Thread: Logitech MX 5500 Revolution

In the last few years cordless desktop peripherals have seen a steady improvement in design as well as build quality. Not only have they given the user a wireless desktop solution but are also built with'a whole set of features that make navigation within Windows a whole lot easier. One such device is the LQgitech MX 5500 Revolution. Not only does it sport killer looks, but the keyboard and mouse also come loaded with features.

Features

Setting up the device was as simple as 1-2-3. The keyboard is powered by four AA batteries while the mouse is equipped with rechargeable batteries that can be charged via the base station included in the package. The first thing one would notice is the keyboard's LCD display that gives you information on the current song being played, room temperature, number of unread emails and a calculator, while its default mode would display the date and time. The keyboard has thin rubber padding towards the bottom that allows you to rest your palm while typing. If silence is a concern, then the MX 5500 will not disappoint. As stealthy as it looks, the sound produced while typing was close to negligible.

The MX 5500 keyboard has shortcut keys all over. Rather than individual buttons, the Function keys double up as shortcut keys for bringing up Microsoft Office documents as well as messengers, your email client, web browser and search application. The Flip-3D button works as a replacement of the [Alt]-[Tab] shortcut, allowing you to flip through multiple opened documents while the zoom in and zoom out buttons act as selection buttons.



A nifty feature about the MX 5500 Revolution is that the shortcut keys can be reassigned to suit your needs by using the Logitech SetPoint control panel. The mouse is also designed well, and compliments the keyboard in both design as well as features. It fits snugly in the palm giving the user excellent control, be it for gaming or general use. The scroll wheel lets you to sail through documents with its free scrolling feature, but also allows you to switch to the normal clicking gradated scroll mode. A one-touch search button just below the scroll wheel opens up the browser with your selected search engine.

A set of forward and back buttons is neatly placed on the side of the mouse where you will also find the unique document flip slider that behaves in the same manner as the Flip-3D button on the keyboard. A power switch allows the mouse to be powered off when not in use or while travelling, to avoid running down the battery. The option to reassign the mouse controls is also available via the control panel, but you can only change the defaults between a set of predefined tasks.

Performance

Wireless connectivity of both the devices is pretty good with an operational range of 30 meters. With a well laid out design and excellent spaced out keys, the MX 5500 keyboard is a delight to work on. The only issue we had with the MX 5500 Revolution was the rather small function keys with the [Print screen], [Insert] and [Pause] keys shifted above the number pad. Both the keyboard and the' mouse are built keeping elegance and precision in mind. Unfortunately, the set is quite expensive, and will be a luxury for most.