[Microsoft Standard Wireless Multimedia Keyboard
Julieann Rohde
I'm kind of fussy about my keyboards, and this one feels great - but I don't think I can handle the non-standard layout of the HOME/END/DEL/PgUP/PgDn/INS keys. I can see they were trying to narrow the keyboard by one keycap width, but I can't stand it! I'm a little surprised to be the only one that hates the way the rearranged these keys.
I actually ordered the wireless in the first place but was contacted to change it due to incompatibility with Audigy 2 - now I find the only incompatibility is with the Logitech wireless multimedia keys. I don't need or want the multimedia keys, in fact I shut them off whenever possible.
It's worse than I thought - I checked out the MS keyboards today. They have done away with the insert key and the Delete key is now the size of two keys combined. Home/End/PgUp/PgDn are actually in different layout than Dell too. So much for standard!
I just got a new HP Omni-27 desktop (Windows 7 64-bit) which comes with a KG-1162 wireless keyboard. The problem is that the fn status of the function keys is reversed from what it should be. As an example, the f10 key dims the display instead of sending an f10 code to the application, and fn+f10 sends an f10 code instead of dimming the display. This makes the keyboard extremely frustrating when trying to use applications that make heavy use of function keys, like MS Office products and developer IDEs. Another example is interactive games which require use of the function keys, but you rarely have an extra finger free to also hold down the fn key. This is analagous to trying to use a keyboard that doesn't have a Caps Lock key, but always acts as if Caps Lock were on. Of the several keyboards I use in the course of a day, this is the only one that acts this way. I'd really like to find a way to fix this before I throw this keyboard out and buy one that works as it should. Here's what I've tried and learned so far:
To switch from multimedia to standard function, press the fn+esc keys simultaneously; this locks the keys to standard function. To switch back from standard function to multimedia, press the fn+esc keys simultaneously again.
There was no such document in the box. I suppose it's possible I overlooked it, but I searched quite thoroughly before discarding the boxes. It would have saved me days of frustration. Also, I couldn't find anything like this in the online documents for the Omni27, or in searching the support site and forums. Obviously the technical support people copuldn't find this either. Having this available online and linked to the Omni27 support page would also have been helpful.
I'm sorry you had a frustrating experience with this, KenPaul, and I thank you for the additional feedback. The only part I didn't post are the keyboard layout graphic and translations. I'll see what we can do about putting this info out on the web!
Can you please provide me more information on Fn key for my HPE-8 desktop. I love my HP, but facing issue with my wireless keyboard.. Any information on how to use it , disable and enable it will help me tone with my daily use of the pc. I have not receive any manual with pc and manuall on web page for my pc is does not provide much information as my DV7 notebook manuall does.
I noticed that you have the same keyboard that I have,(wireless KBI) HP can't seem to find it in their listings. Do you happen to know what the buttons along the left side of the keyboard do? they have a symol that looks like a tv, a world, scizzors,2 rectangles, and a square with a square in front of it. HP person recommended I push them to see what they do but they seem not to do anything except the world one. it takes me to my yahoo page. any suggestions? thanks
Getting started was as simple as inserting the batteries and plugging the dongle into a USB port on my computer. The two AAA batteries fit in a compartment on the underside of the keyboard, where there is also a magnetized space to store the dongle when not in use. Including the magnet as extra security against losing the all-important dongle, even if the compartment door falls off, is a welcome feature.
I also was a bit disappointed with the Microsoft wireless multimedia keyboard not being backlit.
some times I have the problem of keys not responding and have to keep going over what I have written and correcting the missing letters.
the other issue is the F-Keys, On all my laptops I have to press the Fn key to use the blue items on the keys so this threw me until I read this review and found out that you have to press the Fn key to the F-Keys.
I some times have the problem of the odd key sticking now and then.
the track pad fees really flimsy,
over all I with I had tried it before wasting my money on it.
I personally would not recommend it to a friend.
Microsoft has designed and sold a variety of ergonomic keyboards for computers. The oldest is the Microsoft Natural Keyboard, released in 1994, the company's first computer keyboard. The newest models are the Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard (2013), the Surface Ergonomic Keyboard (2016), and the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard (2019).
In January 2024, Microsoft announced that it would license the design and manufacturing of the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard and Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard to Incase, as part of an effort to focus more on its Surface-branded accessories. These products will be branded under the Incase name, but as designed by Microsoft.[1]
In general, ergonomic keyboards are designed to keep the user's arms and wrists in a near-neutral position, which means the slant angle (the lateral rotation angle for the keys in each half relative to the axis of the home row in a conventional keyboard) is approximately 10 to 12.5, the slope (the angle of the keytop surfaces starting from the front edge closer to the user towards the top of the keyboard, relative to a horizontal plane) is -7.5, and the tent or gable angle of each half (the angle of the keytops from the center of the keyboard towards its left and right edges, relative to the horizontal desk surface) is 20 to 30.[2]
The first generation of the Microsoft ergonomic keyboards, named the Natural Keyboard, was released in September 1994, designed for Microsoft Windows 95 and Novell Netware. It was designed for Microsoft by Ziba Design[4] with assistance and manufacturing by Key Tronic.[32] The Microswitch division of Honeywell, which was responsible for that company's keyboards and was acquired by Key Tronic in early 1994, is also credited with design input.[33]
The keyboard uses a fixed-split design, with each half of the alphanumeric section separated, laterally rotated, and tilted upwards and down from the center of the keyboard. This key arrangement was ergonomically designed to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries associated with typing for long periods of time. Another innovation was the integrated wrist pad helping to ensure correct posture while sitting at the computer and further reducing strain on the neck, arms and wrists.
Although it was not the first ergonomic keyboard, it was the first widely available sub-$100 offering.[5] The keyboard gained popularity quickly, exceeding Microsoft's forecast of 100,000 units sold by the end of 1994. Microsoft soon asked Key Tronic to ramp up production to 100,000 per month in 1995,[34] and the Natural Keyboard sold over 600,000 per month at its peak.[4] Over 3 million units had been sold by February 1998, when its successor, the Natural Keyboard Elite, was introduced.[35]
As with most Microsoft keyboards, software (Microsoft IntelliType) is bundled with the keyboard for both Mac OS X and Windows, allowing users to customize the function keys and modify keys fairly extensively.
The Microsoft Natural Keyboard has had several upgrades and refreshes since its introduction. The first of these was the Natural Keyboard Elite, introduced in February 1998 at a retail price of US$64.95 (equivalent to $121 in 2023).[35] Like the original Natural Keyboard, the Elite was manufactured by Key Tronic, who also assisted in its development.[32]
The Elite features a nonstandard layout of the six-key navigation/edit key cluster normally found above the cursor keys (Ins/Del, Home/End, and PgUp/PgDn). Another common criticism of the Elite is that the arrow keys' inverted-T layout has been changed into a cross-like layout, with left/right arrows keys side by side and up/down keys bracketing them from above and below, increasing the distance between the vertical keys. Another significant change was the keyboard's adjustable feet. While the original Microsoft Natural Keyboard had feet in the front to generate reverse tilt, the Elite and its successors have their feet in the back. The Natural Keyboard Elite was manufactured in at least two different color schemes; white with black lettering and black with white lettering.
In September 2002, Microsoft introduced the redesigned Natural Multimedia Keyboard (sometimes styled as MultiMedia) at a retail price of US$54.95 (equivalent to $93 in 2023).[37] The Natural Multimedia Keyboard reworked the row of multimedia buttons and included the controversial F Lock feature, originally debuted in the Microsoft Office Keyboard. Another common criticism is that although the bunched arrow keys of previous generation has been fixed by returning to the standard inverted T layout, the six-key nav/edit cluster has been changed to a 2x3 vertical layout, with Ins moved to the F-Lock function of PrtScn/SysRq, and Del key expanded to double height. On the Natural Multimedia Keyboard, the status indicator lights for Num lock, Scroll lock, and Caps lock were moved from between the banks of alphanumeric keys to a more traditional location above and to the right of the backspace key. The Natural Multimedia Keyboard was manufactured in at least three different color schemes, including white with blue accents, black with silver accents, and white with black accents.
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