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Mac Musings

How About a USB Keyboard with a Built-in Wireless Mouse Transceiver?

Dan Knight - 2006.04.12 - Tip Jar

I have to admit to being unimpressed with Apple's mice and keyboards in recent years - and to being a huge fan of Logitech's better wireless mouse/keyboard combos.

I spend a lot of time at the keyboard, and I need something that's going to last several years and have a good feel. Also, I like an ergonomic multibutton mouse with a scroll wheel, something Apple has never offered.

A wireless mouse is a wonderful thing, especially if it has rechargeable batteries and a charging cradle. The batteries make the mouse a bit heavier, but using a mouse that doesn't have a wire to catch on things is very nice indeed.

I'm ambivalent about wireless keyboards. The ones I have are very nice keyboards, and the batteries last just about forever, but using a wired keyboard isn't really a hardship.

That got me to thinking: Wireless mice have gotten downright cheap, and decent USB keyboards are available at nice prices these days. Why has nobody thought of selling a USB keyboard/wireless mouse combo with the transceiver in the keyboard?

Surely USB provides enough power.

Also, regular wireless mice and keyboards tend to be a lot less expensive than Bluetooth ones - what's up with that?

Anyhow, I'd love to see someone market a line of USB keyboards with built in wireless transceivers that work with their wireless mice. No need for a separate transceiver on the desk; it's in the keyboard.

Perhaps computer users could choose from 3 or 4 different keyboards - a low cost one, a high-end one, something between the extremes - and a range of wireless mice. It might even be nice to figure out how to build a charging dock into the keyboard for the mouse's batteries.

Maybe I'm just blowing smoke. Maybe the market would never cotton to a wired keyboard/wireless mouse combo. But maybe it would see the sense of it - I'd certainly line up to try it out.

Microsoft, Logitech, Macally, Matias - anyone up to giving it a try?

Dan Knight has been using Macs since 1986, sold Macs for several years, supported them for many more years, and has been publishing Low End Mac since April 1997. If you find Dan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.

Recent Mac Musings

IDE Is Dead; Long Live SATA!, 11.04. SATA has displaced parallel ATA. While IDE hard drives haven't disappeared, the best deals are in SATA hard drives.
The Future of Personal Computing: Personal Servers and Low Cost Portables, 11.02. With WiFi everywhere, virtual network computing, and remote access, your iPhone, iTouch, iTablet, or MacBook Air becomes a gateway to your home or office computer.
The Late 2009 Mac mini Value Equation, 10.21. We called the Mac mini 'the best value in desktop Macs' two months ago, and the refreshed Mac mini only improves that value.
The Late 2009 MacBook Value Equation, 10.21. The redesigned consumer MacBook uses unibody construction, gains LED backlighting and battery life, but loses FireWire.
More in the Mac Musings index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
Group of the Day: LisaList supports Lisa users.
November 8 in LEM history: 99: OS 9: I think I like it - 01: The simplified Mac life - Soured on Windows - Flea market Mac - 02: Little room for improvement in new 'Books - Combo drive upgrade for iceBooks - 04: Re-Porter - 05: Fix the old iMac or buy a Mac mini? - Apple's Copland project - 06: MacBook Core 2 - MacBook value equation - Cheap is as cheap does - 07: Problems with Classic mode in Tiger - The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard
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Best Mac Pro Deals, 11.03. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,300; 3.0 8-core. $2,299; refurb 2.66 4-core Nehalem, $2,149; 2.93, $2,549; 2.26 8-core, $2,799; 2.93, $4,999.
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Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 10.30. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.5 CD, $4; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
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