OT: Recommend a wireless keyboard/mouse?

Guys,
Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or so.
Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
properly
cleaned!
Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
Cheers,
--
Rob

On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 13:32:36 +0100, "Oldish Git"
<> wrote:

This isn't OT, is it?

>Guys,
>Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
>I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or so.
>Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
>over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
>properly
>cleaned!
>Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
>want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
>Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
>and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?

You haven't mentioned which you've tried that have failed, but
"cheapish" in my experience means "shittish" for wireless.

The MS "Wireless Desktop" and Logitech "Cordless Desktop" sets should
all give you that sort of range, pick one that you like the keyboard
and mouse of.

Bluetooth will give you better range, but shorter battery life then
the usual radio-dongle wireless.

If you're after something neat and tidy to use from the sofa, try an
Apple Bluetooth aluminium keyboard and a Logitech Air mouse.

Cheers - Jaimie
--
You're only young once, but you can remain immature indefinitely.

"Jaimie Vandenbergh" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 13:32:36 +0100, "Oldish Git"
> <> wrote:
>
> This isn't OT, is it?
>
>>Guys,
>>Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
>>I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or
>>so.
>>Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
>>over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
>>properly
>>cleaned!
>>Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
>>want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
>>Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
>>and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
>
> You haven't mentioned which you've tried that have failed, but
> "cheapish" in my experience means "shittish" for wireless.
>
> The MS "Wireless Desktop" and Logitech "Cordless Desktop" sets should
> all give you that sort of range, pick one that you like the keyboard
> and mouse of.
>
> Bluetooth will give you better range, but shorter battery life then
> the usual radio-dongle wireless.
>
> If you're after something neat and tidy to use from the sofa, try an
> Apple Bluetooth aluminium keyboard and a Logitech Air mouse.

Thanks, Jamie. I can't honestly remember, so just fished the last one
out of the bin and.. no name! Let's just say they were likely to have
been scan 'today only' items or ebuyer specials.. AFAIR, they were
all about £20 each, so having spent £80 in a year, it's not worked out
so cheap. For use in bed; I don't want to fall asleep and strangle
myself! Thinking about it, bluetooth is a good idea for other reasons,
so I'll look at those instead. I use nimh cells for everything, so freshly
charged AA/AAA batteries are always at hand.
Thanks for the idea/pointers,
--
Rob

On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 14:41:46 +0100, "Oldish Git"
<> wrote:

>
>"Jaimie Vandenbergh" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 13:32:36 +0100, "Oldish Git"
>> <> wrote:
>>
>> This isn't OT, is it?
>>
>>>Guys,
>>>Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
>>>I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or
>>>so.
>>>Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
>>>over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
>>>properly
>>>cleaned!
>>>Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
>>>want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
>>>Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
>>>and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
>>
>> You haven't mentioned which you've tried that have failed, but
>> "cheapish" in my experience means "shittish" for wireless.
>>
>> The MS "Wireless Desktop" and Logitech "Cordless Desktop" sets should
>> all give you that sort of range, pick one that you like the keyboard
>> and mouse of.
>>
>> Bluetooth will give you better range, but shorter battery life then
>> the usual radio-dongle wireless.
>>
>> If you're after something neat and tidy to use from the sofa, try an
>> Apple Bluetooth aluminium keyboard and a Logitech Air mouse.

I should point out that these are not in the way of cheap... the Air
particularly. Ouch.

I do wish Apple made a bluetooth keyboard with a touchpad built in,
that'd be just perfect.

>Thanks, Jamie. I can't honestly remember, so just fished the last one
>out of the bin and.. no name! Let's just say they were likely to have
>been scan 'today only' items or ebuyer specials..

No point in sending them back then, I suppose. Shame.

>AFAIR, they were
>all about £20 each, so having spent £80 in a year, it's not worked out
>so cheap. For use in bed; I don't want to fall asleep and strangle
>myself! Thinking about it, bluetooth is a good idea for other reasons,
>so I'll look at those instead.

Bluetooth gives you a higher minimum bar, since there's actual
standards to adhere to when creating the kit. You can still fall afoul
of bad antenna design though. Order the stuff online and you've got
the default 14 days cooling off, so you can try it in place and send
it back.

In bed, so you'll be mousing on a duvet or blanket? Logitech laser
mice work okay with that; red LED mice not so much (MS/Logi). Or
there's wheely mice (or the horrendously expensive Air!).

Cheers - Jaimie
--
'The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human
mind to correlate all its contents' - H.P.Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

"Oldish Git" <> wrote in message news:kltWl.13394$2...
> Guys,
> Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
> I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or so.
> Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
> over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
> properly
> cleaned!
> Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
> want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
> Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
> and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
> Cheers,

Look for ones that use the 2.4ghz band , and ideally buy a Microsoft one.
You'll get far more range than you need and a good quality keyboard.



--
Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger , then I hide until it goes away"

On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 16:19:00 +0100
"Dr Zoidberg" <AlexNOOOO!!!!!!!!@drzoidberg.co.uk> wrote:

> "Oldish Git" <> wrote in message news:kltWl.13394$2...
> > Guys,
> > Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
> > I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or so.
> > Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
> > over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
> > properly
> > cleaned!
> > Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
> > want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
> > Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
> > and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
> > Cheers,
>
> Look for ones that use the 2.4ghz band , and ideally buy a Microsoft one.
> You'll get far more range than you need and a good quality keyboard.

I've got a basic MS combi. The mouse is OK, but the keyboard's range is
definitely less than 2m. I have to move the dongle into the middle of
the room to use it from my sofa, and it isn't a big room.

Although I think this model of mouse is great for use on a desk, it's
not much good on a sofa either, so let me know if you find a good
keyboard with built in trackpad which isn't outrageosly expensive.

--
TH * http://www.realh.co.uk

"Tony Houghton" <> wrote in message news:...
> On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 16:19:00 +0100
> "Dr Zoidberg" <AlexNOOOO!!!!!!!!@drzoidberg.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> "Oldish Git" <> wrote in message news:kltWl.13394$2...
>> > Guys,
>> > Wireless USB keyboard/optical mouse combos:
>> > I've now gone through 4 sets of these bloody things in the last year or so.
>> > Either they are too limited in range (need 2m range, most are unreliable
>> > over 1.5m) or the bloody keys start sticking, even if taken apart and
>> > properly
>> > cleaned!
>> > Admittedly I've ony been buying cheapish ones, but that's because I don't
>> > want to pay more but get yet another one that doesn't work at 2m!
>> > Can anyone recommend something that they actually use at that range
>> > and still has a nice feel to the keyboard after extended use?
>> > Cheers,
>>
>> Look for ones that use the 2.4ghz band , and ideally buy a Microsoft one.
>> You'll get far more range than you need and a good quality keyboard.
>
> I've got a basic MS combi. The mouse is OK, but the keyboard's range is
> definitely less than 2m. I have to move the dongle into the middle of
> the room to use it from my sofa, and it isn't a big room.

That's not a 2.4GHz model

> Although I think this model of mouse is great for use on a desk, it's
> not much good on a sofa either, so let me know if you find a good
> keyboard with built in trackpad which isn't outrageosly expensive.
>
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mo...s.aspx?pid=081

It probably fails on the last point.
Beware of the cheap ones on ebay - most have non-UK layouts.
--
Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger , then I hide until it goes away"

On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 18:32:11 +0100
"Dr Zoidberg" <AlexNOOOO!!!!!!!!@drzoidberg.co.uk> wrote:

> "Tony Houghton" <> wrote in message news:...
> > Although I think this model of mouse is great for use on a desk, it's
> > not much good on a sofa either, so let me know if you find a good
> > keyboard with built in trackpad which isn't outrageosly expensive.
> >
> http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mo...s.aspx?pid=081
>
> It probably fails on the last point.

It doesn't have a trackpad either as far as I'm concerned. Even if I was
right-handed it looks far too small for things like multi-finger tapping
and a section for scrolling.

--
TH * http://www.realh.co.uk

Tony Houghton wrote:
>
> Although I think this model of mouse is great for use on a desk, it's
> not much good on a sofa either, so let me know if you find a good
> keyboard with built in trackpad which isn't outrageosly expensive.

I've been using one of these for about 6 months on the same batteries.
http://www.dabs.com/products/keysoni...-pad-47XB.html

It works fine at about 5m (I had to move the dongle to the front of the PC
with an extension lead). Pretty pleased with it really.

HTH

Geoff

On Sun, 7 Jun 2009 13:18:44 +0200
"GeoffC" <> wrote:

> Tony Houghton wrote:
> >
> > Although I think this model of mouse is great for use on a desk, it's
> > not much good on a sofa either, so let me know if you find a good
> > keyboard with built in trackpad which isn't outrageosly expensive.
>
> I've been using one of these for about 6 months on the same batteries.
> http://www.dabs.com/products/keysoni...-pad-47XB.html
>
> It works fine at about 5m (I had to move the dongle to the front of the PC
> with an extension lead). Pretty pleased with it really.

That looks quite nice. It's discontinued at Dabs, but eBuyer and a few
others seem to have the same thing.

--
TH * http://www.realh.co.uk