Microsoft Optical Desktop Bluetooth

Bluetooth has long been hyped as the panacea for wireless communication but we've yet to be impressed by anything that uses it.

Hopes were high, however, when the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Bluetooth appeared in the Computeractive office, not least because it's the most stylish mouse and keyboard combination we've ever seen.

In a word, the Optical Desktop Bluetooth looks gorgeous. Both keyboard and mouse have a high-quality metallic blue finish with silver accents which really do look smart.

The keyboard has translucent blue keys, plus a row of silver buttons along its top edge that can be configured to launch any applications you choose, as well as control your favourite media player.

As with Microsoft's Office keyboard, the Function keys can also act as shortcuts for frequently used Windows commands, such as saving a document, replying to an email and so on.

Thankfully, this feature can be turned off for anyone who prefers their Function keys to behave as Function keys, which is essential for many games.

The mouse is a highly sculpted optical model that fits snugly in the right hand, although it's actually not uncomfortable for lefties too.

Unless they have a particularly dextrous pinkie, however, they won't be able to use the two programmable thumb buttons.

Being Bluetooth, the Optical Desktop Bluetooth needs a Bluetooth transceiver, and Microsoft supplies a thumb-sized USB device that sits either in a desktop cradle or plugs directly into a USB port.

It'll work with any Bluetooth device too and the good news is that the way Bluetooth works means that nobody will be able to eavesdrop on your wireless typing.

Better still, if anyone nearby has the same set-up, it won't interfere with yours.

Unfortunately, there's also some bad news.

First, the Optical Desktop Bluetooth only works with Windows XP and second, you'll need an existing keyboard and mouse to install it.

Until you've clicked your way through the lengthy set-up procedure, the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard won't work at all, so this isn't a combination to replace broken equipment.

Third, the Optical Desktop Bluetooth only works in Windows XP.

No, we're not repeating ourselves; unless Windows is actually running, then neither mouse nor keyboard will work at all, which means you can't use it in MS-Dos and you can't use it to alter your Bios settings.

In other words, a PC with the Optical Desktop Bluetooth is a PC that needs a second back-up keyboard.

In use, the mouse and keyboard work well enough but we weren't overly impressed.

Both devices slip into power-saving mode after short periods of inactivity to save their AA batteries.

Annoyingly, it can take a second or more before they wake up after a key press or mouse movement, and this is more than long enough to be irritating.

We didn't care for the feel of the keyboard either: the keys have a hollow, lifeless feel that we couldn't adapt to, but more determined users may get used to it with time.

So here's another piece of Bluetooth technology that promises a lot but fails to deliver.

We really wanted to like the Optical Desktop Bluetooth but it's telling that once this review was complete, it went straight back into its box.

Price: £150

Contact: Microsoft 0845 700 2000
www.microsoft.com/uk/keyboard