In an age of advertising hyperbole so gratuitous that every spec tweak or color change is accompanied by a press release, it's honestly refreshing to watch Lenovo tip-toe interesting new products into retail with nary a peep. Like this palm-sized Multimedia Remote with Keyboard spotted by an Engadget reader inside a Singapore mobile phone shop. Seems this wireless pup (model 57Y6336) has been on sale for about a week across the globe with a $60 MSRP or about $30 after a quick Google for discount coupons. That meager tithe takes home a 2.4GHz keyboard with trackball and USB "nano dongle" for your Windows home theater PC good for about 10-meters of wireless sofa surfing. See it in the wild after the break.
Update: This "pretty awesome peripheral" received a brief hands-on over at
HardwareZone who tells us that it's powered by a pair of AAAs as well.
[Thanks, Bryan C.]
posted December 28th 2009 1:35AM
Nokia stand?
@joaquinxf LOL
on an IKEA table, lit by GE lights,taken from a LG camera-phone, uploaded on a Sprint network....
@Eugene Action Taken with a Nikon by Ashton. Smart ass.
@Eugene Action
lol
@joaquinxf
Metadata actually says iPhone 3GS
@bove That explains the shitty image quality then :)
@Eugene Action
Have been looking for days for my HTPC....
An all in one wireless:
HT Remote ( to control a tv, blu ray, amp, cd player)
with a keyboard
with a mouse
backlite
quite keys
rechargeable!
You would think it would be out in abundance on the market, but not seeing it.
small
range 30 feet
Does anyone have any suggestions?
@William HTPC
DiNovo Mini?
That looks really good. Shame the $30 codes are expired or I'd grab one myself to replace my irritating DiNovo Mini.
@WilliamG
What's irritating about the DiNovo Mini? I have been seriously considering it for a while now!
@WilliamG
Indeed. That thing looks brilliant. I'm buying one as soon as I see a review, to make sure it meets its expectations. A trackball is pretty much essential for a HTPC mouse. I'd buy it even if it didn't have a keyboard.
@Maddy
It's not really that bad. The only issue I've had with it is the directional pad. If you press the very bottom of the pad for down it may not register it, you have to press it a little closer to the center but often you may press a little too close to the center which invokes OK/Enter instead.
Maybe the range could also be a little better but that's about it.
@Maddy
Because the DiNovo Mini trackpad is just awful and quite unresponsive at times, randomly picks up little bits of interference, and the keyboard backlight doesn't stay on long enough. Also, no arrow keys without switching the track pad to "arrow mode" so it clicks in all direction. I much prefer, from the look of it, this Lenovo effort. No idea if it has backlighting, though...
@E71
I have the same issue with the DiNovo mini. Pushing down on the directional/trackpad is a frustration.
@WilliamG
Same here! I hate it because of it!
"Lenovo's wireless Multimedia Remote with Keyboard sneaks our for retail" dont you mean sneaks Out?
@trevinlovett
Hes Human....
@Quetzalcoatl
Don't you mean "He's human"? XD
Word check: "sneaks our for retail..." Out for retail maybe?
Back lit keyboard?
To be honest, I think it's a good idea. If it's lightweight yet sturdy. This could be used on tablets or phones if needed, or even better as the article said, for HTCs.
I like it, and the price isn't too bad at 60$. Great at 30$.
@Special Agent Steve
Considering the Logitech Dinovo mini goes for more than a $100, $60 for this does not sound too bad, and this has a real trackball, as compared to the tiny trackpad on the dinovo.
I'd buy it as long as I can use it for a non-qwerty physical keyboard phone.
@xBASTIONx - You can't, as it relies on a USB dongle and desktop PC drivers. However, I have often wondered why something like this can't be supported on Bluetooth.
i'd buy it for $30. $60 is pushing it a bit...
this is exactly what i have been looking for. i might have to snag one soon.
I could throw some an Apple logo on this and sell it for $150 if I wanted to. Lenovo does not know how to bring in the cash.
hehe, "nano dongle"
suprised nobody else has made the joke yet
@(Unverified) Hmmm Because maybe so far you are the only one to identify himself with a "nano dongle".... did it rong a bell to you?
Sorry, but, Alphe Male MacroUSB here
Man, too bad Tivo STILL doesn't support USB keyboards.
This would be perfect.
UMM.. its 11:52 and its still dec 27. why is the coupon dead already?
Hmm, I designed this thing in a post on this article http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/wireless-usb-keyboard-touchpad-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-par/
Unfortunately they got my design all wrong.
MOVE THE LEFT/RIGHT CLICK TO THE BOTTOM.
PUT THE NUB/TRACKBALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE KEYBOARD.
THE BOTTOM 2 INCHES NEED TO BE CUT OFF.
FIND A BETTER PLACE TO DISPLAY THE LOGO.
I don't know how many more user/consumer un-friendly products I can take, before I go nuts and have a balls out of sack experience.
@kid
I think the design is fine. Yea, they could make it smaller by putting a nub in the center of the keyboard, but it would make the mouse less comfortable to use. The design gives you a comfortable position to use either the mouse or the keyboard without either one getting in each others way. The bottom two inches are there to give you something to grip when you're using the mouse, which is a fine place for the logo.
@kid
Moving the Left/Right buttons below would be a nightmare. A coat hanger abortion as it were. Unless you have quadruple jointed thumbs, you best just leave them where they are.
Nubs are uncomfortable, trackballs are easily moved when touched. So why would you place either in the middle of the keyboard. I hate crap in the middle of where I am trying to type, I am sure i'm not the only one.
Leave the bottom 2 inches, or you won't be able to hold it while mousing.
Logo will be covered up by your hand most of the time, and that is where a lot of remote manufacturers put their name.
Good try though, your design is nice and all, but Lenovo did it better, apparently.
@kid
The left/right click would be on the bottom for you index fingers to use. Somewhat like triggers on the back of console controllers, or the B button on the WII
Nubs are extremely comfortable once you develop a process for it. I personally am able to play FPS's with the nub on my thinkpad.
The nub would be placed in the middle, or closer to the keyboard so that your thumbs don't ever have to leave the area of the keyboard. It's not a big deal to have a nub in the middle of the keyboard, usually because it can fit in between all the keys, but with the smaller keys it might pose a problem.
If the nub were to be placed within the keys I would want it off center so either the right or left thumb would naturally rest on it.
ya this has been out for awhile and a sweet deal was posted on slickdeals for it. didn't pick it up though since I don't really need it.
come on Engadget! you guys are a bit slow on the tech news, don't wanna be left behind do ya?
"...after the break..."
Oh, for the love of God stop saying that. It is in practically every frickin' article on this site...
Also, Engadget wins for most typos by a single company. Ever. Is there an English degree among the lot of you?
@kungfujesus
But if they proofread their articles, we wouldn't get our news as fast!
@kungfujesus
They must also get kickbacks from Advertisers for their extreme (over)use of the passive voice.
This is exactly what I've been searching for. All the other multimedia keyboards I've seen are either too big, too ugly, or too expensive. Hopefully it's compatible with a PS3 as well.
Without BT, this thing is a serious fail ...
@darkprinc Not if it's target is HTPCs. Bluetooth range and quality is too random between workstations and devices, often coming up short for a fair sized living room or when obstructions get in the way. If you follow HTPC builders, you'll note that most of them swear by RF devices, especially for keyboards and mice, which often have an intentionally short range (also keep in mind that bluetooth hid standards are fairly insecure).
@devwild Hmm... point noted
Are there any remotes/controllers like this that are compatible with a Mac?
@Matronix wait for a review, it may already be if it uses standard hid drivers.
@Matronix im wondering if its mac compatible too, if it is im getting one. (for $30, $60 is pushing it)
@Matronix This one "is" compatiable with the Mac. Just tried it on my Mac Mini (Snow Leopard)
Should have gone bluetooth.
Imagine this could be the keyboard of the HD2? jeje
I'd buy it if it had a TrackPoint instead of a trackball.