Perhaps the most important feature of the MCE keyboard is the TrackPoint-style pointing device that replaces the mouse. It's located on the upper right, and the left and right click buttons are on the upper left, so you can operate everything while holding the whole keyboard in your hands. The little stick is undoubtedly the best possible replacement for a mouse. Portables have been using it for a long time, and some makers, like IBM, still use it. Obviously it'll never be as accurate or as convenient as a mouse, but you get used to it. The advantage is the ability to be precise and to accelerate the movement as you see fit. In fact, all that's needed is a little practice, and as with a touchpad, you will quickly become expert at it. As for me, I had no trouble at all performing standard tasks in Windows. Obviously, though, you shouldn't count on doing complex graphics work or controlling a game with this device.

This keyboard will be perfect for all owners of Media Center PCs who want to use them in a living room environment. It's much more ergonomic and better finished than other models currently on sale, and the mouse replacement is quite workable. The only big disadvantage of this keyboard is its price: $120 is a lot of money for a keyboard.

The keyboard is not yet available in the US. In the meantime, if you are looking for alternatives, we recommend the Belkin Media Pilot .