The Most Expensive Keyboard Ever
Posted by Stephen on
January 29, 2007
While I was in Las Vegas for CES, the folks at Logitech dropped this off for me at the office. I only just opened the box a few days ago and was just thrilled to feel the love.
The Logitech diNovo Edge is the company’s sleekest most advanced keyboard ever. It features a TouchDisc which works like a touchpad mouse, but also offers dynamic scrolling, left and right, and up and down. This is the circular disc that is located at the bottom right corner. The bar above it is a touch sensitive volume control that is flush with the keyboards surface. It actually glows as you glide on it to increase the volume.
The keyboard itself is also very special. It uses what Logitech calls their PerfectStroke key mechanism. This mechanism houses a scissor like mechanism underneath the keys that allows an even force across each key’s surface so no matter where you push it, it just goes up and down without binding. It’s actually a lot like the mechanism used on high quality laptop keyboards. This mechanism shortens the keystroke so that you can type extremely fast without having to punch the keys down so far. After using this keyboard for a couple days, I can safely say that I truly can type a whole lot faster on it because the keys can finally keep up with me.
The keyboard is totally wireless via bluetooth and includes a dongle for PC’s that don’t have bluetooth built in. Also unique is the fact that the keyboard charges up via its own stand as pictured. The keyboard is extremely thin and uses brushed aluminum for the wrist rest and a sleek piano black surface that I have been apprehensive to reveal since piano black surfaces tend to attract dust and finger prints. Luckily, Logitech even gives you a polishing cloth to keep it clean.
At $199 US, this makes it one of the most expensive keyboards ever. Since I didn’t pay for the keyboard, I really can’t say I felt the burn of dropping $199 US for it, though you can find it for as low as $152 US using the Futurelooks Pricing Engine.
Stay tuned for a full review at Futurelooks!
That looks like a very cool keyboard. If you were not given it for free would you say it is worth the money?
I’m going to save that conclusion for my review. Fair?
Fair enough. I look forward to reading it.
I hate my current keyboard and have been looking to get a new one.
What’s actually wrong with the current one? If this keyboard has the same issues, it might not be for you either.
For some reason the shift and ctrl keys don’t work 100% which makes multiple selections a pain in the butt.
I guess any keyboard would be better if that’s the problem. I can see how annoying that would be. I use those buttons alot.
Yeah plus I like how you can type faster. I do find the keyboard does slow me down from time to time.
I’m still shaking my fist at Logitech because they promised me for review a few months back, and well, they never delivered.
I think they are a bit behind. It took them a while to send me stuff too, but they totally delivered. I have an MX Revolution that I haven’t even opened yet and a VX that I’m just loving for my laptop.
The VX had me excited for a minute till I found out it wasn’t Bluetooth. I have been using the MX Laser since the day it was released and love it, the only problem is that I need to carry the cradle around with me to use it on my laptop.
The Ferrari Laptop I have came with a BlueTooth mouse, the idea is great but they needed a lot of help on their mouse (it lays on a shelf, used for 5 minutes) , the design and the lag time suck. Once you use a Logitech laser, I don’t think you can ever go back. Still holding my breath for the Logitech Laser with Blue Tooth.
Oh, the reason I am so adamant about bluetooth is that I do not like carrying the little USB adapters with me or even leaving them plugged in. I guess I just want a mouse that uses built in connection ability, it just seems more logical to me.
You’re actually not carrying around a new adapter with the VX technically. After you’re done with the mouse, the adapter just docks right back INSIDE the mouse. It’s actually a spring loaded slot. It’s also quite small for an adapter. You don’t really notice it.
I’ve tossed my laptop into my bag by accident with the adapter still attached to my laptop sometimes. That’s how unnoticeably it was to me. I know what you’re saying about the bluetooth and the simplification, but not every laptop has bluetooth. I do have a laptop mouse that is bluetooth, and despite it being more simple to carrry that around in theory, I just like the VX so much better, so I know what you’re feeling about the freebie mouse that came with the ACER.
I’ve used the VX with my desktop on a few occasions where I’ve forgotten to charge the batteries on my desktop mouse. It’s the only laptop mouse that isn’t so tiny, uncomfortable and useless that I couldn’t use it all day at the desktop. You should at least give it a try.
The problem with the little adapter is that I have a habit of losing them, even if they have a nice concenient little spot in the mouse. I am patient, Logitech will do a bluetooth laser someday. There are a few better models out there than the one that came with the Ferrari but they still suck compared to the MX.
I get accustomed to the layout and design of my keyboards so when I use a different PC I become totally inefficient at typing, even if the keys are positioned and sized just slightly differently. Which is why I’ve had the same one for 5 years and don’t intend to change
Do you get very many freebies simply for running your blogs. If so do they approach you or do they contact you. There are some companies I think should advertise on some of my project and I would take their products the same as cash and I am wondering if I should approach them or not.
Also is a CES trip worth it. In a few year I am really considering saving money to go to some conferences as long as they are worth it. TIA
The Freebies come from Futurelooks, but there are blogs out there that are big enough to get free stuff all the time too (Gizmodo, Engadget). Now having said that, blogs do get free stuff too. Just recently, PayPerPost gave me an HP Digital Camera and Photo Printer for a post I did. I won’t be keeping it, but instead, will be giving it to another charity, probably the Children’s Hospital. I have a feeling that they gave it to me because I’d probably talk about it when it arrives.
I currently haven’t received any requests to review anything, but I don’t plan on going out and asking for stuff on behalf of my blog.
As for products in lieu of advertising, even then, the company must be able to derive value from sending out that product. If the site is new and only gets 10 visitors a day, for example, they may not be as willing to let product go even if you are going to advertise for them for free. If you’re ever in doubt, try to think about the offer from the other side of the bargaining table. What are they getting out of it by giving you that product? Since companies have a preset number of samples, you have to ask why they should give that product to you over another site.
As for CES, and the PRESS PASS requirements, the organizers will need to verify your credentials before they will allow you press credentials. Typically, they require two bylined industry related articles written in the last 6 months from a media publicaton. If your BLOG is tech related, they might not have a problem, but its not a guarantee.
When it comes to the parties, that’s another story Some of the bigger parties do check to make sure that the press attending are, in their eyes, really media, and not just another blog. Just getting the CES press pass doesn’t guarantee that you’re in either.
So the CES Bottom Line: If you can’t get the press pass and you can’t get invited to the parties, and you don’t get invites to do appointments, then its not worth it. It isn’t a cheap trip by any means.
Thanks for the extended comments. The process for exchanging advertising for products sounds similar to acquiring sponsors for cars. You have to prove what you have to offer and make sure it is smart for the company as well. Perhaps next year come CES time you could post about getting credentials etc. It is not something I have read about obviously but might garner some good attention.
Remind me when we get closer to CES. Short attention span ya know
It’s funny, some years back when Comdex was in full swing I used to get free software, and other gadgets because of the Business Relationships I had with the software people. The fact that I own a Business Network had something to do with it as well.
One time I remember getting 3 Huge boxes from Corel, I got 6 Full versions of Corel Draw Suite (about $800 each) to give away to some of my members. There was a complete selection of all the software they published which was pretty cool.
I think finding a way to create the business relationships is important.