So, I just got a new logitech MX5500 cordless desktop set. It is a bluetooth mouse with a keyboard and an LCD display. I figured I'd type this as my first impressions and to get a feel for it.




First, the mouse. It is a precise laser mouse. It has 2 scroll wheels. I have not figured out how to utilize the 2nd one in Linux just yet. However, the main mouse scroll wheel has a lock/unlock function. It has a solenoid in it. When you scroll really fast, it unlocks and "free wheels". The mouse will scroll for about 10 seconds in freewheel mode and then lock itself back into standard mode. The mouse has a battery indicator on it which lets you know 3 levels of charge.

I like the freewheel function. The mouse does not feel right in my hand. I think it was designed for someone with more feminine hands then myself. It has a thumb rest on it which is awkward to use. Usually, my standard posture on a mouse is to mount my wrist and slide the mouse under my hand. I let my fingers do the work while I keep my wrist steady. I slide the mouse under my hand when moving it downwards, however on this mouse, the thumb rest bumps my palm when I try to do that. It forces me to move my entire hand while moving the mouse around. I'm sure I can learn how to properly use this mouse, but it is uncomfortable to start with because of the ergonomic "correctness".

The Keyboard has an LCD on it which can show the date/time, currently playing media, current temperature, hotkeys , total lifetime keystrokes, or unread messages. It has a calculator function as well which works with the numeric pad when you hit a button. The keyboard is a non-tactile feedback keyboard (soft touch, not clicky). The keyboard has a standard layout with the exception of the F keys which are 1/2 size and placed differently and the numlock key has been replaced with a 2nd backspace. The keyboard has a full set of media keys and the function keys double as Microsoft office and other shortcut keys.

The keyboard feels natural and has a good wrist support, but it's lack of tactile feedback slows down typing considerably. It's function keys are misplaced which makes them difficult to hit in the middle of the night. Practically all additional keys are software driven which means installation of the software is practically mandatory. The keyboard got stuck in non-numlock mode once and I had to hit the standby button to resume the numlock. I cannot find a numlock function anywhere on this keyboard. It must be a software function. The LCD's email, media, and hotkeys are all software driven. The media, photos and gadget keys are all software driven as well. This is an annoyance because Media, play, pause, forward and back should be standard functions on a keyboard. This does not require software, but Logitech has decided that software based media keys are the way to go in leiu of industry standards. I think the key counter is cool. I never realized how much I type. So far I've had this keyboard for 3 hours and typed 7403 keystrokes.

This keyboard is alright overall. Definitely not something which I would call "top-of-the-line". However, it is currently the top-of-the-line logitech keyboard. I would not buy this keyboard. I actually received it for free.

My brother used to work tier level 4 tech support for logitech, basically, he was tech support for tech support. He was encouraged to bring product returns home to get familiar with them. He had Logitech DiNovo keyboard which he gave to me. This Dinovo keyboard was probly the best keyboard I've ever used. Even though it was non-tactile, it was small and had a separate media/10key pad. It was well designed and had a simple clean look to it. That keyboard was a $300 keyboard. Eventually the spacebar wore out from my insessive typing. So I called Logitech and they sent me an upgrade, a Logitech DiNovo Laser Desktop. This was the same keyboard with a better mouse. The same thing happened. I wore out the spacebar. So I called them up and received this thing.

I'm not by any means saying that this is a "crappy" keyboard. I've just become used to using top of the line keyboards. Logitech is supposed to be the best keyboard and mouse manufacturer out there. If this is their current top-of-the-line, then I think we're going backwards. A good keyboard should not require a software interpreter on the computer to run properly and should include all standard industry features. This one does not. Also, a mouse should not be so "ergonomically correct" that it interferes with operation. I've now typed 9519 keys.

 

it should have software with it to configure the second scroll. Is the software not linux compatible? I love my Logitech - MX 1000 Mouse and MX 5000 keyboard

I don't have the freewheel function. Sounds nice. My keyboard also doesn't display email, just time, date, temp, and music if it's playing. My mouse also isn't as... ergonomic as yours.

I have a volume/zoom option on my keyboard, as well as audio controls on the left. I love the Logitech stuff. Good find.

The mouse battery holds good. I've had mine for 3 years and it still holds a charge. I wish the keyboard didn't eat through the batteries so fast - I'll never buy a wireless keyboard again, but I got a great deal on mine, $25 clearance @ Best Buy for keyboard/mouse combo. I love my mouse, but I only like my keyboard.

 

I think I have the MX5000 combo kit on my desktop. It worked nice for quite a while, but now I'm having trouble keeping it connected. The mouse doesn't want to connect at all.

 

^^Call Logitech. They have an excellent return policy. I returned "the same" keyboard twice now. When you exchange a Logitech product it gets a new serial number and therefore a new warranty. I may just return this one to downgrade to one like Majik has.

Majik. That mouse looks simlilar to my last desktop set.



That's a great mouse. I wish they didn't change the shape. I'm tempted to use a dremmel and cut off the thumb flap on mine... heh. It's just not needed.

I can't figure out the pricing difference. Some people charge $250 for a Logitech MX5500 revolution, and some charge $87 for it.

 

I have a Logitech G15 keyboard on my main desktop. It's a wired unit, but I absolutely LOVE it. I rarely use the programmable keys, but when they come in handy they're awesome. Still haven't got the LCD working in Linux, but I know there's a way to get it working. Just haven't bothered yet.


I'm typing this on my Microsoft Wireless Multimedia Keyboard 1.1 which was part of their Wireless Optical Desktop 1000 bundle. Aside from the range being a bit shorter than I had hoped it works great. Lots of multimedia buttons which work in Linux just fine.

 

I have not figured out how to get a logitech LCD working under linux. I played around with it quite a bit and looked for methods of doing so, but I could not figure it out.

 

I saw a writeup for getting the G15 LCD to work, but it was pretty involved and I didn't have the time.