C'mon folks, say it with us now: "finally!" While those utilizing Bluetooth-enabled input devices have enjoyed the ability to connect multiple wares to a single computer without any fuss, those relying on a USB keyboard and mouse have typically been forced to block a pair of their USB ports in order to have both operating simultaneously. Thanks to Logitech's marvelous new USB Unifying Receiver, said issue is no longer an issue. Designed to operate with the Wireless Keyboard K350 / K340 and Marathon Mouse M705 / M505 (all of which are being jointly announced here), this compact receiver is tiny enough to stay inserted in one's laptop even when it's stored, and while we can't fathom why you'd need a half dozen devices linked at once, the nub definitely supports it. Each of the four new products will ship with one of these special receivers, with the keyboards expected to arrive in the US and Europe this September for $59.99 (K350) / $49.99 (K340) and the mice landing later this month (Europe) / early 2010 (America) for $69.99 (M705) and $49.99 (M505). Incredibly informative demonstration vid is after the break.
Bluetooth seems to have a very noticeable lag in mice, most people avoid it like the plague. Only reason I've ever tried to search for a mouse with Bluetooth is to avoid those thumbs sticking out of my laptop that would easily break off if I tried to put it back in my backpack.
I have had a bluetooth mouse for a while now. There is no lag whatsoever. Hence, I have to agree with mrspiteri that it is pointeles coming up with yet another standard, and another dongle, instead of using a standard (bluetooth), which should have been internal as standard on all notebooks by now!!
I've tried bluetooth on and off for years and have never had any luck with it. Mice seem to have the biggest problem, laging, randomly being disconnected, worse battery life then the dongle counterparts. If you want bluetooth fine, but don't make it the only standard. It doesn't work for everyone, or most people actually.
Sony also endorses the Viao, the DRM-happy music industry, the piracy obsessed motion picture industry, and the PS3. All of which are going down. Not saying so much, are you?
Bluetooth has inferior battery life, pairing, and range compared to Logitech's proprietary RF. The only thing I find fault in is why it took so long to get this dongle talking to the other products.
bluetooth "goodness": -power usage. -range. -installation/pairing (some devices works fine with the "windows stack", other works only with "widcomm stack" and so on). -price.
I have a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (MX5500 and MX rev) and I actually like having Bluetooth over a dongle. I've had some problems with periodic disconnects but that's been solved with the latest Bluetooth drivers. Battery life doesn't seems so bad either, my keyboard batteries last 6 months, and my mouse needs to be charged only once every two weeks with light use (once a week with heavy use). Maybe it's not as good as RF can be, but it's pretty darn convenient not to have to carry around a dongle that can get lost easily (although that new Logitech one looks pretty good in my opinion, I used to have that big old clunker from 2002 for an old wireless mouse. Now that one had terrible lag and terrible tracking)
I hate dongles. Why can't manufactures simply make their mice work with any standard bluetooth bult-in in laptops/desktops? This is a waste of USB port.
Because "standard" bluetooth comes at varying ranges, speeds, and performances. Many people would have a sub-par experience, which is unacceptable with a mouse, and blame it on Logitech.
I got a bluetooth dongle for my netbook and a BT mouse. Works perfectly! I chose bluetooth so that one dongle will also work with my cellphone, PDA, headphones... And other BT based gear.
If they REALLY wanted to, they could have made it BT, and include a BT adapter with the devices. Come on they are selling separately for under $20.00. But can't cost that much to make. They could also release their own BT device and include a disclaimer in the instructions of their devices, "For best performance use OUR BT adapter". Everyone else does it with their devices.
Bluetooth would be the obvious choice. But the BT mouses last less than a month on an AA battery whereas my Logitech wireless USB does 18 months. Save the planet. Rechargeable not an easy option either for laptops.
I've used Bluetooth mice and the lag can be annoying. I am not trying to play games just simple web surfing and office products. I hate the dongles too but I hate the lag more. I have fantasized about recessed Bluetooth ports so that the dongles do not sit out too far. The mini dongle seems promising. I recently purchased a Logitech mouse with a mini dongle and I like that I can leave it in. I only wish that they released this one sooner because I hate having old technology.
The ones mentioning that there is no lag with Bluetooth, maybe you need to share what devices you are using. What mouse? What PC and and is this built-in Bluetooth or a dongle?
Logitech makes some of the best mice in my opinion. They do not make the nicer mice in a Bluetooth option so you are kind of tied to what they release.
With Bluetooth a fairly standard and solid implementation these days in many a device... I have to wonder the merit of this when a low power alternative was (and still is) purposefully and actively developed.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Unfortunately, no. Only 3 mice and 2 keyboards are compatible so far. I just want to use a regular sized mouse like the MX600 I use with my desktop to work with a nano receiver for my laptop. Is that so much to ask?
Great... But It'd be nice if you could buy an extra receiver and plug that into a 2nd machine, And have hot key switching in order to flit between your 2 machines like a KVM switch.
I have that mouse and dongle, however I've lost the dongle, so of course the mouse is pointless, if anyone knows where I can buy just a dongle that'd be appreciated.
Intel did this years ago and it included joysticks and game pads. It was a marketing failure. There needs to be a low bandwidth, low latency bluetooth mode...
To bad they cannot just use the Wireless USB standard. I have both BT and WUSB. Bluetooth is typically slower and has more of a lag. If WUSB could do better, I would prefer that with no nub sticking out of my laptop.
This is not new for Logitech wireless RF receivers, just the micro ones. I was using a single standard size Logitech RF receiver with their mouse and keyboard at least 4 years ago:
I wish I could get away with one receiver. I have to use up two ports, one for my Wave keyboard and one for my Revolution MX mouse....they won't play nice and share a receiver.
Am I the only one that prefers corded mice & keyboards? I noticed it's getting harder to buy a corded mouse with a decent set of features. Decent features to me = thumb buttons, etc.
Since each device comes with its own dongle does this mean you can put a dongle in each computer and move the keyboard and mouse from computer to computer? Maybe from work to home?
Will they make it work with RF enabled Harmony remotes? This would be great for the HTPC - keyboard, mouse, remote working from one small dongle without IR repeaters.
Will pass. I really like the design of Logitech's keyboards, except the ridiculously large Delete key in the Insert/Delete/Home/PageUp/PageDown cluster. Large Delete is well intentioned, but just destroys the ergonomics of use for Home and End keys which are used just as, if not more often. I tried Wave keyboard and really really tried to force myself to get used to those keys, but it just kept driving me crazy.
What's great about non-Bluetooth wireless keyboards and mice is that you can use the keyboard before your OS loads. This allows you to boot into safe mode, modify BIOS settings, start the boot menu, set up your RAID, etc etc.
I have both a wireless Wave keyboard and an LX7 from Logitech. The Wave came with a mouse and both would conect through the same receiver (similar to the 2003/3 ones in the gallery) yet the LX7 will also connect to this fine (originally used the 2002 receiver). I don't know whether multiple mice will be able to connect, I will check but will not be disappointed i it doesn't work as it just isn't needed. The only other devices I would like to be able to connect are a media remote and a wireless game controller.
Since logitech also re-announced their 2 years old webcam line as new I would not be surprised this isn't new either. Incidentally, setpoint software for their mice not only supports most of their mice but also supports their keyboards, so they already are a bit unified there too.
Me too, one of the best buys I've made for my laptop. I never take it out of the USB because it's so small and having an actual mouse makes PS/Illustrator SO much easier than with that damn trackpad...
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posted August 4th 2009 5:53AM
Hm ok. Does it have better battery life than bluetooth? Why fight a standard? Even Sony endorse bluetooth...
Bluetooth seems to have a very noticeable lag in mice, most people avoid it like the plague. Only reason I've ever tried to search for a mouse with Bluetooth is to avoid those thumbs sticking out of my laptop that would easily break off if I tried to put it back in my backpack.
I have had a bluetooth mouse for a while now. There is no lag whatsoever. Hence, I have to agree with mrspiteri that it is pointeles coming up with yet another standard, and another dongle, instead of using a standard (bluetooth), which should have been internal as standard on all notebooks by now!!
I've tried bluetooth on and off for years and have never had any luck with it. Mice seem to have the biggest problem, laging, randomly being disconnected, worse battery life then the dongle counterparts. If you want bluetooth fine, but don't make it the only standard. It doesn't work for everyone, or most people actually.
Sony also endorses the Viao, the DRM-happy music industry, the piracy obsessed motion picture industry, and the PS3. All of which are going down. Not saying so much, are you?
but none of those are open standards...
But where's the WUSB dongled mice/keyboards at?
Bluetooth has much worse battery life, thats why I avoided it - both for the mouse and the laptop.
Actually Sony can fuck off
Bluetooth has inferior battery life, pairing, and range compared to Logitech's proprietary RF. The only thing I find fault in is why it took so long to get this dongle talking to the other products.
bluetooth "goodness":
-power usage.
-range.
-installation/pairing (some devices works fine with the "windows stack", other works only with "widcomm stack" and so on).
-price.
I have a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (MX5500 and MX rev) and I actually like having Bluetooth over a dongle. I've had some problems with periodic disconnects but that's been solved with the latest Bluetooth drivers. Battery life doesn't seems so bad either, my keyboard batteries last 6 months, and my mouse needs to be charged only once every two weeks with light use (once a week with heavy use). Maybe it's not as good as RF can be, but it's pretty darn convenient not to have to carry around a dongle that can get lost easily (although that new Logitech one looks pretty good in my opinion, I used to have that big old clunker from 2002 for an old wireless mouse. Now that one had terrible lag and terrible tracking)
I hate dongles. Why can't manufactures simply make their mice work with any standard bluetooth bult-in in laptops/desktops? This is a waste of USB port.
Because "standard" bluetooth comes at varying ranges, speeds, and performances. Many people would have a sub-par experience, which is unacceptable with a mouse, and blame it on Logitech.
I got a bluetooth dongle for my netbook and a BT mouse. Works perfectly! I chose bluetooth so that one dongle will also work with my cellphone, PDA, headphones... And other BT based gear.
If they REALLY wanted to, they could have made it BT, and include a BT adapter with the devices. Come on they are selling separately for under $20.00. But can't cost that much to make. They could also release their own BT device and include a disclaimer in the instructions of their devices, "For best performance use OUR BT adapter". Everyone else does it with their devices.
Bluetooth would be the obvious choice. But the BT mouses last less than a month on an AA battery whereas my Logitech wireless USB does 18 months. Save the planet. Rechargeable not an easy option either for laptops.
I've used Bluetooth mice and the lag can be annoying. I am not trying to play games just simple web surfing and office products. I hate the dongles too but I hate the lag more. I have fantasized about recessed Bluetooth ports so that the dongles do not sit out too far. The mini dongle seems promising. I recently purchased a Logitech mouse with a mini dongle and I like that I can leave it in. I only wish that they released this one sooner because I hate having old technology.
The ones mentioning that there is no lag with Bluetooth, maybe you need to share what devices you are using. What mouse? What PC and and is this built-in Bluetooth or a dongle?
Logitech makes some of the best mice in my opinion. They do not make the nicer mice in a Bluetooth option so you are kind of tied to what they release.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the K350 just a Wave with white media keys and the new dongle?
Also, is this backwards compatible with all Logitech Wi-Fi devices?
With Bluetooth a fairly standard and solid implementation these days in many a device... I have to wonder the merit of this when a low power alternative was (and still is) purposefully and actively developed.
Let's see you change your BIOS settings with a Bluetooth device.
One dongle to rule them all.
You beat me to it, good sire.
Finish it and I will be impressed. ANYONE can do the first line.
That's not even the first line:
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
-- Of course replace Ring w/ Dongle.
Looks like im still stuck in 2002 :(
Will all previous logitech mices work with it?
I would like to know if my "old" Logitech LX8 will work with this.
Unfortunately, no. Only 3 mice and 2 keyboards are compatible so far. I just want to use a regular sized mouse like the MX600 I use with my desktop to work with a nano receiver for my laptop. Is that so much to ask?
We need half a dozen devices connected because it's the future.
-and this is what we were sold.
The comment system is acting up today. That one was a reply to Rog.
Great... But It'd be nice if you could buy an extra receiver and plug that into a 2nd machine, And have hot key switching in order to flit between your 2 machines like a KVM switch.
That's what she said!
YES, I'm glad someone else caught that before my comment of identical nature was too far on the page to be highest ranked!
To be honest, this was supposed to be a reply to Newone, but we all know how that goes.
Hmm that's funny
I have that mouse and dongle, however I've lost the dongle, so of course the mouse is pointless, if anyone knows where I can buy just a dongle that'd be appreciated.
But yeah it works for me, or at least it did...
Intel did this years ago and it included joysticks and game pads. It was a marketing failure. There needs to be a low bandwidth, low latency bluetooth mode...
To bad they cannot just use the Wireless USB standard. I have both BT and WUSB. Bluetooth is typically slower and has more of a lag. If WUSB could do better, I would prefer that with no nub sticking out of my laptop.
This is not new for Logitech wireless RF receivers, just the micro ones. I was using a single standard size Logitech RF receiver with their mouse and keyboard at least 4 years ago:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b398/syadasti/misc/desktop.jpg
I wish I could get away with one receiver. I have to use up two ports, one for my Wave keyboard and one for my Revolution MX mouse....they won't play nice and share a receiver.
Holy crap that's a big coin...
Wow, Finally! I hope my cordless optical trackman will work with this.
BOUT F-ING TIME
Am I the only one that prefers corded mice & keyboards? I noticed it's getting harder to buy a corded mouse with a decent set of features. Decent features to me = thumb buttons, etc.
Since each device comes with its own dongle does this mean you can put a dongle in each computer and move the keyboard and mouse from computer to computer? Maybe from work to home?
Will they make it work with RF enabled Harmony remotes? This would be great for the HTPC - keyboard, mouse, remote working from one small dongle without IR repeaters.
Will pass. I really like the design of Logitech's keyboards, except the ridiculously large Delete key in the Insert/Delete/Home/PageUp/PageDown cluster. Large Delete is well intentioned, but just destroys the ergonomics of use for Home and End keys which are used just as, if not more often. I tried Wave keyboard and really really tried to force myself to get used to those keys, but it just kept driving me crazy.
What's great about non-Bluetooth wireless keyboards and mice is that you can use the keyboard before your OS loads. This allows you to boot into safe mode, modify BIOS settings, start the boot menu, set up your RAID, etc etc.
I have both a wireless Wave keyboard and an LX7 from Logitech. The Wave came with a mouse and both would conect through the same receiver (similar to the 2003/3 ones in the gallery) yet the LX7 will also connect to this fine (originally used the 2002 receiver). I don't know whether multiple mice will be able to connect, I will check but will not be disappointed i it doesn't work as it just isn't needed. The only other devices I would like to be able to connect are a media remote and a wireless game controller.
Since logitech also re-announced their 2 years old webcam line as new I would not be surprised this isn't new either.
Incidentally, setpoint software for their mice not only supports most of their mice but also supports their keyboards, so they already are a bit unified there too.
i have that mouse with the nubby receiver.
I love it
Me too, one of the best buys I've made for my laptop. I never take it out of the USB because it's so small and having an actual mouse makes PS/Illustrator SO much easier than with that damn trackpad...