Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
Mikey 13 comments
Anyone who types for a living, be it programming, documentation or even just an obsessive IM compulsion, will no doubt appreciate the importance of a good keyboard.
For me, someone who programs and writes, it's actually very surprising how little thought I have put into my keyboards in the past. I was always happy as long as they were minimalist and didn't have a myriad of those awful media and application keys surrounding it.
But last week I made the decision to address this long overdue situation and after a little research had the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard in my sights.
Boring naming conventions aside, the LIK is an absolute stunner and magnificent when put to real world use.
As the name almost suggests the keyboard is back lit, but not like some other keyboards which make the same claim and only light the area surrounding the keys, instead of the characters on the keys. The LIK actually does illuminate the laser etched characters and surrounding areas.
Installation is a no-branier. Plug into any available USB port, install the software. My first attempt did fail though because it apparently will not work when plugged into a USB hub that doesn't have it's own power supply. The manual revealed this to be true, and plugging into another USB port had me up and running.
Tactile feedback is gorgeous. There is an obvious feeling the keystroke has been acknowledged accompanied by a soft audible click, but the effort required to make it happen is significantly less than typical of a regular keyboard or a notebook keyboard for that matter. Logitech have implemented what they call 'Perfect Stroke' technology. This means that you get the same amount of distance regardless of where you press on the key.
Onto aesthetics now, I think I will let the photo below do the talking. Though I will mention what the picture can not, that the keyboard is only 9mm thin, is a little on the heavy side and has a very sturdy build.
The brightness is controlled by a dedicated button which cycles through 3 levels of illumination followed by no illumination. Shared multimedia and function keys are present, and the status of the lock keys is shown via a small icon in the lower right.
But as nothing is perfect, there are some minor quirks, take them as you will. The Insert key has been moved to the top row alongside the function keys, and the Delete key is now twice as tall to fill in the area where the Insert key used to be. That's not such a big deal although I have always found the Insert key when playing games.
The Back key is only half the width if a regular Back key and on occasion I hit the + key by mistake. I'm certain further use will train me to remember.
But probably the most curious oversight is the lack of illumination for the function keys. As mentioned, the function keys share a home with the dedicated special functions. F1 is also Home, F2 is also Email etc... and are switched by holding down the FN key, like on a notebook keyboard. And while the provided software allows you to choose which is the default (Functions or Special Functions), only the icons of the Special Functions are ever back lit - not F1, F2 F3 etc. So in the dark, if you wanted to press F7 for example, you will have to manually count the number of icons or just remember that F7 is the calculator icon.
At the end of the day, this is easily the nicest keyboard I have ever had the pleasure of using, and after only a few hours I noticed my typing speed had increased and I made fewer mistakes. It feels so good that you start looking for reasons to type on it. If you code for a living, I recommend you give it a shot. Even at $AU110 it's worth every dollar.
andrew
Saturday 15th November 2008 | 08:41 PMI reckon i got to get me one of these key boards, well i will need it to match in with my logitech gamming mouse....
Rodney
Saturday 15th November 2008 | 11:51 PMNice. I have the Logictech G11 illuminated keyboard and am typing this on it right now, in an otherwise dark room. Blue back lighting at adjustable luminosity. It also has a whole bunch of extra gaming keys I have never used, once. I still love it.
http://www.reviewspring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22&thumb=1&d=1194448031
I'm going to have to side up with Finnboghi on this one.
Mike, I know that you are not to hot on MAC's, but I bought my first one after I made the huge mistake of getting a new laptop with VISTA on it. I gave the laptop to my daughter, and bought my first Mac.I have been using it for about a year now, and I gotta' say, the lighted keyboard is one of the wonderful features that it has.
However, I have several other computers, and after finding out how handy this lighted keyboard is on my Mac, I'll have to get some for my P.C.'s
...in response to this comment by Friendo. Yeah I'm aware the Mac has had illuminated Keyboards for a while. So has the PC. Of course almost all PC's never came with one, you had to go and find one. I guess it's better to have that choice :-[)
...in response to this comment by andrew. Come around my place next week to get your arse kicked at chess again and I might even let you have a go on it :-)
andrew
Monday 17th November 2008 | 05:17 PM...in response to this comment by Mikey. you have thrown down the challenge, but i will not get done again, i have to let you win now and again as it is ur chess set..........
...in response to this comment by andrew. Haha you're on. And thanks for the Kudos! :-)
...in response to this comment by Mikey. Ah my friend..but I do have the choice. I can turn off the lighted keyboard if I like. This feature was at no extra cost. ;-)
F-
You honestly believe anything on a Mac was at no extra cost? That's pure craziness LOL
...in response to this comment by Mikey. touche'...But, my learned friend, are you really telling me that any bell and whistle that comes with a PC is not built into the price some way or another? Or offered at extra price?
You know as well as I that the pricing structures of both PC's and Mac's are cut from the same cloth of corporate greed. You make me laugh man, I'll bet I could get you really worked up about Mac's.
The reality is...at my house, is that there are three P.C.'s and one Mac. They all work well, and I have written some of my 137 RL articles on each. I gotta' admit though, when computing on the couch, in a horizontal position, this Mac is the Bomb
F-
"are you really telling me that any bell and whistle that comes with a PC is not built into the price some way or another"
Yes of course, like any computer you pay for a bunch of stuff you don't need. But I've never known a desktop PC to force an illuminated keyboard on anyone :-) Choice Rules.
...in response to this comment by Mikey. Funny..Until you just mentioned it (As I do not own a desktop Mac) I did not realize that when you buy a Mac desktop that you have to buy a lighted keyboard. That's the choice you are talking about..doh!!!!!
Personally, I seem to go through desktop keyboards with surprising frequency. And now that I think about it, I'm not sure I would want to buy a lighted one every time I need a keyboard for my desktop.
I'll give you this one...Choice rules....
Now be a nice editor, and go read, comment and Kudo my "Big Three" Article ;-) https://rustylime.com/show_article.php?id=2969#comm23458
F-
Finnboghi
Saturday 15th November 2008 | 08:01 PMFrankly, it seems no different than the keyboards the MacBook and it's derivatives have had for a year...?