success with the Eclipse I. It will appeal to children and gamers alike, but would anyone actually pay money for it?

Powered by USB, each key is back-lit with light shining through the white lettering so they can be seen in total darkness or intense lighting conditions. At the left and right light streams out from the undersides, a similar effect to that favoured by boy racers with neon under-car lights.

A dial at the top right corner allows you to control the intensity of the light effect. You can also cycle between purple, blue, or red back-lights to suit your mood. Simple media controls are included and in our testing they worked fine with player software such as iTunes and Windows Media player.

It's a space-age design, aimed squarely at computer modders, albeit with a familiar 104 key layout. The only oddity is a second Windows button on the right of the space bar.

The keys are firm, quiet and cushioned. However, after extended use they felt almost a little too padded – some keys began demanding a stiffer push than others.

In response to this, Saitek provided us with a replacement keyboard and this time the right shift button didn't always work. Despite these teething problems the keyboard is very comfortable to use and should handle hours of stress-free typing with ease.

The sturdy unit is also quite adaptable, with two slant-settings and an adjustable and detachable wrist-rest. The keys have a nice mottled texture and although finger-print prone the black plastic surrounding the keys does look classy. The surrounding silver boarder, however, does not.

Overall, Saitek has produced a nice, reliable keyboard with the Eclipse II. We liked the lighting but it’s a gimmick we're not sure is worth the extra cost. Quality and price wise it sits right in-between cheaper, and blander, keyboards and better looking aluminium models like the Enermax Aurora.

The Saitek Eclipse II can be bought now for £39.99 and includes a two-year warranty.

Also consider:

Enermax Aurora

The Enermax Aurora is one of the most stylish keyboards we've seen and definitely worth the asking price

Steel Series Steelkeys 6G gaming keyboard

Great build quality, but the Steelkeys 6G is expensive for the features it offers

Nortek Electa Fluo WL keyboard and mouse set

Stylish but not comfortable enough for long periods of time

All keyboard reviews