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Introduction Logitech is a very well-known company by now, having moved much beyond the realm of mice and keyboards. They've produced valued gaming devices, and extremely worthy speakers sets, and have certainly made a name for themselves. However, they haven't forgotten about the staple of computer control and user interaction - the seemingly omnipresent keyboard and mouse combination. Indeed, Logitech is famed for their input devices, and if one does not own a Logitech device, one has surely used one before, as Logitech has supplied OEMs with mice and keyboards for quite some time now. But they have also provided end-users with a wide range of options, for those of us who build our own computers, or those of us are looking for something that's a little more than what came with our system. And, as the market for different types of computers has expanded, Logitech has responded accordingly. With the advent of HTPCs (Home Theater PCs) evident in the proliferation SFF (Small Form Factor) PCs, and mini-ITX motherboards, the need for wireless control solutions became clear. After all, having keyboard and mouse wires emanating from a HTPC for the times that you'll need to use them would ruin the look of the system. Logitech had been making cordless keyboards and mice for sometime now, but recently they have updated their lineup to include sleek keyboards, whose appearance goes well with that of a HTPC, optical mice, and also an encryption feature, for those of us who are worried that someone may be watching what we type. But beyond all of this, what we all want is an easy-to-use, quality keyboard, and the same goes for a mouse. Can Logitech maintain these ideals while at the same time, freeing us from the burden of wires? Specifications Because both of these cordless keyboard & mice combinations were produced at around the same time, they come from the same generation of technology and have similar features. The Elite Duo is the higher of the two, having slightly more features on both its keyboard and mouse; however the radio technology governing the two remains the same. The Elite Duo will appeal most to those looking for something different, as its sleek, black curves make it seem professional - and it'll match nicely with a dark coffee table for use with a HTPC. Both feature optical mice with the same sensor, but the Elite Duo's mouse resembles the MouseMan Dual Optical and has one more button (a thumb button) than the Navigator Duo's.
The Navigator Duo and Elite Duo keyboards feature a shape similar to Logitech's recent keyboards, that is, an overall curved-ovally shape that eliminates corners, to make the keyboard fit in nicely with its surroundings. The keyboards feature Logitech's Zero Degree Tilt design, something that Logitech says should improve comfort, and is in stark contrast with older keyboards that would have a major tilt if the feet were extended. In reality, the keyboard still does have a slight slope downward from the function keys to the space bar, but this is negligible. The last row of keys, where the spacebar resides, is sloped downward however, and this is to make sure that when you hit the spacebar, you are hitting the surface of the key and not the edge of it.
Keyboard shortcuts using the CTRL key are labelled on the side of commonly-used keys, such as control-z for undo, control-p for print and so on. This is a nice feature, though if you've used Windows for long enough, these shortcuts ought to be committed to memory from pure repetition. Mac users need not fret; The Start key and Alt key serve the needs of Mac-specific keys when the keyboard is attached to such a system. This is the first time I've seen this, and it is good to know that Logitech wishes these keyboards to be able to work on a variety of platforms, not just in basic functionality, but in fullest extent. The wristrest attaches and removes quickly and easily on both keyboards, a departure from earlier Logitech keyboards where it would be troublesome to remove the rest once attached. There are two feet at the back bottom of the keyboard that can be elevated if the Zero Degree Tilt doesn't swing your way - however I found this unnecessary as the keyboard was quite comfortable the way it is. While the Navigator's keyboard has only two gripping feet, both at near the lower edge, the Elite's keyboard has an extra such foot on the left side of the keyboard, underneath the iNav scroll wheel. I did not, however, find that either keyboard was prone to slippage while typing.
Which brings us to the next section - the "special" features of each keyboard. The only functional addition of the Elite's keyboard over the Navigator's is the presence of a scroll wheel, labeled by Logitech as the iNav wheel, along with two other buttons on the left side. The wheel can be configured to do a variety of things, from scrolling down a webpage or document, to switching between open applications like Alt-Tab would, to scrolling among the files in your Favorites directory. The wheel can also be clicked like a mouse's wheel (and feels pretty much like one), and this brings up a menu on screen where you can select or configure its function. The "Go" button, by default pops up a prompt where you can enter in a URL, and then a new browser window will open at that address. A neat feature, but not necessary. The button just above it, with the arrow, serves as a "Back" button when using a web browser. Again, not something needed (we're probably all adjusted to using Backspace or Alt+LeftArrow). The Go and Back buttons can also be used to navigate the Media menu that pops up when the media key is hit, or other iTouch-specific menus. The Left-side group of buttons can be configured to do a variety of things, from opening up programs to navigating to a particular website, but their default functions are indicated. The webcam feature was nice, as if you use a Logitech webcam with their nice ImageStudio program, this button by default opens the program. The F-lock key is the exception here. F-lock is like a shift key of sorts, and when you hit it, the Function keys (F1, F2, etc.) change their... function. For example, F1 will send a "New" command (Ctrl-N) to whatever program is active on screen. Such default functions are printed on top of the Function keys. The center of both keyboards holds the Media control buttons, such as Skip Forward/Back, Play/Stop and volume control. Pressing the "Media" button pops up a list of media players installed on your system, and from here you can launch your favourite player, such as Winamp. The Play/Stop etc. buttons worked well in Winamp, and it was nice to have player control at your fingertips. Both keyboards' media centers are virtually identical, save one detail - the Navigator's keyboard has separate buttons for volume up/down, while the Elite's features a dial to control volume. The Elite's volume control therefore is probably a bit nicer to use, but some will still prefer the buttons of the Navigator. Lastly, the right side of the keyboard features five more buttons, all of which can be configured in function. Both of these keyboard do *not* have the LED indicators on them - such as Num Lock, Caps Lock or Scroll Lock. These LEDs were removed to preserve battery life, I believe, and you'll instead need to look at the receiver for a LED indication of whether these Locks are enabled. Additionally, if you have the included iTouch keyboard software installed, an onscreen display can tell you when these change status. The battery compartment is opened at the back of each keyboard, and can be little tricky to remove. It accepts two included AA batteries, and snaps shut easier than it is opened.
The Navigator's mouse resembles Logitech's regular Cordless Optical Mouse, and is pretty much the same. The ambidextrous mouse is quite long, but has a fairly slim profile that works well for both small and large hands, and overall felt nice during usage. Honestly, I have no complaint with plain designs like this that work. The mouse uses 2 AA batteries, and this adds considerably to the overall weight of it - on a smooth surface this isn't a problem, but if you're using something like a cloth-covered mousepad, this may add a substantial level of unwanted friction, impeding your accuracy. The buttons have a nice tactile click to them, and the wheel is not accidentally turned when trying to click its button, and all of this is up to Logitech's standards. Overall, this optical mouse amounts to a simple design that works.
The Elite's mouse, however, is akin to Logitech's MouseMan series of mice. The design features four buttons (one of which is a scroll wheel as well), the extra button being the familiar thumb button, which can be set to do a variety of other tasks such as double-click. The design is also radically different from the Navigator's mouse. While you can use the mouse with your left hand, it's obviously not advisable, as not only is the thumb button on the left side, but the overall shape curves to fit that of a right hand. In keeping with the MouseMan tradition, the Elite's mouse features nice rubber grips on either side of the mouse, one around the thumb button area, and the other where you'd rest your ring or pinky fingers. Overall, design is almost identical to the MouseMan Dual Optical I reviewed here, sans the cord of course. The colour of the mouse has changed, as it has darkened somewhat to fit in with the Elite's keyboard, but everything from button placement to logo position has remained the same. The major change is with the hardware - as this is a cordless version, there are no dual optical sensors, just a single one. And, judging from the specifications on Logitech's site and from daily usage, I'd say the optical sensors in Elite's mouse and the Navigator's mouse are identical - so there is no precision or accuracy improvement in choosing the Elite over the Navigator or vice versa. This mouse also uses 2 AA batteries, weighing it down somewhat for poor mousepads.
The Navigator's mouse has less of a bulge in its profile than the Elite's. For me, this made the Navigator's mouse more comfortable. People with bigger hands will probably find the Elite's mouse more comfortable, but my preference is a personal one. Overall, the Elite's mouse has a few advantages over the Navigator's - nice side rubber grips, an extra button and a design that will suit righties, but the bigger shape may not fly with some people. If you can, try out each design before you buy, but you can't go wrong with even the Navigator's mouse. Both mice have buttons that provide a nice tactile feedback, and they don't feel "loose", in that they don't have a lot of play but instead provide a firm clicking movement. Personally, I have always liked this quality in mice.
Both keyboards have the same receiver - this is because they use the same (latest) radio technology. The receiver has two cables, one for each the mouse and keyboard; however while the keyboard connector is USB or PS/2 compatible, the mouse's connector is PS/2 only. This is something to note if you have a motherboard without legacy connectors. Having the mouse on a PS/2 port shouldn't affect its precision, as most of you know there are ways to adjust the PS/2 port's refresh rate, but however, as we'll see later on, the radio technology of the mice was the limited factor in precision. Because the receiver uses RF transmissions, line-of-sight is not required, so you can have better freedom in positioning it. Logitech however, does advise you to keep it at least 20cm (8") away from other devices such as your monitor. Four Panasonic Power Max AA alkaline batteries are included with both the Navigator Duo and Elite Duo, to power each keyboard and mice combo, (the receiver needs no batteries as it draws power from your computer) and while this was nice it would be advisable to invest in a set of quality NiMH rechargeables. They would undoubtedly be pricey, but this would probably save you money in the long run. << Back to Reviews Page | Installation, Testing & Conclusion >>
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