This unit will deliver silky smooth operation consistently if you follow these tips.
1. Don't forget to hit a key twice (recommend SHIFT) to wake it up.
2. If you are dropping keys or have choppy mouse movements:
A. Try swapping with known good batteries.
B. Reposition the USB adapter. I got much better range by using an USB extension cable to relocate the adapter. Just moving the adapter six inches away from the computer case made all the difference. It eliminated keyboard dead zones.
C. Avoid wireless conflicts between the keyboard and wireless router by locking your router to a different wireless channel. Try channel 11. I found lower channels would conflict with the unit. Conflict issue is indicated by choppy mouse movements coinciding with wireless activity. Possibly wireless phones or microwaves could interfere too.
D. Switch wireless router's operating modes away from 802.11b. Try 802.11g-only or 802.11n-only if possible. I was able to more channels wireless router channels when I changed modes.
E. If shortcut keys ( Alt-<key> ) aren't working, it's because num-lock is on. I prefer to set the BIOS to turn off num-lock when booting.
F. 802.11 wireless activity will interfere with operation. Look for ways to reduce 802.11 activity.
G. Best to have a clear line of sight between keyboard and USB adapter. A couch's back or a body can greatly weaken the signal.
3. If the unit is dead, you may have accidentally pushed the USB adapter's tiny "sw" button. It's used to pair with your keyboard. Re-pair by pushing sw again and pressing keyboard's FN key within 15 seconds.
Thanks to the myriad of reviews, product works exactly as expected. Yes, it works well with Vista without drivers. Yes, it makes a great HTPC wireless keyboard. Yes, it has a flimsy feel. Yes, its a bit too expensive and needs competition.
I'm using a D-Link DIR-655 Wireless N Router. Excellent device. Recommended. Adesso 2.4 GHZ WIRELESS SLIMTOUCH TOUCHPAD MINI KEYBOARD SILVER W/BLACK KEYS ( WKB-4000US )
Got this for my home theater pc. It works great! Range is about 10 feet or so.
For all those reviewers complaining about the auto power off and no on/off switch. To wake up the keyboard, HIT THE ENTER KEY TWICE!!!!!! You DO NOT need to take out the batteries. This is documented in the product lit, just not very well - hence the 4 stars.
I think this is probably the best product amongst wireless keyboards you might use with a living room PC, though the only other I've tried is the Microsoft Remote Keyboard for Media Center. The problem with that keyboard is its awful pointing stick; though it does get more flexible with use, it's not nearly as good as the pointer sticks you find on IBM Thinkpads.
This keyboard has good key feel, a built in pointing device, and is a nice size (about 8.5x11) for the couch. Unfortunately, it sometimes, and often enough to be annoying but not enough to be unusable, stops responding. Missing a keystoke or two, or not responding to your touch on the pad. A second later it will start acting normal.
I have this behavior even with 100% fresh batteries, and I'm not mistaking it for the auto-sleep function. I mean, you'll be typing, and it will stop responding for a few seconds.
Perhaps this is a wireless issue; it does use the crowded 2.4ghz band and I live in an apartment and run a wireless network. Then again, I figure that's true of many people who would buy this product...so it'd be nice if they could design around those impediments.
I suppose it's also possible I have a defective keyboard, but enough people have commented on this as a problem that I suspect it's just the design.
So. Works pretty well, but I'll have my eye out for any new products in this vein...
***UPDATE***
I contacted Adesso about my problems and they suggested that I return the keyboard under warranty. Doing so was fairly painless, it took a week out and a week back (UPS ground, I pay to get it to them). But: new keyboard still has the problem of intermittent response. It seems to me that having it on my lap or on a flat surface like my ottoman blocks the transmitting antenna; it seems to work fine if I hold it with just one hand and type with the other--but that's not a very usable operating position...
I was looking for a wireless keyboard and mouse so I could connect a PC up to my television. I wanted the keyboard to be fairly compact, similar to a laptop's in size, and useable from about 10 to 15 feet away.
I did not even know that a wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad was available until I saw the Adesso WKB-4000US. Going on the recommendations of reviewers on the website where I purchased it, I was hoping that this would be exactly the solution I was looking for.
Well, I can say with absolutely no hesitation that this is an excellent product! There is no software to install; simply plug a little USB transceiver into the PC while it is powered off. Power on the PC, push a little button on the transceiver and the hold the "Fn" key on the keyboard. That's it!
The WKB-4000US uses IR for communicating with the transceiver, so you can be a relatively long distance away from the PC, and it does not even need to be in your line of sight.
I am writing this review sitting comfortably on my couch about 10 feet from the TV, and there is no indication whatsoever that the keyboard is not wired. The response is as fast as I can type (which is about 85 wpm), and the touchpad works exactly like the one on my laptop. There is even a scroll "strip" on the right of the touchpad that simulates the wheel on a mouse, which is a nice touch.
The feel of the keys is strong and not cheap, with just the right amount of pressure. I really like the fact that this keyboard weighs only about 1 pound or so with the 4 AAA batteries installed. There are 2 'Windows" keys, 2 CTRL keys and 2 Alt keys on either side of the space bar.
If you are looking for a numeric keypad, you won't find one on this keyboard, but just like a laptop, if you activate Num Lock, a number pad is created over the m, jkl, uio and 789 keys.
The left and right mouse buttons are just below the touchpad.
All in all, I can find no fault with this keyboard/touchpad combo, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for the compact convenience of well-made, lightweight, wireless keyboard. - Mini - Keyboard - Adesso - Mac Compatible'
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