Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 (Black)

Reviews of Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 (Black)

1.) Easy to Install, fully functional keyboard & mouse with good range
Reviewed by: Mannina Magha Traveller
Rating:
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2.) Efficient, quiet keys, NO WIRES
Reviewed by: Michael Petruniak Cheektowaga, NY United States
Rating:
I've only had this for a few months- but it's great. Easy setup- just plug & play. No lag and very accurate. Batteries still go going strong, can barely hear key strokes, and NO WIRES. Great product for the price.


3.) Very good quality for excellent price
Reviewed by: rayrivers ct
Rating:
The keyboard and mouse both worked excellently and without glitches. I plugged it into a windows XP computer and it worked immediately. The seller shipped batteries with unit so there was no need to purchase any. There are more luxury rich boards out there but for a very good one with out a million bells and whistles, this cannot be beat.

4.) Great Product!
Reviewed by: Matt
Rating:
It is very quite and the keys have a very nice feel to them. There is no lag between striking keys and appearing on the screen. Has some neat features with it and is just a very nice piece of hardware. Takes a little while to get the feel of the keyboard but once you do it is very comfortable. Mouse has very many adjustments that can be made to it, which you can personalize for your own taste. Well worth the $35.

5.) Nice, quiet keys. Not too bouncy, nor too mushy. For basic use. Not for home theater.
Reviewed by: Michael J. Descy Freehold, NJ
Rating:
I've had two wireless keyboard/mouse combos in the past: one by Logitech and another by Microsoft. The Microsoft one I used to have was the Microsoft Office Wireless keyboard, which had phenomenal feel, fit, and finish. That one died before its time--all it took was a splash of coffee into it, and some of the keys shorted out perminantly. Thus, I was in the market for a replacement. The advertised spill-resistant keys and the simple, low-profile design, and the overall small(ish) size of the set attracted me to this product.

This keyboard wins points for me by having a small footprint, so it doesn't take too much room on my desk. I type all day, and my hands creep up, so I want a keyboard that doesn't require me to move my fingers up and down too much, and one that I can type accurately on. This model has a low action, and its keys are soft, springy, and pretty quiet. It feels a little mushy, especially compared to my MacBook's keyboard, but it is comfortable and accurate.

The keys gently slope down, so that the spacebar and lower arrow are tapered toward the bottom of the keyboard. This seems to be a trend in new keyboards. I don't like it that much, because it encourages your fingers to slip off the "chording keys" (ctrl, alt, super). My fingers don't slip off the control key as I thought they would, so I do not consider the key sloping a problem.

For a wireless keyboard, it is extremely important that the receiver pick up every keystroke I make. I've had older models that wouldn't pick up certain letters or key combinations. Happily, this keyboard suffers from none of those problems--at least at the 3 foot range from the receiver.

The mouse is very pedestrian. It has a hard, plastic shell, which feels pretty cheap. It is solid and fairly weighty (I'm used to smaller notebook sized Microsoft mice). It performs well, but is nothing special. It doesn't have the horizontal scroll wheel function that many Microsoft mice have now, but that functionality isn't terribly useful (even to an Excel jockey like me) so it isn't missed here. Still, it would be nice if the mouse had extra buttons, like Microsoft's typically excellent Intellimouse line.

I believe this keyboard/mouse combination would adequately replace a wired combo for any desktop use. The wireless adapter only takes up one USB port, which I thought was very nice. Unfortunately, the unit's range is very low. After I get 5-6 feet away from the receiver, the keyboard and mouse don't work. This is not a problem for me, but it would be if I wanted to use this set with a home theater.

Overall, I like this unit and I'm glad I have it. The keyboard is one of my favorites among all wireless keyboards I've used or tested, based mainly on its keys, action, and relatively compact size. The mouse and the wireless range are disappointing, however. I'm giving this unit 4 stars because it works well for basic computer use and comes at a reasonable price. 80-90% of computer users would be happy with this, I think.

6.) Pretty close to perfect.
Reviewed by: David Hunt Albuquerque, NM USA
Rating:
This keyboard/mouse combo has been very good so far. The keys are quiet; the keyboard is comfortable to use and the programmable keys are great. The software provided lets you reassign all the Function keys and create macros for them. Most of the Hot Keys can have macros on them, too - except for the 5 "Favorites" keys. They can only be assigned to open programs or websites - although someone will probably find a way around that. The software also allows 3 different profiles for the button setup, too - great for setting up specific game controls.

The mouse is very good, too... the scroll wheel just seems a little hollow-sounding as you use it, but it works well and is comfortable to use. Seems quite accurate.

The main reason I've rated it 4 stars (really 4.5 stars) is that it has a large wireless receiver that has to be pretty close to the keyboard/mouse to work well. The receiver is about the size of a mouse - just not as tall. I had it on one side of my desk - away from the mouse - and I just couldn't double-click on anything. I thought the mouse was defective - until I moved the receiver closer to the mouse. All is fine now! Other than that, I'm very happy with my purchase.

7.) An Easy Modification to make the Mouse GOOD
Reviewed by: Stephen R. Taylor Woburn, MA
Rating:
KEYBOARD:

This is the cheapest wireless mouse/keyboard offered at my local Best Buy. I thought I was taking a risk, but the keyboard is great. If you want super fancy, spend $100 on the keyboard that controls your home media station perfectly. Otherwise, get this one.

PROS
The keys are shaped to finger pads (a MUST for a comfortable keyboard)
The keys depress easily.

CON
The function keys (F1, F2, etc) are printed in blue ink above symbols on the actual keys. I don't like it, but this is minor.

MOUSE:

I thought the mouse sucked, but you can make it a good mouse, despite being a bit bulky, with just three basic buttons: left/right/middle + scrolling.
Out of the box, the scroll wheel is just ridiculous. Choppy, clicky, bad. If you are willing to be a little creative and void the warranty, there is an easy fix:

1)take the batteries out.
2)undue the little screw that is revealed.
3)take the components apart. The circuit board, still attached to the base, should pretty much fall out. This is the piece that you want.
4)The wheel and its casing is clipped into the circuit board. Carefully un-clip it.
5)Now, carefully un-clip the wheel frame its little plastic casing.
6)You will see that the inside of the wheel contains little ridges, which rub against a small prong on the "wheel casing" in order to create the clicking of the mouse. Cut the prong off for 100% smooth scrolling. Better yet, carefully use a sharp knife to shave down the little plastic bump on the prong itself. I shaved it down about 90%.
7)Reassemble the mouse. It should now work smoothly. Smooth scrolling action on the wheel! The screen scrolling is still not 100% smooth, but it scrolls continuously as you move the wheel, instead of jerky half pages at a time!

Start to finish, less than 5 minutes. This is an easy modification for anyone comfortable using a knife in close quarters. This modification saved me from buying a new mouse for the wireless keyboard that I like.

BOTTOM LINE: Great for budget-conscious people looking for a wireless keyboard/mouse.

8.) Low-cost quality kit, range is too short, not for gaming
Reviewed by: Charlie Michigan USA
Rating:
Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000
OS Environments Tested: XP SP-3 and Vista Home Premium SP-1

I've been using Microsoft's line of wireless hardware products for over a year and was thrilled at the opportunity to evaluate the Media Desktop 1000. Upon opening the box, I promptly plugged in the RF transceiver (which is shaped like a large mouse). You will have to stash this transceiver somewhere in order for your keyboard and mouse to communicate with the PC. I didn't bother to install any software or drivers because I am a minimalist. I don't believe in installing unnecessary software if the base OS can get by with a universal driver. I discovered that this held true for both XP SP-2 and SP-3 as well as Vista SP-1. The mouse and keyboard each use a pair of AA batteries which are included. I recommend using rechargeable batteries to save on your battery costs.

The keyboard is very ergonomic and features spill resistance with drainage vents in case you want to rinse it out. I didn't test this feature out because I didn't want to destroy anything in the process. All of the hotkeys work, except the play/stop and FF/Rev buttons don't work in applications like WinAmp. The range of the keyboard is about 13', so be sure to use it within this range. During gaming sessions, I often found the keyboard to jam up and freeze due to a large number of keys used at the same time (moving forward and strafing left and then moving back in rapid sequence) or some other reason. The keyboard would also drop out key inputs randomly so it gave a very poor gaming experience. You will have to use the F-Lock key to use the Function keys (F1-F12). The MAIL key and Escape key ought to switch locations because I found myself often hitting the MAIL key instead of Escape. There are NO LED's on the keyboard so it is difficult to tell if it is on, or if any of the lock keys are enabled. I understand this was done to save on energy but it is just a minor quirk. The mouse is quite heavy with a pair of AA battery cells installed. The mouse doesn't track smoothly and feels rather twitchy. Adjusting the mouse helped but I didn't get like the feel compared to my Bluetooth Notebook 5000 mice.

Pros: Very easy to install and to use. It's a no brainer. Plug it into your PC and hit the connect buttons on the hardware as per the instructions. No drivers are needed but you may need to install them for adjusting the settings.

Cons: The mouse is heavy and the RF range is SHORT (13 feet for me). The keyboard is not suited for gaming.

Overall: This is a very affordable RF and keyboard kit. Microsoft's software may be questionable in quality, but they've always had a great reputation for making some of the most ergonomic hardware.


9.) Smooth and quiet
Reviewed by: Elle Pece Texas
Rating:
The keyboard is really smooth and quiet had a lot of functions like undo, new, open, check the spelling, calculator, print, etc. I really like it; the only thing I didn't like was the mouse is heavy.

10.) Good light functional keyboard nothing to particularly extraordinary
Reviewed by: Alki food connoisseur Seattle, Washington
Rating:
Overall this is a good keyboard/mouse for residential usage or as a easily portable keyboard/mouse for your laptop.

Pros

---> spill resistant keyboard. With two young children learning how to use computer I think this feature will eventually get tested.

---> five programmable keys to start applications. I've owned a number of high-end complicated keyboards in the past where I never used a lot of features. I found these programmable keys used often and they are helpful.


---> good the adequate feel on the mouse and keyboard. Fast and responsive.

---> easy and clear installation with Windows XP

---> pictures on top of the function keys that illustrate what the keys are used for. I appreciate this change for teaching my children I als when to use these keys. I believe it would also be beneficial for adults without a lot of computer experience.

Cons

---> the scroll wheel does not scroll left and right. I only use this feature occasionally at work.

---> overall most Microsoft hardware is of excellent quality however my previous Microsoft wireless mouse failed. This complaint doesn't focus on this model but could indicate problems with the Microsoft hardware brand. (This is more of FYI than a real complaint)

Overall, I like this unit and I'm glad I have it.

11.) Ultra-Thin Keyboard | High Definition Optical Mouse
Reviewed by: xyzzy Arlington, Texas
Rating:
I have several systems at home and I have found no need for this product at home. However, I inherited a ThinkPad for work. Therefore, I was the last person in the office but was forced to give up my trusty old desktop. This is bad enough in itself but what was worse, was finding that they could not scrape up a replicator. I do not have time to wait for a replicator. I found a USB mouse and I was going to look for a USB keyboard I spotted this animal on the shelf. I was looking for was a keyboard. Yet this combination serves my purpose better. Now I can put my feet up on the desk, plug in my 21-inch monitor, mouse and right of me, keyboard in front, and coffee on left.

I was little dismayed at the beginning noticing this humongous transmitter. Then I remembered I am not using the ThinkPad is a portable. So who cares? I spotted a little green tag on it that said install software before connecting. Who am I to dispute the wisdom of little green tag? Therefore, I stuck the CD in, press the buttons, let it whirl and voila. Before I realized what happened had already pressed the calculator button and it was on the screen waiting to be used.

So far, everything is working hunky-dory. Just a little comment on the mouse. I came from a CAD world where the more buttons you had the better off you were. Now I am in office where to buttons do just fine and the scroll wheel is another advantage.


12.) Works great with a notebook
Reviewed by: Tom United States
Rating:
Installed this keyboard and mouse on the notebook for use when it is on the desk or table and not being transported here and there.. never did like a notebook keyboard or touchpad much.

Note that the notebook's touchpad and built in keyboard will still operate at the same time, but the sofware will let you disable if you desire. Everything is adjustable within the included sofware.

Software installed without one problem and Vista saw the new hardware right off.

Keyboad works smoothly and quietly, and it's so nice to have a full size wireless mouse after using the travel size!

Now the notebook can stay on the table or wherever and I still have full control with just the light weight keyboard in my lap.

Notebook should stay cooler on the hard surface as well.

This is not the new 2.4Ghz, but range should never be a problem for use like this, and if it would ever come up, the cord on the USB plug is long enough to move it clear to your person.

Good pair of notebook add-ons and a good price too.

13.) Fantastic Keyboard!!!!
Reviewed by: D. Hong Philla, Pa
Rating:
I've replaced my 3 year old Dell wireless keyboard with this one and I have nothing but praise for it. The Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 is a fantastic keyboard that will look great and feel great for just about anyone.

It has an ultra thin profile that looks great on my desk, and would also match neatly on the coffee table in the living room. It's made by Microsoft and was meant for use with Windows Vista. I am currently testing this keyboard out with Vista Home Premium and everything works smoothly.

The keyboard has very quiet keys and you can barely hear someone typing. They feel a bit sunken in, kind of designed like a Mac keyboard, but I think it is just the adjusting period because I am used to my old keyboard with the raised keys.

There are a lot of "hot" and "favorite" keys on this thing that can be programmged to open up applications or just do regular tasks like printing and saving. Some are just the F keys, but instead of a plain boring F1 on the keys, you get drawings on them to help simplilfy things.

You also have the media keys to control your music. I tested it out with iTunes, and all the play/pause,fast forward etc.. keys worked with it no problem once iTunes was running.

I like the fact that it has the shortcuts labeled underneath the keys to tell you what each key is for (eg ctrl. C is copy, ctrl. V for paste). This is great because I didn't know you could access some mouse functions via the keyboard with certain keys. Space bar is a nice size, and backspace is the size of 2 keys, which is perfect.

The mouse is light and feels great in my hands. It could have been bigger, but then that would take away its sleek look. No missed clicks or problems with it once I set the pointer speed to what I liked. The wireless receiver is bulky and looks hideous though. It looks like a giant mouse from the 90s. Receiver states it should be no more than 6 feet away from keyboard and mouse to work properly.

The click wheel offers a click for Windows Flip 3D and so does the keyboard if you have the Vista function on your PC. The mouse can also magnify with a click if you set it.

According to the package, the batteries for the mouse are supposed to last an average of 6+ months. The keyboard is designed with spill resistant keys that have integrated water channels to drain liquids away. I haven't spilled anything on it, and don't intend to so I have no idea how that works.

All in all, this is a great wireless keyboard that is affordable on any budget, but packs quite a bit for its price. There's more than enough hot keys, and "favorite" keys for the average user, but for those who use the keyboard with a lot of Microsoft applications will find them useful.

If you share a room, and do a lot of typing, it's silent enough not to disturb anyone. My girlfriend can't even hear me typing when she is laying in bed. It's a great value, and I highly recommend it. If you have Vista Home Premium or higher, then you will get more bang for your buck with all the features it was designed with in mind.

14.) Love keyboard but not crazy about feel of mouse
Reviewed by: Kathleen San Martino New Jersey
Rating:
This wireless mouse and keyboard is nifty when using it for a laptop with Vista.

PROS
--> Software installs easy
--> Programming keyboard and mouse is intutitive to those who are somewhat computer literate
--> Keyboard feel is great
--> Programmable keys are a nice function; I programmed a few favorite web sites to come up with the push of a button
--> I absolutely love the 3D option that's available from the mouse or keyboard. On Vista this allows you to tile your windows like open pages of a book and it's easy to pick and choose which open program or file to go to.
--> Installation of the mouse and keyboard doesn't prevent you from using the laptop's keyboard or track pad while the other devices are active and installed. I typed this sentence using the keypad on my laptop while the other keyboard was still active and available for use.

CONS
--> The wireless mouse I ordered with my laptop is ergonomically designed and this mouse is not. It feels awkward and clunky. Most people would not find this a problem if they are use to the old-style mouse.
--> Both the keyboard and the mouse require 2 AA batteries each and there is no button that I could see that turns off the mouse or keyboard--the light on my mouse remained lit even after I disconected the unit

I'm using the new keyboard and mouse to write this review. I absolutely love the keyboard and its programmable function keys. I also love the programmable button on the mouse (you press down on the wheel to execute what you programmed the mouse to do). However, I do not like the feel of the mouse. If there was a button that allowed me to turn off the mouse and keyboard to preserve the batteries and the mouse had a better feel, I would have rated this five stars.

15.) Good keyboard and mouse set, but not perfect
Reviewed by: Jerry Jackson Jr. Cincinnati, OH United States
Rating:
I go through keyboards and mice like tissue paper because I'm a writer who happens to be a rough typist and I'm always looking for the "perfect" keyboard and mouse. The Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 is a pretty good wireless keyboard and mouse set, but I doubt this will be a long-term addition to my desktop.

Key size and position are excellent, and each key has a soft press with a nice deep feedback (no clacking keyboard sound). The media buttons work as advertised, but although I prefer keyboards with media buttons I felt like the media button layout was kind of "blah" on this keyboard. I didn't get the feeling that this was a "media keyboard" as much as a regular keyboard that had some media buttons added to the top.

Ergonomics aren't that great in that Microsoft didn't really do much to improve the typing experience in terms of comfort. That's not to say that using this keyboard is uncomfortable, it just isn't better/worse than most generic non-ergonomic keyboards. There's nothing to the palm rest area beneath the bottom row or keys, and I usually prefer to have a cushioned palm rest.

The mouse is conveniently designed for both right-handed and left-handed users, but there isn't much to write home about here. The mouse is good, with solid build and excellent sensitivity and accurate cursor/pointer control, but lacks the enhanced functionality of some of Microsoft's other multi-button mice.

The wireless receiver for this set was surprisingly large. Most of Microsoft's competitors (such as Logitech) have started using small USB receivers with their wireless keyboards and mice, but Microsoft is still using a large and bulky wireless receiver. A wireless receiver doesn't need to be that big.

Overall, the Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 is a solid keyboard and mouse set that performs well and does a great job. However, if you prefer ergonomic keyboards, fancy mice, or small wireless receivers then you need to consider something else.

16.) Mainly good
Reviewed by: Matthieu Hausig Brooklyn, NY
Rating:
This is a decent, affordable wireless keyboard. The feature set is ok and the mouse is average. The keys are relatively quiet which is nice but the receiver is rather clunky. There are certainly better keyboards out there and the range isn't really suitable for media center applications. However, if price is an issue and you don't need the extra features this is a good deal.

17.) Decent keyboard, so-so mouse, weak wireless
Reviewed by: Matthieu P. Raillard Portland, OR USA
Rating:
I've used a variety of microsoft keyboards and mice over the years, and have generally found them to be of high quality. I have had mixed results with their wireless keyboard/mouse combos, however, due to interference issues and glitches. For example, their wireless desktops had been prone to stuttering issues when pressing a key down for an extended period of time. Not a big deal if you are word processing, but it made playing games virtually impossible.

The good news: this keyboard has a smooth-clicking design, which is refined and easy to use. The "multimedia" (such a cliched term) buttons are useful once programmed, which is easy to do with the software included. Actually, you don't even need to install the software on most Windows machines.

The downside: The same wireless problems persist, especially if you are a gamer. "Ghosting" of keys is common (when holding down a key or multiple keys at the same time, the keyboard freezes). I often have connectivity issues, even with the base unit a few inches away! The mouse is a cheap wireless mouse. It has no back/forward buttons, only the 2 buttons, and the clickable scrollwheel. It is lightweight and while it is "high resolution", nowhere did Microsoft tell me what the DPI resolution is for this mouse. I use a Logitech G5, which blows away the MS mouse in terms of feel, resolution and customizability.

Bottom Line: I will stick with my Razer Lycosa gaming keyboard, and my Logitech G5. This is a decent unit for an everyday user (word processing, internet, email), but not much else.

18.) Pefectly adequate for most users
Reviewed by: rl Belmont, CA
Rating:
Have been using the set for a month and half now. It works just fine with Vista. No problem with the setup or operation.

A few times I have got a 'Signal weak' warning. Not obvious why that should happen. The keyboard and the mouse are within a couple of feet of the base, and there are no obstructions. But so far, the warning has come up only a couple of times, and it has been a minor annoyance at worst.

19.) No Complaints (except for one)
Reviewed by: Aspiring Photographer MI United States
Rating:
I had another brand of wireless mouse/keyboard that I had been using, but then someone spilled something on the keyboard and the keys kept sticking, so I decided to give this one a try. Probably the first thing I noticed was how lightweight and slim the keyboard was and also the notebook style keys which I am a big fan of, they are very quite and have a nice feel to them. Not really much to say about the mouse other than the one problem that I have which is the feel of the scroll wheel, it is very stiff and almost feels like a cigarette lighter when you scroll with it, very abrasive. My old scroll wheel was smooth and didn't make nearly as much noise.

OK lets move on to the installation. I put the CD in, ran through the install, really no options here, so it was mindless. That took about 5 minutes, then I put in the included batteries, plugged in the USB sensor, waited for things to get recognized and that was it. So the installation was very easy. It did add two new exe's to my startup though (itype and ipoint) I try to keep these to a minimum because my system is a little older and having too many things start with the computer really slows it down, but I'm thinking some of the special features would probably not work correctly without those.

About those special features. You can map e-mail, web browser, and even 5 of your favorites to the quick keys which can save you lots of time. There is also the standard multimedia (start, pause, stop etc), volume control, and even a quick link to the calculator which I use quite a bit.

So basically this is a nice keyboard, but I'm still not quite sold on the mouse because of the harsh scroll wheel which I use often, maybe I'll learn to accept it in time.

20.) Good combo
Reviewed by: Tiger Vijay Florida
Rating:
I bought this on sale at a local office supply store. I really like the keyboard; it is quiet and precise as others have commented and it has a bunch of useful shortcut keys. The mouse is nothing to write home about, but it works fine. I've had no "weak signal" problems, but my keyboard and mouse are both close to the transmitter thingy (which is quite large). For the money I paid it was a great deal; for the current Amazon price, it's a decent buy.

Update 2/14/09: Well, I was wrong about the mouse being okay. After 10 days I can't stand it and have replaced it with another wireless mouse that I own. If I could update the star rating I would give zero stars for the mouse, mostly because the scroll wheel is close to non-functional. The keyboard, though, is really nice.

21.) Good solid keyboard and mouse
Reviewed by: Chitown Reader Chicago, IL
Rating:
I have been using this for a few months now and find it to be a solid reliable keyboard and mouse, but nothing special. It has all the basic features and functionality that a normal user would require.

22.) Works great!!! No problems.
Reviewed by: C. Frerichs
Rating:
I bought this wireless keyboard and mouse combo to use with a computer I hooked up to my living room widescreen. After reading some reviews, I was concerned that there would be too much distance between the keyboard/mouse and its receiver. Well, I am at least 6.5' to 7' away from the receiver the signal is still at full strength. Keystrokes and mouse pointer/clicks are solid. This product does exactly what it needs to do for the price. Also, I can even use the couch cushion as a mouse pad. All good friends. The next level of couch potato is full-on. Hook yourself up!!!

23.) Works as advertised.
Reviewed by: M. Rainey San Francisco, CA
Rating:
This is a good product, and reasonably priced. The only issue I have, is that the mouse is not rechargeable and the batteries need to be replaced frequently. This is a good buy.

24.) Microsoft Wirteless Media Desktop 1000
Reviewed by: Mark E. Lammers
Rating:
I am very happy with the keyboard. The mouse is a bit small for my hand and can do quirky things from time to time. Overall I am very happy with the product.

25.) no complaints
Reviewed by: Michael D. Lane lakeville, mn USA
Rating:
i have no complaints for the keyboard or mouse. both work well in the capacity that i use it. keyboard is quiet and works great. the mouse is a little generic feeling but also works well.i am happy with it especially at the price it was.

26.) Easy to set-up and use with one important proviso.
Reviewed by: Mike Birman Brooklyn, New York USA
Rating:
Microsoft offers a keyboard and mouse wireless configuration that is easily set-up, quite simple to configure and use and is ergonomically shaped to provide comfortable use with a minimum of muscle strain. The mouse fits easily into the hand and its relatively small, sleek footprint reduces the kind of carpal tunnel wear and tear that often causes my right hand to cramp up into a claw-like appendage after 30 minutes of constant clicking and pointing. The keyboard is cleverly designed to provide maximum control over media files and external USB devices that are attached to your computer. Mice and keyboards are generally quite similar so what Microsoft has done to differentiate the set is to gear this package towards users who are frequently accessing media of various kinds. Programmable buttons allow one-click access to a DVD player or card reader, for example. Thus by cleverly programming the keyboard one can centralize all of your attached devices into one control center, with significant savings in time and complexity.

However, both wireless devices require a RF transmitter that plugs into your PC's USB connection, using up one of the (usually) three available USB slots. The radio connection can be interrupted by extraneous signals such as a wireless phone or router depending on the frequency in use. Some distance between devices is probably advisable. And when I attempted to load the necessary software onto my Bluetooth enabled laptop to compare the performance of the two wireless schemes, Microsoft's installation package insisted that it had discovered a conflicting program which it then proceeded to attempt to delete. I barely caught it in time, preventing the loss of my bluetooth software. Apparently simply disabling the Bluetooth application and devices was insufficient,

The bottom line is that the mouse and keyboard combination are well designed and easy to use but that these attributes come at a significant cost in flexibility. Users who can spare a USB slot and are engaged in media intensive activities will be the ones most attracted to this package. But if Bluetooth is a possible option I would definitely choose that wireless route.

27.) Overall good buy
Reviewed by: Casey J. Dunphy Alfred NY
Rating:
This setup is great. The wireless keyboard is a huge convenience. Also, all of the shortcut buttons along the top are fantastic. The mouse isn't so great. It worked fine for a few weeks but then the scroll wheel basically stopped workng

28.) I wanted this to work better than it does
Reviewed by: Patrick Oden Lake Arrowhead, CA United States
Rating:
Prior to getting this, I have been using a Dell provided Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, made by Logitech I believe.

Which means I'm probably a little spoiled for wireless products. The only fault was that the battery life was a bit less than I would have preferred. Indeed, I was also intrigued by quiet typing and water resistance claims. So, I took the leap and got this Microsoft set.

First the bad. The mouse is worthless. Really is. I've gotten used to the side buttons and other features of my present mouse. This mouse has the two buttons and a scroll wheel. The two buttons work okay, but the wheel makes for entirely random scrolling. It does not keep a steady speed, has no relation to the mouse setting in windows, and the average speed of scrolling is immensely slow, only a couple of lines.

Add this to the fact that affects both mouse and keyboard. The wireless connection is rather disappointing.

This set comes with a receiver that plugs into a usb port. The receiver is needlessly designed to look like an interesting addon. It is about the size of two mouses put together, with green lights on top that light up when connected. I'm a bit bothered by all the little lights computers seem to insist on and this just makes for more bother. If you could hide it, that might be okay, but the signal isn't strong enough. I have it right under my monitor and still get popups saying it has lost connection. It was really bad with the mouse, but still occasionally lapses with the keyboard, that is a foot away.

Any obstruction causes more problems. A real hassle. And adds to the general imprecision.

The keyboard itself is nice. The key noise really is significantly quieter. I've not tested the water resistance, but am comforted that it is there. The layout is a bit wider than other keyboards I've used, making for an initial bit of transition as I have to reach a bit farther for the higher keys. Those with smaller hands might find it uncomfortably wide. The programmable and media buttons are certainly handy, making for really quick access to programs that might not be always within an easy click.

Yet, I'm not sure such ease overcomes the deficiencies. I've already gone back to my bluetooth mouse. Now I'm using two usb ports for mouse and keyboard, a situation that may not continue and may get me to retire the microsoft keyboard as well. Which is sad. I wanted it to work better, but am ultimately frustrated by the wirelessness of the wireless.

It's not too costly, but the frustration it brings might justify either a little more money to get a setup that can be used without frustration, or invested in a non-wireless combo that provides all the functions without any batteries or bother.

29.) An okay set, with some outdated hardware.
Reviewed by: Lincoln J. Mennuti New York, NY United States
Rating:
Right to it...

++ The Pros ++
+ It's Wireless
+ Keypress is soft-touch and quiet
+ Flip 3D Key
+ 5 programmable function keys
+ Spill Resistant keys
+ Supposedly up to 6 months battery life

-- The Cons --
- The Wireless Receiver is surprisingly bigger than one would expect
- a mere 2-button, mouse

Over the years I've gone through about 5 keyboards and as many mice. Wired, wireless, trackball, ergonomic, etc...

My current "gold standard" is a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 6000 paired with a Logitech MX 1100 Wireless Mouse. The 6000 Keyboard has essentially all the same capabilities as this 1000 Keyboard, but is ergonomic and has a receiver the size of a Wrigley's pack of gum...Instead of a receiver the size of a hockey puck with the 1000.

There's really not much to say about this sets' 2-button mouse with scrollwheel. It's a basic mouse.

Overall, this set is just okay. If you're not a heavy typer and don't care about having a mouse with extra features, then this set will do a fine job. But if you're someone that does a lot of typing and/or have issues with wrist pain or even carpal-tunnel, and would like a mouse that's more abled...Look elsewhere.




30.) Inexpensive basic Keyboard/Mouse set
Reviewed by: Joe Los Angeles, CA United States
Rating:
This is a decent low end keyboard and mouse combo. It is ready for Vista by having some Vista specific keys. This is a nice feature as you can access the pop up tab screens with one click. There are a whole slew of multimedia specific keys on board too. This makes using your PC as a DVD/Audio player very easy. Compared to some deluxe keyboards this one is smaller by at least one third. If your desk area is tight you will appreciate this. On the flip side, some keys are smaller, like all the function keys. It's a trade. The keys themselves are very quiet, a good thing! Tactile feel is quite good, they have a nice responsive feel, yet remain quiet.

The Mouse is a very basic affair. It is of a good size for average to large hands. Small hands may find it too big? It is an ambidextrous design. So lefties can consider this set! That said it has no side buttons. Just the wheel which clicks and tilts. It also clicks when you scroll, for those that want this. I like a wheel with positive clicks. It has good accuracy and overall fells good.

The wireless antenna is HUGE. It is what I would expect in wireless set of five years ago. Nowadays most use an antenna device the size of a USB thumb drive or smaller. This is disappointing. It works, but is another thing you have to find a place for and adds to a desks clutter. Not to mention the long cable. Sorry this is the weak link of this setup.

I deducted one star for the antenna and one for the ultra basic mouse. Fair to good would be my verbal rating.



31.) It's Wireless, it's Microsoft, works well enough
Reviewed by: Follow Your Bliss - Joseph Cambell Florida
Rating:
This combo works well enough for the 'average' user, if there are any 'average' users around still. It's easy to install and setup, you don't need to use the software unless you want to use all the features of the keyboard and mouse such as the programmable macros.

The keyboard is thin and sleek, I like the look of it. Has a nice angle to it when you flip up the feet in the back. Nicer than the flat angle of my much more pricey Logitech G11.

The keys are soft touch, and if you like that kinda thing, this will satisfy. I am a long time computer user, and still miss the clicky keyboards we used to have way back when. You know when your key was pressed when you heard/felt the click. Soft touch keyboards leave me wondering if what I'm typing is actually appearing on the screen, since I still look at my keyboard more than my screen when typing.

There are a lot of nifty accessory buttons to load your browser, email, etc. I use Winamp instead of Windoze media Player, and the buttons for those didn't work. Since I like as little running in the background as possible to keep my resources devoted to programs that need it, I didn't install the software, and some of them don't work for me. But I don't mind, a click here, a click there, programs are easy to open.

The mouse is designed to work for leftys as well as the rest of us. It feels solid enough, and works good enough for those 'average' users. If your a gamer and need a higher resolution or quick twitch moves, this won't cut it for you. Adjusting the tracking and other settings help, but it's no substitute for a Razer or higher end Logitech.

Documentation says batteries should last 6 months, with the obligitory 'up to' in front of that, I haven't had time to test that, so time will tell.

All in all a good value for the moms and dads and 'average' users, if your a heavy duty user or gamer, spend a few more bucks.

Update 1/11/09: Whatever you do, DON'T slam the mouse down on the desk in frustration!!!!

After spending 3 hours typing in a blog post, the little woman clicked something she shouldn't have, and lost her work. She slammed the mouse down on the desk, hard enough to startle me, but not all that hard. It doesn't work any longer. I even took it apart to see if I could find something that got knocked loose, it all looks fine, just no more workie.... should be able to take a little abuse before dying in my opinion. I've slammed better mice down a lot harder than that and they are still ticking....

32.) Good basic combo - keyboard is quiet.
Reviewed by: hierophant Garden of Earthly Delights
Rating:
I found this combo to be good, basically they work a short distance from the receiver - a few feet. The receiver is a little large for my taste, but not a deal killer.

The truth is that most keyboards are engineered to click so that people get audible response to typing, this one isn't silent but makes typing quieter. When I am working in my home office next to my wife, this is a very good thing. The keyboard is supposed to be spill resistant, but I haven't tested that yet.

The mouse is a underwhelming. It's just a mouse and nothing special. I'm used to some fairly high-precision mice for doing graphics work- and this is just a normal mouse.

Overall - if your looking for an untethered desktop set - this will work well for you. I wouldn't recommend it to control things like a multimedia center that is greater than 3 or so feet awaty.



33.) Solid Bundle
Reviewed by: Joshua M. Garrett Atlanta
Rating:
Great keyboard with good feel to keys, no lights on the keyboard for function settings though. Mouse is adequate but scroll wheel is very clunky.

34.) The problem, and a solution
Reviewed by: Paul B. New York
Rating:
I bought this combo as an inexpensive add-on to my laptop, thinking that the mouse had side buttons. It doesn't, and they are missed. The keyboard is very good -probably the best board I've seen that isn't ergo. Nice action, small footprint. The only thing I don't like is that the Function keys are not adequately labeled as such.

The fundamental problem with this package is the disparity in quality between the board and the mouse. The mouse is heavy due to its batteries and it slides unevenly on my wood desk. The scroll wheel uses a plastic indexer to provide friction, and it's very rough and sometimes uncertain.

There are two ways to bring this mouse up to standards. First, see Stephen's review of January, '10, on how to alter the indexer action. I pared away at the indexer with an X-acto knife, and it was an substantial improvement. The wheel is more precise, and now that it takes less pressure to spin it, the difference between a spin and a click is more pronounced, so there will be fewer accidental middle-clicks. I just would caution about taking away too much material, because the wheel still has a loose feel to it, and without the indexer I think that would be off the charts.

Second, I even tried siliconing my desktop to make the mouse slide evenly, to no avail. Then I got the idea of rubbing a small amount of talc powder into the wood. Instantly the mouse glided almost effortlessly. My wrist muscles could finally relax.

If you do these two things, you'll help raise the mouse's performance up to the level of its keyboard companion. It will still lack the extra buttons, but you can sort-of get around that by using mouse gestures a lot.

Finally, many have complained about short wireless range. I've had no problem that way. The board has worked about ten feet out, and the receiver itself has a long cord.

35.) Too Annoying to Keep
Reviewed by: MassiveAttack New Orleans
Rating:
There was a time when MS was deservedly lauded for their input devices. Either that time has passed completely, or it's just the entire Wireless Desktop series that is terrible. I have tried this one as well as the 3000 and 6000.

They all have one thing in common: The keys and typing action are fantastic, in my subjective opinion. It's not quite a shallow, silent laptop feel, but far away from the clickety-clank of your typical desktop keyboard. The extra function keys always work perfectly and little touches like the dedicated calculator key are a seriously nice touch (why every keyboard doesn't have a calculator key is beyond me).
Sadly, every other model in this series has one other thing in common, too:

They absolutely suck at maintaining a connection. It's a joke. the receiver can literally be two feet from the keyboard or mouse, and on a level line of sight, and the software will warn you that the connection is flaky. This is maddening particularly if you are any sort of writer who relies on long and uninterrupted trains of thought. I often find that my last two or three sentences never registered due to a wireless drop, and then I'm mentally derailed.

Did I get a dud with the 1000? I thought so. So I got I began upgrading through the series because the mouse included with the 1000 model is sort of a joke. Oh, it works, but only on the most basic level, and it feels very cheaply constructed. In addition to being ho-hum, it too suffers the connection issues of the keyboard. Anyway - when I got the 'nicer' Wireless Desktop models, they EACH suffered from the abysmal wireless performance.

I gave up. Seriously. Three different models, from two different sellers? I understand that when you mass produce stuff, duds get through. I am totally okay with that and don't get angry and rush off to Amazon to complain each time a device takes a crap on me. But I'm here now to warn you against THE ENTIRE LINE OF MICROSOFT WIRELESS DESKTOPS. If my wording wasn't strong enough for you, have a look at the other reviews, especially the page for the other version of the Wireless 1000, which has far more reviews than this newer revision does.

I hope that this helps someone avoid what is apparently an all too frequent problem with current MS wireless input devices.

36.) Pretty disappointed
Reviewed by: M. J Lane USA
Rating:
The first item I'd like to mention is that you cannot enable encryption on the keyboard because the software does not support that. This may not be a big deal to some but I like all wireless devices I use to have encryption.

It may not be a big deal if the range of the keyboard was as advertised (about 1 meter) but I was able to type from 6 meters away through a 1/2 closed door. I assumed that all wireless keyboards came with encryption that could be enabled--I was wrong.

The keyboard itself has a nice feel to it and it looks really sleek. The "extra" function keys work the way they are supposed to. The mouse tracks my movements very well but the scroll button is broken (it only works in the down direction). Both of them are very bare-bones setups and only offer very slight upgrades over a standard mouse and keyboard.

The base unit plugs into an open USB port and does not require external power (this is nice since all my outlets are full). This unit also has the added bonus of freeing up a USB port because instead of a port for the mouse and a port for the keyboard all you need is one for the base.

Overall I'd strongly recommend one of the higher-end packages if you use your mouse and keyboard a lot. I'd look for encryption for the keyboard signal as well as more multi-function keys. For the mouse I'd definitely look for additional functional buttons (the one in this package just comes with a L/R button and the scroll wheel).

37.) This is junk!
Reviewed by: P. Reusch
Rating:
I've had the set for 3 months. Mouse still works keyboard does not. Tried new battereis, removing and reinstalling, troubleshooting through Microsoft Website. They do not even list the Microsoft Wireless 1000! No documentation came with it. Installed help file does not help at all. I am very disppointed with this product.

38.) Problem with software and mouse with horrible quality
Reviewed by: Tuxypoo Evergreen state of Washington
Rating:
As some other reviewers commented, I think the keyboard is fine. It is smooth and very quiet. However I really dislike the mouse, especially the scroll button. It seems to catch on somthing inside so it does not scroll smoothly.
Aside from the hardware, what I disliked the most about this product is that the sw that came with it. I used the disk that came with it and went through the installation process. Once done, my mouse worked in a funky way and the keyboard did not work at all. I ended up spending next hour searching for the right sw, uninstalling the sw that came with the disk and then installing sw specific for Windows vista 32 bit operating system.

I did see few comments similar to what I experienced too. As a product I would give one star but since I like the keyboard, I will make it 2 star.

-----------
Update - Ok, so following morning I found out that my mouse went dead completely. What a garbage. Too bad I can't change the rating. I would give it 1 star. Dog gone it.


39.) Great keyboard, horrible mouse
Reviewed by: AJ MURRAY New York, NY USA
Rating:
This keyboard has a great quality finish, nice soft keys, and the "original" keyboard layout which I prefer. The multimedia keys are well placed and I've found myself using them often.

The mouse however is useless. The scrollwheel sometimes scrolls by itself, and I constantly find my apps moving or zooming around as if possessed. It also contains no back/forward buttons.

40.) Excellent comfort and performance, but only at a short distance
Reviewed by: Spidurman Richmond, VA
Rating:
This keyboard and mouse combo are a great addition to any desktop PC or laptop, but with one MAJOR drawback - the wireless only works at a short distance. I purchased this combo for a laptop that I used primarily as a desktop PC with an external monitor. I really liked the keyboard design (and the price), but I did not need the mouse. It worked well for me in that setup because the wireless receiver was not far from the keyboard (1-2 feet). After several months of use, it worked extremely well and I was very satisfied with the product. However, I changed my configuration and moved the wireless receiver to a farther distance (4-5 feet) and the signal quality degraded significantly, where the keyboard would barely respond. I tried to eliminate any interference and obstructions, but with no success. Even with a clear line of sight between the receiver and the keyboard, the keyboard still did not work reliably. I was forced to redo my setup, so the receiver was closer.

I really like the keyboard and continue to use it today because it functions very well and is very comfortable. The laptop-style keys and quiet-touch operation are great. However, I can't give it more than 2 stars because one of it's fundamental features works very poorly, if at all. This is a critical design error. The keyboard was clearly not fully tested in real-life conditions.

I would recommend a bluetooth wireless keyboard and/or mouse (such as Rocketfish Wireless Multimedia Bluetooth Keyboard and Laser Mouse) versus a radio transmitter. Bluetooth has greater range and is less likely to be affected by interference. I also own the Rocketfish keyboard/mouse combo and they work flawlessly from much greater distances. If you are looking for a laptop-style keyboard, but don't need wireless I would recommend Kensington Slim Type Keyboard - PC ( 64365 ). I've been using this keyboard for a couple years and it is probably the most comfortable of all my keyboards.

41.) Terrible wireless
Reviewed by: gk10 Austin, TX United States
Rating:
Would not work more than 2ft away from the receiver, even with no other wireless devices on.

42.) Nice features but really poor wireless performance
Reviewed by: Edward Holt Tacoma, Wa USA
Rating:
We got this keyboard/mouse combo to replace the broken OEM. Liked the extrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr <--- here is a perfect example of why we are buying a wired unit to replace ths one. The keyboard constantly hangs up and auto repeats and just plain stalls. Its extra frustrating when trying to type in passwords an you can't see the typo. I have tried to update and replace batteries but with no real success. It made typing ANYTHING a chore. The mouse is OK most of the time, though I can see it reacting like the keyboard does.

43.) The mouse isn't worth it's weight in plastic
Reviewed by: R. Hawthorne
Rating:
The keyboard works well - I have no complaints. However, this is a package deal and the mouse scroll function is itermittent. Get something else.

44.) OVERPRICED C-R-A-P
Reviewed by: Barn Boulder, CO
Rating:
I bought this keyboard/mouse combo for use with my TV. The PC is about 6 feet away and the signal was pathetically bad. Even when I got withing 2 or 3 feet the signal was still pretty bad. [...]

45.) Worst keyboard I ever laid my fingers on
Reviewed by: Southrock
Rating:
This is the cheapest keyboard I have ever touched. The keys push down inside the base making it extremely uncomfortable. Built cheap, feels cheap. the mouse scroll button is rough. It doesn't scroll smoothly. I didn't bother configuring the hotkeys, I won't be using it much. Had I known it was going to be this bad I would have pulled out one of my old junkers and used it.
I bought this for a HTPC. I will be using a remote control for it, so the keyboard and mouse were intended for occasional gaming on the box. I don't know if I can even use it ocassionally.
Stay away from this. Collect all the pennies in your sofa and buy something else!!

46.) AVOID!!!!
Reviewed by: Christopher
Rating:
This must be one of the worst products I have ever bought.

Keyboard is 10 cm from the "puck" and have extreme problems with poor signal quality. The mouse buttons are unresponsive as well as the scroll wheel which is goddamn awful and makes scrolling an annoying game of chance.

AVOID!!

47.) Another Microsoft POS
Reviewed by: E. Alexander Campos
Rating:
Do not buy this POS keyboard and mouse! Ever since day one the ten keys were sticky which means you get this, 33333333333333333333333333333333333, ad nauseam wherever the cursor happens to be. The keyboard and mouse are about 8 inches away from the wireless receiver yet I still get constant low signal warnings. The mouse worked for a while then mysteriously overnight it just stopped working. Avoid it!

48.) Total junk
Reviewed by: Rock Fan Alberta
Rating:
This is a bad product and lacks the quality anything from Microsoft is supposed to have. The reciever is garbage, the keyboard drains battery life too fast and drops out half the time and after a few weeks keys randomly stop working altogether. The mouse weights about 10 pounds and is just combersome and anything but comfortable. Most Microsoft keyboards, mice and desktop sets are wonderful for any ststem but this one is complete junk in every sence, Im baffled that Microsoft even let this sick puppy out of the gate.

Features of Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 (Black)

A Sleek, Wireless Desktop Designed for Your Digital Lifestyle. Sit back and enjoy fast, easy access to all your favorite digital pictures, music, videos and more with this sleek, ultra-thin quiet touch keyboard. The companion wireless mouse delivers ergonomic comfort and advanced productivity with Microsoft High Defi nition Optical Technology, Flip 3D button, and Magnifier.

1.) Windows Flip 3D Key Experience this dynamic Windows Vista feature;
2.) Media Center Control your media activities with the touch of a button;
3.) Spill-Resistant Keys - Quiet, responsive, thin-profile keys with integrated water channels;
4.) Hot Keys One-touch access to Windows Media Player, e-mail;
5.) High Definition Optical Mouse - More responsive, more precise, smoother tracking;
6.) Hot Keys One-touch access to Windows Media Player, e-mail, Home, calculator, My Documents, instant messaging, and photos.;
7.) Media Center Control your media activities with the touch of a button.;
8.) Spill-Resistant Keys - Quiet, responsive, thin-profile keys with integrated water channels inbetween to drain the liquid away.;
9.) Windows Flip 3D Key Experience this dynamic Windows Vista feature by pressing a key or the mouse scroll wheel;

Package Height x Length x Width: 18.7 in. x 18.7 in. x 7.8 in.
Package Weight: 2.8 lbs.

Accessories for Microsoft Wireless Media Desktop 1000 (Black)