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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

Why Is Apple Ditching Netbook Support Now?, 11.16. Mac OS X 10.6.2 deliberately removes Atom support. What does Apple have to gain by doing so?
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.
More in the Mac Musings index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: 15" MacBook Pro Core Duo, Jan. 2006 - The first Intel-based MacBook launched at 1.83-2.0 GHz, had several teething problems.
Group of the Day: System 6 is the email list for those who choose System 6.
November 22 in LEM history: 99: Gradebooks - 00: Leveraging Apple design - Quadra 630 to Power Mac 5200 - 02: Laptop or desktop? - 04: SuperDuper: Quick, easy, efficient backup - Cross-platform programming for the rest of us - 05: Mac video surveillance on the cheap - Which OS is best for my vintage Mac? - No 'best browser' for the Mac - Sorry state of browsers for classic Macs - 06: Core 2 means cooler running 'Books - 2.0 GHz G4 upgrade
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Recent Deals

Best eMac Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz Combo, $100; SuperDrive, $269; 1.25 GHz Combo, $119; SD, $319; 1.42 GHz Combo, $289; SD, $498.
Best Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac Box Set Deals, 11.18. "Snow Leopard", single user, $25; 5 users, $45; Mac Box Set, single user, $139; 5 users, $180; Server, $414. Shipping included.
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Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.17. Used 1.83 GHz, $750; 2.16, $800; 2.33, $900; refurb 2.4, $1,299; 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,899; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.17. Used 400 MHz, $50; 933 MHz, $80; 500 dual, $60; 867 dual, $90; 1 GHz dual, $150; 1.25 GHz dual, $225; 1.42 GHz, $499.
Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 11.17. "Leopard" upgrade, $80; single user license, $135; 5 users, $173; Mac Box Set, 5 users, $230; Server, 10 users, $340; unlimited, $850. Shipping included.
Best Mac mini Deals, 11.16. Used 1.42 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.66 GHz Core Solo, $419; 2.0 Core 2, $450; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $769; Server, $990.
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