Logitech Cordless Elite Duo

Rating:
Summary: Nice Combo, But Get the Cordless MX Duo if You Can.
Review: It's been 11 months since I got this Cordless Elite Duo. At under 50 bucks, you can't go wrong with this combo.

Bottom line? Get the Elite Duo if you'd like a good mouse, but if you can spare the few extra dollars, get the Cordless MX Duo. You get the same exact keyboard, but a much, much nicer mouse (the MX700). Just think - better tracking, a charging base, 2 NiMH batteries included for the mouse (2 alkalines included for the keyboard.) If the MX Duo was available last year, I would have opted for that one instead.

But, if you want a pretty good mouse with a programmable thumb button (I programmed it as a back button), this Elite Duo is a good deal, alkaline batteries included. I've used it on a number of machines, ranging from Athlon XP 2600+ Barton system, to my brother's PS2.

On a PS2, it's great. No need to use your controller to type when you're gaming online, just plug in the RF receiver and type away your "GG"s with your new wireless keyboard. It's sweet.

I know you're supposed to keep the keyboard and mouse about 6' from the receiver, but I can't help it sometimes! If you use your computer as entertainment center like I do, you'll be surprised to know that you can lug the keyboard to the other end of the house, and it'll still function. I'm talking at least 25' here. Go to the next rooms and use the "Next Track", volume, or other buttons to control your songs. Kinda like a big remote control that works through walls. Nice.

Regarding to all the extra buttons on the keyboard, I don't use them all that often, with the "2nd mouse wheel" as the exception. The keyboard includes a 2nd mouse wheel on the left side, which can be programmed do one any one of several things. I use it as a volume button, as the dedicated volume button at the top center of the keyboard is too bothersome to reach for all the time. The nice thing is that all the buttons are customizable, so that you can program launch programs or websites of your choice.

As for gaming, personally I'd use another mouse. The Cordless Mouseman Optical that comes with this duo is OK, but I notice just enough lag to get on my nerves. Maybe I'm just spoiled, or maybe it's just my LCD. But for everything else under the sun, the mouse is fine.

FYI. My last motherboard was a MSI K7T266 Pro 2-A (do you know what that is? Do you care?). Anyways, whenever I wanted to go into BIOS, or whenever I wanted to boot from my Windows XP CD, I'd have to use a wired keyboard because the mobo wouldn't load the USB in time. Also, the receiver would momentarily cut out once in a while, as if it lost USB connectivity. Again, my setup might be to blame.

Someone said something about this duo not working with USB hubs? Personally, I've connected it to a Linksys USBHUB4C hub, and it worked like a charm... for months. I connected it to a cheap Iogear GUH174 hub, still works until now. *Shrug*

All in all, the Elite Duo works nicely, and has stood the test of time. The question really is price versus performance - The Elite Duo vs. the MX Duo. Go for the MX Duo, but you can't go wrong with the Elite Duo.

Rating:
Summary: So many buttons, so much deskspace...
Review: Finally had to ditch old iMac keyboard with lousy 'feel', unresponsive keys... Huge improvement in keyboard 'feel' over previous keyboard, solid design, can actually touch type again... Only owned for a week... need to restart after installing drivers to 'activate' wireless keyboard & mouse... newer drivers availible from logitech... mouse motion a little jerky even after adjusting control panels (both Logitech & Apple Mouse)... must be 'wireless' thing... don't know what the battery consumption is yet, uses four 'AA' batteries (two for keyboard, two for mouse)... mouse a tad heavier & bulkier than my previous logitech optical wheel mouse (must be the batteries)... thumb button on left side of mouse makes for righties only, feels big in hand... changed default thumb button from 'click-hold' to custom key-combo 'command-[' for one button 'back page' in Safari... count 18 'extra' buttons and two scroll wheels on keyboard alone... default extra button functions from driver install work great, needs a second after pressing for computer to respond on 'media keys'... don't think I'll actually use the extra buttons, but they're there adding to the dimensions of keyboard, much bigger than I anticpated and takes a lot of deskspace... overall I'm happy with the purchase, just a tad dissappointed with overall size & bulk of keyboard and mouse.

Rating:
Summary: Logitech Wireless keyboard and mouse with spin wheel..
Review: We burn through a lot of keyboards: the only complaint here is that the keyboard is noisy, with clattering, and that can be solved by one of those soft plastic key-cover things.

Okay: the wrist rest is comfortable. The buttons at the top let you log off user (which shuts computer down, be careful!) pulls up email, Instant messenger/sms, Webcam, Media, will mute colume, pull up your home page and do a computer search!

The mouse is great: now everywhere I go I'm trying to spin a wheel to scroll down, this is so convenient.

Altogether a great keyboard/mouse combo.

Rating:
Summary: Ok setup, but too middle ground.
Review: I have been using my Logitech Cordless Elite Duo system for about 6 months now and am somewhat satisfied with the quality of the product. If I had the choice to buy a keyboard again (which I will soon) I would for out a little extra for the rechargable mouse. Since this is a battery keyboard and mouse I find that I am using about 6-8 AA batteries every 5 weeks or so. I am just a little more than your average computer user, but not much. One problem I did have was the driver download of the logitech website. My F-keys are all messed up and do not seems to match the program I have (after much review to ensure what I thought was correct). One good thing is the fact that the default PNP windows op systems does operate with this setup without the need for installed drivers/software. I would only choose this setup if I was on a budget but wanted to have wirless now. I do overall think logitech is a good company from past experience.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent !
Review: I uses it for about 8 months and I only the battery once on my keyboard !! For the mouse, it uses about 2 batteries every 1.5 month. Not bad at all. I wish the LED on the mouse can be turn off sooner after idle time, it will save evern more energy. Response is great, I do not see delay at all.

One issue is on the keyboard, I wish the spring on the keys are same height as normal keyboard, so I can press deeper as I try. As I hit the key, I have to reduce my force so I do not hit the key too hard. The spring on the keys seem too light too, my fingers get tire easier on this keyboard than a normal keyboard.

Rating:
Summary: Bye Bye Cords!
Review: I bought this product after moving and having trouble getting my mouse and keyboard to reach from the computer to where I wanted them. Not only is that problem solved, but I find this product surprisingly effective and easy to use. I've noticed the following:

1 - Setup was easy. It took more time to get out of the box than to get working.

2 - The reciever transmitter works fine even from within my desk. It's seperated from the mouse and keyboard by a bunch of wood, and no problems.

3 - Works fine with games -- I can't detect any delay between hitting a key or moving the mouse and getting a response.

4 - Nice programable buttons on the mouse and keyboard, and easy to use software to customize those keys. (The mouse is a three button mouse, plus the wheel. The third button is at the thumb.)

Rating:
Summary: Mac users beware. PC gamers beware
Review: Software support for OS X is terrible. Causes kernal panics and will not allow you to use Expose in OS 10.3(Panther). PC Games seem to make you jump through hoops to setup the mouse with each game. Buy an Micro$oft set instead.

Rating:
Summary: Like the little girl with the little curl...
Review: ...when it was good it was very, very good, but when it was bad it was horrid.

This is a caveat emptor comment, not a product review per se. I bought this particular wireless combo because it was the only one I could find that had the ability to make a secure connection between the keyboard/mouse and the receiver. I've had it for about a year, it's been a pleasure to use and has operated flawlessly...until this week when suddenly and for no apparent cause, the keyboard began behaving erratically, and died the next day. My online research found that the problem (sudden loss of F key function and malfunction of hot keys, then sudden death) is not uncommon to this product. Logitech's web site has diagnostics aplenty, none of them pertinent to this problem. The lights are on and there seems to be a few people home at e-mail support, but they were about as useful as a teat on a boar.

The product is still under warranty and could be replaced had I time jump through all the hoops Logitech has held up to be jumped through to obtain an RMA, and if it wouldn't cost more to pay for the required and potentially lengthy call to Logitech's customer service line (not toll free), packing materials for the keyboard, and shipping than it would to buy a brand new unit. So, great product, a pleasure to use, but when it dies before its time, not so much.

Rating:
Summary: If the stupid function keys worked, I wouldn't return it.
Review: I tried this keyboard for a week. I really liked most things about it, but it has a killer weakness. The function keys don't work the way they should. When you boot, they are in this new "enhanced" mode. Some enhancement. I've been using computers for over 25 years, and now they change the function keys? They put a key on the keyboard that lets you toggle it, but you have to hit it every single time you boot! If you forget, you're doing stupid things like cutting and pasting or sending email instead of the action you thought you were taking.

If they had an option to make it default to the normal state, I'd have kept it, but it's a deal breaker as is. I would have given this combo a 5 otherwise. I love the mouse, and cordless hookup is wonderful! This has to be the most bone-headed thing I've ever seen. I suppose if you never use your function keys, this keyboard will be great, but it's ridiculous as is. Get this - you have about 1/2 second to hit the FLock key (to toggle the function keys at boot) so you can hit the F2 key to get into the BIOS on your machine, or to hit F8 to get into safe mode. Hope you didn't miss it. I've been a happy and faithful Logitech user for 15 years. I will never buy another of their keyboards again as long as this feature is unchanged.

Rating:
Summary: only one problem......
Review: my dad got this combo or whatever and the only problem i see with it is that the mouse never goes off and it just eats up the battery...he has to replace the batteries like every 2 days or whatever...and it feels wieird...not normal like other mouses, very wieird shape