• Microsoft Arc Keyboard

    Microsoft Arc Keyboard

    Roydon Cerejo, May 26, 2010 1500 hrs IST

    Well designed wireless keyboard

    Unique design, lightweight, comfortable to type on, good reception over long distance

    Expensive, not suitable for gaming

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Microsoft's Arc mouse was truly a refreshing change from the regular boring and bulky mice we usually use for our notebooks. It combined the portability of a regular mouse with its unique folding design and the ergonomics of a regular full sized desktop mouse. While it commanded a slight premium, it was certainly one of a kind and the build and finish made it worth it.

Microsoft has tried to replicate the same concept in their recently launched Arc keyboard. This can be used by HTPC users, netbook users on the move or simply someone looking for a compact portable keyboard for home or the office. Let's see if they've succeeded with this new radical design.

Bundle

The accessories are pretty basic but you do get a little slipcover for the keyboard. The review sample we got didn't have a driver CD, but you can anyways download it from the website.

Design




Since this is a portable keyboard, there is no Numpad present. The rest of the keyboard though has flat regular shaped keys with good feedback. The keyboard is curved a little in order to make it more ergonomic and hence the arc shape.





The underneath has four rubber feet on all sides with the battery compartment in the middle. There's a small magnetized compartment to hold the wireless dongle. The keyboard is extremely light but still feels quite sturdy.  



All the keys have a matt finish while the rest of the surface has a gloss finish. This is a real finger print magnet and is a pain to maintain and keep clean. Despite the space constraint, Microsoft has thrown a few dedicated keys for adjusting the volume. The directional keys are all clubbed into one, which is quite smart, instead of having smaller individual keys.

Next let's see how suitable this keyboard is for everyday use.


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Discussion Board
(2) Comments
pvgk
,Hyderabad, on May 26, 2010 04:40 PM
this keyboard is good but lacks num pad !! num pad is standard feature in every keyboards let it be wired or wireless !!! One +point is that microsoft keyboard and mice though costly, lasts longer !!!! worth paying premium !!!!
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Rohan
,Navi Mumbai, on May 29, 2010 08:14 PM
Read carefully Idiot. its a "compact portable keyboard for home or the office user" So it doesn't have a num pad.
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