Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000

I logged in here to order my second set of this keyboard/mouse combo and was surprised to see all the negative reviews? I even paused to order my second one as I thought maybe the quality or design somehow changed? I went as far as considering the competition. But, decided to go ahead and order my second one, crossing my fingers I would not be disappointed. I received it and everything looks the same. I compared my old set (letters are worn off the keys, silver paint worn off the index clicker for my mouse) to the new one, side-by-side...they look identical. I plugged in the new USB to my monitor, slipped the batteries into each and...well...all is runing perfect and smooth. The keys on the board are the slightest bit stiffer...but this is because it is new. Just like when you drive a new car, everything feels tight and fresh. With time and use, they will loosen up. Personally, I like the feel of the keys. The space bar is working perfectly fine. For those that are finding the different sizing of the keys is strange, I can tell you, if you are a muscle memory typist, they are a complete dream. It took me about 2 days to get used to the keyboard, but now, I am miserable typing on a standard keyboard. The wrist rest on the keyboard is amazing and so comfortable. The mouse...the mouse is awesome. Rest your hand on the table in front of you...you should notice that the natural position your hand wants to take is slightly tilting outward. This is not a coincidence. I am a petite person and I remember the first time I layed my hand on the mouse, I was like "What the!?" It did feel almost like I was resting my hand on a ball. But it did not take me long to realize how comfortable my hand was on it. I am sure if I had a larger hand, it would have been an even easier adjustment. But even with a tiny hand, it fits and works perfectly for me. So darned comfy!!! So, not sure what I like better, the mouse or the board. I can't decide. I guess I love them both equally! My pain completely disappeared when I started using this set over three years ago. I hope Microsoft never stops making this set as it has made a tremendous difference for me. I have never had a connectivity problem with the set, ever? Maybe this is because I have the USB protruding from my monitor (most monitors come with 2 USB ports on the bottom front left side...just plop it in there, stick the batteries in, depress the tiny light gray connectivity button and you should be set to go). While the distance between my eyes and the monitor is a little over 2 feet, there is at least 36 inches of space between my mouse and the USB (as a crow flies/diagonally speaking). The keyboard rests on my 4G Humanscale swivel shelf attached to the underside of my desk (as does my mouse); the keyboard is "under" the desk, yet, the keyboard connects consistently without hesitation. I never download the accompanying software... I don't ever the buttons on the top of the keyboard, including the zoom, I suppose I could try them...but, I just use the mouse to adjust volume from my monitor, etc. I don't mind the calculator pad on the board, I use it almost every day (what can I say). I think the calculator pad is pretty darn convenient. I am SOOOO happy I did not hesitate due to the negative reviews and re-purchased! As a keyboard and a mouse, they are a perfect pair. I love this set!

I have had Microsoft "Natural" keyboards since the very first model came out. They are the absolute best for typing ergonomics. This one takes the standard and bumps it up a notch with some added ergonmic features. This model has greatly enhanced the "slant" of the keys, leading to a crown in the middle of the qwerty keyboard. So where in the past you have had only the correction for wrist alignment along the axis of your forearm-to-elbow, now you also have correction for wrist rotation so your arms/hands are in a more "natural" resting position as you type. It really is VERY comfortable to use. The mouse is also nice and the "baseball grip" is very comfortable, though it takes a touch of getting used to - even if you are already used to ergonomic mice (Intellimouse Explorer, etc.). Adjusting to moving the mouse with precision while resting the edge of your hand (not just your pinky finger) on the mousepad is not as easy as you'd think. Once you do adjust, however, it's all very comfortable and the layout makes good sense. The only thing to note about the keyboard is that the height specs are a bit misleading. I have a keyboard drawer that I wanted this to fit into, as it helps me maximize my usable desk space. The specs I found (on another website) show it to be well over 4" tall. No way that would fit, so I held off on buying it for a while. Then I was in an office-supply store and happened upon this KB on their display. After looking a bit, I realized that the front wrist rest/elevator is removable from underneath the keyboard, and that gets it down to a height that would fit in my drawer. The crown in the center of the keys is still higher than most other KB's, but it does just barely squeeze in without brushing the keys. Just FYI for anyone else out there seeing the same info.

I have used a similar ergonomic Microsoft keyboard for years. Much to my surprise, I really liked the split keyboard, which was very intimidating to me. I was afraid that I would not be able to type comfortably and accurately. However, after about a week, I found that I had no problems using the new style keyboard at all. In fact, I much prefer it to the standard keyboard. This keyboard is pretty much the same as my previous version, with a few important upgrades: 1. It is wireless. After tripping myself on the keyboard and mouse wires for the millionth time, I decided to look for a wireless alternative. 2. The keyboard has a riser under it. For some reason, the riser has alleviated joint pain that I was experiencing. I type for a living, and was worried I might be developing long-term problems in my left hand. However, after 2 days of this keyboard, I felt fantastic (and have stayed that way). 3. the mouse is fantastic. I feel very comfortable using it and it does not irritate my wrist. It is also wireless, which I find especially useful in a mouse. My only complaint is that I occasionally accidentally hit the "magnifying" button. It always surprises me, but is easy enough to turn off. I suppose if I had poorer eyesight, I would really love that feature. One final comment: a co-worker of mine has the same keyboard. She loves that the keys are very customizable for her own personal shortcuts. I haven't used that function myself, but she swears that it makes the keyboard outstanding. Overall, I highly recommend this keyboard. I know that the split-style of the keyboard will take some getting used to, but after a week, you will be typing like a pro again! If you just give it a little time, I believe your overworked hands will thank you for it!

This product was brought in to replace the wired version of the same thing... unfortunately, it's slow on the type rate with weird errors when you type fast.. and the user can type extremely fast! I'll be ordering a replacement to see if it's simply the unit but I'm losing faith!