Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Elite

Keyboard:
The quick access buttons (and there are lots of them) are all easy to setup and most were preprogrammed with what i want anyway, even iTunes (an Apple product so i expected some isuues) works seamlessly. Other reviewers found the keyboard too thick, i see their point but i dont find it really affects how you type. All the basic functions bar the F keys are the same as on any keyboard, and in reality how often do you use the F keys anyway? You also cannot see the caps/scroll/num lock lights on the keyboard, however this isnt an issue as changing them brings up an on screen note.

Mouse:
I MUCH prefer the smooth vertical scrolling of this to older versions which it replaces. I found the horizontal tilt wheel too slow by default but that was easily fixed by changing speed settings and it now works well. The mouse has been ergonomically cnfigured over previous intellimice ive used and it feels excellent.

All in all a highly recommended product that is what yo come to expect from Microsoft.

The whole thing was very easy to set up on my XP system, followed the instructions and a few minutes later I was able to type away on my keyboard with no problems. It does not conflict with my wireless internet router either which was a small concern of mine. To top it off, it works when I am well out of the room, which isn't that helpful but it certainly impresses. Actually using the keyboard I found it to be comfortable and robust. Keys on the keyboard can be easily reassigned and the software is easy to use. Things like the calculator button and my documents I am already using, almost forgetting how to access them the long way!

It took me a bit to figure out how to open the mouse to put the battery in, but that's a very small issue. Overall, it's a bargain buy for Amazon, rather than spending £99 on it at PC World!

Mouse:
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- Scroller moves both vertical and horizontal.
- Scroller when scrollong vertically moves continouly smoothly rather than stopping & starting.
- Areas of the mouse when your fingers are placed are now engraved, including the thumb on the side.
- Additional two side buttons which by default are for moving back & forward through local windows and Internet Exporer.

Overall:
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- As you can see from the images, it's looks stunning, even better when you have it in front of you.
- Completely wireless.
- Driver software holds status details such as signal strength and battery level.
- Just like most Microsoft products, so quick to setup. Plug in, install the driver software, restart, customize and your done (hmm...last part sounds familiar).

Summary:
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There are only three negative points I feel about the Microsoft's Optical Elite kit:

- The CAPS LOCK, SCROLL LOCK and FUNCTION LOCK (which toggles the use of the function keys F1-F12 between their standardized use and Microsoft's unique short cuts 'Help', 'New', 'Save', etc.), have their toggle lights on the transmitter rather than on the keyboard. A common problem has been for some people when they've wanted to hide the transmitter in a cupboard out of sight which would not allow them to see the status of the lock functions. However when you press each of the three keys it does show in the lower right of your screen that they've been turned on or off.

- NUM LOCK light has been replaced with the FUNCTION LOCK light rather than having four lights for each lock. Supposedly this is part of Microsoft's discrete way of merging their unqiue function key uses into the kit by maintaining the three lights. But I think the NUM LOCK is used more commonly than the SCROLL LOCK so if they only want three lights, maybe they should have replaced the SCROLL LOCK light instead. However the NUM LOCK's toggle status is reported at the lower right of the screen as the same as with the others.

- By default and unchangable, the FUNCTION LOCK is off and has the function keys work the unique shortcuts as described above. Rather than the standard use for the functions being active when the FUNCTION LOCK is off, and only have the unique shortcuts activated when the lock is on. A problem when users are not particulary interested in the 'New', 'Close', 'Spell', 'Print' shortcuts and prefer to use the functions keys as usual permantely, as the user has to press the FUNCTION LOCK to enable their standard use at the start of every session.

These points are not ones to hold against Microsoft however because I feel they are simply inserting their ideas and making them primary, rather than having them on the side for optional use. The kit as a whole is fully customizable which is the important factor of the product which should be most emphasized.

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The Microsoft Optical Wireless Elite kit is near perfect. Sitting in front of my three speaker Microsoft sound system (which unfortunately they do not make any more), in front of my silver monitor and on top of my black in colour computer workstation from IKEA - the room now looks amazing, because it's only after when items like these are in place you realize the difference.