Microsoft Releases Designer Bluetooth Desktop Keyboard And Mouse

The number of wires connected to your desktop computer can be overwhelming at times. Fortunately, there are numerous third-party options to reduce the clutter in the form of wireless mice and keyboards. Microsoft added its own version to the mix with its Designer Bluetooth Desktop keyboard and mouse.

The thin keyboard features a black matte finish and chiclet keys. Two small rubber pads and a long rubber strip are under the keyboard to prevent slipping on surfaces. The Bluetooth button is located underneath the keyboard on the elevated tab, which also contains two AAA batteries.

When in pairing mode, a tiny light blinks on the Escape button. Additionally, certain buttons, such as Escape, Delete, Backspace and Enter are slightly elongated to make them a bit more prominent. The Function keys are smaller to allow space for additional keys such as Home, End, Page Up and Page Down. They also serve double duty as media keys, controlling brightness as well as the Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause and Insert keys. Also included are the Search, Share, Devices and Settings buttons used in Windows 8.

Just like the keyboard, the mouse has a black matte finish and needs two AAA batteries to operate. The Bluetooth button is located at the bottom above the battery slots. In pairing mode, a blinking light similar to the one on the keyboard appears on the surface of the mouse, below the scroll wheels.

The intended purpose for the keyboard and mouse combination is for desktops, but its Bluetooth capabilities extends its use for mobile and tablet devices, as long as they are running Windows RT/8/8.1 or Android 4.4 or higher. Ironically, it also works on the Mac OS, so long as it's running version 10.10 and higher. Unfortunately, neither of the devices include dongle, so devices without built-in Bluetooth chips aren't an option, which severely limits the usefulness of the mouse and keyboard.

The Designer Bluetooth Desktop keyboard and mouse will cost you $99.95, which seems a little expensive. However, there are other wireless mice and keyboards that are cheaper. They might not come in a bundle, or even with a Bluetooth connection, instead offering a wireless USB dongle. Considering the popularity of both wireless mice and keyboards, there's plenty to choose from for less than Microsoft's asking price.

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