Customer Reviews

Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Set

5 star:		(149)
4 star:		(96)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Length:: 8:59 Mins

I can say with all fairness, this is the best keyboard and mouse combination set I have ever used. The unique wave design of the keyboard helps to keep your hands and arms positioned correctly, while the mouse has just enough weight to give it a substantial, firm feel.

If you are like me, the old ergonomic keyboards of the past just didn't work for you -- they were too awkward to get used to and weren't all that comfortable. With the Logitech Wave, they've addressed those concerns in making a keyboard that is easy to use and comfortable for long periods of typing.

In this video review I walk you through the product set and talk about some of the features I like about the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave set as well as some of the things you should watch out for when purchasing any wireless desktop combination.

I was looking for a keyboard for my Mac Book Pro and after hours of comparison online and in stores I ordered the Wave. I had the keyboard in two days with free shipping and a twenty dollar rebate( can't beat that). I was worried about the keyboards functionality with my apple but am completely satisfied. I hooked it up, went to the logitech web site, downloaded the mac interface and poof, I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that does everything my laptop keyboard does and more. All the quick keys work with itunes, safari, onstage, etc.. While it is not a split ergonomic keyboard it does offer a great deal of relief to my hands while typing with it's "wave" shape. The key response is great and not noisy. Plus, I have had no problems with distance distortion. So why did I rate it only four?, well... if you have read any of the other reviews you will notice a common theme: great keyboard, poor mouse. I will say it is much better than my much smaller portable mouse, but the scroll button does not respond well and it just seems much poorer quality than the keyboard. All that said, if you want a wireless keyboard/ mouse combo that works great with Mac and Microsoft (I have dual operating systems running, works great on both) and don't want to spend a fortune than this is a great deal on a good/great product.
Matt

I thought the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Set would be the perfect supplement to my at-home laptop setup. Carpal tunnel syndrome is not a joke (I ordered the keyboard right after meeting a graduate student who had severe carpal tunnel, and had been forbidden by her doctor to type at all for more than a year - a horror story if I've ever heard one), and this keyboard's ergonomic design seemed like it would keep my hands and wrists safe and healthy.

What I didn't count on was the sheer size of it - I bought this keyboard for at-home use, I live in an apartment in New York City, and my desk is fairly modest in size. Once I put the keyboard on my desk, I had no room for anything else. My tiny little laptop hardly fit next to it; my arms were hanging off the edge of the desk, and and I had nowhere to put a piece of paper or notebook anymore. I tried re-arranging and clearing and all of that, but in the end I couldn't deny that the keyboard was simply too big for the space I was working with, and I had to abandon it.

In short: measure your desk before you buy this keyboard; make sure you have a very spacious working area.

On the other hand, I'm a big fan of the mouse that came with the keyboard. It has a nice weight to it, and feels solid and heavy in my hand. The controls are sensitive, and over the past few months it has worked flawlessly. The only note I have here is that the mouse has forward and back buttons on its right and left sides, and very often when I grab the mouse to move the cursor I accidentally move my internet browser page forward or back. I'm still training myself not to do this; because the controls are so sensitive, it takes some doing.

Logitech's Wave Set is a solid keyboard and mouse set that will be appreciated by many. It's a great new design for those who want something less extreme than full split designs but something more firm than the standard squishy keyboard. With this product Logitech adds to it's line-up of high quality computer peripherals.

Pros
+ Nice wireless design - batteries included!
+ Integrated wrist cushion - comfy and convenient!
+ Keys are shaped to be closer to your smaller fingers - Less hand movement
+ Integrated number pad in a nice form factor
+ Decent wireless range of 6 ft, with included extender
+ Quiet key action that seems smoother than others I've had
+ Weak battery indicator
+ Vista key shortcuts work nice!
+ Programmable smart keys

Cons
- Mouse is adequate for basic users but power users will need another
- Key design takes some getting used to
- May not be enough separation for those who prefer full split ergonomic designs
- Somewhat buggy Logitech software with sleeper processes

The design of the keyboard is nice and sturdy, and the additional number pad is a nice feature. The wave shape is REALLY nice, with nice sized keys and many extras. This is a great ambidextrous keyboard that can be used well by lefties and righties. The integrated keyboard wrist pad is nice and comfortable, and the design gives you one less thing you have to have on your desk.

I have actually come to prefer this to the split keyboard design after using it for a period of months. I can move my hands less and let my fingers touch the keys. As a result, my typing speed has actually improved slightly.

This keyboard gets extra points for good working distances from the USB mini-reciever. With the included extension cord, you can make it work from even farther away. That makes it great for true media center applications. I've read that the range is up to 6 feet, but I have used it from much farther away than that.

Battery life is also much improved as compared to prior models. I use rechargeable batteries and have gotten more than a few months out of my first set.

There are some minor downsides. The mouse is somewhat standard and doesn't have power user features, like extra programmable keys. For that reason, I have started using this keyboard with my G9 laser mouse. Logitech G9 Laser Mouse

One thing to keep in mind is that this keyboard is available in a stand-alone corded version. If you like the wave shape, don't mind a corded keyboard and want to use a different mouse, you may want to consider the stand-alone keyboard instead of this set. If you want this keyboard in the cordless version, you simply will have to buy the set to get it. Logitech Wave Keyboard

Many simply need the ergonomics of a split keyboard or other design. Test it out, but keep in mind it will take time to get used to. There are some nice options for ergonomic keyboards from Logitech, Microsoft and others.
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000
Logitech Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser
Adesso Intellimedia MediaPro Flat Ergonomic MAC USB White Keyboard with 2 USB Ports ( AKB-805MAC)

This set is definitely worth looking into. Enjoy!

I am so in love with this keyboard and mouse! Logitech has really outdone themselves here! The keyboard is bigger than I anticipated and has plenty of room at the bottom to rest your wrists.Extreamly comfortable,quiet(no clicking keys) and spacious,the cadillac of keyboards!The best part of all,NO MISSED KEY STROKES!! I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to finally be able to type at full speed without having to worry about missing keys! This keyboard replaced a wireless Kensington that forever gave me headaches with missed key strokes.The mouse is equally well made,precise, slim and easily fits in the hand.The beautiful sleek design and functionality of this keyboard/mouse combo have made me a firm beliver in the quality Logitech!!

I purchased this keyboard for work. My job consist of sitting in front of a computer all day using the mouse and keyboard heavily. I changed out a stock dell keyboard and laser mouse, that were wire based. HUGE difference.

Comparison:
I have a similir keyboard made by microsoft that I use at home, and the microsoft one doesn't compare to this one. The keyboard gets excellent range, i've gone across the office and typed to see if it would work, and surprisingly enough it did, whereas my microsoft keyboard will cut out about 5ft away.

Comfort:
This keyboard and mouse itself took me about a day or so to get used to it, mainly because it takes just a little bit to get used to the fact that the keyboard is conformed to fit the user and not the other way around. The keys themselves have excellent response when your typing, it's a quiet keyboard but you still have the feeling that you're typing unlike some quiet keyboards that feel like you're pushing your fingers in dough. The mouse itself also is conformed to fit your hand, and is very smooth when scrolling or just moving the pointer across the monitor.

Conclusion:
Although the keyboard/mouse are a little pricey, it is well worth the money. This is especially true if you are required to use them all day at work. If you're on the fence as to whether or not you should purchase this product, I can tell you that you definitely should, you won't be disappointed.

I have to tell you first off that I am not an employee of Logitech.... I know, pretty suspicious to start with that, right? The reason I say that is because this will be one of the most glowing reviews I've ever written about any product...

I just got back from Circuit City (about 3 hours ago). I purchased this keyboard and decided to install it before going to bed.

In short, I'm stunned by what this keyboard can do. All I can say is that I've just begun using it and was so excited at the increase in my productivity I jumped online immediately to write this review. I know, how in the world can I possibly know that a silly keyboard could improve my productivity... and especially after just a few hours using it? In short, it's THAT good...

One thing you should know is that most of the sales copy you'll see about this little guy comes nowhere near describing the EXPERIENCE of using this keyboard. So let me try to fill in the gaps... I'll start with the features and save the EXPERIENCE for last.

First off, this thing has 17 programmable buttons. Yes, 17! The F1 - F10 keys have a complete 2nd set of programmable functions. You can program them to do whatever you want. But by default they have icons screen-printed on them to "pre-assign" them to common functions: F1) Launch MS Word (or your word processor) F2) Launch Excel (or your spreadsheet program) F3) Launch your calendar view (typically in Outlook) F4) Launch a program of your choosing (1) F5)) Launch a program of your choosing (2) F6) Launch a program of your choosing (3) F7)Launch Internet Explorer F8) Launch your Instant Messenger program F9) Launch your email view F10) Perform a web search on any term or phrase you've highlighted in any program (a super-powerful feature ).

That's just the beginning. There are also large programmable buttons around the main keys. They do things like Zoom in and out, Launch Yahoo Widgets, Launch your photo viewer / organizer, launch your media player, and launch your calculator. Plus there's a complete set of media controller buttons (volume up/down, stop, play/pause, next track, last track, mute).

I mentioned the buttons are all programmable, but here's one of the really sweet aspects of this keyboard. Once you've installed the included software, Logitech successfully configures the buttons for the default operations. The button for Word successfully launches Word. The one for Excel launches Excel. The one for Calendar brings up the calendar view of Outlook. The one for email brings up the email view in Outlook. Plus, all the media controls actually work! Talk about a thing of beauty.

Now, for those of you who love total control and customizeability (I know that's not a word) you're going to love this: Remember I said the buttons are programmable? What that means is that you get this super easy-to-use software utility from Logitech that lets you customize the buttons to no end. You can customize them to: 1) Open a Web page; 2) Launch a program; 3) Open a file; 4) Open a folder; 5) Execute a keystroke combination; 6) Do nothing; 7) Perform one of the default tasks that had been assigned to other keys; 8) Show a custom menu.

I want to highlight one of these options in particular:

8) Show a custom menu:
Here you can group common programs and Web pages you use and have them pop-up in a single menu to choose from (similar to the menu that pops up when right-clicking an icon). How would you use this? Well, let's say you do all your finances on your computer and you use three banking Web sites, and run Quicken and Quickbooks. You could group all these items into one pop-up menu, then, when it's time to do finances, you hit that button and select the program or Web page to launch as needed.

Or if you're a Web Designer, you could group all your common Web development tools and resources into one of these custom menus to pop-up and select the program or reference site you need. The possibilities are darn near endless.

The Logitech software utility has one other really nice feature: You can turn off buttons that you never use -- like that pesky Insert key! Does ANYONE ever use that thing?

OK, now for the really cool part: The EXPERIENCE: Imagine this:

You wake up or get to work and start up your computer. With a single keypress the first thing you do is launch your media player and put on your favorite album -- maybe something to help you stay focused. You quickly use the <FN>-<F9> (there's a picture of an envelope on the <F9> key) to launch your email program. As you begin deleting all the SPAM messages, you hear co-workers arriving so you quickly tap the volume button to lower the volume. Virtually no break in concentration. A few minutes later the phone rings -- you click the mute button on your keyboard to silence the music. Once the call's over, you hit it again to unmute it (again without having to switch to your media player program). You open an email from your boss and notice she's written it in that microscopic 7pt Times New Roman font again. Why does she do that? No problem, two taps of the "Zoom in" key and the text is easily readable. Hmmm... she's asking you if you've heard anything about the new "iPod Micro"? Heck if you know! You quickly highlight the "iPod Micro" text in her email then hit the One-Touch Search combo. Google (or whatever search engine you want) launches with the search results already displayed. No need to copy the text THEN launch Google THEN paste your text THEN hit enter. One function key combo and it's done. You find out the product's going to be unveiled in three weeks and the thought goes through your mind that you should set a reminder on your calendar to check the Web again in 3 weeks.... but.... the very thought of navigating to the calendar view in Outlook seems like such a nuissance for such a small task... ahhhhh... no problem again. You hit your Calendar shortcut combo and you're taken directly to Calendar view in Outlook and quickly key in the reminder (and remember, you can program it to launch a different program if you don't use Outlook for tasks).... on and on it goes with you living happily ever after (well, you get the point).

Oh, I should also mention the comfort of this little beast. It's exquisite. The key presses are supple, soft yet firm (not a contradiction if you're picky about your keyboard!), quiet, and beautifully dampened in their action and return. The wrist rest is one of the best I've seen by far. And the ergonomic fit of this thing is perfect. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm also an engineer, and I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for an ergonomic keyboard that doesn't take an extreme approach to revamping the keyboard. This is a beautiful blend of ergonomic design and classic keyboard layout.

This keyboard comes oh so close to being 100% perfect -- but, alas, I have one gripe. Logitech must've had trouble squeezing in all the keys because they had to change the layout of the Insert | Home | Page Up | Delete | End |Page Down key cluster -- this is the cluster of keys just above the arrow keys. Instead of two rows of three keys it is two colums of three keys (actually the Insert key has been moved out of this cluster -- a good thing -- and the Delete key now spans the size of two keys). Seems like a major thing initially, but you'll get the hang of the new layout. Definitely worth enduring the small re-training of your brain to reap all the other benefits of this gem.

FYI: I use XP Pro. Best to check the other reviews for its performance on Vista. Oh, and even though I bought the mouse and keyboard set, I didn't intend to use the mouse, so I can't comment on that -- the keyboard alone is worth $90.

There are over 100 reviews of this keyboard, so I'll try to keep this strictly relevant to two topics--one people that are using this on a Mac, and two, people who are trying to decide between this and Microsoft's version of this keyboard.

Previous to using the "Wave" I used the Microsoft version of this style. (I believe the name is "Comfort Curve," but I could be mistaken, I bought it a couple years ago, so I may not have the exact product name.)

I don't know who copied who, but basically BOTH keyboards have a unique keyboard layout that to say it succinctly, makes typing much easier and more natural and comfortable, without the awkwardness of some of those "natural" ergonomic keyboards that preceded these.

Though both companies offer a comparable, amazingly comfortable typing experience, the tactile qualities and keystroke noise differ slightly. The Logitech has a firm, yet soft tactile keystroke experience--and it is noticably quieter. The Microsoft one is a bit "harder," more with the tactile qualities of a standard keyboard, and is noisier.

That said, now that I've tried both, along with preferring the keystroke "feel" of the Logitech, this keyboard is much more Mac friendly than the Microsoft one. I've heard some complaining about the driver support and key function/etc. of this keyboard for Macs, but I find that just about everything works and is easily customizable as advertised. (One note: the driver and "Logitech Control Center" interface must be downloaded from Logitech, the disc included with this set is for Windows only.) On the Microsoft version of this style keyboard, many keys DID work for Macs, but many were useful to Windows users more specifically, and the design and layout and labeling just wasn't very Mac friendly.

Given my preference for the "feel" of the keyboard, and the reduced noise, which is particularly noteworthy being a user that "pounds" the keys--often late at night with roommates trying to sleep), and the more Mac friendly labels/design, I'd have to say for a Mac user, the Logitech Wave is the way to go. If you prefer Microsoft, or are a Windows user, there are some advantages/slight differences to the Microsoft keyboard that you may want to consider.

One thing of note to tech design buffs, or just people who care about such trivial things, the USB receiver used for the Logitech Wave set is much more stylish and a far smaller footprint than the eyesore large oval receiver used by Microsoft. This may not matter to most people, but I felt it should be noted for those who care about the "look"/design.

***Edit Note: I give this five stars for being Mac friendly (despite an Apple "Genius Bar" person telling me Logitech was bad) and the keyboard edging out the Microsoft one in my personal preference, but I technically might dock it slightly for the mouse. It's a good mouse, or rather--good enough, but I wish since this is a premium cordless keyboard/mouse kit they had included a more premium mouse. I personally have chosen to use the Logitech VX Nano, which is the smaller "note book" friendly/sized mouse i prefer, and has more useful functions (like limited web browsing control, fast scroller, etc.)***

This works right out of the box, batteries were included, and I did not need to install any software. All of the keyboards I have used over the years were the normal, straight-key design. Until I tired this keyboard I had no idea how much stress I was placing on my wrist while typing for hours. I enjoy the natural feel of my hand position while using the Wave Set keyboard. The larger keys are much appreciated, as is the oversized delete key. No more hitting the Insert key by mistake while you are in fast type mode.

The keyboard is very comfortable to use but it is a little larger than a standard keyboard, but it does protect your wrist from fatigue. But if you have limited desk space you may need to take that into consideration. I prefer the comfort to the small amount extra desk space you lose. I feel like I am typing on an electric typewriter instead of a standard keyboard; for me that is a plus. It has increased my words-per minute. And I like that you are able to customize the F-keys on the board. This may not be a big deal but I love the convenient one-touch controls for volume and media playback. There are other buttons for photo gallery and more, but I use the volume control the most so it has come to the forefront of my attention.

The mouse that comes with the keyboard is ok. But I miss the functionality and comfort of my old Logitech mouse, and it is only a MX-700. I just got used to the many extra functions the other mouse can do. But if you have small hands you may love the mouse that comes with the set. Plus the mouse has a button control on either side of the mouse. It seems my left-handed friend loves the mouse that comes in this set.

I would have preferred a different mouse, but the lowest rating I would have given the set is 4 ½ stars; the keyboard is five stars, so overall I had to rate it a 5. Note: I have never used a split comfort board and I am running Windows XP Pro. So with that in mind I can say that I can highly recommend this keyboard.

I have a computer connected to my television in my living room. My wife demanded I get a wireless keyboard due to the long wire stringing from my couch to the entertainment center, so when deciding on a wireless keyboard, range was my biggest issue. The WAVE keyboard/mouse combo has worked out really well. From the comfort of my couch, a good 8+ feet away from the computer, it works like a charm. I am not even using the extender.. I just have the USB key plugged into a USB port on the front of my computer, and the computer in a drawer below my television. I'm using linux (Kubuntu), and it worked as soon as I plugged it in.
Other than that all the standard comments everyone else makes about the ergonomics are in affect. Its nice that the keys are quiet (no loud clicking) since I'm using it in my living room.
** EDIT: 1/16/08 **
I found out why some people complain about the lack of signal strength. When I plugged in my Ipod to charge on the USB port next to the wireless USB Key, I couldn't get the Keyboard or mouse to register at all. When I pulled the Ipod cord cord out though, the wireless was again working from 8+ feet away. Hope this helps!