Logitech diNovo Mini Keyboard

• DINOVO MINI

Ever since I saw and used this device at CES I knew I had to have it.

Well, it just showed up today and while it's not for touchtyping or long emails I am writing this review with it from the couch.

Most of the mini keyboards on the market are still quite large and have terrible ergonomics with some awful excuse for an integrated pointing device. The DiNovo Mini is different. The keyboard is small enough to keep with your remotes without anyone knowing you have an HTPC setup. I'm so tired of having a full size DiNovo Edge with a Gyration Remote Mouse taking up a ton of room. It's great for typing a lot on but there's no where to put it, and it's awkward using a real mouse on the couch or always holding your hands in the air and flicking around to use the Gyration.

The DiNovo has excellent backlighting that only has one flaw. It makes it too hard to see the blue function keys like the ' and " but you can see all the shifted keys easily. It turns on only the trackpad backlighting when using the mouse, probably to save power but you can light up the keyboard by tapping the large function or shift keys.

The buttons are all pretty small and the media (Play,Next,etc) are a little awkward compared to using them on a Harmony remote but it's nice to have everything on one pad and not have to pick up a remote or a keyboard or a mouse to do everything.

You can alt tab, use windows keys, launch media center and 3 programmable buttons.. There's even a CTRL+ALT+DEL FN key. Now that's planning.

One other minor issue is there is no scroll wheel for internet use. it would be nice if holding FN while using the mouse did a scroll, but it just turns the mouse into a up and down, kind of like scroll but you have to hold FN the whole time or keep moving the function switch (for mouse or Dpad) back and forth all the time.

I won't lie, it's just like using a AT&T Tilt or other landscape slider smartphone keyboard. Cramped, pecking or using thumbs and writing this review has gotten to be a pain.

But for opening up your media center files, even full WMP11 or iTunes interface, browsing the web, sending short IM's and emails, and most of what you do on an HTPC it's great.

I will still keep the larger Edge connected for gaming, but the gyration is going in the closet.

I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to use an HTPC in the living room, or actually uses their PS3 as a browser. It is not for desktop PC's at all, you will probably be better served with a much cheaper remote or something like the DiNovo Edge with it's media pad.

The bluetooth range is decent but not like Gyration's 100ft so it's not really a professional presentation tool, but could be used at short (15-20) feet distances reliably. It really does make a nice powerpoint tool since you can draw on slides and have full mouse and keyboard control in presentations while standing up. Just be careful about the range.

Thanks and hope this helps :)

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Pros:

1. Light sensing keypad is way-cool.

2. A very simple and easy set-up.

3. Keyboard is responsive and easy to use. Fat fingers wont mind it at all and it's better than using your phone when you text.

4. The rechargeable battery seems to be operating fine and has the regular long life guarantee on it which is better than using a constant stream of disposable batteries.

5. Bluetooth Dongle storage is a plus.

6. A nice device that can and will eventually put all your fancy high-end remotes out to pasture.

7. Overall, a very nice product that delivers exactly what a person is looking for in this kind of product and ahead of the curve.

This is one of Logitech's better hardware offerings as of late.

Cons:

1. Loses connection frequently causing a lot of frustration and aggravation.

2. Slow response time that makes you ask yourself: `Did it lose its connection again?"

3. Connectivity is bit dodgy, obviously as it's now creeping up as the most reported problem from all the reviews.

4. The cover should flip back and out of the way, as it does get in the way and is annoying.

5. No scroll wheel -a feature which would've made this really nice.

6. Connectivity is only at about 15-20 feet, so forget trying to cross your large Home Theatre system like I did.

These con's are all acceptable minuses for something this nice and this easy to use. I can't see going without it now.

Read Best Reviews of Logitech diNovo Mini Keyboard Here

It's a nice keyboard when it works but it regularly loses the Bluetooth connection and you need to remove and replace the battery for it to work again. Very annoying and Logitech has no workaround for fixing it. Search the Logitech forums for "mini keyboard loses connection" to see the posts.

Until this problem is fixed, I would not recommend it. Logitech support has not been helpful with this besides saying it is a "known issue".

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I ordered this keyboard, Logitech diNovo Mini, to use with my Mac Mini and Plex software to make a media center. While it is small, it does everything I want as a remote control. It works perfectly via Bluetooth with my Mac Mini in both cursor modes, touch pad or up/down/left/right.

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Strengths: integrated cursor, keyboard, and media center controls; living room-friendly clamshell design; excellent battery life; PS3 compatibility

Weaknesses: frustrating touchpad control; dirt and fingerprint magnet; no Xbox 360 compatibility

The idea of a personal computer as the center of a home theater system has been around for quite some time (anyone remember Gateway 2000's gargantuan Destination line of PCs from 1996?). Although systems with Windows' built-in Media Center software have been around for several years now, it's only recently that the home theater PC (HTPC) has begun to increase in popularity with the advent sleek and slim hardware that is designed to comfortably fit into the A/V rack under your HDTV.

When we recently purchased our family's first HTPC, an HP Slimline model with a built-in ATSC tuner and Blu-Ray/HD-DVD combo drive, my first order of business was to locate a keyboard & mouse that would be comfortable to use in my living room on a regular basis. I was frustrated to find only a few devices designed specifically to be used with HTPC systems, and none of those seemed adequate for the task. Keyboard & mouse combo sets didn't make a great deal of sense, as the arm of a chair or sofa isn't the ideal location for a mouse pad. Of course, there was the option of a gyroscopic mouse, but those devices tend to be notoriously expensive and tiring to use for extended periods of time. I was able to find one or two devices that integrated keyboards and a touchpad or trackball, but the sheer size of these units made their use in the living room less than ideal. Just when it seemed as if I'd have to settle for one of these options, Logitech released the diNovo Mini Keyboard.

The diNovo Mini integrates keyboard and mouse functionality into a compact package; it features a palm-sized keyboard and a built-in touchpad that serves double duty as a directional pad. The fist thing one notices about the Mini is its size: measuring 6 inches long, 3.5 inches wide, and 1 inch thick, the device is roughly the size of a really thin video game controller. Indeed, an Xbox 360 controller is both wider and considerably thicker than the Mini. The Mini includes a translucent black clamshell cover that closes when the device is not in use, which allows the unit to stylishly sit on a coffee table without taking up a lot of real estate or drawing much attention to itself--one thing that no other HTPC keyboard combo has yet managed to accomplish.

The Mini includes a full QWERTY keyboard and is designed to be used for two-thumb typing, much like a BlackBerry Curve. The device is comfortably held in both hands, and typing isn't too slow after spending some time getting used to it. The Mini's keyboard is effective for quick tasks such as typing an email, web address, instant message, or username and password, but you wouldn't want to use it for any serious text input or document editing. Logitech has managed to squeeze almost complete keyboard functionality into the Mini; the only thing missing are the function keys, which are replaced by dedicated media playback and volume controls. Of course, there isn't a number pad on the Mini either, but how many people are going to be editing Excel spreadsheets on an HTPC?

For cursor control, the Mini includes a touchpad that is designed to be operated with the thumb of your right hand. It also includes a mode switch which enables the touchpad to function as a directional pad, allowing easy navigation when browsing Windows' Media Center software. The touchpad works, but it takes some patience to use and to master. Moving the cursor across the desktop is fairly easy, but precise control is difficult. Clicking on an icon in Windows' quick launch bar can be a frustrating experience, not to mention attempting to use the cursor to select a line of text. Likewise, the touchpad can also behave erratically when operating in its directional pad mode. During testing, I found that the touchpad would sometimes fail to respond to repeated downward presses. Granted, the diNovo Mini and its touchpad are incredibly small, but I would expect that a more responsive touchpad could have been used.

The Mini is a Bluetooth device, and the package includes a Bluetooth transmitter that can be plugged into any free USB port on your PC (the Mini can also be used with other Bluetooth hubs or PCs with built-in Bluetooth radios, but I did not test this feature). Installation is simple and straightforward: insert and charge the battery, plug the USB dongle into your PC, and install the included software. After installation, I did encounter a problem with my PC not recognizing the Mini after I rebooted, but after following the troubleshooting suggestions in the manual and resetting the Mini (by removing and reinserting the battery) it has provided weeks of trouble-free operation.

The Mini includes a rechargeable battery and an AC adapter, which plugs directly into the back of the unit. The Logitech software included with the device monitors the battery status and also allows users to fine-tune the sensitivity of the touchpad and the behavior of the cursor. Battery life is outstanding; I've been using the Mini for about three weeks, and it still indicates a good charge.

As an added feature, the diNovo Mini is compatible with Sony's PlayStation 3 console, which makes the device all the more versatile. To enable PS3 functionality, however, you are required to remove the battery cover and switch the Mini from PC to PS3 mode, which could grow tiresome if you would like to frequently use it to control both devices. It would have been nice if Logitech placed this switch in a more accessible location. Unfortunately, the Mini is not compatible with Microsoft's Xbox 360 console (which isn't surprising, as the Xbox 360 doesn't include Bluetooth).

Aside from sometimes frustrating touchpad control and the lack of Xbox 360 support, my only other complaint with the Mini is how quickly and visibly its smooth surface collects dirt and fingerprints. Thankfully, Logitech includes a cleaning cloth in the box, but you'll want to make sure that you wash your hands before using this keyboard.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase of the Logitech diNovo Mini. It allows me to effectively control my HTPC from the comfort of my sofa without having to struggle with a separate, full-size keyboard and mouse. Is this the perfect input device? No, but it is currently the best HTPC input device on the market. Period. If you have an HTPC in your living room and you're looking for a good keyboard, look no further than the Logitech diNovo Mini.