Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard (K50-00008)
Take command of your keyboard experience in comfort and style of Natural MultiMedia Keyboard! One-touch buttons take you directly to your favorite multimedia activities - navigate music and video clips, surf the Web, start many of the programs you use most, and more. With a stylish ergonomic design, this keyboard adds dynamic features and vibrant looks to any desktop.
The trend toward adding extra function keys to keyboards to control specific parts of Windows or applications continues with Microsoft's introduction of the Natural MultiMedia keyboard. This device takes the ergonomics of Microsoft's Natural keyboard, with its split keypads, shaped surface, and wrist rest, and adds a variety of useful function keys. Before plugging the Natural MultiMedia keyboard into the PS/2 socket on the back of your PC, it is necessary to install the included IntelliType Pro 2.2 software. It works with Windows 98 and later, though some hot keys require specific versions of applications, such as Internet Explorer. The keyboard is styled in dark blue, cream, and grey, so it fits in well with other Microsoft peripherals. As with earlier versions of the Natural keyboard, the keys accessed by the left hand are separated from those intended for the right by being angled away, with a triangular spacer in the middle, above the Spacebar. The bottom-row keys, like Ctrl, Start, and Alt, are enlarged to make them easier to press, and the Spacebar itself can still be used with either thumb. A new F Lock key, positioned to the right of F12, locks the row of function keys into alternate functions, such as Undo, Close, Send, and Print. This makes working with many applications, including e-mail clients, much quicker. There are a further 17 dedicated, special keys behind the function key row that handle things like music playback, opening the My Documents folder, starting the calculator, and switching the PC to sleep mode. While this keyboard will undoubtedly make most users' lives easier, some "pick-and-peck" typists may have difficulty with the separated keyboard layout. --Simon Williams, Amazon.co.uk
Take command of your keyboard experience in comfort and style with the comfortable keyboard that fits your digital lifestyle! The Microsoft Natural MultiMedia keyboard features one-touch buttons that take you directly to your favorite multimedia activities--navigate music and video clips, surf the Web, open many of the programs you use most, and more. With the press of a button, hot keys give you instant access to Messenger, Mail, Internet, and Calculator commands. Hot keys for My Documents, My Pictures, and My Music put the files you use most within easy reach. Enhanced F keys let you perform common tasks faster. Just press a key to open, close, save, and print documents, send and forward e-mails, and more. Put your computer into sleep mode (such as suspend, standby, or hibernation) right from your computer desktop, protecting your data and saving energy. (Sleep hot key functionality is available if your system supports power management and it is enabled, and if all peripherals are compatible with power management.) This keyboard features a three-year warranty.
Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard (K50-00008) Accessories
Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard (K50-00008) Reviews
Not a big deal. Pros:. 2. I never used it much anyway, but some people might see this as a problem.
I managed to get mine working on a new computer with no PS/2 ports using a Tripp Lite KVM PS/2 to USB adapter, but the multimedia keys no longer work. 3. My manager wouldn't pay for a new keyboard, so I went out and bought this one. Doesn't work right with USB. 1.
Smaller Enter key moves Whack/Pipe key down from the top row, making the Backspace key larger. I'm considering requesting a PS/2 card instead. The Delete key is so big you can reach it with the pinky of your right hand. I do a lot of typing and can normally type pretty fast, and this keyboard makes both a lot more comfortable and a lot easier. Overall I've been pleased with the keyboard.
3. The built-in shortcut keys for My Documents, My Pictures, Calculator, etc., are handy, and programmable. There's no separate Insert key. 2. Cons:. 4.
1. You have to use the Insert key on the number pad. Have to press F Lock to activate Function keys instead of using them with Office. I'm pretty pleased with it. Keyboard is split and slightly curved, making touch-typing very comfortable.
Once you get used to it it works pretty well. The layout of the Home, End, Page Up and Page Down keys is a bit unusual, and takes some getting used to. A couple years ago when I received a new computer at my place of work, it came with a new keyboard that was frankly junk. I personally can't stand the L-shaped Enter key on some keyboards, which makes for a smaller and less accessible Backspace key. This means easy access to all three keys.
If I can't use it, I won't work. Now that I have a new job, I took it to work. Finest keyboard in creation, case closed. I own this puppy; I love it so much, I carry it around when temping.
pros:. 1. weird "home, end, pageup, pagedown, delete" keys layout. overall, it's a good one for general document processing, but not for programming. 3. 1. for programmers function keys are more useful than those email keys.
I wish those keys were programmable, though. cons:. the sleep key is very useful, and I'm glad there's NO power off key so I don't have to worry that I might turn off the computer by accident. need some time to get used to it, and then you need more time to get used to switching between this one and other keyboards in other places you work.
3. key "6" is located for left hand, not right hand. have to press F-lock to activate function keys. has some useful direct keys to start frequently used programs.
2. I love the volume control on the key board. 2.
The task buttons at the top don't work, but I wasn't interested in those, anyway. I feel like I got a great deal. I'm running Fedora Core 2 at home, so I had expected to have problems with a Microsoft keyboard. You have to toggle it to use the function keys or the task keys, and also to use the insert or print screen button. All in all, not a bad keyboard. The insert key is well out of the way so you don't accidentally press it when going for the delete key, which has been made huge. The block of keys that holds the home, end, delete, insert, and page up and down buttons has been re-designed on this keyboard.
I'm also slightly irritated by the 6 being on the left. Since the task keys don't work (until I get my hands on a good key map program), the F Lock key has to be pressed in order to use the function keys. The F Lock defaults to off, so it has to be turned on each time the computer boots up in order to use the function keys. I had been looking for a while, and found that this one (.). After using it for a week, I have found that I actually prefer this new design. (Yes, I have multiple boot ups, I'm using a laptop). The home and end buttons are on a horizontal plane, which makes sense since that's how they work in most text/word processing programs; the page up is above the page down, which also makes sense.
I plugged it in, and the keyboard worked great. All of the keys that you normally see on a keyboard work as expected. I, too must voice a complaint about the F Lock key. I plan on mapping the task keys to their respective function. It's really not that big of a deal, but I don't understand why they couldn't have made it big enough to go across so that it could be accessed by either hand. so I ordered one for home and had work order me another. The one at work works fine too, but I have that on a Win 2000 machine, so that is to be expected.
It's really no more inconvenient than using the number lock button, but that can be set in the BIOS. (That's right, I like something Microsoft did). I ordered this keyboard because I wanted an ergonomic style with a split keyboard. A few slight irritations, (.).
I like this keyboard alot, i've been using it for a few months and I havn't had any problems so far. I never used to use the Windows Calculator, I do all the time now because I can reach it with the click of a button. They keyboard shortcuts are GREAT. The F-Lock is a REAL annoyance though. I play online games and I like to take screenshots, sadly if I want to use the Print Screen key then I must turn F-Lock off, which means a whole lot of clicking the F-Lock on and off. You do get used to it though. Oh yeah, and you hands never get tired. I'm on the computer 3-5Hours a day, and I never end up with tired fingers.
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