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Thursday 18 December 2003

Wireless compact keyboard [lurks]

Right, the hunt is back on. I'm looking for a wireless compact keyboard to use for my lounge server. Originally I had a crappy cheap infrared and it was fine but fucked up after awhile, now I've got a very nice IBM wired. Only it's fucked too. It randomly goes into numlock mode for no reason, which needs an arcane vulcan death grip-like combination of key presses to revive it. Really, though, the problem is that it's wired and that's just a pain.

Now I already know that the big e-commerce outfits don't have what I need. I just refuse to believe that this is something unusual though, after all when I bought the infrared one is was a dime a dozen at the markets and now they have nothing like it! So join me my brothers, let us find a wireless compact keyboards (with integrated pointing device) which is suitable for lounge servers.

18 comments:

  1. I've seen this neat Bluetooth keyboard/trackball combo from a Korean manufacturer, but have yet to find one in the UK. I contacted them and they indicated they haven't got a UK disty - might be good fodder for your magazine, esp to get a free sample (or two ;)) and help em find a disty.
    It's perfect for a lounge and having a trackball makes it all the neater to use.
    Bluetooth Keyboard

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  2. Shake it baby: Gyration Ultra suiteBasic mini keyboard: Accuratus Silver 3100

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  3. Beej, the object is to find a wireless keyboard with an integrated nipple, trackpad or track ball. It's the only thing useful for a lounge server. Kavey, Bluetooth - very cool. I'll get onto that crowd.This crowd Ceratech have some infrared ones. They look quite high quality, there's even a black one. Integrated track pad. I'd prefer RF though and the cost is quite high given they're just IR. Waiting to hear back from those Korean guys...Still no reply from Bluelogic, lamers. Meanwhile this UK crowd has a wireless IR keyboard with trackball which is £20 cheaper than Ceratech and trackballs blow away lame mouse pad things. So I've ordered that. It had better not suck.

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  4. Did you get that IR with trackball yet? Any good

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  5. Yeah it is actually, within it's limitations. IR means you gotta point it at the receiver which has been a bit of a pain. Also the trackball doesn't move very smoothly but it works and it's still better than a nipple or a pad. It's build reasonably well and the keyboard has a nice action.
    So I recommend it. At least until someone brings out a proper RF one. Oh, by the way - I hooked up a UK distributor with the Korean dudes making the nifty Bluetooth ones. Apparently it's all going ahead so at some point they should be available in the UK. I'll keep you posted.

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  6. Found this too... Wireless RF Keyboard with trackballLooks good but can't find it in UK at moment :(This has got to be the solution in absence of a Bluetooth number for the moment...And this from Overclock.co.uk , though this is IR... hereBit nicer design than the other one IR one I think

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  7. Bit wanky looking to me. I like compact, no shite on it, no flaring etc. It has to sit around in your lounge easily accessible so I'd rather it was fairly inconspicuous really.Update 14/12/2003: I've been using that compact IR keyboard I linked above, right? Pain, you gotta point the damn thing at the receiver and the trackball is hideously unresponsive. Yet over in blog 440 we had previously discussed regular keyboards for PCs. I've also raved about the super elite Logitech Dinovo and so on.I decided that the logitech MX700 mouse is a bit knob and went back to my dual optical. Then I missed the USB ports on my Microsoft keyboard too so I got rid of the Logitech wireless keyboard from my desktop as well. So I had an entire logitech cordless desktop lying around.Only last night, it occured to plug those into Wench. OK the keyboard is hardly compact but it's RF and it has media controls. So you can type anywhere you goddamn please in the lounge. The cordless mouse, well... it works on the carpet doesn't it. Sounds crazy but it's all good. Reclined in a beanbag, I'm doing stuff on the little TFT plugged into Wench by pushing a mouse around on the carpet - which works bloody perfectly by the way, heh.Just gotta remember to pop the mouse back on its charger or it'll be another thing to lose along with the various remote controls :)

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  8. A mate of mine has a T68i and he uses some Bluetooth app to control his mouse when he's using TV out. He's got a T610 now, but I think it still works.
    It's a bit unwieldy and you wouldnt want to browse the web or play games with it, but it works just fine for loading films up etc.

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  9. Yeah I can just imaging using predictive text to type on IRC...

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  10. Well, he uses a keyboard for typing, of course. He only uses the T68i's 8-way joystick to navigate with instead of a mouse.

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  11. Sounds cute but that'd wind me up pretty quick. I've used all sorts of pads (proper analog ones too) and trackballs on compact keyboards and they all stank. I'm quite chuffed with this wireless mouse on the carpet - although it's already been stood on :)

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  12. Wish you tightwards would stump up and by one of these gyration in-air mouseys, I want to know if they are any good for bean-bag/sofa use.
    www.gyration.com

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  13. I think you should buy it.

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  14. Curses, you're always one step ahead.

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  15. Revisiting this old blog, there is now finally a proper media centre type cordless desktop set up available on the market in the UK. evil_homer mentioned Gyration's dinky in-air mouse before but they also do a proper compact RF wireless keyboard to go with it. They sell a bundle of that keyboard and the in-air jobby together which they called the Gyration Ultra Cordless Optical Suite and it's easy to find in retail at a bit less than 80 quid.
    I don't know if this is going to really be as good as the wireless RF keyboard with integrated trackball/nipple that we've all been looking for but it's worth a try so I'm going to take a look at one. Currently I'm using a Logitech Dinovo in my lounge and it's a bit of a pain using the mouse on the couch surface or my leg. I'll report back.
    P.S. I noticed they did an entire desktop because this is what's provided with the new Alienware DHS 2 Series.

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  16. I wanted to know if you have info on that bluetooth keyboard/trackball combo. The link here on the site goes nowhere right now. Thanks!corey.seabloom@zones.com

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  17. Do you see any fucking info? Could you be arsed to find it yourself? Do we look like a shop? You lazy fucking teenage dipshit.

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  18. on similar quest - have found this www.fentek-ind.com/kbmrftp150.htm and this: www.pricegrabber.com/rating_getprodrev.php/product_id=7412402/id_type=M

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