Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000

Reviews of Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000

1.) Very Stylish, Form Fitting, Awesome feel
Reviewed by: N. Diaz Nowhere Important
Rating:
I have always used Microsoft peripherals and this one does not disappoint. The keys have a nice feel to them. They don't click loudly and the curve adds to the overall comfort. The keyboard has removable feet that can be moved to the front of the board to raise the front instead of the rear or removed completely for a low-profile thin keyboard.

The mouse is spectacular. It has a little LED in the middle of the mouse indicating if the power is low. It runs on a single AAA battery, but it is rechargeable and comes with its own convenient charging base. The form of the mouse is unlike I have ever felt. In my opinion, it is the best one yet.

My only complaints regarding this board is that it didn't come shipped with any protective film on the board. I had a couple of stray scratches, fingerprints, and some stray glue on the beautiful finish of the board. It has a very cool looking smokey/clear border which may be hard to keep clean and may scratch easily. Regardless this is a great piece for the style conscious who also want function.

*EDIT: In response to a review about the missing "sleep button" and log off button compared to other models, yes it can be an issue. The good news is that shortcut keys can be reassigned with the keyboard software. For instance: I don't plan on using the internet call button, so I assigned it to be a log off button instead. I use iTunes more than WM Player, so the media button launches iTunes. Definitely an inconvenience for the power users. For the average user, this keyboard has tons of extra buttons.

2.) Best Keyboard Yet!!!
Reviewed by: P. McGuire USA, California
Rating:
I have a long history with keyboards (Logitec and Microsoft). Mavis Beacon rates me at 175wpm so keyboards don't usually last too long with me. My last keyboard was the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment 7000 keyboard (still working after 1+ years). I was debating getting the Wireless Entertainment 8000 but this keyboard was over $100 cheaper. Yes, I am using this keyboard (Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000) to write this review right now (I bought 2, one for work and one for home).

Upon opening the package I put the batteries in and plugged in the USB bluetooth toggle and hit the connect buttons. There were no flashing lights that I could see on the mouse/keyboard but 5 seconds later everything connected without installing any software. Talk about getting that perfect, being able to connect on the very first try!

This keyboard is beautiful... I love the keys as they are not easily scratched. The windows key is in the right place and it has a numberkey pad! The mouse is incredibly light (with one battery) and feels great in the hand, almost 100% natural. There is no keypress lag on the keyboard however the mouse is not as sharp as my Microsoft Habu gaming mouse (to be expected). I've gotten 175+wpm on Mavis Beacon so lag annoys the heck out of me. None here!

The Aero design is really cool, just like Windows Vista. However it is EASILY scratched. One thing I like is that the keys are not glossy and easily scratched like they are on the Entertainment 7000 desktop. This keyboard has the same ergonomic curve as the Entertainment 7000 so if you are coming from that keyboard like I am you'll be right at home. I did put on the keyboard risers in back and it feels great (the Entertainment 7000 was a too little flat for me).

For the price, I definitely recommend this keyboard over the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment 8000 ($243!!) and definitely over the Microsoft WE 7000 as this keyboard has a nicer mouse and a numberkey pad AND the Windows Key is in the right place (between Ctrl and Alt).

I definitely recommend this keyboard to anyone looking for a perfect keyboard for work/home. I rate this higher than the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment 7000. Very nice Microsoft!


3.) good keyboard. -faulty connection
Reviewed by: L. Liu New York, NY
Rating:
There are many things likable about this desktop. To tell the truth, it satisfies everything that I wanted in a wireless keyboard. Let me summarize:

Pros:
1. types like a charm. coming from the microsoft ergo 4000, the keys are more responsive, more quite, with no noticeable delay. this keyboard will well-qualify for intermediate gaming.
2. looks is great. again, compared to the ergo 4000 as wells as many other keyboards that I have used in the past, this one screams quality. looks good just sitting on top of your desk. the keyboard is also a tad bit heavy, which may be a draw back for some but for me is a plus to its feel.
3. keys are laid out well. the small esc keys and function keys are not a problem for me. oh and it is also a full keyboard with numpad, which certain logitech high-end keyboard has neither.
4. great software integration with vista, unlike certain switzerland-based company. this is not a surprise since microsoft made this keyboard.
5. mouse has a nice ergonomic feel. I actually prefer the shape over my logitech G7.

cons:
1. mouse, albeit laser, couldn't compare with my 2-year-old logitech G7. but I bought this set fully aware of it since the G7 is still the best wireless mouse on the market in terms of sensitivity. I'm keeping my G7.
2. like other reviewers, my keyboard came pre-scratched from factory at the touch-sensitive keys. I was unhappy about it at first. but, practically speaking, eventually you're gonna scratch it anyway (in 1-3 days) and the scratch is only minor at best. you're buying a keyboard that you type with, not something to put on display. also the scratch is barely noticable. so not worth a star reduction.
3. noisey space bar: like other reviewers pointed out. the space bar does get a little noisy if you hit it a off center towards the right (which most of us do) i hit the space bar more towards the center, so it's quite like other keys for me. again may worth a .5 star reduction. after so many years of keyboard making experience, you would think they have already altered the design a little bit to eliminate this problem. but no. apparently the designers don't type with their designs after they're done with it.

Conclusion:
Great keyboard and good mouse. very happy with the purchase. this is the one to go for a good looking and very functional desktop. although i'm keeping my G7 because it's simply better than any other wireless mouse on the market.

****************
Edit 3 months later
rating reduced to 1 star.
Wireless connection start losing signal every now and then. My connector is just under the table no further than 4 feet away. This is incredibly annoying. I am very disappointed with Microsoft's quality control. Will not recommend this to anyone unless a convincing fix is out.

4.) Best mouse keyboard combo I have used
Reviewed by: Glenn Soltes Mississauga, Ontario Canada
Rating:
I really like this mouse keyboard combo and I have used quite a wide variety

What is great:
1) I really like the feel and surface of the keys and they are quiet
2) Mouse tracks very well and slides very smooth (as good as the new Logitech high end mice, which are also great)
3) Keys have reflective letters so you can see them clearly just by the light of your LCD
4) Range is actually as advertized for once (previous MS products were crap in this aspect - the 7000 will work one room away)
5) Very good ergonomics
6) Flock key names are clearly described
7) Solid feel and right weight
8) "Intelli" software is fairly mature and glitch free
9) No directionality to transmitter (works above and below devices)
10) Scrolling actually works properly (not too fact or slow)

What is not so great:

1) Small Esc key (minor)
2) Mouse not easy enough to get into cradle (can use standard AAA though but don't charge)
3) No sleep button (mixed blessing - no more accidental logouts and shutdowns)
4) Bad documentation (It did not say the link button on the USB dongle is the LED, wasted my time)
5) No CAPS, Flock and Num LEDs on keyboard (big problem for getting into safe mode and some BIOS setups, otherwise onscreen indicators OK)
6) Not so good placement of one side buttons on the mouse

Overall, despite some drawbacks and the price (which is too high for all major manufacturers) this combo is the best I have used so far. Unfortunately the cheaper products are all crippled in some way. The 2.4GHz wireless is way better than MS previous wireless which varied from acceptable to crap in a very unpredicable way. As good as the bluetooth that comes with high end Logitechs.

5.) Good Range
Reviewed by: JW Walton Los Angeles, CA USA
Rating:
Nice Keyboard and Mouse with good wireless range. being use in a large conference room with good reception from all corners of the room.

6.) Presentations Using a Wireless Mouse
Reviewed by: Marlo Orem, Utah
Rating:
I'm a software developer. I teach classes and make presentations at conventions about our Heritage Collector software using a notebook and projector. The podiums provided are too small and a nightmare to use because there is not enough space to use the mouse next to the computer. Now I can use the podium with the mouse and/or keyboard and to read my notes since the notebook does not have to be on the podium (off to the side or on a table). The mouse has great range which means I can use it as presenter mouse if I want to leave the podium.

I'd buy it again.



7.) Keyboard Perfection
Reviewed by: Copper San Diego, CA
Rating:
I bought this Keyboard because it looked cool in the picture. And because it was wireless and came with a cool wireless mouse. I never thought I'd use it's more advanced features and to date I've really have not. That being said, the shortcut button on the keyboard are really useful.

Like I said above, this Keyvboard looked cool in the picture, but I was suprised by how much better it looks in person. The grey see through paneling around the board looks so good and the board has a light twist to it that makes it more comfortabl to type on. The weight of the board is also perfect, it feels substantial and doesn't move around at all on the desk.

The wireless mouse is great as well. The roller on top is smooth and rolls fast to let you blast through web pages and large directories. Cursor movement it just fine, very precise, and plenty adjustible via the software.

The wireless function of both keyboard and mouse has been stellar, no issues at all. There was no trouble setting the two up, they just showed up when I restarted the computer with the blue tooth usb adaptor plugged in. I was not expecting it to be that easy. The back button on the mouse is a little far back on the mouse and really should be switched with the magnifier button that sits in front of it. I bet I can do that via the software. The magnifier tool on the mouse is neat, but I don't need it and have not found a real good use for it.

My wife has no complaints on either product, which in itself is a great compliment.

As a former technical support department manager for 8 years and current it specialist, I have to say, supporting this product would be a breeze.

8.) The Best
Reviewed by: Felix Almodovar
Rating:
This is the best keyboard to date that I have ever owned. It just took me a few hours to get adjusted the keys and all the programable keys. Very easy to use. Up till now, I had used Logitech. I would never buy another.
Ill stick to microsoft

9.) Mouse review - love the keyboard
Reviewed by: sailbeachcatz177 New England US
Rating:
I love the keyboard! The mouse it a little large for my very small hands. Also it had trouble "seeing" the battery until I loaded the driver from the CD included. I like the shape and buttons overall but could be smaller with the same options, more like the new bluetrac Explorer mouse which I also have and love.

10.) Everything I wanted
Reviewed by: Natalie USA
Rating:
I did some extensive research for this product, and found that all comparable products had the same range of praise and complaints, so I would be taking a chance no matter which one I picked. I've had this about a month now.

I think it's best if you can test it out in stores, or the similar 6000, because key touch and mouse shape are very personal. I've been using this for about a month, and it's been excellent. The key touch is just soft enough, with just enough feedback, and I don't find the spacebar or any other button to be loud. I was sad to be losing programmable launch keys (five on my old keyboard vs three here) but in truth, I have almost everything I need: launches for the web browser, e-mail, my documents (which I programmed to a different folder), and iTunes, plus the three floating keys. They're kind of cool, though there isn't really any purpose to the "floating" aspect.

The keyboard itself is heavy and well made, yet slim and comfortable should I choose to use it on my lap. I haven't had an issue with the small ESC button, and it took me a couple of weeks to adjust to the horizontal layout of the home/end/page/etc. keys.

The side buttons on the mouse are in exactly the right spot for me. The odd shape of the mouse is also quite comfortable for me. Obviously, someone with bigger or smaller hands might feel differently. It connects fine to the charger, and it hasn't yet run down, though I often forget to put it back on to charge, or to turn it off when not in use. My only complaint about the mouse is that it doesn't glide across the surface like my old one does. I intend to rub some dry soap on the little foot-pads, which are more rubbery and less slick plastic, but keep forgetting.

I'm not sure if the complaints about suddenly not connecting to the wireless receiver are for this model or not, but I have had absolutely no problems with that. If that changes, I'll be back.

11.) Awesome combo.
Reviewed by: Rock Fan Alberta
Rating:
This is by far the finest combination of wireless keyboard/mouse I have ever used next to the 6000 desktop. The comfort level is great, the design is very cool, it's looks very sharp, the keys are great and sturdy yet easy to type on, the mouse is very comfortable and has pin point precision. Not much different than the 6000 but still awesome. Microsoft makes the best keyboards. The best for everyday use and very handy for gaming. Excellent product.

12.) Love my ergo 7000
Reviewed by: iamsumaty
Rating:
I've had this keyboard and mouse at work for over a year and my tendonitis is gone, gone, gone. Bought one for the house and wished I would have done it sooner. Many reviewers complain about the noisy space bar, I have to agree but it is a small price to pay for the comfort and ease. I could never seem to get above 40wpm after typing for over 40 years, but this keyboard helped me increase my speed to over 50wpm.

13.) Awsome Keyboard and Mouse
Reviewed by: Michael J. Coscia North Haledon, NJ United States
Rating:
Great keyboard and mouse. Only problem I have with it is the trim came all scratched up right out of the box. Keys are all quite, except for the space bar, which does click on press. Other than that everything works great and I could not be happier. Def recommend.

14.) Desktop Clutter
Reviewed by: Charles G. Stevens Merrifield, VA United States
Rating:
This was an upgrade from MS Wireless Desktop 6000 for me, so I had a good idea of what to expect. This desktop uses a USB connector which plugs directly into the computer (no desktop wiring) which is an improvement.

My problems have been with the mouse, which uses 1 AAA rechargeable battery. The charger has a transformer block, cord, and charging pad, adding to desktop clutter. The battery needed a good bit of coaxing to take its first charge, but the problem now appears resolved. The mouse is awkward to hold with sides that slope the wrong way. The 2 extra buttons on the left side are awkward to operate. I am considering returning to the 6000 mouse, which is a better design, albeit heavier.

The keyboard is smaller than the 6000 and has fewer unnecessary keys, although some remain. The chicklet function keys take some getting used to. The tactile sensation is solid.

Despite the shortcomings, I would consider this a keeper and recommend it to anyone looking to reduce desktop clutter despite its quite high price.

15.) Very happy with new keyboard
Reviewed by: CJR New York
Rating:
I was having issues with my Logitech mouse - it was eating up batteries like there was no tomorrow. I tried rechargeable batteries (to save cost) but I found I was always having to change them because after a while they would not hold a charge for very long.

So I looked for a rechargeable mouse, and ended up reading the reviews for the Microsft keyboard and mouse combo. My logiteck keyboard was getting dirty (not Logitech's fault) and was hard to clean, so I thought - why not?

Anyway, I love them both. I like the fact that I can just put the mouse in the cradle to recharge when I am done for the day. I also love the feel of the keyboard. I also like the USB dongle that sends out the wireless signal. It seems much easier than the Logitech device with its wires that were always getting in the way. Also, it seemed like I was forever having to push the reset button to re-establish the connection. This has not happened yet with the MS keyboard or mouse.

I would definitely recommend this product.

16.) Full featured, great looking are at a...
Reviewed by: R. Bolin North Royalton, OH USA
Rating:
great price, Amazon is nearly $60 cheaper than anywhere else on this combo. Besides looking great this combo has every feature you could ask for, excellent wireless transceiver, great battery life and if you use Vista x64 something you will really want... real 64 bit drivers.

Mouse tracks well, keyboard is responsive (touch typist should be pleased, drivers are not bloated resource hogs, etc... No reason to hesitate, this is a great set.

17.) Fantastic!
Reviewed by: RA San Diego
Rating:
This keyboard/mouse is fabulous! It worked perfectly as soon as I took it out of the box and popped in the batteries! It not only feels great but it looks great as well. You won't be disappointed!!!

18.) Seems fine but I guess I am deaf
Reviewed by: Just me Florida
Rating:
Both keyboard and mouse nice, functional, cosmetic, and worked right out of box.

If space bar is too noisy, wow.

19.) Working Solution to Blinking Red light while in charger
Reviewed by: Freibergs2002 Tampa, Fl USA
Rating:
I just purchased a new MS Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 for my desktop computer. I used it for a couple weeks on the initial charge, and everything was fine and working wonderfully, but then it was due for a recharging and it just would not charge, and instead presented me with a blinking red LED while on the charging base after just a minute of green-LED status preceding that.

I was all ready to take the new Microsoft Mouse back to where I purchased it. But, I went hunting on the Internet to see if other people were complaining about the mouse recharge issues... YES! COMMON.

And the Microsoft Laser Mouse 7000 will not recharge for a RIDICULOUS REASON - which, I have to wonder how many batteries are pitched and/or mouses are returned because of, where MS needs to provide a SIMPLE FIX (due to a simple design flaw) by way of a new battery and/or workaround.

MS Wireless Mouse 7000 DESIGN FLAW; SIMPLE FIX!
I came across a solution someone figured out, which *appears* to be working now, as my Microsoft mouse, with its small rechargeable Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) battery, is recharged again finally.

Symptoms / Debugging:
If you try to charge your mouse without a battery inside, you will see a red blinking LED on the top of the mouse [like the symptom you are experiencing during recharging attempts for previously unknown reasons]. If there is a battery in the mouse, and everything is functioning properly, that LED should be slowly blinking GREEN until it is fully charged, and then it should be solid green light.

Why do you get a red blinking LED / Light indicator instead of a green one, even with your NEW Microsoft Laser Mouse 7000, which presumably has a NEW rechargeable and fully functional battery?

Well, it turns out that the mouse has an internal switch/button/sensor positioned under the battery (when battery is installed) that senses the presence of the battery in the battery compartment. Unfortunately, the standard NiMH battery shipped with the Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 is too narrow of diameter and does not fully depress the battery-sensor switch, and the mouse acts as though no battery is present, even when it is.

Solution / Fixing Mouse Recharge Issues, Problem
The solution is to: 1) get a thicker battery (which, I have no idea where to find one) or more preferably, 2) wrap some paper and/or tape around the battery that came with the mouse - just enough to make the battery-diameter great enough to depress the switch under the battery.

I have taken the approach of rolling paper around the battery (2 or three turns around battery with normal letter paper I had cut into a strip the width of the battery) and taping the paper together on outside so as to prevent if from uncoiling itself. Then, I placed the battery back in the battery compartment an put the mouse on the base / recharger unit. Voila! It now charges.

Note: do not put so much paper around the battery as to make closing the battery holder compartment door impossible. My battery-cover door was a snug fit when I was done, but it worked.

Summary
I still can not help thinking how many of these otherwise-working mice are being thrown away and/or returned when Microsoft (or their designer, manufacturer, battery supplier, etc) made a rather simple design flaw error that has found its way into the market. Talk about LAME QUALITY CONTROL procedures! Simple test: assemble multiple Microsoft Mouse components, use, test, recharge, check for issues... BEFORE manufacturing and distributing a pile of mouse pointer devices that have an error that should be caught!

Well, so long as my Wireless Mouse 7000 Microsoft device is back to working and recharging consistently, I am OK with it. I generally like it otherwise. My ONLY other annoyance with it is the left-side navigation-buttons that are oddly small and positioned in a weird location for simple use (as compared to my older, and nearly perfect Microsoft wired Intellimouse Explorer 4.0 USB 5-button mouse). The ONLY reason I moved to the Laser Mouse 7000 was for the WIRELESS aspect, and if it recharges OK now, I will stick with it.

20.) Nice desktop set, but mouse charging is questionable!
Reviewed by: scott11686 Miami, FL United States
Rating:
I've owned quite a few Microsoft and Logitech keyboards and mice. This desktop set is definitely one of the better experiences I've had right out of the box. The keys are quiet (except the space bar) and the overall look is an improvement for Microsoft. The mouse is also comfortable and very accurate.

What I'm not thrilled about:

1) chrome banding is peeling off the keyboard. (Replacement did not exhibit this issue).
2) mouse has slightly sharp edges on the lower right edge along the chrome banding. (replacement did not exhibit this issue).
3) Mouse back button is set too far back (something Microsoft has been doing with most of their newer mice).
4) No caps lock, num lock, F key lock lights on mouse charger base. I would have preferred the mouse charge base to connect via USB and support these lights.
5) 2.4Ghz wireless security is questionable. Microsoft has been dinged recently for their poor and easily cracked 27Mhz wireless security. It remains to be seen how secure the 2.4Ghz wireless is, but I suspect its not very secure since Microsoft makes no mention of its security.

**New issue as of 10/13/2008**
Mouse does not reliably charge. After about 2-3 minutes of charging, very often, the mouse LED will change from slow blinking green to fast blinking red, indicating a charging problem. I have tried swapping the entire Desktop set for a newer production build (July, 2008) and the new unit had the exact same issue right out of the box. I had to keep removing and replacing the mouse on the charge stand about 10 times before it would charge fully.

I even tried a Duracell NiMH battery and had the exact same result. IMO, there is a hardware design issue with the charging circuit. The chip seems to be hyper sensitive and throws itself into "alarm" mode too easily.

Microsoft is clueless to this issue and is in denial mode. Others on various forums complain about this same issue.

Stay tuned for another update**

21.) Very nice, except ...
Reviewed by: Bob Hyde Park, NY
Rating:
I agree with all the other reviews. This is a very nice product. However, for me, there are a couple of minor negatives that I think bear mentioning. First, the escape key and function keys are "chicklet-style" keys, not full size keys. Second, the function keys are not arranged into groups (either 4 groups of 3 or 3 groups of 4 like on most other keyboards I have used in the past 5 years). They are all mooshed together in one long horizontal row. My job involves using applications that have a LOT of function key use and this change is causing me major grief. I might be able to get used to it after a while, but this, combined with the small chicklet keys has made every attempt to press a certain function key an exercise in uncertainty. Finally, there is no "sleep" key on this keyboard. I always put my PC's into sleep mode when I am not using them and not having the sleep key that I had on my previous two keyboards is a minor annoyance. I've looked at some of MS's other keyboard offerings and the Wireless Laser Desktop 3000's keyboard does not have the function key issues this one does. I may pick up one of those too and move this 7000 to another PC that I don't use for work.

22.) How to fix the blinking red light problem on the mouse!
Reviewed by: pbriggs Wildomar, CA
Rating:
Overall, I like this keyboard and mouse combo so far. I initially had the same problem as many reviewers. Whenever I would attempt to charge the mouse, I'd get the slow green blinking light for about 1 minute, then it would revert to a fast red blinking light (and would subsequently not charge). I found a reliable solution online that I wanted to share.

There is a sensor behind the NiMH battery (to let the charger know a battery is present). However, with my mouse (and many others, apparently), the battery that comes with the mouse may be slightly too skinny to trigger the sensor. Thus, when you attempt to charge, the red blinking light is trying to tell you, "hey, there's no battery here for me to charge." To fix this, take a piece of paper about 1" wide and 3" long (or, even better, a 3" square post-it, trimmed at the bottom to be about 1" wide while retaining the full 3" of sticky part intact). Open the battery compartment on the bottom of the mouse, pop out the battery, and wrap the post-it (or paper) around the battery a couple of times to make it thicker. Put the battery back in the compartment, close it up and voila, it will charge without giving you the evil blinking red light.

23.) Very good keyboard and mouse set
Reviewed by: J. Christensen Chicago, IL
Rating:
I've been a fan of Microsoft's keyboards and mice for a long time. This is a beautifully designed set that is very sleek and the transparent edge on the keyboard is very appealing. The wireless adapter is very small (like a USB drive) so it does not take up any space or require yet another wire to be tangled up behind your computer. I currently have mine plugged into the underside of a Dell flat panel and can go clear across the room and still use it (great for watching movies on your computer). In response to some other reviews - I've had this keyboard for almost 2 months now. I can't find a sharp edge anywhere and no chrome is pealing off. I use my computer at least 6 hours a day and only need to recharge the mouse once a week. The light indicator on the mouse is a tad confusing when charging (it rotates back and forth from red to green then going solid green when it's fully charged), but once it's connected just let it sit overnight and you're fine.

The Keyboard:
I've always found the full ergonomic keyboards by Microsoft to be very uncomfortable. The slight angling they use on this set seems to be a lot better and more comfortable. I have wide fingers and the keys on their keyboards are always the right size. Another nice feature is that they have plenty of keys that you can customize and three specifically to set as anything you want (granted you need to install the Microsoft Keyboard software). The only issue I have with the keyboard is that the F keys are a tad small and lower than all of the other keys which makes them very difficult (especially how often one uses the ESC key) to find without looking. The other issue is that there is no way to tell visually if you have Num/Caps/Scroll lock on.

The Mouse:
The mouse is great. It is extremely comfortable. The scroll wheel is in a very good position, it allows you to scroll both up and down and left and right. It can also be set as a button by pushing directly down on it. There are also two additional buttons on the left of the mouse near your thumb. The two additional side buttons could be a tad more forward so that they feel slightly more natural. I do wish the charger did not need such a large plug. Yes, it's another plug that needs to be used, but the cord is a decent length and you don't need to keep it sitting directly on your desk (or even plugged in when you're not using it).


24.) Best keyboard and mouse I've ever owned.
Reviewed by: M. Kohl Las Vegas, NV
Rating:
One minor flaw that is easily corrected I saw this "fix" posted in other reviews the AAA battery in the mouse should be wrapped with a post-it note to make it fit correctly in the battery compartment-strange but it works. The keyboard is very nice to type on and the mouse is well designed with 2 extra buttons that are very handy. The mouse wheel doesn't click like other mice while this takes some time to get used to after using it i now hate mice that have clicking wheels. The wheels is very sensitive but trust me after about 2 weeks you'll love it, it also scrolls side to side if your running Vista or 7 (I am not sure if this feature is supported in XP, I run 7) This set is high quality and ergonomic the shortcut keys are useful I recommend to any PC or Mac. It has good wireless range better then most but obstructions reduce the range. The rechargeable mouse uses a AAA nicad battery the charger is difficult but not impossible to use you may prefer not to use it regular AAA battery works fine just don't try to use the charger with anything but nicad battery. They keyboard lasts aprox 6 months on 1 set of AA batteries. The mouse last about 2 weeks with heavy use on 1 AAA. If your like most computer users you probably have the crappy mouse and keyboard that came with your computer treat yourself to something much better. Microsoft now makes a great product (try windows 7)

25.) Good choice.
Reviewed by: E. Sudlow
Rating:
I really like this keyboard and mouse. The mouse is comfortable to use and works for many hours between charges. I still have to get into the habit of placing the mouse on the charger base from time to time. I got caught with a dead battery after a couple weeks, but that was easily remedied by temporarily inserting a fresh AAA battery.

The keyboard has a great feel. The soft touch keys take a little getting used to but, once you do, you won't like having to go back to a more conventional keyboard on another computer.

My only complaint, like many others, is that the Space Bar was very loud. It had a completely different sound and feel than all the other keys. I solved this problem quite easily; I'm surprised a similar solution isn't included in the design. I removed the Space Bar key. There are two straight wire springs under the key, each having a 90-degree bend at the end. The bent ends fit under tabs on the keyboard base. The noise results from the springs contacting the tabs as the key is depressed. I cut two slivers of packing foam and inserted one under each tab before re-installing the key. Not only does it sound better - it also feels better.

The manufacturer claims a 30-foot range for the wireless connection. I'm not sure about 30 feet, but it worked flawlessly anywhere within 20 feet that I was able to try it.

I gave this product 4 stars because it isn't perfect out of the box. With the modification to the Space Bar, it rates 5.

26.) Great wireless solution as long as you're not gaming
Reviewed by: NightEyes Fort Worth, Tx USA
Rating:
The title says it all. The mouse and keyboard are very nice products, and for normal everyday computer use they function flawlessly. Take them into a gaming situation and they fail miserably, presumably due to the fact I'm holding down 2-3 keys on the keyboard, spamming a 4th key, holding down 1 button on the mouse, and moving the mouse at the same time. The single blue-tooth receiver that comes with this set can't seem to coordinate all of the simultaneous input. Typically the mouse will quite responding to the fact that I'm moving it, and/or a couple of the keys I'm holding down on the keyboard think I've taken my finger off.

I love the keyboard, I love the mouse, I love the range. I can do all my normal surfing and emailing and even database work and programming from the comfort of my couch (using my TV as a monitor), but I have to switch to a corded solution (or maybe a Logitech solution with separate receivers) for gaming.

27.) One of the more solid wireless desktops
Reviewed by: Derek Drake North Carolina
Rating:
I've been using this about three months in my living room. The range is pretty good, but if I'm more than 8 feet away or so, there is an occasional lag where it seems to stop responding for a moment, then it's as if all the keys you hit during that moment are instantly sent to the pc. This only really makes a difference in fast-paced games. The wireless is much quicker than that of older Microsoft desktops. I do play games with this, which it does marvelously as long as you're close enough (I usually sit about 5 feet from the receiver). Speaking of the receiver, it is only the small USB thumb size, which is horrible for getting the best reception -- I use a USB extension cable in conjunction with it. I always preferred the feel of Microsoft mice, but the ergonomics on this one are definitely influenced by Logitech. They are very much non-ambidextrous as well. The keyboard is very quiet, except for the spacebar, but at least for me that's not bad enough to be bothersome. I don't use the My Favorites keys, but they do require a lot of pressure to activate. I do wish the Esc-F12 keys were full-size and had the 3- or 4-set divisions. F-Lock defaults to On, which is good, as is the presence of a full numpad. The batteries have never been low, and I only recharge the mouse once every two weeks or so, using it everyday at that.

28.) Mouse left-side buttons awkward
Reviewed by: D. Collins Oregon USA
Rating:
I am very happy with the keyboard. I like the smaller delete key. On my last keyboard, the delete key was the same size as the enter key and I sometimes hit delete by mistake. I use the esc key a lot, but do not find its small size to be an issue for me, unlike some other reviewers. Overall the mouse is OK. It is comforable in my hand for normal mousing operations. I find, however, like some other reviewers, that the left-side buttons are awkward to use. They are not positioned well for my thumb and the rear button does not protrude enough to even be sure I am touching it. Unfortunately, this makes this feature unusable for me. Battery life has been OK, but the low battery warning on the mouse did not light before the mouse and keyboard started intermittently dropping out. New/recharged batteries solved the problem.

29.) Wireless kehboard and mouse
Reviewed by: lgw Missouri
Rating:
Keyboard is great. My normal keyboard is the natural wave type, but I could learn to love this one even more. The mouse, not so great. This set includes the 7000 laser mouse, which is sculpted like a work of art, and offers quick precise movement. All the buttons work for me. The problem is that the shape makes this mouse very difficult to pick up. I prefer a limited size space for mouse movement, unfortunately this means that I must often pick up the mouse to reposition the sensor; this mouse is the most difficult to pick up of any I have used.

30.) Great mouse/keyboard combo, but beware!
Reviewed by: Dave San Francisco, CA, USA
Rating:
First of all, this is a very slick, nice looking mouse/keyboard combo. For the record, I did not find a single Logitech combo that matched what I was looking for in a media center computer keyboard/mouse: simple, slim keyboard and a rechargeable mouse that matches. Two problems, both of which are manageable:

1. After the initial charge wears out on the battery, it rarely recharges properly. I even bought new rechargeable AAA batteries, but after those ran out, they too did not recharge properly. You will see a blinking red light which means there is no battery detected. I learned this from reading another review which solved the problem. Simply wrap the battery in a post-it note to make it a little bigger. This will let the sensor know the battery is present and it should recharge it. Problem solved!

2. The USB receiver element needs to be practically line of sight with the mouse and keyboard in order to register signals. This is unusual for an RF receiver. When the usb stick is plugged into the back of the computer, no keyboard commands or mouse signals are communicated. Just make sure you have a visible usb hub or front-side USB ports you don't mind committing to this device.

31.) Great Product...Cheap Rechargeable Battery
Reviewed by: Alejandro Izquierdo New Jersey, USA
Rating:
The wireless keyboard and mouse is definitly doing what it should. Although the wireless connection does not go the 30' as promised, it is overall a good buy; the wireless distance problem can be solved with a USB extension. The only difference that I really had was that the rechargeable battery that came with the product would not stay charged long enough to make reasonable use of the mouse and I had to go to Radio Shack to purchase a new one, which is working just fine. Overall good buy though.

32.) Wireless Works
Reviewed by: Taz-I812 Fayetteville, NC USA
Rating:
I got this product because I mounted my desktop in my entertainment center and use my LCD TV as the monitor. This works great as I can now enjoy working on documents or just surfing the internet while relaxing in my recliner. The software loaded with no problems. The additional buttons on the mouse and switchable actions that can be assigned to them also works great.

33.) Great mouse except for the battery recharging
Reviewed by: John Smith
Rating:
I purchased the Microsoft wireless mouse 7000 a few weeks ago. It feels great, is very precise, and the magnifier button works as expected. I would be very happy with the mouse if it were not for the same problem 50 percent of the other reviews mention.

The battery charger is terrible. It did charge the first time I used it, and kept it's charge for a long duration, multiple days if not a week. Since that time it frequently has given me the flashing red light. The light indicates that there is no battery in the mouse. If you take out the battery and try to charge the mouse you will get the same blinking light. There is a switch at the bottom of the battery compartment that has to be depressed in order for the charger to start charging. Thanks to other reviews I found the little switch in the battery compartment under the battery. I made sure to press the battery down firmly right over the spot where this switch resides and that seemed to be enough to trigger it. Make sure to read the other reviews about the poor charger before making a purchase.

As annoying as the charger problem is, I love every other thing about the mouse. I would still recommend it, just understand that there may be a few headaches that come along with the charger.

34.) good value for money deal
Reviewed by: SebastiƔn Cagide Bs. As., Argentina
Rating:
Everything was fine, but I prefer latinamerican keyboard. US keyboard needs I change some strategic key places in my mind for other ones.

35.) comfortable
Reviewed by: texas1
Rating:
Pros: The keys are very quiet and sensitive. It feels very sturdy. The functionality is very good.

Cons: The mouse recharge is a problem. It is very difficult to seat the mouse in the cradle to recharge. Sometimes you leave with the light indicating it is charging and return to find that the red light is on and the mouse is not recharged.


Overall I am happy with it.

36.) great wireless desktop set
Reviewed by: creative geek
Rating:
lightweight. good-sized keys, layout optimized for blind typing. mouse fits hand naturally, though being wireless doesn't track too well for playing fps. tilt-wheel handy for scrolling in 4 directions but not so much for clicking straight down. good buy anyway you slice it, though you may want to get a separate gaming mouse.

37.) Excellent Sony Laptop with Windows 7
Reviewed by: Physicist
Rating:
This is my first Vaio laptop, I'm very happy with this computer. My main purpose for this machine was to function as a second table-top system with some portability.

At approximately 6 pounds, it's heavier than the Netbooks currently selling, but I didn't buy it for use in travel mode. The Vaio screen is nice bright, and in widescreen. The accessory ports seem to be well-placed. And the aesthetics are quite nice -- it's a brushed, finger print-resistant silver. It's really quite fast and it's extremely quiet. The keyboard took a little while to get use to, but it's nice and roomy, plenty of space between the keys. The touch pad works well, and the DVD drive is smooth and quiet.


I was pleasantly pleased with OS of Windows 7 on this machine, as most computers I have experience with had XP.

The only down note that I experienced, is that Sony pre-installs allot of their software that to me personally, is allot of nothing. I spent time to un-install these.

Overall, I'm pleased with this computer. For the price, you are getting a near-desktop replacement that happens to be a laptop.

38.) had problems with the mouse
Reviewed by: Sandy New Jersey
Rating:
I like the keyboard. it works fine. but I had a lot of trouble with my mouse. it will not hold a charge. someone told me to replace the rechargeable battery with regular batteries and it works fine now. I think for the price of this keyboard and mouse set they could have given a battery that recharges properly. because of the mouse problems and the price I only gave it 3 stars. other than that it has been working fine.

39.) Neither as attractive or functional as I expected
Reviewed by: W. Nicholls USA
Rating:
Why is designing a good keyboard seemingly so difficult even with decades of experience? I've favored Microsoft's keyboards because of their good ergonomics and key feel. Microsoft seemed to be putting a lot of effort into the Wireless Laser Desktop 7000. There were some prototype images that got net exposure before the set was officially announced, and once this product was announced it took months before it actually shipped. I figured this may be one of Microsoft's best hardware efforts, but sadly it's not.

First of all, the keyboard isn't as attractive as I thought from the product photos. The smoked transparent plastic perimeter has a warm tint that strikes an off note, particularly next to my cool gray Wacom Intuos tablet and the cool gray and metal colors of various hardware I use. The chrome bands around the keyboard and mouse look like cheesy automotive styling to my eye.

The key feel is better than on many keyboards, but it's not as good I've experience with multiple other Microsoft keyboards I've owned. The missing sleep key is a big disappointment. With other Microsoft keyboards I would set the sleep key to hibernate, and the key could alternately be defined to go to standby or shut down the system. The soft key definitions are not a solution for this missing capability. You can only assign a log off function to a key. And that's all you can do with this function - log off. On a single user system this function is useless and logging off doesn't save power.

The tiny escape key is purely cosmetics over function and the function keys aren't as functional as they should be with their small size and low profile. They're not keys you can get used to finding without looking. The small delete key isn't to my liking, but it's less difficult to adapt to. The three programmable "touch" keys require a firm touch to activate them -- about the kind of pressure you need to activate a bad retail checkout touch pad device. And you're limited to setting these three keys to opening applications -- none of the standard set of soft key functions applies to the touch keys.

I'm not a mouse user and just keep one as backup to my drawing tablet. As Microsoft mice go, I'm not impressed with this one. The shape looks sci-fi and the chrome "fin" edge isn't very pleasing to the touch. I find the location of the two thumb-controlled buttons awkward and it's hard for me to even feel the rear button. The mouse doesn't align easily with the charger's pad. The charging pad takes up as much space as Microsoft's old wireless transmitter modules, but at least with the wireless module you got caps lock and num lock indicators. The charging pad does nothing but charge the mouse.

There are no specific intructions for the keyboard and mouse. Help is generic and describes features across a range of products. I wasn't pressing hard enough on the "touch" keys to activate them, but there's nothing in the help to advise you on how to use these keys.

My verdict is this is an expensive keyboard that's inferior in functionality to far less expensive Microsoft products. I'm tempted to go back to the Logitech Wave wireless keyboard that the Desktop 7000 replaced. The Logitech is better in most regards, but is has a cheap, spongey key feel that's hard to tolerate and most keyboard use is typing.

Update November 17, 2008: I have additonal issues with the mouse. The rechargable battery that came with the set refuses to recharge. I've replaced it with an Eneloop battery. Since I don't use the tablet often, the Eneloop cell retains charge much longer than a standard NiMH battery with a typically fast self-discharge rate. The charging pad is very annoying to use - it's difficult to align the mouse with the pad to make the charging connection when you're not looking straight down at the pad. There's nothing to guide the mouse onto the dock, so alignment is quite fussy. I'd downgrade my rating to two stars after living with this keyboard despite it's lower street price today.

Update September 2009: The letter legends on the keycaps I use most are wearing off. The "C" is all but gone. I find that kind of low quality manufacturing unacceptable for a "premium" keyboard. I'd give this keyboard a 1 star rating today since it isn't even well made, and I'm looking for a replacement.

40.) MS Wireless Desktop 7000
Reviewed by: Richard A. Biehl Levittown, PA USA
Rating:
This is my 4th wireless keyboard/mouse purchase. My first was a LogiTech that performed reasonably well, but the software provided with it was incredibly clumsy and invasive. The other 3 "desktops" were manufactured by Microsoft.
The earlier series were great - no complaints. This one - not so much. The desktop includes a mouse with a rechargable AAA battery. The battery has enough power to make it through a short day without recharging. The mouse comes with a cradle for recharging. The recharging cradle places another wire on the desk for the "wireless" mouse, and consumes another position in the power strip. The mouse has a stylized design, and the cradle tries to mimic the irregular shape. Since there are no planar surfaces for alignment, you need to rotate the mouse back and forth a few times before it mates to the charger. Best of all, once it mates, the prongs on the mouse are not long enough to make contact with the receptacle on the charger. I eventually went to Best Buy, bought a pack of rechargable batteries and a charger, and change the battery out daily.
MS has gone the way of Dell. By outsourcing product design to East Junkistan, or some other 3rd world armpit, the brand has been irreparably compromised.
Save your money. Spend less on a brand you know will be second rate. The result will be the same.

41.) Comfortable but too many flaws
Reviewed by: Alex Brough
Rating:
The keyboard and mouse are comfortable to use, but I've had the same problem with the mouse not charging as other users have reported in these reviews. It's an apparent problem with the design of the mouse if so many people are having the same issue. I can't believe Microsoft denies it to be a wide issue.

When you place the mouse on the charger it slowly flahes green for about 30 seconds and then starts rapidly flasing red indicating a charge problem. Eventually the battery never charges and you're left with a dead mouse. I use this at work and don't have any AAA batteries to replace it with, so as I type this review I am using my old Dell USB mouse.

42.) Not Worth The Money
Reviewed by: cforestdark Seattle, WA
Rating:
i had trouble installing the mouse, that took some time. keys start to go out after about 4 feet. for some reason the G key is the first to go. on the up side, the keys are nice and quiet. extremely customizable through the software. shipped with missing pieces and a dead battery that would not charge.

43.) NOT a BLUETOOTH Keyboard!!
Reviewed by: M. Neahring Metamora, IL
Rating:
Contrary to Amazon's item description, this keyboard is NOT bluetooth - it has just an ordinary USB wireless dongle. Except for this, the keyboard looks like it would have been exactly what I wanted, except that I was expecting bluetooth.

44.) Mouse would not charge
Reviewed by: Chris Hardy Incline Village, NV USA
Rating:
The mouse wouldn't charge.

Apparently MS use rechargeable batteries that may be past their shelf-life before they are even shipped. At least that's what the MS support tech told me. I managed to moan enough at the poor tech to have him send me a replacement battery. Call me cheap, but I didn't feel like spending $20 to test a replacement battery that might not even fix the problem!

The upside of this desktop set is that it connects easily and is very responsive (compared to my regular bluetooth stuff I got from Dell).

Other notes The spacebar is loud and the escape key is small. It works well on both my Mac and PC - you know, when it's charged at least.

45.) Disappointing, aesthetics over functionality. Not for advanced users
Reviewed by: Jeff Jacksonville FL, United States
Rating:
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RHWNYD9BXQ66K Here's a review of the MS Wireless Laser Desktop 7000 from the perspective of a developer and heavy user. Purchased from Amazon, and happy with their quick shipping and return policy. Would buy from Amazon again. Keyboard... blech. :-)

46.) Decent Board
Reviewed by: David CA
Rating:
The space bar is so loud that it caused me to return it. The rest of the keys are fine (quiet), except the space bar.

The keyboard doesn't sit flush on the desk.

Seems to be a quality assurance issue with this product.

47.) Keyboard and mouse freeze up
Reviewed by: GP Georgia, USA
Rating:
I didn't want to believe the other reviews at first, after all, this is a Microsoft product (typically good quality). Though the mouse and keyboard look fine on my desk, there is one major problem that I obviously can't live with: both mouse and keyboard frequently stop working for up to about 20 seconds. Having checked all connections and configurations, I suspect this is a known and recurring issue, judging by other users' experience of the same. Besides this, there are a few other flaws that should not exist on a product in this price range: the Esc key is ridiculously small, and the key combination to close applications/windows which is standard Alt-F4 is for some odd reason Alt-F6 (this is totally unacceptable). As far as esthetics, the plastic "aero" edge lends no particular value on a black desk: had it had some cool neon glow inside, that would have been a cool effect. Anyways, amazon provided a non-hassle return (thank you), but I am disappointed in Microsoft for bringing this to market. I will likely purchase another Microsoft wireless combo though...

48.) Don't Do it!
Reviewed by: book monger los angeles
Rating:
I have been very disappointed in this product. Both the mouse and the keyboard freeze up about 50% of the time. Every time it freezes, I have to restart my computer. It's so bad that I don't even use it. Beware. And to top it all off, BluProton the vendor would not let me return it. They told me to go knock on Microsoft's door. --Unhappy in L.A.

49.) Just not a very good keyboard + mouse combo!
Reviewed by: Nunman62 TN, USA
Rating:
As soon as I started reading most of the reviews here, I had to add in my 2 cents (for what it's worth!). I've had reliability problems with this set from the set up. The mouse alone would not navigate at all at with my Express Gate menu (a feature that lets you boot quickly to a app without having to boot up the OS). The keys also tend to "stick" as my windows key got stuck one day and my letter m and r would act like Windows key + m and Windows key + r. I called Microsoft with this problem and they couldn't resolve it. I finally tapped the windows key to "unstick" it.

The mouse is flawed in design in the way to recharge it, you have to sit in in the charging base. In the meantime, you are left WITHOUT a mouse while it charges! Why couldn't they have a charging port in the mouse itself and still be able to use the mouse while it is charging up! (The Logitech Cordless Wave Pro does this very thing by the way.)

After 4 weeks, it got to where the PC would not even boot up because the keyboard and mouse were not even responding! As you can probably guess from my comment above, I'm now using the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Pro with none of the problems I had with the Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000. This is a pity because I really do like Microsoft Vista and other Microsoft programs, but this is a disaster!!! My advise...stay away from this junk!

50.) good looking but not good working
Reviewed by: J C San Jose, CA
Rating:
this keyboard mouse set is one of the new MS product and I was really impressed with design of keyboard & mouse. However, turns out to be one of the worst keyboard/mouse combo I've ever used, due to badly designed Wireless Receiver. Range of receiver is really short and I had same lagging & hang up issues like other people reported here. But after 5months, finally, Wireless Receiver died today and I had to go through horrible MS support and got no help at all. I'd like to suggest that your MS keyboard or mouse comes with small tiny rectangular receiver goes into USB port, return it right away.

51.) Problems charging mouse
Reviewed by: J. Saraliev
Rating:
Read on here about people having problems with their wireless mouse not changing... those reviews were from Fall 2009.. so I figured (incorrectly) that Microsoft fixed the problems by now! So I bought it, plugged it in... and red light of death! The light on the mouse keeps blinking red when I try to charge it. Tried wrapping paper around the battery (as some people suggested on here) and that didn't work either. Anyways, I'm done messing around trying to get it to work, so I'm sending it back and going to get something else instead. I've always liked Microsoft mice and keyboards for their feel and comfort, but because of the changing issues I can't recommend this one. Save yourself the hassle and buy another product instead.

52.) Wireless is disappointing
Reviewed by: joe Longboat Key, FL USA
Rating:
From the keyboard being very slow to respond to my typing; to the wireless mouse not giving me time to do very much; I have had it with wireless. Just try to set the mouse back on the charger. That in itself is a chore. I am surprised Microsoft would offer a product that is clumsy and unresponsive.
The design of the keyboard attracted me to this model. I genenerally buy the top of the line, but this time it was a mistake.
When I come back from NYC I will replace these two items with keyboard and mouse, probably not from Microsoft.

53.) Not quite as advertised
Reviewed by: Angry Tech OR - United States
Rating:
First, you don't see something in the pictures: the usual connection/dongle/transceiver a wireless set like this has. That's because you don't get one. You get only a tiny usb thing, so you no longer have indicator lights for caps, number, and scroll locks. The claim is that this setup will work at a distance up to 30 feet, but I lose keyboard function at about 3. The mouse will not charge correctly, and the ratchet function has been removed from the mouse-wheel, making it almost impossible to game with. (the wheel triggers random movement constantly.) The function keys are tiny. the labeling is low-contrast, so if the room isn't bright, you are looking at a blank black board. Hate the tiny chicelet function keys. I am using my old worn-out keyboard to type this because I am tired of the typos.
Um - getting a picture here?
Update - the tape-around-the-battery thing will help the mouse charging problem, though the contacts in the charge base may still have trouble connecting. If it does, try charging it upside-down, with the base on top. In the meantime, look at a Logitech wireless mouse - I love mine.

Features of Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000

Wireless Laser Dsktp 7000 USB Port English NA Hdwr US Only CD

1.) 2.4 GHz Wireless Technology - Connect in confidence with up to 30-foot range even in crowded wireless environments.;
2.) Battery Life Indicator - You won't get caught with a dead battery the Battery Status LED Indicator glows red when the battery is running low.;
3.) Windows Flip 3D - Display a 3D overlay of all open windows, and cycle through them.;
4.) Ergonomic Design - Encourages natural wrist and arm alignment so you can work in total comfort.;
5.) Mouse Features - Magnifier - Point and click to enlarge and edit details using the Magnifier.4-Way Scrolling - Scroll four ways;

Package Height x Length x Width: 20.6 in. x 20.6 in. x 9.7 in.
Package Weight: 4.75 lbs.

Accessories for Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000