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Wireless Keyboard with touchpad?

I have been looking for some time for a wireless keyboard with built in mouse control - a touchpad seems the obvious choice - to use with a mac mini in a plasma TV/Hi Fi home theatre set up. There seems to be a gap in the market for this type of device.

I have so far come across 2-3 third party devices that only work with PC but not wirelessly (two USB, one PS2). Sony make a nice looking white cylindrical media PC that has a wireless keyboard with a touchpad. I also see them in some department stores at the point of sale tills.

I know I could get a wireless Mac (mighty) mouse, but when you are sat in a chair or sofa, there are very few surfaces where you can comfortably use a wireless mouse. It just feels odd!

Many people are comfortable using a laptop on their lap and controlling the mouse pointer with a touchpad so it is just like detaching the screen, moving it away 6-8 feet and making it bigger of course! The user interface and experience stays the same.

If Apple got wise and marketed the mini as a media centre, I'm sure they would make the connection and produce another wireless keyboard with built in touchpad. Until then, has anyone come across a suitable solution?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2), 2.33 GHz Intel Core Duo - 2GB RAM

Posted on Feb 20, 2008 9:05 AM

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11 replies

Feb 20, 2008 9:31 AM in response to bob_bradley

I agree...there are not many of these products around, I'd love to have a bluetooth version of one. Another options would be to get a wireless trackball instead of a traditional mouse. That eliminates most of the mousing surface problem.

Here is one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VUGJ/ref=dpcp_ob_title0
I've never used the wireless version of this, but love the wired (which I have 3 of).

Feb 20, 2008 11:33 AM in response to PPMo

Thanks PPMo.

A trackball certainly deals with the lack of decent surfaces issue but I'm a long time laptop user so arms folded in towards the keyboard is my typical MO. Yes, bluetooth would be best for the keyboard/touchpad. I alluded to that without being specific.

Let's hope another forum user uncovers a hidden gem or (God willing) that Apple pick up the potential of such a device...!

Feb 22, 2008 2:36 AM in response to bob_bradley

Hi Bob,
I'll be in the same boat as you soon, aiming to migrate my G4 Mac Mini to the living room soon, and doing the homework now.
Here are the wireless keyboards that I've found appealing for this purpose:

Logitech Playstation 3 Cordless MediaBoard Keyboard, US$47
Some people have said it works well on Mac and PC too, so this seems good. Note: the PRO model is much more expensive!
http://www.amazon.com/Playstation-3-Cordless-MediaBoard-Keyboard/dp/B000MFLBBK

Logitech DiNovo Edge, US$157
Very smart looking, pure Bluetooth tech and nice trackpad/media cursor.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/192&cl=hk,en

Logitech DiNovo Mini, US$149
Miniturized version of above, yuo'll be using thumbs to type. Only recently released.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/3848&cl=us,en?WT.ac =ps

Adessa WKB-4000US, US$80
Matches your description of a laptop keyboard and trackpad perfectly!
http://www.amazon.com/Adesso-WIRELESS-SLIMTOUCH-TOUCHPAD-WKB-4000US/dp/B00083Y0Y G/ref=pdbbs5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1203675646&sr=8-5


I've tried some of the relatively cheaper mini keyboards that have a trackball on the right and left+right mouse keys on the left. The build quality was abit poor and either the trackball easily lost traction (within afew days!) or the keys started falling off, but I do recall I tried it and it wasn't very good, and I returned it. I'm also abit weary of RF wireless, because I have had some RF mice where the battery died very quickly and the wireless connection was not smooth unless you had the mouse right next to the USB dongle. I tried afew cheap brands, going upto the Kensington wireless mouse, but just gave up on RF stuff since.

If you do go for one of the above, please do let us know how it is with them! 🙂

Feb 22, 2008 4:38 AM in response to Michael Cheung2

Michael

Thank you for your comprehensive response! You've clearly done more research than I. I'd seen the Adesso before but not the others. I'm still a little concerned that the majority are not advertised as working with Mac.

P.S. The missing link came through in the alert email.

I'm over in NY and Boston next week, so I'll see if anything is available over the counter anywhere.

Has anyone used the keyboards that Michael has highlighted with a Mac?

Message was edited by: bob_bradley

Mar 26, 2008 2:04 AM in response to Durandal v1.1b

I can't tell you how much I wish Apple would create a version of their wireless keyboard with an integrated touchpad and their smart gestures technology built-in. I'm currently typing this on an Adesso connected to a Mac Pro, and its touchpad functionality pales in comparison to that on my Macbook.

Mice and trackballs give me tendonitis even when I'm being 'careful' about ergonomics - it's bad enough that I previously sold a G4 tower just because I couldn't find an input device that would work for me. The Adesso keyboard / touchpad is ok, but it sure would be nice to have a native Apple keyboard + the better touchpad tech to go with.

Anyone listening?!

Mar 26, 2008 6:30 PM in response to bob_bradley

i use the logitech mediaboard pro. pretty much wanted to do the same thing your wanting.. mac mini, hdtv, and be comfortable from the couch. this is a nice keyboard, though the keys aren't as tactile as i'd like. the touchpad works great. you have the scroll gesture for up and down, and if you hit the shift key it'll move side to side. its certainly not the mouse gestures you get with the macbooks, but serves my purposes. not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either.

Mar 27, 2008 1:27 AM in response to minsterkermy

Interesting, ... but I hate Logitech's drivers. Last time I used them, they were a (necessary) PITA - I needed them to properly use a Logitech Windows keyboard in a Mac, but then they would not let go of the (Logitech) mouse, so I could not use better alternative mouse drivers (like USB Overdrive X).
(And of course a couple of mails I sent to Logitech support, suggesting some improvements or at least the ability to install separately drivers for mouse and keyboard, were quickly answered with canned "won't fix" messages)

So... do you need the drivers for that keyboard? Have you found any problem in that area?

Message was edited by: Durandal v1.1b

Wireless Keyboard with touchpad?

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